Stan the A4 Man?

I was just getting settled on my A41.8T order (Conv, All Wth, Sport, Quattro,Xenon,Bose,Sidecurtain, Volcano w/ Ecru or Silver/Onyx) when I see that people are getting 99 Viggens at $31k or even cheaper down South. Turns out there are several 99's left and dealers are dealing. I looked at one last night but didn't drive. Nicely equiped, great seats, plenty of features. Downside is Torque steer, no Quattro :-(, and the blue takes some getting used to. But what an attractive price? All the talk on control arms and wet braking are making me second guess my A4 purchase decision. Any comments or suggestions?

Thanks, Stan.

trifona

The Control Arms on the A4 are a real issue & a design flaw, however the wet braking phenomenon seems to be more of a hit or miss with many drivers. Every car has it's flaws, including the Saab, dont fool yourself into thinking that any $30-40,000 car is perfect.

Personally, The A4 is a purebred Sport Sedan in every measure. Look no further than C&D's comparo of $25,000 sport sedans last year. I dont believe that the regular 9-3 Turbo came out looking very well in that test. Although the 1.8t wasnt the fastest by any means its still came out on top. Saab's are very nice auto's in this class, The Audi just has that visceral "Zen" feeling. Something about the cockpit's red lighting, world class interior, not to mention Quattro and the great handling characteristics that has put the A4 atop pedestals.

Personally, i wouldnt want that much power driving the front wheels; I remember the torque steer in my FWD Mitsu Galant GS and that only had 160hp.

With Quattro on my A4, it would be very difficult to drive another NON AWD vehicle again as a daily driver. Driving in hard rain, ceases to become an issue, never again worry about that big puddle causing your front wheels to lose traction. The car stays solid and balanced throughout. Even with all seasons during a snowstorm last March, the car handled as if it didnt have a care in the world.

If you're worried about all out power..just chip it...200hp & 240ft lbs of torque are just waiting for you if you feel you ever need it. With my APR ECU i rarely ever find cars that can out-launch me on the start (thanks to Quattro gearing as well) or out pull me on the open road. If you're a real gearhead, you'll love the tunability of the 1.8t engine. Check out the performance forum for the more daring guys on here. Of course the Viggen has more brute strength, but applying that power to the wheels is another story.

Of course if you need the utility of a hatchback, tha Saab does have an edge here...yet again, i didnt buy this car so i could haul furniture around.

I love my car, and since i bought in March, there isnt another car in America that i would rather have, for the price. It does everything i need, and it does it in amazing fashion to boot.

My only wish was that Xenons were available when i bought my car as well as Leather Seats (you need to get a 2.8 for that one).


trifona
'99.5 1.8tqms APR V3.0

MP

If you're really concerned about finances, maybe this isn't the category for you... Saab has pathetic resale values and Audi has, shall we say, variable cost of ownership issues post-warrantee.

I think the best owners in the ballpark $30k category are the ones who are simply driving the car they like. I live in Boston and based my decision to buy a 99.5 1.8tqms on the following factors: Quattro, "feel," my personal (subjective) aesthetic values, and CarOrder.com...

I drove a Viggen at a demonstration event at the Museum of Transportation last summer. I also used to drive an '87 900s. I found the build quality, turbo lag, and torque steer downright spooky. Still, I'll be glad to take someone else's Viggen for a spin anytime. I just wouldn't buy one.

On the other hand, I'd actually feel good about buying a Saab. They are underdogs and somehow may help GM rebuild. I like the fact that a brand like Saab exists in the marketplace, and I hope they can get their product sorted out in the near future. They certainly make a safe product.

Good luck with your decision.

ps, I went looking for the 'wet braking issue' last week - I couldn't get my car to do anything that I wouldn't consider normal, and I've driven many, many cars over the years, and had some professional training behind the wheel. I don't know about what other owners experience, but my A4 seems fine.

Tim

Wet Braking? Not an issue on my car. Are the problems people reporting occuring right after going through large puddles, etc? I wouldn't worry about this one.

The control arms are a different issue. Assuming the bushing can be replaced, this shouldn't be a major cost either (assuming you can do the labor yourself). I have about 20k miles on my car and don't have any bushing issues yet.

Lastly, don't buy something just because its a good deal. There are deep discounts on these cars (Viggens) for a reason. But they do look pretty cool. Go with an A4, or alternatively a 1.8T Jetta (coming this spring, and won't have the control arm bushing issues) or a Passat (will have the same bushing issues).

MHO
Tim

mpm

Hope you like torque steer...

j. seb

nt

DaveL

Even without the Viggen's extra power it still generates plenty of torque steer. Depending on your taste, the turbo lag can be good or bad. It's annoying to bog down when you most need the power down low, but it's also a great rush when you're zooming down an onramp onto the highway.

My wife likes her Saab more than my A4 and I like my A4 better...I recommend taking both for a long test drive and make your "subjective" choice without worrying about price (that is if cost difference is not an issue).

BTW...Our 9-3 has the wet baking issue, and mine has been resolved with Mintex and Ate powerdiscs.

Dave
'97 1.8TQMS Wett