Comments on: Quite possibly the best 2008 Saab 9-3 road test report – ever.

By: Ills56

Ills56 — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:01:16 +0000

I have a 52 plate 93 vector. I have heard that you can connect to an aux jack via under the arm rest. any ideas?

Cheers

By: craigk

craigk — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:27:22 +0000

Nice article – just one thing. A major strength of the 9-3 was missed – its incredible safety record in real life. It has the lowest injury rate of any car in its class (source: Highway Loss Data Institute, 2006). On further contemplation of this safety record, the ‘flimsy’ interior of my 07 9-3 makes more sense to me now. I could never understand why a car which was so well built structurally for safety reasons (everything from the overlapping outdoor skins to unusually strong seats with metal plates etc.) should have such a flimsy interior. Then I came across an article about how armrests are called “spleen killers” in the safety business, and how the Saab 9-3 door armrests/handles are deliberately recessed, padded and to some extent flexible (in fact the whole inner door (push the door binnacle it is also unusually flexible). Then it all made sense to me – everything from the doors to the flimsy pop-out cupholder. The whole interior is designed to break before it breaks you

By: SaabLance

SaabLance — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:52:06 +0000

OOPS,SORRY! Look at the bright side…….at least you still have a functioning cupholder!

By: aeronaut

aeronaut — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:16:03 +0000

Saablance said: ” Guess what guys…If you start to pee,THEN lower your zipper…..your pants will get wet!!!!
-August 30th, 2008 at 1:22 am ”

I tried that and it worked. My pants didn’t get wet. However my drivers seat is now soaked and I think the seat heating element is shorted out. Anyway thanks for the advice.

By: john

john — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:08:30 +0000

Cupholders haven’t been Saab’s forte for a good decade now. I have an 03 9-5 and while it doesn’t interfere with my aux jack(I don’t even have an aux jack) the cupholder is positioned right above the cigarette lighter, so I’m always worried that any sweat from my can of coke will short out whatever happens to be plugged in at the time.

But that aside, the cupholder (along with other minor interior things) shouldn’t affect someone’s overall enjoyment of the car(which is what usually happens with most road test articles) this being a much needed exception!

By: Ken H

Ken H — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:41:41 +0000

Kroum, the aux in inside the armrest console was an option from day 1 until the interior facelift. I have it in my 03 Arc, but only recently I bought an iPod so haven’t used it at all.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:31:31 +0000

Is it possible that the Saab designers just DIDN’T notice that problem? That maybe, just maybe, the Godlike, infallible Swedes actually made an ergonomics mistake when they designed that cupholder?

…Yeah, I doubt that too :p

All these reviews do is make me want a Saab even more

By: tom

tom — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:52:19 +0000

back in the day we just stuck it between our legs…..
and still loved the car.

By: joemama

joemama — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:19:36 +0000

SaabLance – This is a battle you will lose. Scandinavian design is better than this. The problem is it’s GM stock stereo. I’ll guarantee you that Saab designers hated putting this in, but had no choice.

I can tell you from a recent 13+ hour road trip, it was a pain in the butt. sometimes you want to close the cupholder, and can’t. Sometimes open re-open it, and can’t.

D-U-M. DUMB.

I thought about buying the UK cupholder + face. Anyone try it?

By: lance

lance — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:02:37 +0000

Saab Lance

What happens if the lead gets wrapped around the cup then? Do we sue?

Lance Cole – as opposed to Saab Lance !