The Diesel

I'm in the market for a used car and my budget is $12,700 and my dad
will also let me trade in a beatup old 1994 Lincoln Town Car with
250,000 miles on it.
If the 1998 Saab 9-5 was available in the US, it would probably be the
car I'd get.
The 1998 Saab 9-5 did EXCELLENT in the European Crash Tests, but I
think that the Saab 9-5 was redesigned in 1999 and the 1999-2001 Saab
9-5s only did about average in crash tests.
Here are the crash test results for the 1998 European Saab 9-5
http://www.euroncap.com/content/safe...p?id1=4&id2=51
Here are the crash test results for the 1999-2001 American Saab 9-5.
http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_rat...html/98021.htm


The 2002-2004 Saab 9-5s also do excellent in crash tests but even the
cheapest 2002 Saab 9-5 is several thousand dollars out of my budget.
Since the 1998 Saab 9-5 is out of the question(which is unfortunate as
it did better than the 1999/2000 Volvo S80 in the European Front
Offset Crash Test and Saabs are generally more reliable than Volvos
too), I'm leaning towards a 2001 Volvo S80.


My mom actually wants me to save my money for a rainy day and for my
dad to buy a car for me, but if my dad buys me a car, it will be a
much cheaper car, and the best I could hope for is a VERY high milage
1999 Volvo S80.
This would be a major downgrade even compared to the 2001 Volvo S80
because in the 2000 model year Volvo improved the car to do better in
the front crashes, and in the 2001 model year Volvo put in new multi
stage front airbags.
In the 1999 Volvo S80, it's not as good as newer versions in front
impacts and in the 1999/2000 models the gasses coming out of the front
airbag melted the dummy's hands, and volvo fixed this problem in the
2001 Volvo S80.
In the 2001 Volvo S80 they also fixed the problem of the airbags
deploying in very minor slow speed accidents that was present in the
1999/2000 Volvo S80.
Also in the front offset of the 2000 volvo S80, the dummy' head
bounced off the front airbag, and then the back of the dummy's head
hit the b pillar although nobody really knows if this happens in the
2001-2004 Volvo S80.

The 2001-2004 Volvo S80s with the new multistage front airbags have
actually NEVER been tested in the front offset crash test so that's
why till now the Saab 9-5 really has to be consider the king of the
sub $50,000 large family cars in crash tests.


If my dad buys me a high milage 1999 Volvo S80, I think I'll have to
get some driving gloves to protect my hands as the airbags in the
1999/2000 S80 deploy even in very slow speed minor accidents and the
front driver airbag vents very hot gasses at the driver's hands.

If on the other hand I buy the 2001 S80 , I won't have to worry about
the driving gloves as they fixed that problem in the 2001 and later
models.


I really couldn't find any crash tests videos besides the side impact
poll test for the S80.
Check out the front offset crash test video of this 2002 S60 though.
Just like the 2000 S80 which was tested, on the S60 the dummy's head
hit the B pillar after bouncing off the airbag.
Also check out the extremely hot gasses coming out of the airbags.
I think in the case of the 2002 S60 the gasses are vented away from
the driver's hands, however in the case of the 1999/2000 Volvo S80 the
hot gasses from the airbags are actually vented toward's the driver's
hands.
http://www1.progressive.com/video/02VolvoS60HSF.mpg
http://www1.progressive.com/video/02VolvoS60HSF.ram

This website did in the past have a front(not offset) crash test video
of the 2001 S80, but that video no longer seems to be working.
http://www.autosafety.org/crashTestR...hp?autoID=2325

Dave Hinz

On 19 Jun 2004 16:12:00 -0700, The Diesel <hollywood_oneal@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I'm in the market for a used car and my budget is $12,700 and my dad
> will also let me trade in a beatup old 1994 Lincoln Town Car with
> 250,000 miles on it.
> If the 1998 Saab 9-5 was available in the US, it would probably be the
> car I'd get.
> The 1998 Saab 9-5 did EXCELLENT in the European Crash Tests, but I
> think that the Saab 9-5 was redesigned in 1999

Nope, same body. They just didn't sell 'em in the US that year.
The '99 (and current) 9-5's have the same crash characteristics as
the '98.

> and the 1999-2001 Saab
> 9-5s only did about average in crash tests.

Crash tests will vary from year to year, as you're seeing. It's not
all that exact of a science. Even more impressive than Saab's
crash test results are the injury statistics in the real world;
it takes into effect not only how the car performs in an arbitrary lab
test, but how it does in the real world - including crash _avoidance_
which the superb handling helps with a lot.

> Here are the crash test results for the 1998 European Saab 9-5
> http://www.euroncap.com/content/safe...p?id1=4&id2=51
> Here are the crash test results for the 1999-2001 American Saab 9-5.
> http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_rat...html/98021.htm

Different labs, different testing methodologies.

> The 2002-2004 Saab 9-5s also do excellent in crash tests but even the
> cheapest 2002 Saab 9-5 is several thousand dollars out of my budget.

A good price point to look for is at the 3-year lease tradein. The
car will only be 3 years old, you'll know it's been taken care of
well, and you have a known service history for it (the dealer can
give you this; if they won't, buy from a different dealer).

> Since the 1998 Saab 9-5 is out of the question(which is unfortunate as
> it did better than the 1999/2000 Volvo S80 in the European Front
> Offset Crash Test and Saabs are generally more reliable than Volvos
> too), I'm leaning towards a 2001 Volvo S80.

Well, drive 'em both & see what you like. But, since the '99 is the same
car as the '98, I wouldn't worry too much about different test results
from different labs.

> Also in the front offset of the 2000 volvo S80, the dummy' head
> bounced off the front airbag, and then the back of the dummy's head
> hit the b pillar although nobody really knows if this happens in the
> 2001-2004 Volvo S80.

Look at the real world figures; lab tests are by nature arbitrary and
artificial. HLDI (Highway Loss Data Institute) would be one term to
google for.

Dave Hinz

LauraK

>Crash tests will vary from year to year, as you're seeing. It's not
>all that exact of a science. Even more impressive than Saab's
>crash test results are the injury statistics in the real world;
>it takes into effect not only how the car performs in an arbitrary lab
>test, but how it does in the real world - including crash _avoidance_
>which the superb handling helps with a lot.

Saabs are definitely the best at crash avoidance! It saved my life at least
three times on Friday, which seems to have been Drive Like an Idiot Day.
There's no doubt in my mind that those three near misses would have been
crashes in any other car I've driven.
Best way to find out about how Saab does in overall safety is to ask your
insurance agent how much it will cost to insure compared to other cars (or
other years in your case).
You should be able to find a good 1998-1999 Saab for less than your budget,
particularly if you're willing to go extra miles to buy one. I got my 1995
9000CS in Nashville, 280 miles from Knoxville, where I live. Great car at a
great price.
Search with autotrader.com and there's another site like it, can't remember the
name.
Check the classifieds and check with independent Saab mechanics in your area to
see if they know someone who is selling one.
Visit Saab dealers in your area, tell them what you're looking for and that you
wouldn't mind a higher mileage car if the price is right. A lot of times
they'll sell tradeins with high mileage to auction since there isn't much
market for them, since buyers fixate on mileage and not on how the mileage was
put on the car. Highway miles put very little wear on a car, stop and go miles
do.
When you got more time than money, you need to spend it looking for the best
deal. You'll find it, maybe not right away but you'll find it.





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