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Saab or Volvo


Thadeus6
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That's [cool] !

 

If you are going for meetup, must definitely catch up with you and your ride and talk to you about netting a good 2nd hand one!

 

Cheers!

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Neutral Newbie

Would try my best to go and share but the best person to ask is still saaber la.

 

Me limited knowledge at the moment.

 

cheers

 

[thumbsup]

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Neutral Newbie

[reply]Hi,

 

Come down to the meetup and I will show you what a Saab is capable of....

 

 

 

 

Wah, can't wait to see your car on track man [thumbsup]

Edited by Phalanx
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I am seriously considering the 9-5 2nd hand but it won't be real soon,


yes, agreed with you, a 2nd hand 95 is a better deal thumbsup.gifthumbsup.gifthumbsup.gifthumbsup.gifthumbsup.gif try going for the 5 speed autos instead of 4, it'll give you more 'room' to upgrade the performance sly.gifsly.gifsly.gifsly.gifsly.gif
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Which one would you compare with? 9-5/9-3 with S40 or is it S60? I am thinking 9-5 with S60 or 9-3 with S40. Is that a fair comparison?

 

Both 9-5 and 9-3 are both 2.0. Is the S40T also 2.0? or is it still 1.8? I forget. The S60 is 2.5, right?

 

[dizzy] Sorry please educate me. I am more familiar with Saab than Volvo which also shows a slight bias towards the former.

 

Apples to Apples here are the comparisons:

 

Saab 9-5 (150 or 180bhp) / Volvo S70 2.0T (LPT 180bhp) or T5 (HPT 225bhp)

(S70 out of production since 2000)

 

I drove a S70T5 and tested the 9-5 180bhp, I must admit the 9-5 interior is much more luxurious but space wise, I felt both are equally matched. The turbo surge of the S70 is definitely stronger in both LPT and HPT guise, however suspension is harder than Saab 9-5 so causes rattling problems. The 9-5 has a well balanced suspension setup and better auto tranny than Volvo.

 

Saab 9-3 (150bhp) / Volvo S60 2.0T (180bhp) or S40T4 (200bhp)

The 9-3 is comparable to the S60 in terms of space, the S60 has slightly tight rear quarters compared to the 9-3 and the S40 is definitely smaller than both. The S60 2.0T has a very linear power curve and pulls strong from 1800rpm, the 9-3 would feel more lethargic if compared with the S60 2.0T. Surprisingly the S40T4 (1.9 I tried) didn't pull as hard as I expected, perhaps due to the I4 instead of I5 engine config.

 

Oh, one biase point, the Volvo I5 engine makes a sweeeeeeeet exhaust note [thumbsup]

 

In conclusion, for outright fun, go Volvo, best Swede bang for buck. More realiability between the two, I choose Saab at a higher premium in cost though.

 

Personally, I recommend a used 2001 V70T5 after letting it depreciate the first year or if you want new, than V70 2.0T for tighter budget, still a blast to drive and tons of space to lug stuff around [nod]

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Point to note, Volvos have 5-sp auto boxes from 1999. Not sure about the S40T4 but those with "L", "3", "4", "D" are indications of a 5-speeder. [;)]

 

If you're eyeing the T4, there are plenty for you to ride in on MCF [thumbsup]

 

Too bad no S60, S70 or V70 left to thrill you [:/]

 

If you're heading down to SM for test drive, ask for Gracie Cheng and tell her Gavin (light green S70T5) referred you.

Edited by Turbobrick
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TB guru,

 

Thank you for your very interesting recommendation. I shall give it due consideration. As some of the other members here have highlighted, Volvo is indeed a much better buy in terms of cost. However, I am not so sure about part costs when it comes to maintenance. I believe Volvo parts costs a bit more? Or are they both just as expensive? [:p]

 

Conclusion, it now seems like it is a toss up between a 2001 or later V70T5 or a 9-5. Guess I just have to keep an eye out for either one of them to catch a good deal. I will definitely try to go for a test drive. Thanks for the sales rep intro. [thumbsup]

 

Cheers!

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