I've owned 2 Saab convertibles and had pretty good luck with them. I'm in the market for another convert and was looking at an Audi A4. But they're CVT tranny are supposed to be terrible and unreliable.
So I think I'm leaning towards an 04 HPT Convertible.
How's the reliability with these? Are the transmissions well built? I was curious if the car can handle an ECU upgrade without issues?
I always hear stories about poor Volvo reliability and consumer reports gives them low reliability grades.

Any advice you guys have would be great

 

The 04's are pretty good. Way better than the older ones.
There will be some issues in the future but with most cars there is.

 

I have owned 5 Saabs....mostly 900 tubors or older models. I now have a 2003 C70 convertible. The Saabs where more sport driver friendly, tighter and responsive. I also think the Saabs were quicker on power with their tubor.
NOW.... I am talking about the older Saabs. I drive my C70 for long trips and shopping around town. I live in the country where there are only 7 stop lights in my town so I do not have a lot of traffic and I do not have a daily drive to work. When I want to go drive the back roads I drive my Porsche Boxster "S".
The Volvo is really great for the long haul for me (3-5 hours) on the road. I would say that parts and repairs are going to be about the same depending on where you live.

Cb

 

great insight, thank you. I was actually thinking of a Boxter, but I'd really like a back seat. I live in Los Angeles where there's a Volvo/Saab mechanic on every corner. But that's what I want to avoid. Buying a car knowing you need a good mechanic is never a good thing. And BMW's are to "douche" in my opinion.
I guess it comes down to what you get your best deal on.

 

Wow, you have a manual T5R. How did you land one of those?
Are there actual changes in the 04's to make them a better vehicle? All the years seem pretty much the same to me, besides the few cosmetic changes.

 

I made mine T5-R manual myself.

By 04 all the bugs were worked out of them. But then they went and changed the body shortly after that starting all over again. LOL