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audi is less reliable than saab. mini is an okay car. but i wouldnt trust it. Go with the SAAB the repairs arent as expensive and can be fixed pretty easily if you do work yourself. and the feature of the interior is just beautiful. go for it

SAAB FTW!!

Disagree entirely with the other bod

My wife's Saab 93 lpt Cabriolet has had allsorts go wrong with it.

Goes into limp home mode once a year or so - this seems to be caused by a build up of carbon in the throttle body. Cleaning out with carburettor cleaner - the stainless steel tube area that the throttle butterfly valve closes up to - then reseting the limp home throttle spring and the error code (use and OBD2 thingy) cures usually cures it for another year.

It seems that the error codes are caused by the ECU being to sensitive to changes from the throttle position sensor when the throttle starts to come to a different closed position when the throttle tube gets a coating of carbon. There are supposedly some updates to the software - although Saab UK techinical help at head office had never heard of this - which, if this is correct - will be in newer cars from manufacture or may have been updated at services (I do my own servicing, so have not had any updates, whether they exist or not). The updates are simply supposed to allow greater changesa in the voltages measured by the throttle position sensor (or sensors?) from time to time and therefore allow for carbon build up.

The small e-clip on the turbocharger wastegate rots and falls off - discovered this for myself after a profesional failed to find the fault which was causing low power and an error code (after 2 hours and a £100 bill - around $160, and a 'need it for a full day' - no thanks)

Can't comment on the newer models, but have a major problem with the poor handling - I am probably spoilt because my own car is a Subaru Impreza WRX, slightly lowered and with the Subaru junk shock absorbers/dampers replaced with some proper ones, making the Saab feel like driving an overloaded canal barge. I have fitted a stiffer rear anti-roll bar/stabilizer, which has helped a lot.

A friend of ours has a new Saab Carlson, and, though I have not driven it, as a passenger it has more of the feel of the Subaru in the going around bends department, so the newer models with similar suspension designs (which are totally different from the 2001 models), may well now be safe to be on the roads.

Cannot comment on the Audis - last one I drove was a test drive in a proper Quattro (like the rally car which was banned for winning everthing), and that was in 1986. Presume that they would be reliable - same as VW, Seat and Scoda - all are high in the reliablity lists in the UK, Guess they will be expensive to repair in the US (as will be the Saabs and Minis) - US mechanics and garages like to claim that European cars are complicated and then charge a lot to work on them - this is of course nonsense, but there is probably no way around it.

Minis seem expensive in the UK - basically a front wheel drive BMW. They also look to be so in the US. The only reliablity issue I have heard of is regarding earlier Coopers with automatic boxes which overheated the hydraulic fluid and set it on fire. Presume BMW fixed that quick (although preume that they would have denied it atr first in the time honoured fashion of anyone selling cars in the UK whenever there is any fault at all). Some people have commented about build quality, but others think that they are out together very well, so difficult to tell.

I would go more for the Audis - but someone else has said that they are unreliable, and must have reasons for saying so, so...

Sorry, but these cars are all notoriously unreliable, and expensive to repair. Mini's are ok (I've owned four), but you wouldn't want to crash one. Try getting a 'Consumer Reports Used Car Buyers Guide' from the library; and find an economical car, (like a Toyota Tercel). Best wishes to you.

Hello,

I am a little confused by your question, why would you limit your choice to those 3 oddball cars, I am a volvo owner through and through but the only car I would have my daughter buy for her first car would be a ford, this is for one simple reason, you will bump your first car, a saab will bankrupt you, as will an Audi and a mini will kill you, if you aim for a ford Fiesta, focus mondeo etc, they are reasonably well made, are quite reliable but are very cheap to maintain, insure, tax etc. This of course is my opinion but cannot think of a better place to put lets say £1000 into a ford focus, a very sensible choice first car.