Piston Slap: Escaping The Land of Lotus-Eaters

by Sajeev Mehta

Updated: May 16th, 2014 Published: October 21st, 2013

piston slap escaping the land of lotus eaters

Susan writes:

So I found a 2011 Saab 9-5 that I just love. I have never owned a Saab. Do they break a lot? I don’t want to spend thousands on car repairs. Been there done that. Please let me know what your honest opinion is on whether I should buy this car or not. Thanks for your time.

Sajeev answers:

Run like hell. That’s the short answer. More to come. :)

Sent from my iPhone

Susan answers:

Hahaha ok

Sent from my iPhone

Sajeev concludes:

Here’s the thing: I truly adore it when readers make no pretense to their mechanical prowess (I can do this, I think I’d be willing to do that) and instead get to the point with a Yes or No question…with past experiences in mind. That makes my answer far more accurate. Why?

Consider these:

Turbo Saabs are chronically below average in terms of reliability, durability and repair costs. While a 2011 model may be far superior than older models with unobtainium non-GM parts and (possible) questionable upkeep from previous owners, while parts are available via the “ Saab Secure Program“, only certain parts of the country are truly Saab friendly when it comes to service and support. Not so compared to other luxury marques.
Saabs aren’t for everyone and like any niche, plenty of folks appreciate such quirkiness…and are willing to deal with non-Lexian levels of quality.
The final Saab 9-5 is a rather beautiful and unique automobile, even with the Chevy steering wheel and underlying GM architecture.
Saabs (and Volvos) probably have the best seats in the business, for decades. But what are those seats bolted to?

We know enough to make a sound judgement against a pretty vehicle with serious concerns: if one readily admits to being repair-averse, don’t even consider a Saab. Hell, maybe you shouldn’t consider anything from Europe (without a very extended warranty) these days. Make your life easier, there are plenty of alternatives out there. Just go test drive them, Susan!

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.

#2011 #9-5 #Durability #Reliability #Saab #SaabSecureProgram #Warranty

Sajeev Mehta

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4 of 49 comments

95_SC on Oct 21, 2013

Oh what the hell!

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- Invara on Oct 22, 2013
  
  SAAB- Sven's auto always broken. I love them, but they break your heart. I have a 04 9-3 with low miles and lots of shop time for stupid things- windows regulators, seat adjustment cable, seatbelt retract, water pump, keys and lots of strange warning notices on the dashboard. Unless it is dirt cheap and you love supporting your local mechanic.... run.
  
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- Bill h. on Oct 22, 2013
  
  @invara Definitely a YMMV situation. We've got four Saabs in our family fleet (six over the past 25 years). Bought both new and used, including one that had 120k miles when we got it (as 2002 model, now with 185k miles). Haven't had problems like any of yours, nor any issues with turbo related failures, Sajeev's cautions notwithstanding. We've replaced our share of ignition cassettes, done a couple of fuel pumps, a head gasket (120k miles) and a couple of clutches. No transmission failures, but the automatics are Japanese and only need regular fluid changes. And our newest one, a 2009 9-3 wagon, is the best/most reliable car we've owned of any make, with nearly 50k miles and no issues since new. The Saab parts company never went bankrupt and is still operating. That said, making sure one has a good tech around who isn't afraid of a NG9-5 is going to be a requisite for keeping such a car for years in the future.
  
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Jimbob457 on Oct 23, 2013

During its 60 years of shadowy existence, the auto maker of Trollhatten consistently established the global standard for engineering weirdness - good once in a while, but mostly bad. This may be interesting for some, but NOT for the average used car owner. Three points: 1. For years they virtually epitomized turbo lag. 2. For years, the torque steer in their high-powered models was so extreme as to be downright dangerous. 3. In the end, all they had to do to stay in business was follow the instructions from their dullard corporate masters at GM. They didn't do it.

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