“Saab 9x” has been a regular in these pages for some time now.
His beautiful black NG900 featured in the Saab Pride of Ownership competition and looked fantastic in the Garden of the Gods. Earlier this year, though, it came time for the 900 to make way for the new kid in town – a 2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T Sport Sedan.
I’ve been saying since june last year that the 2008 Saab 9-3 is one heck of a great package. More and more people are now getting to find this out, which is a great thing. GWU students, please take note……
——
I wanted to share a few thoughts of my new ’08, 93. I’ve had it for about six weeks. To begin, it’s fair to say that the fun hasn’t relented.
I first saw the car in the dealer’s pre-prep lot, with protective plastic on the hood (and, I believe, on the trunk). Anyway, I had a “Transformers”–a fun movie–moment, where the car was picking me, rather than me picking the car. What a weird feeling. The odometer had 8.4 miles, reflecting, in my mind, the drive from the factory to the shipping port. It was perfect. I didn’t even want a test drive. The deal closed fairly quickly, despite the sales manager trying not to negotiate.
As the owner, I can’t resist being greeted by the “eyebrow” L.E.D. lighting. Very sexy! Saab needs to continue this type of feature, or a variation on that theme, in all future models. The door handles (albeit, BLS’s) feel sturdy and sincere, like a firm handshake. I thought I’d miss the Saab-specific (curved) handles of my ’94 900S, but the 93′s feel much better, in a “grown up” kind of way.
I haven’t configured the one-year of free OnStar(tm), as I’m not a fan of the technology, which I’m boycotting – to my detriment – over the lack of bluetooth.
XM radio is a nice option when I have guests, but during solo trips I prefer plugging into the mp3 jack (to get my fix of Brazilian jazz and jazz fusion). And, actually, I don’t miss the lack of IPod integration, as I find the devices (IPods) “too proprietary.” (I just want to “drag and drop” my files/music – or go “command line,” without being forced to install and register for ITunes).
The front seats are higher than my 900s’s and they don’t go back as far either, such that I’m forced to sit “properly” (not all low and “gangster” like in my 900S).
The sliding armrest felt funny initially, but now I enjoy being able to put it in different positions. The scent of leather wafts throughout the cabin, along with scents of the other materials, creating a wonderful kind of car “parfum,” inspiring images of what must be a cool, clean, Swedish factory. The scent is more special than just, “new-car smell.”
Black-on-black themed, 17′s, and the “cold-weather” package. A great combination, on several levels. It reminds me of the Turbo-X “look”; the “ice-block” language seems a bit more articulated and the heated seats (a feature Saab pioneered, right?) get things off to a comfy start when it’s cold.
The cabin is quiet and calm. Engine noise and vibration are difficult to notice, at best. That’s got to be GM’s influence (along with the door handles). Impressive and much needed. Thanks, GM. It’s good to see Saab become more sophisticated and refined. Getting away from the “rag-tag,” rough-hewn approach, like, say, a noisy subaru or a truck, is oh, so refreshing.
Accelerating is intoxicating; staying at speed, effortless. Finally, I understand and appreciate what “right-sizing” means. Smarter engines, not bigger, can get the job done. That Saab can make such a spirited car without monstrous engine proportions is a feat at which to marvel.
I’m almost at 2,000 on the odometer. It’s such a smooth car and is so refreshing to drive that the miles seem to accumulate rather quickly, and do so drawing little, if any, attention to the issue. Literally, I have difficulty comprehending where all those miles came from.
This is one heck of a car. Saab did a great job. It solidifies my feelings that not only is Saab a great brand, but it’s also the only one for me.
–Saab9x.
