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saab 9-3 or passat

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3K views 36 replies 26 participants last post by  Arthrogrian19 
#1 ·
i dont know which one to buy. Ive had a passat and a jetta and loved them both. which would be faster though the saab or passat? Saab a 2.0t and the passat 1.8t. but i think the saab is more expensive to chip and mod
 
#8 ·
2.0t is by far faster, but their aftermarket mods are more expensive. a bsr chip usually costs around a grand, versus $500 for ours. also, the few times i visit saab forums, the depth of info they have compared to here is definitely lacking. their members are not as mechanically inclined as our members/moderators here, so something to look out for.

but just be sure to buy a newer model where the baseline 2.0t got bumped up from 175hp to 190 or something like that. plus, those first year models had alot of quality control issue, much of which they sorted out in the last year or so.
 
#12 ·
Couple questions. Did you post the same question on a Saab forum? Do you ask the waiter/waitresss in a restaurant what tastes good today?
 
#13 ·
I have a 2001 b5.5 glx 4motion.
I have been looking for a 2003-2005 saab 9-3 Aero (vector) version for my wife.

I have tried it and it is quicker than any Passat i have tried. But the overall feeling is that i prefer my passat.
Sometimes i don't understand why quicker meens better.
You see it all the time in the forum, people always talk about what car is faster.
So what if a car is faster than another?
I look for the overall sensation.

The 93 is a nice car but there is something about the materials and interior feel that i do not like for a car of that price range.

My 2 cents.
 
#18 ·
I own both but the Saab is a 2.3 Aero 9-5, stock is 250 hp. The Saab is a great car for performance tuning the 2.3t can be 300+ hp with a tuned ECU and mods to intake and exhaust. If you purchase an Aero 9-3 or 9-5 it is already mostly upgraded as far as the engine and suspension. Although you can still continue.
I had only recently purchased my 1.8t so they guys on this forum can answer your question about that.


Here are some useful links to manufacturers that provide tuning services for the 9-5 and 9-3
http://www.maptun.com/
http://www.nordictuning.com/main.php?lang=en
http://www.genuinesaab.com (Provides Nordic in the USA)
http://www.abbottracing.com/
http://www.partsforsaabs.com/default.php?cPath=28_270
http://www.hirsch-performance.ch/
 
#24 ·
i was actually looking at buying a saab a few months ago.
i test drove an aero and the 2.0t. i recently bought an 03 W8 and i'm soo glad i held out from buying the saab.
the saab is definitely a nice car, but i don't feel like it's worth the money that you have to pay to get one. the inside wasn't the quality i'd expect from a car in that price range.
 
#28 ·
actually my best friend just bought a 9-3. its a very nice car i will say, but it doesnt handle like the passat does at all. the current 9-3 is a Opel Vectra and thats really not a good platform to start from...

they're not a bad car over all, but they are rather boring and they have an awful platform if you plan to do anything as far as apperance mods. they'll understeer like mad.

if you wanna see just how bad this platform is, watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKfhxsc2iYs
 
#30 ·
actually my best friend just bought a 9-3. its a very nice car i will say, but it doesnt handle like the passat does at all. the current 9-3 is a Opel Vectra and thats really not a good platform to start from...
Somebody told me something similar, you have to back to a generation (or two).
 
#31 ·
it depends on the saab as far as i'm concerned.

personally, we have both. my wife drives a 2002 saab 9 3 and i have a 99 passat. best of both worlds. i prefer the passat. ;)
 
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