Saab bangernomics Q car?

[Somnophore]

Is this any good? Or something along these lines looks Interesting.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1363246.htm

[Wing Commander]

Has been for sale for a while - Think it has come down a big chunk (was £2xxx if I remember correctly)

The Abbots racing conversion is a well known route so it shouldn't be too "bodged". The cars are good for that power without any noticeable loss in reliability.

Only concern is that it looks a bit rough around the edges. I bought a better condition (visually) 9000 CDE 2.3 Turbo for less than half that, although mine is only the standard 210BHP I think.

[Somnophore]

What are they like reliability wise, I hear they are expensive to fix.

[Wing Commander]

bks. If you are handy with a spanner, they are fine.

In terms of a standard car, if you find yourself on the side of a road broken down in a 9000, its a 75% likelihood it's one of 3 things:

• Serpentine belt (and/or idler pulley)
• Water pump
• DI Cassette

The belt and pulley I have recently replaced. The belt, idler pulley and tensioner pulley (just to be safe) all came to £50.

The waterpump is £20 from eBay

DI cassette is £200 for a new one, and can't be repaired. Mine went, but that's life. It is pretty much good now for as long as I keep the car.

With tuned cars (talking 350bhp or more) and the gearboxes get a bit weak. Other than that, they are pretty rock steady. I bought mine as a cheap stand in car whilst I restore my XR2. Apart from fuel (averages 30mpg), its cheap as chips, and I have every confidence I will sell the car for as much as I paid for it.

[hairykrishna]

I run a 9000 Aero bangernomics style and it's great. Fast, cheap and reliable.

[stevoknevo]

Cheap as chips to service and repair if you do it yourself. Will easily do mid 30's on a steady cruise. Only weak point of the 9000 is the gearbox, lack of mechanical sympathy and too much torque will kill it. It doesn't state in the ad what engine it has, I'd imagine it's a 2.3 however it makes no difference as the standard bottom end is good for 400+bhp. Main issues apart from the box is worn suspension bushes and rust. See here for more info http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/index.php

Edited by stevoknevo on Monday 17th May 23:17

[OllieWinchester]

Been watching that car for a while and it has been advertised for a few months now, gradually getting cheaper. I like it, and its sort of what I'm looking for, and its local to me, but it does seem overpriced. I can't claim to know much about them but it seems to be top money for the age/mileage/supposed condition. I'm pretty much set on a Saab turbo now when someone gets round to buying my little Eunos.

[Somnophore]

I think I like the wheels on that one, not over keen on the solid piece looking wheels on the standard ones, so are these good cars then or have I been watching too much of the original Wallander series.

[sday12]

Nice wheels, white shows up the ste styling of the bumpers.

[TomJS]

No mileage mentioned I see. Also that front spoiler looks to have had a hard life.

Is this a 4 seat saloon that isn't a Beemer or Merc test?

Is it FWD?

[dome]

I've had 2 Aeros, both of which were well over 200k-mileage isn't an issue if they've been looked after. Aero looks better and has better seats but an Aero in the same cndition as that one looks could cost a lot more. Check the front wings for rust around the arches, also the windscreen surround

Red DI cassettes are expensive, however the black ones (fitted to 9-5s and 9-3s) are compatible and cheaper-carry a spare one in the boot if you're worried.

Don't get hung up on remaps-the ecu's on these are easily crackable and can be remapped to whatever you want-google t5suite for more info. My last one had polybushes, circa 270Bhp and was a cracing big car-handles like a big hot hatch, really comfy for distance and with some more bost and an abbott backbox sounded awesome on boost 30mpg is easily achievable too, more if your careful.

uksaabs and saabscene are both good sites too.

Brian

[hairykrishna]

Mileage isn't too much of an issue. My Aero has 180 odd thousand on it and runs like a new one. It is quite a pricey one though, do some shopping around.

[OllieWinchester]

Rather than start a new thread...

I have now pretty much set my heart on some nice Swedish Turbo power, so I wonder if the more informed would mind answering a few queries for me.

Firstly, this cassette thing, I am presuming this isn't something to do with the stereo?
Genuinely don't think I've heard of these things before.

Budget of up to £2k max, am I right in thinking a nice late 9000 would be my best bet?

Sticking with 9000's, I know the 9-5 LPT's use a smaller turbo than the FPT but is it true that all the turbo powered 9000's are mechanically identical other than ECU settings? In this respect is it therefore possible to potentially take a LPT as far as a full fat one without going mad swapping out turbo's etc?

Some are 2.0 turbo, some are 2.3. Is bigger necessarily better?

I know the gearboxes aren't the strongest, particularly when treated to uprated power and a bit of stick, any other known weak points? (other than these cassette things!)

[ITP]

The 2.3 engines are the same. LPT 170bhp, FPT 200bhp. These remap to exactly the same, the way to tell a LPT is no boost gauge. Aero, i think, is the same engine but different turbo.
2.3 cars have longer gearing than 2.0, so are better for motorways, just as economical but more power. I ran a 2.3 LPT from 70k to 145k and it just had basic servicing and a DI casette, these are about £175 and you can fit them yourself in 10 mins. They last about 100k miles.
Great cars, can be made to go v.fast but hardly worth it, better to just find a nice standard car and waft about in it. Build quality better than most new cars of any price.

[dome]

OllieWinchester said:

Rather than start a new thread...

I have now pretty much set my heart on some nice Swedish Turbo power, so I wonder if the more informed would mind answering a few queries for me.

Firstly, this cassette thing, I am presuming this isn't something to do with the stereo?
Genuinely don't think I've heard of these things before.

Budget of up to £2k max, am I right in thinking a nice late 9000 would be my best bet?

Sticking with 9000's, I know the 9-5 LPT's use a smaller turbo than the FPT but is it true that all the turbo powered 9000's are mechanically identical other than ECU settings? In this respect is it therefore possible to potentially take a LPT as far as a full fat one without going mad swapping out turbo's etc?

Some are 2.0 turbo, some are 2.3. Is bigger necessarily better?

I know the gearboxes aren't the strongest, particularly when treated to uprated power and a bit of stick, any other known weak points? (other than these cassette things!)

Cassette=coil packs-the red bit in between the cams.

All 2.3's are the same, the Aero got a different turbo tho and LPT cars didn't run a MAP sensor from memory. Couple of other differences but nothing internally. Easily upgradable, just have a look on the saab forums.

[OllieWinchester]

I was thinking about something like this ------> http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

Look like a decent one?

[aeropilot]

OllieWinchester said:

Sticking with 9000's, I know the 9-5 LPT's use a smaller turbo than the FPT but is it true that all the turbo powered 9000's are mechanically identical other than ECU settings? In this respect is it therefore possible to potentially take a LPT as far as a full fat one without going mad swapping out turbo's etc?

Yes, no problem taking a lpt to FPT level plus a bit more.

OllieWinchester said:

Some are 2.0 turbo, some are 2.3. Is bigger necessarily better?

Not neccessarily..... 2.0 is a good engine, in fact some prefer it for tuning as it can be made a more revvy engine...which is good for gearbox protection.
2.3 can be a torque monster.

OllieWinchester said:

I know the gearboxes aren't the strongest, particularly when treated to uprated power and a bit of stick, any other known weak points?

Some of the suspension bushes can have a short life, but generally 9000 is pretty robust.....just remember though even the youngest is now 12-13 years old, so all normal consumables and issues for cars that age should be considered.

[jon h]

I had one a few years back- a K- reg 9000 CS Carlsson which preceded the Aero- Fully loaded with Abbott upgrades: Big Valve Head, ECU, Intercooler, exhaust LSD etc. Probably had about 300bhp. I loved it, but the power upgrades dramatically shortened the life of the drive train. Lunched 2 gear boxes and a clutch in quite a short space of time. Good cars though, more of a proper Saab rather than having a high percentage of Vauxhall in it!

[dome]

OllieWinchester said:

I was thinking about something like this ------> http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

Look like a decent one?

Thats worth a look-it's a 2.3 full pressure model(LPT's didn't have the boost gauge). Would maybe be worried if its spent its life towing though so check for clutch slip? Haggle it down on- any oil leak between head and block at front(a cylinder head retorque usually cures this and is recommended every 100k-dead easy to do) Rear upper engine mounts are always humped-another haggling point-don't waste your time with originals which are a nightmare to fit, chuck a polybush set in for £50

On the test drive accelerate in 3rd and then lift off and watch for the gearlever moving-usually a sign of that upper engine mount. Make sure the handbrake works-cables are routed inside the car and if it snaps its a pain in the ass to change, although it can be cowboyed if its just to be a banger.

Car should boost to the orange/red border on the gauge-boost pipes are often fooked though and the cars ECU's are adaptive so if it's been driven slowly it'll need to be unplugged for a while, plugged back in and then caned to teach it your driving style;) They also adapt to different octane ratings-optimax made a difference in my last one

Get onto www.uksaabs.co.uk and www.saabscene.com for more info-good friendly bunch.

Brian

[OllieWinchester]

Excellent, thanks for all the helpful info. I'm trying to sell my little Eunos, however I can feel a drive to Reading with some cash in my pocket coming on...