point, kroum!–you are correct, which i suspect everyone, except myself, already knew.

my apologies for the confusion, doubt, and incorrect info.

when i get home, i’ll take pics and post links.

i kid you not–there are no (visible) staples for my ’08, 9-3 armrest. anywhere. (and i’m not trying to be a “fanboi.”)

i rechecked the the armrest on my ’08, 9-3. there are no (visible) staples. it’s professionally finished.

a. i don’t know what i did to deserve it; or

b. something was overlooked in turbo-x land.

The “oh, but I drive a monstrous Teuton” attitude cost this guy public embarrassment as he had the top down, the engine revving and the whole lot. Funny.

Technically speaking, even an E46 packs more horses than my Turbo X and on top of that is supposed to be a second faster in the 0-100 km/h sprint. I’ve got more torque, and XWD, which probably didn’t add much to my advantage as it was perfectly dry.

At the end of the day, it’s the sleeper factor of Saabs that I find is so dear to me. “Hey look, I’m different and I can still give you a pretty run for your money, even suck your arrogant German doors if I want to.” I just couldn’t come around myself driving one of those cars – frankly, BMW are amazing cars, but their image and average sample of owners really puts me off.

My (within reason) dream garage:
’03-’05 9-5 Aero Wagon (5 spd)
1991 BMW 325is (or an M3, but those are hard to find and expensive)
4×4 pickup for camping, skiing, exploring, hauling, and generally beating up (read: driving places that I wouldn’t want to take the other two).

Total expected budget: $25K (?)

Right now, the 9000 Aero is just so much fun, and so unique, and so fast, and so comfortable, and in such nice condition (some people still assume I bought it new a few years ago… those were the same ones who thought I spent $30-40K on my BMWs and that I was a snob for having such an expensive car). I recently ordered new suspension bushings and sway bars for my car. I have no plans to sell it any time soon.

When I see a nice e30, however, I take a long look at it.

Cheers, and happy Saabing to ya!

~Peter

Like you have stated a BMW cannot give you everything you require from a car and likewise a Saab. Ultimately neither car hits the sweet spot for you from what I can read however; both come close. The fact that price or more over that your purchases occur once the majority of a vehicles depreciation has elapsed is buying clever in my book but it might be while before a Saab V6 comes along at the right price, even longer for one with XWD. Maybe then will a Saab hit the nail on the head for you.

———-

To me this underlines why AWD is so important for Saab’s future. I love my Saab because it a very good ‘all-rounder’. FWD suits my driving style but I understand this is a natural enemy when it comes to cornering for the driving enthusiast.

There are better performing or reliable cars out there but if you want premium for Europe that means a limited choice of a German brand or a German brand and that is where the problem lies. I pull up at a set of traffic lights and I am surrounded by German cars. Ok I live in Germany but that’s not the issue if I were to live in France I would be surrounded by Renaults and Citroens and in France; premium still means a German brand so you can’t et aay from it. I don’t want a German car. They might be better but I am different and driving a Saab is a way of showing that. Drive any Premium German car today and your going to be pigeon-holed in the status league. For me; I’ll take the sacrifice of torque steer and that pigeon-hole that comes with it too and I’ll have the same smug grin as all my other tight fitting tweed jacket wearing friends do.

Does this mean you also love the music ABBA?

Car 2: 1989 BMW 325is
Purchased for $5000 in 1999
Original Sticker Price: $25K +/-
Sold for: $4000 4 years later.

Car 3 (Current car): 1993 Saab 9000 Aero
Purchased for: $7400 in 2003
It had 44K miles on it when I bought it, and has 94K now.
Original Sticker Price: $41000 +/-

I don’t see this trend changing very much in the future.

You asked me why I will drive a BMW again in the future, and you asked me if it had to do with perceived driving experience. The short answer is that, no, it does not have to do with perceived driving experience. It has to do with experienced driving experience.

I’ve driven more C900s than I can count on my hand. I’ve driven 3 different 9000s (’92 9000S, ’95 9000 CSE (FPT), and my ’93 Aero (5 spd). I drove my brother’s NG 900 (5 spd, manual boost controller, and eventually Eibach springs and new shocks.) and I’ve driven my dad’s ’01 9-5 (lpt, 5 spd). I’ve driven my neighbor’s ’06 9-5 (Auto, sport package… this was an Aero, but they didn’t call it that for that particular year.) This is more than a spin around the block. Sometimes these drives included CA->WA or CA->MT one-day 800+ miles, etc. (My record is 1100 mile sin one day)

As for BMWs, I’ve driven a couple 2002s, my two e30s, my brother’s e30 325iX (That’s AWD, and it was a ’91), my dad’s ’89 e30 M3, and one e36 3-series. Probably a ’95-’96. And, a very special drive in a ’91 M5.

I will say, without a second’s hesitation, that the DRIVING experience in the BMWs I’ve driven is more enjoyable than in any of the Saab’s I’ve driven. Granted, I’d rather drive an Aero or Viggen than an entry BMW (read: no sport package suspension). My 9000 Aero is no slouch and leaves very little to be desired… what is left to be desired can, for me, be satiated with a romp in a nice BMW.

At the end of the day, I see myself with an e30 325 or perhaps an e36 M3 sometime in the future. The feel of the shifter, the feel of the steering, the feel and handling response of RWD, the smoothness of that inline 6… There’s just something about it that I cannot get from a Saab. At the same time, there’s something about my Saab that I cannot get from a BMW. Generally speaking, Saab made (and makes) fantastic cars which blend, nearly perfectly, that balance between sport and practical. And, somehow, they’ve managed to remain non-status symbols. (I love that part.)

I’d love to drive an e46 (3-series’99-’05) or e9X (3-series ’06-present) BMW. I’m sure they handle great. I’d not hesitate for a minute to drive a 335i. Wow, I can’t imagine that it would disappoint. Also, the 5-series cars (especially the wagons) appeal to me because they are of similar size to my Aero. The only downside to a nice 5er wagon would be winter traction and gas mileage. (Just get a 530xi to solve one of those, huh?)

One comment on seats: Without fail, a Saab will have outstanding seats. Seats you can sit in for hours on end with minimal fatigue. The only BMWs I’ve spent long hours in have been the e30 3-series that I (or my brother) owned. All of those (and my dad’s M3) have had the optional Recaro Sport seats. Those seats give up nothing to any in a Saab, with the exception of the 9000 Aero seats. And that difference is mostly due to the cool factor that the Aero seats have in looking, quite simply, like a million bucks.

Woodz, I hope I’ve addressed your inquiry satisfactorily. I will always be a Snaab, I’m sure. I just might also drive a BMW from time to time.

Here’s my testing grounds, my “backyard” so to speak:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/125/397409749_1f82371c5f.jpg

Cheers,
~Peter