Saab 9-3 Aero convertible

Saab 9-3 Aero convertible

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Discussion

Andy665

Original Poster:

3,599 posts

227 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
quotequote all
After the Celica sold within 30 minutes of being advertised I needed a replacement.

As I will be collecting a company car in 3-4 months my OH declared a convertible would be a safe bet, buy in winter, sell in late spring etc etc

Considered a few

Mk2 MX5 - concered about the corrosion issues

MG TF - would have seriously considered a 160 but not easy to find

Mk3 MR2 - not sold on looks and totally impractical -could see no real advantage over a TF 160

Volvo C70 - would have to have been a T5 manual but rare as hens teeth

BMW E46 - too common and budget would not have got me a nice 330Ci

Ended up with the favourite being a car I have considered before but never actually owned - Saab 9-3. Prices are all over the place and I had a few "must haves". Aero spec and manual - that reduced the choice massively, cream or black leather and ideally pre-facelift as I preferred the earlier front end

Ended up buying the one below - 1 owner, pretty much full history, 3 months warranty, perhaps needs £100 spending on it (gear lever gaiter, mats, couple of bits of interior trim). Pretty much brand new Pirellis all round, recent brakes, only thing not working is the "up" stereo volume on the steering wheel

Just needs a damn good clean - leather is very dirty, roof needs a through clean - nothing that a bit of time will not easily put right

I was suspicious of the car - I was in Germany so had to buy on the pictures - it seemed too cheap but I think i just managed to get very lucky with the right car at the wrong time of year in a very rural location










Spantney

334 posts

154 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
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Looks ace. Have always loved Saab's and they represent serious amounts of car for the money that they are often purchased for!

Mate of mine has just got a 9-3 saloon same year and colour scheme as you (black with cream leather), and its such a nice place to sit. Enjoy it smile

FELIX_5

952 posts

196 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
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Always been a fan of your threads, and what you do to your cars. Will watch this with interest.......

Andy665

Original Poster:

3,599 posts

227 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
quotequote all
FELIX_5 said:
Always been a fan of your threads, and what you do to your cars. Will watch this with interest.......
Thank you - very kind

As it appears mechanically very good it will be simply a case of replacing the little bits cosmetically that detract - sadly I'm OCD so the slightest thing frustrates / irritates me, drive it for a few months and move it on in the summer - will make someone a nice summer car when I'm finished with it - I get satisfaction at improving my cars and sell them when they are as I want them - I enjoy the journey more than the finished article


griffin dai

3,194 posts

148 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
Welcome to the club smile

Here's mine but the v6 and saloon, once you sort a few little niggles out they are a decent car tbh. I can't see me changing mine for a while.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

For your leather seats, try below, he sells the leather dye kits to match the Saab seats (really good) also worth adding some gliptone..

http://www.stevelewissaab.com/leather-dye-for-saab...

I'm not sure how these are on the motorway with the roof down but my old 9-3 (previous shape) buffeted pretty badly at any speeds over say 50/60mph, you can get wind deflectors for these which everyone raves about, new prices are pretty steep but can be had for a lot less 2nd hand.

And you've got heated seats!!!!!!!!!! I'd kill for bum warmers in this weather!! Crappy stereo aside that's the only gripe with mine.

Well worth a joining UKSaabs for more info and contact Saabnoob for a cheeky remap, should take it from 210 to around 250bhp then smile

Andy665

Original Poster:

3,599 posts

227 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
griffin dai said:
Welcome to the club smile

Here's mine but the v6 and saloon, once you sort a few little niggles out they are a decent car tbh. I can't see me changing mine for a while.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

For your leather seats, try below, he sells the leather dye kits to match the Saab seats (really good) also worth adding some gliptone..

http://www.stevelewissaab.com/leather-dye-for-saab...

I'm not sure how these are on the motorway with the roof down but my old 9-3 (previous shape) buffeted pretty badly at any speeds over say 50/60mph, you can get wind deflectors for these which everyone raves about, new prices are pretty steep but can be had for a lot less 2nd hand.

And you've got heated seats!!!!!!!!!! I'd kill for bum warmers in this weather!! Crappy stereo aside that's the only gripe with mine.

Well worth a joining UKSaabs for more info and contact Saabnoob for a cheeky remap, should take it from 210 to around 250bhp then smile
I like Gliptone but generally use LTT or Furniture Clinic stuff for leather nowadays but will definitely look at the link for some dye, tiny bit on rear seat needs recolouring.

The seat heaters are superb as you'd expect from a Swedish car, setting 3 is far too hot for me, setting 1 gives a nice warm glow. Having had Westfield Sevens etc the buffeting is not a problem for me but will be keeping my eyes out for a secondhand wind deflector to placate the OH

Had a good look around the car yesterday and apart from a few minor stonechips (easily sorted) its an incredibly tidy car, drew up a list of things that will be getting done

1. Roof clean - did this yesterday and the green mildew it extracted was shocking - needs a repeat to get it properly clean then it will be sealed

2. Gear lever gaiter worn - new one already ordered

3. Mirror base plates showing slight signs of bubbling - will be taken off, treated and repainted

4. Instrument binnacle surround - needs replacing due to what looks like glue residue burning the top surface - replacement already ordered

5. Boot struts weak - replacements ordered

6. Exterior plastics faded - these will be renovated

7. Leather - needs good clean

8. Steering wheel audio control needs replacing as volume "up" not working

9. Full machine polish - my Flex will soon sort that out

Not much of a list and far less than I could reasonably expect considering the price paid

Edited by Andy665 on Monday 25th January 10:09

Rangeroverover

1,522 posts

110 months

Monday 25th January 2016
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out of interest..how much was it??

Andy665

Original Poster:

3,599 posts

227 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
Rangeroverover said:
out of interest..how much was it??
£2200

Andy665

Original Poster:

3,599 posts

227 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
More progress today - early start before work, lunchtime and after work

Roof cleaned again with Renovo - will need another going over but noticeably better than before

Indicator bulbs to chrome eliminating the fried egg effect

Clayed in prep for the weekends machine polish

Interior plastics cleaned and dressed

Leather cleaned and conditioned

Glass cleaned

Exterior plastics cleaned and dressed

Starting to feel like "my" car now

CTO

2,649 posts

209 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
Hi Andy,

I've dropped you an email. Let me know if it doesn't come through. Can't always trust the PH hamsters to be on the wheel smile

CTO

Andy665

Original Poster:

3,599 posts

227 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
CTO said:
Hi Andy,

I've dropped you an email. Let me know if it doesn't come through. Can't always trust the PH hamsters to be on the wheel smile

CTO
Not received anything

CTO

2,649 posts

209 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
Didn't think so as I didn't receive a copy either.

I have re sent it. If no joy then try dropping me an email and I'll reply to that.

(Apologies for the thread hi jack btw)

CTO

TheAngryDog

12,394 posts

208 months

Tuesday 26th January 2016
quotequote all
Looks nice this one, should sell nice in summer too.

I've just bought a saloon aero 2.0 6 speed manual for less but not in as good condition as yours. The Noobtune is really worth it. Mine has bum warmers with electric memory seats too smile

Andy665

Original Poster:

3,599 posts

227 months

Wednesday 27th January 2016
quotequote all
Needless to say it has not stopped raining since collecting it but doing a few 200 mile round trips to MK this week its very refined, very comfortable and is doing 34mpg which I'm pretty happy with

Few clunks from the suspension so I think it will be getting treated to a new set of drop links as a first step

griffin dai

3,194 posts

148 months

Wednesday 27th January 2016
quotequote all
Just get the Meyle HD droplinks mate, they tend to eat the standard ones.

Andy665

Original Poster:

3,599 posts

227 months

Wednesday 27th January 2016
quotequote all
griffin dai said:
Just get the Meyle HD droplinks mate, they tend to eat the standard ones.
Thanks for the tip - any suggestions as to whether I should replace anything else whilst I'm at it or should it be one thing at a time - I suspect a lot of the clonks are coming from the drop links

coopedup

3,741 posts

138 months

Wednesday 27th January 2016
quotequote all
Out of interest how do you rate Renovo soft top cleaner? I have tried various products from Halfords on my BMW with not very good results.
Lovely looking car BTW, used to love my old 900 convertible

Andy665

Original Poster:

3,599 posts

227 months

Thursday 28th January 2016
quotequote all
coopedup said:
Out of interest how do you rate Renovo soft top cleaner? I have tried various products from Halfords on my BMW with not very good results.
Lovely looking car BTW, used to love my old 900 convertible
All the Renovo products I recommend very highly, also very good in terms of cleaners is the 303 Aerospace cleaner and the Auto Finesse Rag Top Cleaner

The roof on the 9-3 has clearly never been cleaned in its 11 years so will need another couple of cleans but is massively better than it was before

coopedup

3,741 posts

138 months

Thursday 28th January 2016
quotequote all
Andy665 said:
All the Renovo products I recommend very highly, also very good in terms of cleaners is the 303 Aerospace cleaner and the Auto Finesse Rag Top Cleaner

The roof on the 9-3 has clearly never been cleaned in its 11 years so will need another couple of cleans but is massively better than it was before
Thanks for thatbeer

Andy665

Original Poster:

3,599 posts

227 months

Saturday 30th January 2016
quotequote all
Quick wash today and will crack on with some quick wins tomorrow. plan is to fit:

New boot struts

New alloy wheel centre caps and wheelnut covers

New leather gear lever gaiter

Replacement instrument binnacle surround

Started to order the parts for suspension refresh too - new drop links all round and front and rear top mounts, still to order are the springs, Bilsteins and wishbone bushes