Is it just me, but I find the headlights on my new M35x to have very poor visibility. The headlamps cast a great light to the side of the road, but forward visibility is very short. Maybe mine are not aligned properly, which I find hard to believe on a 4 week old vehicle, but they just don't seem as strong as they should be. I just traded a 2003 Saab 9-5 Aero on this M35, and Saab have far superior bi-xenon headlights. I have seen posts here about people adjusting the height of their bulbs to get better visibility. Can I do that, or is this something the dealer does?

Thanks.

T

can't compare the xenons from Saab as my last new one was a '99 9-5...I recently sold my '91 9000T..my best Saab ever..out of about 12 over the last 15+ years...my son still has an '88 SPG, and I still have a '71 Sonett III. That said how do you like the M...I've had mine about a month also, and am still comparing, and getting used to rear wheel drive.Overall, I think this car may compete for my long held opinion that the 9000 was the best sedan EVER made by anyone. (I've had an '87,'90,'91,'93, 2 '95's, I almost bought a '98 instead of the M.)This M seat is high, like the older pre-GM Saabs..I really like that...and yet still handles as well as the "sitting on the ground" crowd! The interior space seems much larger than even my 9000...way more than the 9-5...yet I think it's shorter than a 9-5...about the same as a 9000. The usable space at least rivals the form follows function Saabs of the past.I'm not ready to give all my opinions...I need a couple monre months...I drive at least 2000/mo...in 3 months I'll REALLY know.I loved my '99 9-5 wagon for a couple months...then couldn't wait for the lease to end...Interested in your thoughts....

You can do the adjustment yourself, and the process for it is posted on the FA forum (do a search or check the FAQ post). Although many have commented on this, in my case, the M45 seems aimed well, and light is at least as good as my E500 Xeons.

I had an '00 9-5 and an '03 9-5, both Aero, and my wife had an '04 Linear Wagon. Like you, I am still getting used to the RWD and the AWD. you are right, the M is much larger inside than the 9-5, yet feels more intimate. I really like the M35, but what I am finding is that the SAAB had a very quite way of interacting with the driver to make driving the car a very easy experience. Does that make sense? I found everything about the SAAB very intuitive, much like using an Apple computer; I didn't really have to think much about driving, it just happened. The heated and cooled seats in my Aero were far superior to the Infiniti; the headlamps, while not the kind that turn with you, were unbelieveably bright. I remember blasting through Montana at 100+ mph at night and the high beam bi-xenon cast an incredible light. I'm not sure i have the same confidence in the Infiniti. I had 6 great years with those SAAB's; no major maintenance items, no breakdowns, and great gas mileage! In the real world, I've dropped about 5 mpg with the Infiniti. I really like the Infiniti, but it will be interesting to see if i still like it enough in 3 years to get another one, like I did with the SAAB. I think next year I am going to get one of the new 9-3 Convertibles for my wife and me to have some fun in. I drove one for a week and they are wonderful cars, just not big enough for my everyday business needs.

thanks,

T

.....I never really made the adjustment to the 9-5....too many years with the fully Swedish Saabs. My 9-5 experience was not good...more repairs to 55k than all my old high maintainance Saabs combined...including 4 turbos!I guess that still flavors my opinion.The pre-GM Saabs were a lot harder...and really felt like "racecars". my '93 9000 was the beginning of the GM influence...much more comfortable...more like a european salon. I loved my '91...didn't want to sell it...but I use my car as an office, and at 15 I just couldn't truast it day to day anymore. I labored hard over a 9-5 new or CPO..

What got me about the M was the interior and the value...it leased for less (25k/yr) than the 9-5 at 8k less(47 vs 39)?!? The cost of ownership of an '04 or '03 9-5 aero was also as high or higher with my miles.

I know exactly what you mean about "feel". I think the M would run circles around a 9-5...but it just doesn't feel like it would. My mileage drop rwd is not as great as yours...more like 2...I'm averaging 20-21 daily dring at 2400 miles...it may improve to be similar to my Saab experience (22-24). On the highway I can only manage about 24..instead of the 28-30 I'm used to...but it is a 6...and may improve.

Miss my Saab, but love my M so far..

Chris