Saab killers

Author
Discussion

DrDoofenshmirtz

15,246 posts

201 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
goneape said:
It looks like a 2004 on Aero with as few miles on it and preferably with the sump drop job done, if possible.
A 2004 will have the GM engine, and won't need a sump drop.

SAAB Engine:


GM engine >2003 onwards:


You should get around 33mpg from the GM engine.

As already said - electrics can get iffy, and things can go haywire if the battery starts getting weak.
That said - [touch wood] ours has been very reliable.

aeropilot

34,660 posts

228 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
J4CKO said:
goneape said:
Cheers again. The objective of this purchase isn't giant slaying performance, it's supposed to be a cost effective family bus and commuter with some PH appeal. I asked about the remap out of interest because my experience with the TT was much improved power/torque at better mpg, for my driving style and use, so I'd be interested again. But at the end of the day it's not the be all and end all, an upcoming house move and a couple of years refilling the kitty will see the Cerbera. Unless values launch ...

It looks like a 2004 on Aero with as few miles on it and preferably with the sump drop job done, if possible.
Isnt the sump thing for the first gen 9-3 with the Saab engines rather than GM units ?
Sludge issue is specific to Saab designed pre-2004 9-5 petrol engines rather than 9-3, (and definitely not post 03 9-3SS GM engines) and more usually the Garret turbo equipped non-R engines fitted to the non-Aero models....although, badly maintained Aero's can be affected if full-synth oil has not been used and the PCV system not maintained/updated.


Edited by aeropilot on Monday 30th March 13:42

j4ckos mate

3,015 posts

171 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Ive got 56 1.8t cab,

quite pleased with it, don't rule out a cabriolet,
its every bit the same as a normal car, until the sun comes out, then its transformed
and the later ones have a better stereo as well, get on Autotrader and have alook

J4cko on here said he preferred my 1.8t to his Aero because it was a smoother ride,



Jonjo91

1,835 posts

159 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
03 plate 9-3 Aero here.
110k, stage 1 map (250bhp / 370nm torque)
03 onwards won't need a sump drop, turbos are good for mega miles.
Oil changes every 6k is beneficial.
I average 27mpg but I don't do long journeys.
Trip computer said 39.6mpg on a 100 mile motorway journey (no traffic).
Touch wood - everything still works on mine, heated seats, electric memory seats, climate, cruise, all the bells and whistles etc.

There's loads on the market so you can afford to be fussy.

Mine;


Edited by Jonjo91 on Monday 30th March 16:12

TotalControl

8,070 posts

199 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Great information here as I'm interested in an Aero like the OP too. Although my sister has the 1.8t vector, I'm curious as to how good an Aero could be as I'm not a fan of the usual German machinery on the roads.

W124

1,541 posts

139 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Sorry for the thread hijack...

Saabists, I was thinkig about buying a 9/5 Aero estate for the next family car. I seem to dimly remember some issue with the autoboxes on these cars but wonder if I'm confusing them with Volvos? I suppose a just pre-2006 Aero with an automatic box (I could go manual but prefer auto on day-to-day cars) would be the one to go for.

Are the auto gearboxes ok on these cars. And the engine sludge thing. Is that just earlier cars?

I'd really appreciate some help. My W124 days are over I think - they've just got a bit too silly price wise. I might buy a clean W210 but I've never had a Saab and I'd like one.

Many thanks,

aeropilot

34,660 posts

228 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
W124 said:
Are the auto gearboxes ok on these cars.
The 5-speed Asin-Warner auto's on the 2002+ cars are excellent auto's, and have don't have any real big issues, although, like most other auto's, older and very leggy cars might well be showing general wear and tear by now.
MY old 2004 9-5 Aero was an auto, and IMHO, it was better suited to the engine than the somewhat agricultural manual box.

W124 said:
And the engine sludge thing. Is that just earlier cars?
Yup, post 2004 (specifically Sept 2003 onwards build) should be OK (again, as long as serviced and maintained to the book)

moustache

292 posts

112 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Don't see why you can't get 30+ from a 9-3 aero. My 9-5 aero estate (manual) does 35mpg on a run and that's with the odd 4 car overtake.

Bonefish Blues

26,791 posts

224 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
W124 said:
Are the auto gearboxes ok on these cars.
The 5-speed Asin-Warner auto's on the 2002+ cars are excellent auto's, and have don't have any real big issues, although, like most other auto's, older and very leggy cars might well be showing general wear and tear by now.
MY old 2004 9-5 Aero was an auto, and IMHO, it was better suited to the engine than the somewhat agricultural manual box.

W124 said:
And the engine sludge thing. Is that just earlier cars?
Yup, post 2004 (specifically Sept 2003 onwards build) should be OK (again, as long as serviced and maintained to the book)
The confusion is that the same AW box in Volvos causes issues - Volvo declared it a sealed for life unit, Saab didn't, and it therefore got the all-important ATF changes with 3309 fluid.

Many people sump drop 2004 9-5s too, just out of paranoia, but they are typically OK.

My 2002 most definitely wasn't smile

parabolica

6,724 posts

185 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
moustache said:
Don't see why you can't get 30+ from a 9-3 aero. My 9-5 aero estate (manual) does 35mpg on a run and that's with the odd 4 car overtake.
Mine averaged 30 and it was hirsch chipped (only 10+ bhp); could get around 42 being extra sensitive on long runs.

goneape

Original Poster:

2,839 posts

163 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
So what's the difference(s) between the Saab 2.0T and GM 2.0T engines? Is there a preference for either? I don't have much love for Astras, Vectras etc although my objection arises from a part time job with a rental firm in 2002 which used almost exclusively Vauxhall models, which at the time were hateful plasticky tombs of despair inside. Petrol engines seemed OK, dag dags, less so.

kambites

67,584 posts

222 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Is that the model that has oil emulsification issues, or was that the previous version?

aeropilot

34,660 posts

228 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
goneape said:
So what's the difference(s) between the Saab 2.0T and GM 2.0T engines?
Everything.

Other than they are both 2.0L and inline 4 cyl layout, they have nothing in common what-so-ever.

blade7

11,311 posts

217 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Rude-boy said:
People who buy Saabs are not doing it to fit in with the heard.
Pardon ?

J4CKO

41,622 posts

201 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
j4ckos mate said:
Ive got 56 1.8t cab,

quite pleased with it, don't rule out a cabriolet,
its every bit the same as a normal car, until the sun comes out, then its transformed
and the later ones have a better stereo as well, get on Autotrader and have alook

J4cko on here said he preferred my 1.8t to his Aero because it was a smoother ride,
Yeah, the ride on the Aero is pretty hard, they tend to bang into potholes and rattle your teeth out in a most un-Saablike way.





DrDoofenshmirtz

15,246 posts

201 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
blade7 said:
Rude-boy said:
People who buy Saabs are not doing it to fit in with the heard.
Pardon ?
He means...there's something about SAAB's that you can only appreciate after owning a one. Also, nobody really has an opinion about SAAB drivers. And if you did have an opinion, we wouldn't really care anyway [insert smug looking smiley].

Nemo Sum

163 posts

137 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
mikey k said:
What are the 93X's like
I'm contemplating a 2.0T petrol one as our "bus" in place of a Forester 2.5XT
Can't answer your question on the 9-3x but I really do enjoy the Turbo X. Potential money pit if not cared for mind with the haldex gubbins and I imagine this may also be the case for the 9-3x.

As others have mentioned it seems almost everything is electric on this car. The battery died a week (not used much by the previous owner) after purchasing mine and absolutely nothing worked. It turned out to be little more than a minor inconvenience and a trickle charger purchased from Halfords sorted it out over a few days.

W124

1,541 posts

139 months

Tuesday 31st March 2015
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
W124 said:
Are the auto gearboxes ok on these cars.
The 5-speed Asin-Warner auto's on the 2002+ cars are excellent auto's, and have don't have any real big issues, although, like most other auto's, older and very leggy cars might well be showing general wear and tear by now.
MY old 2004 9-5 Aero was an auto, and IMHO, it was better suited to the engine than the somewhat agricultural manual box.

W124 said:
And the engine sludge thing. Is that just earlier cars?
Yup, post 2004 (specifically Sept 2003 onwards build) should be OK (again, as long as serviced and maintained to the book)
Many thanks...

W124

1,541 posts

139 months

Tuesday 31st March 2015
quotequote all
Bonefish Blues said:
aeropilot said:
W124 said:
Are the auto gearboxes ok on these cars.
The 5-speed Asin-Warner auto's on the 2002+ cars are excellent auto's, and have don't have any real big issues, although, like most other auto's, older and very leggy cars might well be showing general wear and tear by now.
MY old 2004 9-5 Aero was an auto, and IMHO, it was better suited to the engine than the somewhat agricultural manual box.

W124 said:
And the engine sludge thing. Is that just earlier cars?
Yup, post 2004 (specifically Sept 2003 onwards build) should be OK (again, as long as serviced and maintained to the book)
The confusion is that the same AW box in Volvos causes issues - Volvo declared it a sealed for life unit, Saab didn't, and it therefore got the all-important ATF changes with 3309 fluid.

Many people sump drop 2004 9-5s too, just out of paranoia, but they are typically OK.

My 2002 most definitely wasn't smile
Cheers! How much would it be for a sump drop roughly? As you may have ascertained, I am to mechanical understanding as Richard Hammond is to improvised comedy.

stevoknevo

1,678 posts

191 months

Tuesday 31st March 2015
quotequote all
W124 said:
Cheers! How much would it be for a sump drop roughly? As you may have ascertained, I am to mechanical understanding as Richard Hammond is to improvised comedy.
Circa £250 at a specialist. You'll be in the higher VED for an 06 of auto, only a couple of tanks of fuel over the year, but worth pointing out.

For me, the 9-3 drives better, but the 9-5 has a far better interior build quality.