Saab 9-7x? Good car?

Question

IS the saab 9-7x v6 engine a good reliable car? Let me know if you have driven one or have one? I was looking to buy a 2006 version for 15,000 with 30,000 miles. let me know if this is a good deal.

thanks

Answer 1

To start with, there is no V6 in a 9-7x.  There's an I6, and it's a very smooth, powerful, and efficient engine.  This SUV is very similar to the GMC Envoy, which was Motor Trend's SUV of the year in 2002.  Like other GM SUVs, this should be a tough and reliable vehicle for years to come.  Note that I specify "SUV."  GM cars don't have nearly the reputation for reliability and quality that their trucks do.

Maintenance should be inexpensive and easy, providing you don't go to a dealership to have the work done (but that basically applies to all dealerships, and more so with "premium" brands like Saab).  I don't know anything about the particular one you're looking at, of course, but in general they're very good trucks.

Answer 2

Wayne obviously hasn't been involved with Saabs. They're anything but cheap to maintain. A 30,000 mile service can cost at least $500 (mine was $650). The 9-7 isn't a true Saab so in that respect many people may be attracted to the idea of buying a luxury brand version of a standard GM truck. It's almost a replica of the Envoy/Trail Blazer.

The problem with Saab and GM is that neither is well known for reliability. Saabs can be excellent vehicles for the long haul but the 9-7x isn't really a Saab. I recently asked a question here on Yahoo Answers about the 2006 9-7x because a friend was trying to sell it for cheap. He couldn't afford gas -- are you surprised? I went as far as going to my Saab dealership and asking the people there what they thought of the car. They said they don't sell a lot and when I asked them to compare it to, for example, a Honda Pilot or Toyota Sequoia, he reluctantly admitted that they were considerably better. This is coming from a Saab SALESman. His job is to push a product and even he said there are much better buys out there. He and I also have somewhat of a rapport because I've been in dozens of times in the last 7 years for my own Saabs. He doesn't BS me and he only confirmed what I already expected.

The long story is over. My point is essentially that the words "good" and "reliable" don't confidently apply to the 9-7x. You could get lucky, but I wouldn't put money on it for the long haul. And repairs are very expensive, even if it is a GM vehicle. Just as Lexus service is much more expensive than Toyota's, even though they are more or less the same brand.