Saab 9-3 2.0T

I bought my first Saab 9-3 SE Convertible 2.0t in April 2003, a fleet disposal 39,000 miler with full service history on a ‘T’ plate (1999).

It is the Light Pressure Turbo variant with around 150bhp (the lowercase ‘t’ in ‘2.0t’ shows this, rather than ‘T’ which is the 185bhp variant).

I came from a Subaru Impreza Turbo company car, but was buying this myself.
I’d had convertibles in the past and despite fantastic performance from the Subaru, I just wanted to get back to that ‘wind in the hair feeling’.

I’ve not been disappointed, as the car is fantastic.

I have two back seat ‘occupants’, one 14 and one 5 years old, so space in the back was important. They can’t touch my seat when they’re in the back and I have my seat a long way back to free my long legs.

Seats are the best I’ve ever experienced. Dashboard layout is good. Steering wheel comes out and back, but not up and down which is a bit disappointing.

Boot space is as big for my big weekly shop as my partner’s Rover 214 (old shape), and simply requires a different way of packing once you’re used to the strange layout of the big boot.

Electric everything and I mean everything.

Hood mechanism is great and engine is more than enough for the type of car it is.

I have the top down whenever it’s not raining even for short trips. Heater is excellent even in the cold, as with the side windows up, you’re quite well cocooned.

Consumption seems to be around 29-33mpg, though after a Subaru, that’s brilliant!

I really can’t say how much I love this car and the only real gripe I have is that the glove box has to be manually locked and unlocked with a key, rather than the lock released automatically when the car is unlocked, which is how the petrol filler cap cover operates. Why Saab couldn’t replicate this inside the car, I’ll never know, as never wanting to leave it unlocked permanently (in an open topped car) it’s a hassle having to stop, take the keys out of the ignition, access the glove box, lock it and restart the car.

But if that’s my only real gripe, then take my advice and take a test drive in one. You’ll be sold or rather it will !