RE: Saab 9-3: PH Carpool
Monday 23rd November 2015
Name: Richard McLean
Car: Saab 9-3 Aero TTID
Owned since: March 2014
Previously owned: Citroen AX x2, Vauxhall Cavalier, Ford Fiesta, Escort, Focus, various Mondeos, VW Golf GtTdi, Vauxhall Corsa
Why I bought it:
"My now fiance had a 1.4 Astra when I met her. It was a nice car to drive but not very exciting. So I set about finding something else. She has a daughter so it had to be something with decent rear legroom, preferably with rear doors. The Astra was OK on fuel so that was also a consideration. So something four-door, comfortable, good on fuel, and I found exciting. I like turbodiesels so I started there. I set a budget of £10,000 and looked about. I looked at various 320d sports and Passat CCs but they didn't excite me. My search eventually brought up a Saab. I'd always liked the look of Saabs and my dad's had a few. Saab also offered excellent value, at the time when I bought this they hadn't long gone out of business and the market was still wary of them. I bought this one three and a bit years old with 50,000 miles and £9K. Not a parking ding or a kerbed alloy in site! Being an Aero it has all the toys. It's also a twin-turbo diesel, which the car geek in me loves."
Things I love:
"The torque. It's had a remap and is currently at 230bhp and 375lb ft torque. It's frightened more than a few hot hatches in a straight line! The torque makes motorway cruising a doddle too, very rarely do you have to come out sixth gear. Around town and behaving yourself it rivals superminis for economy, which is nice to know, sitting in your heated leather seat. The exclusivity; you don't see that many of them about, especially a white Aero. And to my eyes it is a very good looking car."
Costs:
"It's great on fuel. 40-45mpg around town! (I work in Glasgow city centre) 60-70mpg on the motorway with the cruise control on! The EGR valve went resulting in a lift home with the AA. I put it down to the DPF acting up. If you have one get a remap with a DPF delete. Transforms the car, increases mpg and power. Apart from that my dad has his own garage so maintenance is always going to be cheap. Tyres are £180. I like to keep Continental Sport Contacts on it (I was getting my kitchen done up and a stray screw found its way into a three-week-old £180 tyre). Parts are easy to get as it's a basically a Vauxhall with a Fiat engine. Quality is again not as good as the Germans and it's getting a few knock and squeaks. I'll probably get her in for a suspension and brake refresh in the new year."
Saab 9-3: PH Carpool
What was that about Saabs being responsive to remaps? This week's Carpooler proves the point...
Car: Saab 9-3 Aero TTID
Owned since: March 2014
Previously owned: Citroen AX x2, Vauxhall Cavalier, Ford Fiesta, Escort, Focus, various Mondeos, VW Golf GtTdi, Vauxhall Corsa
"My now fiance had a 1.4 Astra when I met her. It was a nice car to drive but not very exciting. So I set about finding something else. She has a daughter so it had to be something with decent rear legroom, preferably with rear doors. The Astra was OK on fuel so that was also a consideration. So something four-door, comfortable, good on fuel, and I found exciting. I like turbodiesels so I started there. I set a budget of £10,000 and looked about. I looked at various 320d sports and Passat CCs but they didn't excite me. My search eventually brought up a Saab. I'd always liked the look of Saabs and my dad's had a few. Saab also offered excellent value, at the time when I bought this they hadn't long gone out of business and the market was still wary of them. I bought this one three and a bit years old with 50,000 miles and £9K. Not a parking ding or a kerbed alloy in site! Being an Aero it has all the toys. It's also a twin-turbo diesel, which the car geek in me loves."
What I wish I'd known:
"The DPF doesn't like town driving. It needs a run once a week to clear it out. A remap has sorted that out. Suspension is harsh. I changed the standard shocks for Kayaba items. Makes it a lot less 'crashy' over bumps. Next year I might try Bilsteins."
"The torque. It's had a remap and is currently at 230bhp and 375lb ft torque. It's frightened more than a few hot hatches in a straight line! The torque makes motorway cruising a doddle too, very rarely do you have to come out sixth gear. Around town and behaving yourself it rivals superminis for economy, which is nice to know, sitting in your heated leather seat. The exclusivity; you don't see that many of them about, especially a white Aero. And to my eyes it is a very good looking car."
Things I hate:
"The steering is light. Very light. And easily affected by bumps/potholes. I don't think the big wheels help. A very nice chap on UKsaabs forum let me try his and it's exactly the same so not just mine! It's not as good quality as the Germans. But then it doesn't cost the same as one. Hate a strong word but the engine takes l along time to heat up in the morning."
"It's great on fuel. 40-45mpg around town! (I work in Glasgow city centre) 60-70mpg on the motorway with the cruise control on! The EGR valve went resulting in a lift home with the AA. I put it down to the DPF acting up. If you have one get a remap with a DPF delete. Transforms the car, increases mpg and power. Apart from that my dad has his own garage so maintenance is always going to be cheap. Tyres are £180. I like to keep Continental Sport Contacts on it (I was getting my kitchen done up and a stray screw found its way into a three-week-old £180 tyre). Parts are easy to get as it's a basically a Vauxhall with a Fiat engine. Quality is again not as good as the Germans and it's getting a few knock and squeaks. I'll probably get her in for a suspension and brake refresh in the new year."
Where I've been:
"It's my daily driver so comes to work everyday in Glasgow city centre and gets used for shopping trips at the weekend. Apart from that a few runs down to Manchester, Newcastle and around Scotland, Peebles, Stirling, Loch Lomond."
What next?
"I honestly don't know. I like to change my cars regularly, (life is too short to drive the same car) but I haven't seen anything I'd replace it with. The balance of power, practicality and economy is hard to beat. Maybe I'll give it to my fiance and buy myself a 986 Boxster!"
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Discussion
I'll be looking to trade in our 1.9TiD Sportwagon for the equivalent Aero TTiD at some point in the future. Agree about the suspension and potholes (also made two alloy wheels into 50p look-alikes for my petrol Aero) and I have stuck to Continental Sport Contact 3's not 5's for the last 116,00 miles, as the latter wore out very quickly. I only pay £125.00 fitted for 17", are yours 18"? I would hunt around, that seems very expensive.
DPF issues can be cured/helped by thrashing the living daylights out of it for one day in every four, but then you may end up with a big bill for a duel mass flywheel and clutch replacement!
DPF issues can be cured/helped by thrashing the living daylights out of it for one day in every four, but then you may end up with a big bill for a duel mass flywheel and clutch replacement!
Like most I thought Saab values would plummet. In 2009 I bought a Volvo V50 I thought Saab would be a bad idea.
How wrong was ! Looking at used values now they seem to be holding up really well.
Not long after I passed my test in 1988 I worked on a farm near Aberdeen. He had a Saab99 as the farm car. The seats were so comfy. It went round fields quite well too.
How wrong was ! Looking at used values now they seem to be holding up really well.
Not long after I passed my test in 1988 I worked on a farm near Aberdeen. He had a Saab99 as the farm car. The seats were so comfy. It went round fields quite well too.
kmack said:
Is there no issues with parts availability such as windscreen replacements etc?
Full SAAB UK (Orio) network and the parts, including body panels etc seem more readily available than when SAAB Automobile were in existence. My local guys, Bourne Motors, have most common things in stock and get next-day on others. Nothing genuine seems to be unavailable and people like Neo Brothers and PFS have stocks of pattern parts online if you want to do it yourself. Don't worry about spares.
cookie1600 said:
kmack said:
Is there no issues with parts availability such as windscreen replacements etc?
Full SAAB UK (Orio) network and the parts, including body panels etc seem more readily available than when SAAB Automobile were in existence. My local guys, Bourne Motors, have most common things in stock and get next-day on others. Nothing genuine seems to be unavailable and people like Neo Brothers and PFS have stocks of pattern parts online if you want to do it yourself. Don't worry about spares.
Nice cars, very smart and I bet the petrol versions are a fantastic machine. I've always loved Saabs and we're definitely poorer for them being off the market. I had to laugh though, when I read that you were after something exciting and ended up with a diesel 9-3! Perhaps there is no car that does it all.
Axionknight said:
mboyle4 said:
A good looking, fast, comfortable, well specced car at a decent price. A lot to like. I would love to get hold of the 2.8 V6 awd Turbo X version of the same model/age but they are hard to find:
Great cars - a favourite of mine.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
I thought most would have known by now that diesels need to be used or they will give problems with the DPF/EGR etc.
I am also surprised no-one has yet mentioned that removing the DPF is now illegal.
I'd love to do just this on my Leon FR but I ain't removing the DPF. Plus don't they smoke more?
Jimbo
PS I've owned 9 SAABs including 2 9-3 SS so I am a fan of the shape. Turbo X interesting conundrum.
I am also surprised no-one has yet mentioned that removing the DPF is now illegal.
I'd love to do just this on my Leon FR but I ain't removing the DPF. Plus don't they smoke more?
Jimbo
PS I've owned 9 SAABs including 2 9-3 SS so I am a fan of the shape. Turbo X interesting conundrum.
Such a beautiful looking car OP, with their beautiful quirky designs and some fantastic engines, SAAB would've been very close to last on my list of manufacturers I'd have ever wanted to fold. Still find it shocking to be honest.
Been wandering about a convertible for wafting the family around in next summer, even a previous gen 9-3 Aero would hit the spot.
Been wandering about a convertible for wafting the family around in next summer, even a previous gen 9-3 Aero would hit the spot.
willmagrath said:
the_hood said:
I don't understand why people buy a diesel and then remove the dpf as they don't do enough miles to clear it.
Buy a petrol!
As much as I like a good turbo diesel, this is true.Buy a petrol!
I do 40k a year and just ticked over 170k.
My DPF failed earlier this year.......
Edit: OP can you advise where you had yours remapped?
I have a similar Aero TTID and can agree with the comments made. DPF regeneration can be fine if you do enough mileage (as I do), takes about 5-10 minutes at over 60 to get the filter down from over 70% (regen activation point) to around 8%. Even less if you can get it hotter. For me this happens every 550 - 650kms. I have eSID which displays all this data in the instrument panel. Trying to resist remapping at the moment! Here's mine at a recent Sunday Service - standard apart from Hirsch diffuser and grille.
vecbtb said:
I have a similar Aero TTID and can agree with the comments made. DPF regeneration can be fine if you do enough mileage (as I do), takes about 5-10 minutes at over 60 to get the filter down from over 70% (regen activation point) to around 8%. Even less if you can get it hotter. For me this happens every 550 - 650kms. I have eSID which displays all this data in the instrument panel. Trying to resist remapping at the moment! Here's mine at a recent Sunday Service - standard apart from Hirsch diffuser and grille.
Nice car. Also: one of the cleaner "wipes" of a number plate on a forum photo. Looks so much better than the hasty / messy jobs! Keeps our eyes focused on the car and its design.
As a previous owner of a stock Turbo X with only 40k miles on the clock, regularly serviced and always run on v-power, I would suggest you avoid the 2.8 AWD Turbo X. Although it is a lovely car in some respects, is a mechanical nightmare. The timing chain is a time bomb(also see Insignia VXR), which on the Saab is an engine out job, although not on the VXR. You would also have to allow for replacing the coil packs as they go after 20 minutes of spirited driving and 3 of them require a load of the engine bay internals to be removed just to replace them.
Besides that, trying to drive the car requires a lot of patience as the clutch is so temperamental it will either stall, frog leap and fire you into the dashboard or slip! The AWD system isn't perfect either and if you not ultra smooth with the throttle and/or clutch it will clonk and jerk no end.
There is a certain satisfaction in getting it all right and the noise at full chat is lovely which makes you forgive the car a bit but I couldn't live with it as our main family car.
Just my 2p for what it is worth.
Besides that, trying to drive the car requires a lot of patience as the clutch is so temperamental it will either stall, frog leap and fire you into the dashboard or slip! The AWD system isn't perfect either and if you not ultra smooth with the throttle and/or clutch it will clonk and jerk no end.
There is a certain satisfaction in getting it all right and the noise at full chat is lovely which makes you forgive the car a bit but I couldn't live with it as our main family car.
Just my 2p for what it is worth.
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