Dumb Programmer goes to the SAAB Dealership

Published Sun, Sep 19 2004 13:22 | William
Well, I'm car shopping and at first really wanted a new Passat - that TipTronic transmission was just too cool for me.  So then I went to the CarMax and they didn't have a Passat - but they did have a BMW Z3. I really really wanted it and the salesman talked me into 'just going ahead and seeing what the payments would be'.  So I did and everything looked good.  However I immediately told myself that this had all the signals of an impulse by and decided to hold off.  Anyway, to make a long story short, I decided on a SAAB 9-3.  I'll be picking it up tomorrow after work.  But the test drive was hysterical.  It took me about 15 tries looking around the steering column before I realized there wasn't a key hole there - it's on the console by the parking break.  There are no switches or anything on the doors - again, they all exist on the console.  It took about 4 minutes to figure out how the seats worked and I'm still not sure.  Then I got to the sterro system.  There's a permanent weater band as one of the selections and the CD changer is in the car and kind of pops out when you select CD - but I was looking in the wrong place and couldn't see it.  So on the whole, it took me about 20 minutes to figure out how to work the base functionality of the car (God help the world if my girlfriend or mom ever need to borrow it - I'm a gadget geek and if it took my silly a33 that long to figure it out - mom's cooked).  I thought it would be a LOT faster than it was but it's pretty quick over 30 and going from 50 - 70 the thing's a damned rocket.  But the best part is breaking and steering.  It takes about a 5 degree shift of the steering wheel to go around most corners and a 15 degree shift has the wheels fully cocked.  So after I learn fully how to work it I can concentrate on driving it.  Lot's of fun in my future.

Comments

# William said on September 19, 2004 4:44 PM:

My dad had a SAAB when I was in high school. I loved that car, it brings back memories.

# William said on September 20, 2004 3:50 PM:

Sweet! Those 9-3's are nice cars! Is it a 9-3 sport sedan? Did you get the Linear, Arc, or the Aero?

My friend has the Arc and it's that nice dark red colour...he let's me drive it if I bother him enough.

# William said on September 20, 2004 9:45 PM:

Yes I ran my mouth about how my parents have a Mercedes & I found everything on it, so certainly I can find the stuff on a SAAB...Not! Had to give up after looking for the ignition for 5+ minutes...!

However the car sure is sweeeeeet....Expecting a ride to the "W" soon...!

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