A Fun Ride

I recently leased a 2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4 door sedan (By way of background, Saab has two model lines, the 9-3 and the 9-5. The 9-3 is available in the S series as well as the SE series, with the SE being the more luxurious of the two (though when I inquired from my salesman as to the difference between the S and SE, he told me that the only difference between the two series is that the SE has leather seats, automatic climate control, and electronic seat adjusters)). This is the third Saab I have leased (I entered into 2 year leases in 97 and 99).

Before I discuss the car itself, I would like to share my experience about my lease. My 99 lease was for 2 years at $370 a month. When I started shopping this year, I was told that it would be $680 a month for a two-year lease. At first I thought my dealer was ripping me off, but when I inquired at various dealerships throughout the tri-state area, my worst fears were confirmed. Apparently, over the past years, the automakers have drastically lowered their residuals, thus, driving up the monthly lease cost (for those of you not familiar with "residuals", it is an amount, set by the dealer, that the car will be worth after the lease term. Essentially you pay the difference between what the car is worth today and what it is worth at the end of the lease term (the residual) ex – car is worth $10,000 today and has a $8000 residual at the end of tow years, you pay the $2000 difference. What the automakers have done is said that instead of cars being worth $8000 after two years, they will be worth $5000, thus you have to pay the difference between $10,000 and $5000).

After much shopping around, I settled on Parkfield Motors (www.parkfieldsaab.com 201-385-1144) in Bergenfield NJ (about 10 minutes from the G.W. Bridge). The guy I dealt with, Earl Guyett, was friendly, upfront and gave me the best deal (I know because I shopped it around to virtually every Saab dealer in the tri-state area and no one even came close). I ended up paying $440 a month, $1200 down, 10k miles per year for three years and a $500 disposition fee (ONE WORD OF ADVICE, WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES GO TO ZUMBACH MOTORS IN MANHATTAN. THEY ARE A RIP OFF – I TRIED THEM EACH TIME I LEASED A CAR AND THEY WERE AT LEAST $100-$200 ABOVE THE LOWEST PRICE. IN ADDITION, THEY ARE EXTREMELY RUDE. IT ISNT JUST ME, EVERYONE I'VE SPOKEN TO HAS HAD A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE WITH THEM. AVOID ZUMBACH LIKE THE PLAGUE)

Now, about the car. With 2 key differences, the 2001 SE is virtually identical to the 99 and 00 models – 1) the 2001 model has a more powerful engine (205hp vs. 190hp) and 2) all 2001 models come equipped with the Onstar system (along with a 1 year subscription to the "premium" service). (Note that the Onstar system deserves its own e-pinion and is beyond the scope of my review. See Nolefan1942's review of the Saab 2001 9-3 for an excellent description of the features of the Onstar system). I was very dissatisfied with my 99 Saab's acceleration. Thus, the addition of some much-needed horsepower was quite welcome.

Now, about the car. The 9-3's ride is not a quiet one. The engine does seem to make a lot of noise, but with the windows closed and the climate control system engaged, it's not too much of a problem. With the added horsepower, acceleration is great (especially if you engage the optional "sport" mode). Handling is a dream. The car aggressively handles curves and is a lot of fun to drive. In terms of fuel mileage, having driven a Saab for the past 5 years, I really have no basis for comparison, but it doesn't feel as if I constantly have to fill up the tank.


As for the interior, the front passengers will certainly feel comfortable (I'm 6'2 and i don't feel cramped), though the rear passengers may feel a little cramped if the front passengers are tall and have the seat pushed back. The ignition is located to the right of the driver's seat. The sound system is decent – not terrific (CD player (1 CD)comes standard). Saab's are known for their quirks and some of these include a) a button that instantly finds the National Weather Service Channel so you can get weather reports wherever you are b) a night-driving button that dims all dashboard lights and gauges, except for the speedometer. For the 2001 model, Saab removed the driver's seat armrest – I find this really annoying, especially on long trips. Glove compartment and trunk space are adequate, but there is a rear seat pass through so you can transport long objects, such as skis. In addition, the rear seats folds down for added carrying room.

Also new, is the redesigned remote door opener/alarm control. On the 99 model, you had to carry an oversized ignition key as well a bulky door opener/alarm activator. On the 2001 model, Saab has built these features into the ignition key, so, with key in hand, you can open the doors, set the alarm and open the trunk. (Note that the handle to open the trunk was poorly designed. If I wasn't shown it by the salesman, I never would have found it – and in my experience, neither can most people. Thus, when I drop a friend off and unlock the trunk from inside the car, they are unable to open the trunk themselves and I usually have to climb out of the car to open it for them)

Another nice feature is that Saab offers free maintenance for the first three years/30,000 miles (particularly nice on a 3 year lease).

As I noted above, I'm partial to Saabs and really haven't compared it to other models in its price class. However, I very much enjoy driving it and think it measures up favorably to other models in its class