They say, sometimes, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Such is the case with Saab. As I was walking to work the other day, a 2011 9-5 sedan passed me on the street and I thought “my what a pretty car.†Sad then, that this car lasted but one model year before the company wound down operations. Even more depressing was that the Sport Combi, or wagon, version of this sedan didn’t make it into production. I’ve seen some pretty wagons over time, but this one just took the cake. A few prototypes and pre-production examples were produced, enough to tease us with a taste of what might have been.
A shame then, that Saab is no longer with us. But what about the company’s other offerings at the end? The 9-3 was almost a decade old by the time Saab called it quits, but it still looked fairly fresh, given a 2008 facelift. The 9-3X was launched in 2009 as an all-wheel drive crossover variant of the 9-3 Sport Combi. Having lived in New England for a time and knowing that Saabs were popular there, I thought, wow, this will be everyone’s dream car up there – a Saab crossover. Who could ask for anything more?
As you all know, we here at GCFSB like to feature the odd Swedish car or two, mainly because they share a lot of the qualities we admire about German vehicles. This 9-3X for sale in Kentucky is as-new, with only 6 miles on the clock. Technically, you could consider it German, since it shares its architecture with the Opel Vectra.
Year: 2011
Model: 9-3X
Engine: 2.0 liter turbocharged inline four cylinder
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Mileage: 6 miles
Price: $33,900
2011 Saab 9-3X on AutoTrader
Warranty (5 year or 60K extended service included in this price). A 2011 Saab 9-3 Sport Combi is prepped and ready for delivery! Comfort package (8-Way power passenger seat, headlamp washers, heated front seats, and universal garage door opener), express-up power windows and power tilt/slide moonroof. Saab has done it again! They have built some great vehicles and this superb 2011 Saab 9-3X is no exception! This spirited machine can turn the everyday driver into a gearhead as they experience a whole new kind of acceleration and exceptionally potent power.
Contrary to what the ad states, the 9-3X is not badged as a Sport Combi, even if it is based on one. I’d also be curious about the details of the warranty offered. As we all know, when Saab went belly up, owners of vehicles made after the GM era were out of luck when it came to a guarantee of any sort. More information on this warranty would be needed before pulling the trigger. MSRP for this 9-3X when new was just under $37,000. Is about a $3,000 discount enough to move the metal in this case. Sadly, probably not, as most pricing guides are putting resale values for a low mileage 9-3X in the low to mid $20,000 range.
-Paul
Paul, you nailed the key issues perfectly. Details of the aftermarket warranty will make all the difference. Asking price is FAR ABOVE market values (most dealers were hacking $10K or more off their remaining brand new Saab vehicle inventory, including warranties). I’d also agree that the last 9-5 was striking, and the wagon prototypes were even better.
I like the near the end 9-3x especially the twin turbo v6 but this price is kind of ridiculous for the 4 cylinder even for the v6 it is ridiculous imo.
I like wagons but the sedans rear looks cool and different enough to where I would prefer that as well. Maybe one day i’ll do a 9-3x track day build when they reach sane prices?