1999 Saab 9-5 consumer reviews

About 6 years ago, being a dedicated Honda man but wanting a better ride and unwilling to pay the price for a used BMW, I bought a used 9-5 with about 99k on it. I had the some major issues right away with the tubo going out and other things. For a car with 99k on it, I had expected that. But I bought the car for the way it rode and the low up front price. I probably put half the cost of the car in repairing the vehicle to where I wanted it to be for a daily ride. For the first couple of years of ownership, the 9-5 was in the shop on pretty much a bi-monthly basis that the repair shop had me on speed dial and I got on their Christmas card list. (Just kidding about the last two things.) Right now the car has over 200k on it and running great. I love it. I plan on running it to 300k. I recommend buying the car because you can usually buy them cheap but (always a "but") plan on putting a few bucks (initially) into car to keep it (or get it) running good. And make sure you get a good mechanic that is practical and understands what you want. My 9-5 maxims are: Sometimes used parts are better than new, don't let anyone else (especially teenagers) drive your car and the occasional repair bill is better than a regular car payment.

My wife bought this nice silver sedan in 2007 with only 70,000 miles on it. Driving it was a pleasure, but the Engine Oil Pressure light caught us by surprise on a recent trip to Yellowstone. It turns out that Saab recalled the vehicle due to an engine oil sludge problem that is caused by a faulty engine design!!! Buyer beware (do your research before buying). Our mechanic told us we needed a new engine> $5K for a used one or $8K for a new one...we didn't even pay $8K to begin with. We ended up selling it to a local mechanic for parts. What a shame!

I HAD MY 9-5 FOR OVER A YEAR AND I LOVE IT. I HAD THE 9-3 BUT I NEEDED A BIGGER CAR ONLY CHOICE WAS A SAAB FOR ME.I AM A BIG GUY 6'2 AND I HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM.

While admitting that the previous owner was more than a little OCD about care of this car, I am very impressed with the overall quality. Fit, finish, performance and comfort are all that anyone could reasonalby expect from a car nearly 10 yrs old. I've now owned 2 "99 wagons and can't imagine a better value.

I bought this car used about 4 months ago. I was trying to decide between the 9-5 and the Volvo S70. I chose the 9-5. When you first get into this car you notice that the ignition is by the gear shifter. I love it! You may also notice the beautiful wood grain, superb heated and cooled leather seats, roominess, and great lines. The back seat is also heated! Very rare. The exterior of this car is much sportier, more modern than the previous generation Saabs. Mine is the olive-green color with tan leather. The sunroof is great and opens up all the way. The safety of these cars are nothing short of excellent. The overall body structure of the car and the quality of the parts are incredible. Very sturdy vehicle. The exterior is bold and very aerodynamic. I have only had to fix a few things on this vehicle. This includes the all new window switches, new transmission belt, and now the car might need a new oil filter. My repairs have been pretty cheap. After owning this 9-5 I will defenitly return to Saab. And you cant go wrong with them being owned by the company that produces the best cars on the planet and for the planet-General Motors. This 9-5 is a car for you if you like the mid-size catagory, have a need for speed, sporty look, comfort, luxury features, and pulling up to a redlight and nobody have the same car as you. A real head turner. I truly am SAAB Forever, if it is the 9-3, 9-5, or the 9-7x they are all top-of-the-line vehicles from a company with a proud history and a very bright future.

I've owned the vehicle by more than 6 years. Performance is extraordinary esp. in the 20-40 mph range, no one can beat it. Had some mechanical problems after hitting 75K miles, all repairable at the dealership, but costlly. Just've bought new 9-3 for my wife. The bottom line: if it is new, or still under the warranty - buy it.

A great running car on interstate and around time. Very comfortable, save, stable and fast. But since hitting 100K miles, big repairs of sensors, turbos, and the like. Not confident this car is built to last like volvo, honda, toyota, lexus. etc.

We bought this car 4 months ago, Oct. of 2006, and it has been in the shop since the day after Thanksgiving. It's not the car's fault, of course, it's the warranty company's. But the car only had 70k miles. We thought we'd try something other than a high-mileage honda or toyota or nissan, and just buy a 3rd praty warranty in case it wasn't as reliable. I would definitely say it hasn't been as reliable as any Honda I've ever known. So if you are looking for a reliable car, stay with the Asian makes. The Good: Acceleration, Ventilated and power seats, Cd player, one-touch down both driver's and passenger's windows, CD and tape player, trip info, though the read-out screen is way messed up, side-impact airbags, and a sunroof. The Bad: The coolant sensor is touchy, the engine has a bent rod after we only drove it for 2k miles, it over-heated on my wife. Was fun to drive when it was driveable, now I'm wishing I had bought a cheap Hyundai with the sweet factory warranty.

Opted for manual 5 speed with 2.3 liter engine. Excellent handling and response. Have owned the car since new, and like it a lot. Reliability issues: Crack in engine block at 8,000 mi which Saab replaced under warranty. Have encountered other repair issues including engine gasket replacement, crack in front wheel "boot" which Saab refused to cover because car was 6 years old and maintenance was being performed by Saab specialist rather than Dealer.