Kirk, despite the fact that my wife and I both drive '00 V70/S40...we bought a used '99 9-5 for our daughter to take to college! The good news, It's quiet, comfortable,smooth, well built, and loaded with standard features!!!!!! The bad news...the traveling salesman (we're guessing!) put 72k on the carin a year and a half...probably maxed out the Turbo too many times, so after we had had the car for a short time....of course the Turbo went kahooy! 1K later we're back i business! I guess my recomondation would be to try to get a non turbo! I have 69K on my S40......but I've never punched it out and I change the synthetic oil every 4-5 k....si I don't think I'll have that problem any time soon! The Saab is a great car and like the Volvo's.....VERY SAFE!!!!!!! Good luck, Bill

Before I bought my 855, I asked my mechanic for his recommendations. He said don't buy another Saab (I had owned a '91 900). I loved my Saab it was great fun to drive, looked keen, and gave me no problems. I was a lucky one. The newer ones are terrible maintenance nightmares. It came down to the Audi 90 or the 850. I got the 850 because it felt great to drive and finding a 5spd isn't easy. I'm happy so far. I would not buy a 900 or a 9000. I've driven both and the quality is not up to the Volvo standards.
--
'86 245 DL Volvo Blue/ Blue Vinyl M46 -- sold

I too owned a 1986 Saab 900 turbo before my 240 and now 850 Volvo.
I loved my Saab! It was the best car and most fun to drive car that I have ever driven. Rather than a 1995 on up, why not go for the last year they made the older 900 style which I beleieve was 1992. You could search for a nice '92 automatic with potentially low mileage. I got 255,000 miles out of my old Saab before my wife made me dump it for cost/repair reasons. I love my 850 now but the Saab was King!

Well, it depends on your wife.....

Try reading through the posts in the forums at "saabnet", the Saab board. Saabnet

I've had two Saabs, (one made it to just under 300k mi.) My wife hated my Saabs, but not as badly as she hates my Volvo. We test-drove the 9-3 about a year ago, with my daughter in mind. She ranked the 9-3 in first place of the cars we tried. (Waaaaay ahead of the PT Cruiser, which was her favorite before she drove one.) Saabs depreciate like stones, much faster than Volvo, which is a good thing in a used car purchase.

I'd look for lots of service records in any potential purchase. Consumer Reports actually recommends the '00 and '01 9-3 as a used car. Electrical poltegeists seem more common than even with Volvos. I had decent luck with mine but if they're not maintained they can be nightmares.

Just like Volvos.

Good luck!

-Punxsutawney Phil