JZW Stage 5 Saab 9-3 v6 Aero

[griffin dai]

Mikeeb said:

surely it's got to be worth the £500 even if you still strip the bits off and sell the car. The time and money you've put in to the stereo etc it's be mad to just scrap it

Just floated the idea with the missis! She wants it gone

[griffin dai]

TheAngryDog said:

bugger Thats a massive shame

If you bought a VXR, I assume you wouldn't tune it the same, as you'd run the same risk of it putting a leg out of bed?

Yep massive shame. I'm gutted!!!

I'd still go for the 20T but use a different mapper, probably Rabbid.
JZW hammers the torque on these plus it's never been right since day one if I'm honest, I think the 20T JZW tune is around 440bhp & 540ft/lbs. Tbh it was quick enough at stage 1 with 320/420 odd. It's just the 15t runs out of puff early.

All I can really remove myself for the VXR is the 3" Downpipe & Midpipe, 550 injectors & intercooler. Will have to go to the garage to get the other bits off like the box/clutch & bushes. Transmission upgrades came in close to £3k alone with all the smaller bits plus what labour costed, so want to keep these. I think the bushes came in around £1,200 with the labour

Easiest option is to get the bits off and transfer the lot to another 9-3 Aero but won't be for a while yet. Can pick the older v6 for £3k now and a nice facelift for £5k....but I'm skint at the moment so stuck!

[griffin dai]

Andy665 said:

Without wishing to be appear as a vulture if you decide to break it I will take the Maptun strut brace from you as I have just acquired a v6 with a Stage 1 map

Oooof straight in for the kill!!

Sure I'll let you know if I sell mate. It doesn't do a hell of a lot on its own though, just cuts down in a few creaks from the dash. Much better to get the car in for a decent wheel alignment imo

[griffin dai]

Yeah not rushing into anything yet, luckily I don't use it for work (or is be screwed and out of a job!!) so no harm leaving it parked up a while until I've decided what to do.

[griffin dai]

djgritt said:

Ouch. Sorry to hear it's gone pop.

Doesn't help matters, but my VXR was running lean with the JZW Stage3 'FullPower' loaded, but when I raised this with him it was dismissed and wasn't really dealt with and I ended up running the 'Soft' map instead which was showing as healthy on the dyno...

Yep never again.

And another JZW stage 5 car went bang over the weekend on UKS running the 20T! Pointless even emailing him as I'll just get fobbed off. I said about this throttle cut issue & backfiring I've been having for ages plus sent the dyno info to him last year but got told it was fine and down to the dyno operator. Just lucky the baby & missis weren't in the car when it popped.

Pretty pissed off here

[griffin dai]

No real update on this, tbh I haven't even looked at it since it went bang.. Few weeks off over summer so I'll get it looked at then and make a decision to fix or break it.

In the mean time we've been stuck without a baby carriage! The missis has a small 2 seater (Copen) so no good for baby duties and we've had to rely on our parents to cart the baby around so really needed a new motor.

Deposits paid and were collecting this next week.





Nissan Juke Tekna 1.6 (non turbo)....so a tad slower than the Saab!! but we both like it. Seats are nice in black/red leather, some extra toys fitted in Tekna spec which is nice but it's very sluggish in Eco mode, normal mode not much better but seems to go well enough in Sports mode. Really wanted the Nismo but we'll see how we get on with this first and maybe go for a 2/3 year old Nismo RS in a couple years.

[griffin dai]

TheAngryDog said:

I didnt think the 2.8 could take 440bhp on a stock block? I had heard 400bhp was the upper limit? Or is it the torque that kills these?

It is a massive shame for you, I hope that you can recoup some costs. The perils of car tuning, but we all do it and we will continue to do it.

Good luck!

I've had a look online and a few JZW stage 3 & 5 cars have gone pop now. Never again.

[griffin dai]

Hello mate.

Yeah sucks balls!!!! Hate to think how much I've pumped into the car over the last 4 years. Will be lucky to recoup £2/3k from the parts so might keep these in the garage until I get another (still hankering after a Vec VXR though!) everything fits so still on the cards.

Afaik the b2x4/5 doesn't fit? (Still got a load of bits for that hiding in the garage somewhere!!)

[griffin dai]

nipsips said:

Neo's are doing B284's for £720.00 - takes a bit of the risk of buying unknown as there is come back if the new engine is fubarred.

Best way to learn is get a few mates and DIY!

I think it'll get broken next month mate, it needed around a grand spent on it before this happened (that's without sorting the rusty arches ££££) Just need to figure out what bits to keep/sell now. I'll probably keep the box/clutch and couple other expensive parts for now.

[griffin dai]

HybridAero said:

Sorry to hear mate; can't you go down the forged route?

Nah too much money budd, doesn't really need forging unless your pushing big power. Tbh it was quick enough at stage 1, that with the diff would have been nice and rapid.....had to push it that bit further didn't I

Was fun though, for all the 3,500 miles it lasted!!!

[griffin dai]

We collected the Juke last week. Really like it (wanted to hate it but I don't!) Funky looks and has enough toys to play with. Eco mode is properly sluggish, tried it on the motorway and struggled to get above 55mph and its just dangerous trying to get out of junctions in Eco mode, normal modes fine for around town but has a nice bit of poke in sports mode. Way waaaaay slower than I'm used to but can't exactly go hammering it around the place with the baby in the back anyway.

Boots not very big though, can just fit the pram in there! Nice leather seats, stereos ok (Bluetooth audio/satnav/phone etc) but the speakers will be getting swapped out over summer for some old Focal & Boston Acoustic kit I've got upstairs (tiny bit of deadening going in the doors.....gotta have a bit of deadening) And that's about it. Not touching the engine or modding in anyway here!

[griffin dai]

Shadow R1 said:

I'd be interested in how you get on with a small audio install in the juke.
If you get chance to take some pic's along the way then please do.

Edited by Shadow R1 on Monday 3rd July 17:49

Will do I've been warned not to go ott though!! .....but still have the denon amp to fit

[griffin dai]

Hello mate, nah nothings ‘allowed’ to go in the Juke. I’ve mentioned it a few times to the missis but keep getting the same answer “don’t mess with it”!! Women....no fun!

It’s got to go back to Nissan though, intermittent fault with the head units volume going down when you try to turn it up with the knob, works fine on the steering wheel buttons. Also the passenger door speaker isn’t working. All covered by the warranty we took out so I’ll get these replaced. I did want to fit a decent HU but I think it’ll void the warranty if I mess with anything.

Was chatting to the service manager who I’ve known for a few years from my Saab days. Replacement head unit cost.....£5,000 5 grand for a crappy Sat Nav!!! They’d just replaced one under warranty in another Juke when we picked ours up. That’s just mental money!

[griffin dai]

Jimmy Recard said:

I saw this thread pop up and hoped it was news that the 93 was back or there was a replacement!

I’ve been in it once to get an umbrella from the boot (loadsa fun with a dead battery!!)

Realistically I can’t see me getting anything sorted until the little ones in nursery, so a while to go yet! Just haven’t got time, only get 20/30 mins to myself in the day when she’s having a kip then she’s awake causing mayhem.

I’m fking knackered!!

[griffin dai]

Been a while but finally getting things moving!

Low loader ordered for next week and it’s off to get broken then scrapped. The garage will take all the go faster parts off it and these will be fitted to another v6 Aero. Lots to be removed & refitted.

Tuning wise I’m looking at Aura Tuning in Chippenham, they’re getting a great rep with the v6 lot, he’s been tuning Fiat Coupe 20vt’s for years and highly regarded so should be in safe hands.

https://m.facebook.com/auratuninguk/

^^^^ couple monsters on there with similar set ups to mine so should be pretty rapid when it’s done

I’m after a pre facelift wagon but with the newer style dash and NO fibre optic system as it’s a right ball ache to upgrade the audio here. The newer style dash came with a normal double din set up so should be a doddle to get a nice system in here.

[griffin dai]

TheAngryDog said:

Good luck with the eventual new car. Still a shame what happened to your original one, but onwards and upwards.

Yeah was pretty gutted when it died, onwards though! Feeling the Saab itch again!!

[griffin dai]

Shadow R1 said:

Great to see an update.

Good luck in the search for another aero.

Thanks mate have you still got your 9-3?

Fair bit of work to be done just to get the parts off then I’ll see how it’s looking and go hunting for a new one.

After another manual, be a shame not to make use of the Quaife but the Autos another option. Aura have got these absolutely flying, 0-60 in 4.3!!! In a heavy fwd Saab!! Bonkers! I couldn’t get mine under 5!

[griffin dai]

Some really nice Volvo’s around now

Yes mate still have them to fit, the speakers will be a pain though too chunky for the doors & dash so I can see these going to the shop to get done.

Still have the Denon & RF amps here

[griffin dai]

TheAngryDog said:

What about 60-100 and 62-124?

Not really sure, not many vids online for Aura but there’s an Aura tuned 19t on YouTube with a 60-90 just over 4 secs, that’s with 382hp & 468ft/lbs.

My 60-90 was 3.1s with the 18t from the Insignia VXR, my dyno run was all over the place though so no real idea what it was putting down, he just couldn’t get any traction on the rollers when it came on boost and couldn’t get a decent run out of it. JZW was convinced it was 400hp but I’d take that with a pinch of salt. When he compared it to the stage 5 20T cars they were pretty much neck & neck 60-90, they were dynod around 415hp & 530ft/lbs.

Quick either way.........until it went bang!

Not really after big numbers with the next one, if he can get similar performance to JZW with the same set up I’ll be happy. (I might flog the 18t and go for a faster spooling billet job though)

[griffin dai]

TheAngryDog said:

Sorry to go off topic a bit, wondered if you may be able to help with some information?

My sister has 2.0 Aero but keeps getting the stability control error. Is this only going to be repaired with another cim?

Also, do you know if it is possible to code in new key? One of hers has stopped working.

Thanks.

I can’t help there sorry, never had that error but I know a few have had it on UKsaabs, they should be able to help.

Pretty sure they can code a new key with tech2? I had the fobs on my old 9000 & 9-5 re coded years ago so I think it’ll be fine with the 9-3