Thinking about a S40 T5 advice needed

[faffi]

Originally Posted by t5_monkey

I drove a Saab 9-3 Aero...

2.8 V6 Full Hirsch upgrades.

It was fast with mega brakes but... gearchange was notchy and the steering had no feedback.

Interior isn't as nice as the S40 too.

Although fast as fook It just didn't have the 'depth' of driving dynamics. Watch out for the dreaded engine sludge issue too... Saabs of that ilk aren't renowed for great quality.

My mother in law have had Saabs since 1986 and is super-happy with them, despite all the trouble she's had. I personally would be annoyed with the service and repair bills she's had on the 900s and the current 9-3 Sport that she's owned since new for 10 years now.

If I compare the 9-3 to my S40, the first thing that strikes me is how cheap the interior seems. That includes everything from seats to dash to buttons to door panels. The Saab is slightly roomier inside, but the difference isn't big. And the rear seat is horrible compared to the S40. Suspension is more compliant on her Sport than in my standard S40 rolling on 15in wheels, however.

There are plenty of squeaks in the Saab, always have been, and it doesn't feel really solid. However, the automatic box is smooth in operation and the 2-litre turbo petrol engine is really nice for daily driving. When going for it, though, both gearbox and engine feels rather lazy. Especially annoying is the autobox insistence on going through every gear on its way down when using kick-down; IMO it should be able to drop directly from 5th to 2nd as to not waste time visiting 4th and 3rd first.

Still, people have different priorities and my MIL is way happier with her 9-3 than I am with my S40, so who am I to judge...