First off let me tell you that I have a 99 9-3 SE that is my DD and my wife drives an 03 9-5 Aero, I have had the Kool aid and I like it.
With that being said, my 9-3 had 191K and it has only needed an AC compressor and a fuel pump. I am starting to have issues with the window switches, they are easy to rebuild, but other than that everything works. In my experience they are reliable if taken care of, but again YMMV.
Oil changes are the most important thing with these cars, particularly with the 2.3 engined cars. If full synthetic oil was not used and/or not cahnged enough sludge will build up in the oil pan, block the oil pump and things go south from there. When we were looking for my wifes car I took a piece of coat hanger with a loop on the end. I would put it down the dipstick tube and scrape the bottom of the oil pan, if anything was stuck to the hanger we walked. As far as working on the car, I don't think they are any worse than any other FWD car and actually the 9-5 has more room than I would have guessed as long as you get a 4 and not a 6. Another thing that is talked about alot is the Direct Ignition Cassette. These do fail and when they do you are stuck, the car will not start. My 9-3 is on its second one, the original failed at @120K. I had a new one in the trunk and my wife changed it in like 15 minutes and she was on her way. My feeling on the matter is this: keep the plugs gapped correctly and use only the OEM plugs and the DIC will last a long time, neglect those things and it will die sooner.
If you are looking at a 9-3, in my opinion the one to get would be a 99 SE with a manual (that is what mine is). In that car you get the turbo and intercooler out of the Viggen with the T5 engine managment system. All of the 9-5s,Viggens and 9-3 from 2000 on have the T7 system and it is not as mod friendly as T5. With a MBC you can get up to 15psi before the stock computer shuts things down, just be sure to hold onto the wheel 
. Mine has a 3in DP, 2.5in the rest of the way, a MBC and an opened up stock airbox with a dropin K&N. I get mid 20's driving back and forth to work and low to mid 30's on longer trips.
http://www.saabnet.com/ and http://www.saabcentral.com/ are great places to find answers.
If you were closer you would be more than welcome to take mine for a drive, anyway if you have any other questioins feel free to ask.
