Car shopping: any owners of Saab 9-3, Volvo S40, VW Passat or BMW 325i?

[firsttimemommy]

I was just looking for some feedback from fellow mommies that own any of these! :) Quality, mehanical issues, car seat ease of use, "the drive", gas mileage, etc etc

I'll be going from a Ford Expedition to one of these (however if I find them too far out of reach when the time comes after our trade in value is given, I may have to look at the Honda Accord or VW Jetta instead (which are still both very nice cars) :) But these four are on the top of my list right now :)

Thanks!

Ronda
Proud Mommy to 2 adorable munchkins - 1/03 and 4/04

"Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes........that way you are a mile away and you have their shoes."

[jvorhis]

I love love love my passat it is a 2003. I had a Jetta for 10 months and hated it, it was just to small. Good luck with your search!

[smilequeen]

I haven't owned any of them (well, I did have an Accord several years back...that's a great choice, or even the Acura version if you are wanting an entry level luxury car...Acuras are great). Several friends have the BMW 3 series (seems to be the new dentist car of choice) and man is that thing small. I can't imagine toting 2 kids in it. I can't imagine toting my one around in it. Another couple has the Passat and it seems very nice, they traded in a Bug for it since they are expecting number 1 this summer.

[Momof3Labs]

I have a 2002 VW Passat wagon but have also owned the Accord. I'd actually take an Accord over the Passat next time around!

The Passat is pretty good for car seat use (though the angled backseat makes it tougher to get the proper recline on an infant seat) and mechanically we've had few problems. But it requires premium gas (you can use regular, but take a big hit on mileage), and my Accord got MUCH better mileage than the Passat (both 4 cylinder engines).

[wencit]

I have a 2002 VW Passat GLX. I'm sorry to say that I absolutely despise it. I have had nothing but problem after problem with the car since the moment I drove it off the lot. To give you an idea of how bad it was, the car went into the repair shop (and not for regular maintenance) within the first 1000 miles. By the time it had 20,000 miles on it, it had died on me (couldn't start the engine and had to call a tow truck) about 5-6 times. I even looked up the Lemon Law, but unfortunately, my car didn't quite qualify.

My sister has a 2000 VW Passat GLS, and while it was problem-free for the first several years (which was the reason we got another Passat in the first place!), she reports that as soon as the odometer hit 60,000 miles, her car started giving her all sorts of trouble. I have heard other Passat owners frustrated with a multitude of mechanical issues, too. Obviously, this is just my family's experience, but I have vowed never to own another Volkswagen again.

[Dcclerk]

My dear friend has a BMW 325i and 2 kids and really regrets it. It is just too little for their family of 4 to fit comfortably. It's a cute car and she's had no problems with it, but she feels like she needs a bigger car. The whole family feels too cramped and like they can't fit enough in the trunk.

[o_mom]

We had a Passat - I wish we would have gotten an Accord, but DH was smitten. :-)

If you have rear-facing seats, it is hard to get them in with any kind of recline. FF is not bad at all. Uses premium gas - and don't let the dealer try to tell you you can just use regular - they lie. Resale was difficult when it came time, it took us 4 months to sell ours and it was in excellent condition. We sold it ourself because the dealer offered us $2000 less trade-in than what we ended up selling it for.

[murpheyblue]

I currently own a 2003 Passat wagon and absolutely love it. It works great for us, drives well and we've had no problems at all with it.

I recently gave up my '93 Saab 900 which was the predecessor to the 9-3. God I loved that car. We needed to wagons and the Saab wagon was out of our budget but I'd buy one again in a heartbeat.

[firsttimemommy]

Thanks everyone! I guess I should have included more specifics need-wise. My kids are both FF (each weights 30lbs and DS is 33" and DD is 36") So we are using FF convertible seats. No more children in the future either.

This is mainly my communting car - will be driving it back and forth to work about 50 miles roundtrip a day. I want a comfy ride, but it doesnt have to be huge. Having to buy premium gas does kind of stink though. Money is tight enough as it is.

We do have a Ford F250 Crew Cab truck when we need more room to spread out, but I would also like the car to be comfy enough to take on say a 3 hour or so one-way road trip. I am *really* worried my monstrous Britax seats will be too big for any of those, but I really dont want to spend more than 30K max and I am just not a Ford,GM or Dodge car lover (and dont want another large gas guzzling SUV)

I guess I just need to compare the interior specs on them and just go check them out myself. I was really disappointed that the BMW seems to be so small - I was REALLY loving that one! I wanted the "ultimate driving machine" with as much as I will be driving! LOL

Ronda
Proud Mommy to 2 adorable munchkins - 1/03 and 4/04

"Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes........that way you are a mile away and you have their shoes."

[shishamo]

Hi Ronda,

We have Saab 9-3 (99) and I used to have Volvo S70(99). I do/did like both cars. Volvo had some mechanical issues, car seat worked great, nice drive. Saab: a bit harder to install carseat but worked fine, Booster is a pain, It's stiffer drive than Volvo but it's also quite zippy. No mechanical issues....

I would take your Britax and try installing them at the dealer. I did that, and I'm really glad I did: Those Britax seats makes everything look cramped.

[jesseandgrace]

I'm doing the same thing right now Ronda! I want something zippy because i will be driving all the time, I need something on the nice side, and while it won't be the main car with kids, I want them to fit. It sounds like that is what you are looking for too. I saw a Volvo v50 wagon yesterday, and it looked really nice - smaller and less expensive than the Volvo xc70.

As far as the Passat goes, the new passat wagon is arriving now to dealerships, it is a 2007 model and it seems to have many improvements, but it also means that they need to get rid of the other older 2005 (that they are calling 06) models, so you could try for a really good price. VW does have some quality issues, but overall it is still a good choice.

If you look at the Jetta, I really like the new model, the GLI. The GTI is also coming out in a four door in the spring, and it looks like it is going to be really nice, and also hopefully really good - but definitely smallish.

Are you looking for a sedan only?

[firsttimemommy]

Great! A Car shopping buddy! LOL

Yes, I am sort of stuck to a sedan - I think wagons are great, but when it comes down to buying, a sedan is what I prefer.

I am leaning towards getting smaller (overall, ie. no huge base, not gigantic in width) car seats too so the size may not be that big of an issue in the end (the Marathons, while great seats, are just so gigantic).

I am actually not going to purchase for a few more months, but want to do it by September for sure.

Are you mainly looking for a wagon then?

I would REALLY love an Acura TL. But I really dont want to go over $30K.
Ronda
Proud Mommy to 2 adorable munchkins - 1/03 and 4/04

"Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes........that way you are a mile away and you have their shoes."

[deenass]

DH has owned three saabs (including a 9-3 and currently a 9-5 Aero). I firmly beleive that they are called Saabs because that is what you do when you own one (SOB). He's a devotee ... me, not so much.

[newnana]

Ooh, I'll bite!

I'm a huge fan of German cars, so this is right up my alley. If you are looking for pep, the VW and Saab have more hp than the Volvo. You can also get the Passat in a turbo. I have a 2002 Passat GLS. The turbo is sweet, but I don't use it much as I would like :) and never with DD in the car.

The premium gas is tough, but the gas mileage is GREAT. I bought mine used and got an incredible deal on it because I went through a local wholesale dealer who was advertising on eBay (so I could still go drive it and have it inpsected).

I noticed a couple of pp's mention having problems with their 2002's. According to all the reports, 2002 was a buggy year for the Passat, so that is a year to avoid if you are thinking used.

Sorry on the one pp that had trouble with the Lemon Laws, but if you contact VW directly, they should be able to do something for you.

On that same note, VW dealers are notoriously bad. They are snooty because VW drivers are darn loyal. I've had a VW all my driving life except for the time I actually went to the dealership in my '81 Rabbit convertable with my checkbook in hand to buy a silver Jetta TDS and no one would come out to help me in the 100 degree heat. I crossed the street to the Honda dealership and bought a silver Civic that day.

Whew, that was off topic. Anyway, I only have 1 car seat that is RF. It's the Britax Marathon and I would say 2 would mean you could stick a diaper bag between them but not much else. On that same note, my DH is 6'4" and can't sit in front of the RF car seat in the Passat.

I haven't driven the Saab, but have heard good things about it and it's so cool! FWIW, I love my Passat.

[jordan1212]

I drove the 2004 Saab 9-3 up until having my baby. It was way too small for the graco shugride, no one could sit in the passenger front seat at all, with that carseat in the back. So my husband now drives that car, and I drive an SUV. The Saab is really nice looking, we have the Vector (Areo model), with all the fancy options. However, it has been in the shop for computer problems at least 5 times in 2 years. It had to be towed from our house once due to a computer problem that wouldn't let the car start. It has a 4 year warranty, so nothing has cost us money, but its still a pain in the you know what to deal with,
Before we had the SUV, we had a Volvo S60, which was very nice and never had a problem. That too was small for carseats.

[bostonsmama]

Honestly, if you're looking for a reliable entry-level luxury sedan, the 2006 Toyota Avalon is gorgeous, roomy inside and out (for car seat and trunk space), fun to drive, and peppy. Its suspension is fine-tuned for a luxury ride, its horsepower beats the pants off the competitors, and it has so many cool new features. We test drove it for 24 hours this past summer and had a blast with it. It's in the low to mid $30Ks and is loaded with safety features like side impact airbags and even new driver's side knee protection. There's a remote start feature, nav system, heated and air conditioned seats-although they're not as cold as the Ford Expedition's-in the Limited, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), a powerful and gas-thrifty 3.5Liter V6 engine, and limousine seats that recline in the back for touring and XLS models. It's received stellar reviews from Consumer Reports and other car afficionados. You wouldn't have to buy new car seats either b/c the rear seats are so roomy and spacious with ample room btwn front and back. I can't recommend it enough.
Some reviews:
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/01/19/207902.html

http://www.automotive.com/2006/12/toyota/avalon/reviews/index.html

Another option is the Honda Accord you mentioned. My mom just bought 2 new 2006 Honda Accord EX V6 sedans and loves them, although the gas mileage is a little piggy around town. My mother treated her prior 2 Honda Accords/Civics (both 1998s) abominably and they're both still going at 140,000 and 92,000 miles, respectively. But I know for a fact that my mom isn't 100% thrilled with the sports-tuned suspension...it can be a pretty bumpy ride, even though it helps with handling on curves and corners (and agility while passing)...an area that the V6 Camry did not do so well at. The Avalon, OTOH, did well across the board, especially after adding 4 inches to the wheelbase width.

I agree with others that VWs are fussy and repair-prone. My dad's experience with Saab is the same as a PP: you'll "sob" all the way to the bank. My dad has a BMW 750i and loves it, but it's anything but reliable. It had 7 batteries fail and is *extremely* expensive to fix. Although if you were going for the 5 series, it would certainly fit the bill for roominess and they have a new 4 year service and maintenance plan. My aunt still has her Volvo S70 and it's only been in the shop a few times since she got it (early 00s). She seemed to like it a lot although she doesn't drive it anymore (she had a stroke).

anyways, long, but that's my informed opinion
Larissa
***Cheers! Here's to better luck in 2006!***

"Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them."
-James Baldwin

[JFC]

We currently have two Saabs - one being a '99 9-3 and an '02 9-5 Wagon.

Peppy the 9-3 is! Very fun to drive. I think the 9-3's size is great for a commuter car, fine for a four adults, but tight with carseats.

FWIW, we've also had older Saabs that made my wallet SOB as PP's said, but with both these cars we haven't had any bad experiences - just your normal maintaning costs you'd have with any car. I definitely recommend looking into them more...also, FWIW, we do NOT use premium gas in our cars - regular and well-priced mid-grade only. ;-) HTH!

Have fun shopping!

[lynettefrancois]

Volvos don't have enough power for my taste. I'm a BMW devotee, but a 3 series is WAY too small for a family. I drove one when single and loved it. I now have 5 series wagon (purchased 1 year old and under 20,000 miles) and I have yet to find a car I like better at any price. The seats in most cars hurt my back, but you should be fine in a BMW or Honda (I drove an acura coupe right before DD was born and loved it too). BTW, if it says premium, use premium once every 3 fill-ups. This from all the Oil & Gas gurus I knew in Houston. Whatever you do, try putting the seats in the car you're considering, as well as the double stroller or whatever you MUST fit. You'd be surprised what doesn't fit in a lot of car trunks- even a single stroller! HTH!

[firsttimemommy]

I know it will be a matter of seeing them in real life, comparing costs, etc before I can make a final decision, but I value the opinions on this board and thank you all for sharing! I have a lot to think about! :)

Ronda
Proud Mommy to 2 adorable munchkins - 1/03 and 4/04

"Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes........that way you are a mile away and you have their shoes."

[laineyd]

I'm just a lurker here, but another suggestion is the Infiniti G35 sedan. I think it's in your price range. My DH and I test drove cars for years (and then kept choosing to try and milk another year from our old Taurus) before we ended up going the G35 route. We bought it in March 05 new and it was just luscious. It had everything we loved about Acura and BMW at a lower price. (I use the past tense because we were driving it when we were in a big accident and the car did exactly what it said it would, safety wise).

Good luck in your car search!

[firsttimemommy]

Oh, Thanks! I'll add that to my research list! I am so glad the car protected you and you were all ok!

Thanks again!
Ronda
Proud Mommy to 2 adorable munchkins - 1/03 and 4/04

"Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes........that way you are a mile away and you have their shoes."

[calebsmama03]

LOL! So true! I have a 9-3 (2001) and while it is such a fun drive and very zippy, I'd never buy another. First off, they require premium gas and in this day, well.... We've had some maintenance issues with ours but also the general maintenance is SO much more expensive than a typical car. The back seat is really cramped. The trunk is roomy. Never had problems with car seat install (has LATCH, of course).

My biggest issue is the handling in the snow. I don't know where you live but it handles like cr*p in the snow! Surprising for a Swedish vehicle, I thought :( I think in order to get decent snow handling you need to use the recommended "snow tires", which adds more cost and maintenance to the thing.

Honestly, if I had to get another car in this category/size I'd get an Accord.
Lynne
Mommy to C 3/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif[/img][/url]
And Miss Purple, 5/05

[pixelprincess]

Hey Ronda,

Dh has a 325ci (it's the sporty model) and he LOVES it! He doesn't drive it a whole lot as he takes the train to work so I am glad we bought it on Craigs List, lol. A couple of my playgroup moms have BMW's and love them...they have two kids each. One has a SUV and the other a stationwagon.

Good luck shopping!

[jesseandgrace]

I second the infiniti suggestion, it is definitely a good car, I also like Audis! I've narrowed my search to Lexus RX330, or BMW X3.

[LD92599]

I've driven the G35 many times as a loaner for my i30. Although i'm not sure how the service rates for the other makes, i love the service @ Infiniti (although i've been there more times than I care to count!) and you get a comp loaner car (also Infiniti). If you go for the g35x it comes w/ AWD. The interior though is cramped and comes across as cheap due to alot of plastic. However, it's such a zippy car :-)

Laura
mom to William

LKibala @ optonline.net
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[miki]

I drive a VW and DH drives a Volvo. He's had a few issues with his car (not the model you're looking at) and the service he's gotten sucks. He frequents a web board for his car and poor service from dealerships has been a frequent complaint. I've used 3 different dealerships in 2 different states for service, warranty repair, and replacement of recalled parts and have always gotten such excellent service that I think my next car will be a VW just to eliminate the hassles of bringing your car in should a problem arise.

[youngs97]

My best friend has a BMW 325i and hates it!!! It is ALWAYS in the shop and she bought it brand new. She hasn't had very good luck with customer service...she says never again!!

[C99]

I have a 2004 VW Passat Wagon. I like it, but don't love it. We went from a sedan to a wagon, mostly because we kept dropping the clutch on our sedan and it handled poorly in the snow. I like the cargo space in the wagon, but don't like the interior appointments as compared to my previous car. As others have mentioned, it also takes premium gas versus regular, which is expensive w/ today's gas prices.