Q: 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
A: 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.