Loan 2000 Saab 9-5 SE loan period EXTENDED

[Felly Magic]

Bizarrely, SWMBO told me last night we are being lent a car shortly, one of her friends is going to Australia for 2 months or so, and is lending us her car, a roughly 10 year old 9-5 in Millsomatic flavour. Should get us mobile for a bit, and it is clearly Autoshite material. 

[gadgetgricey]

Best cup holder of ever.

Might have Dame Edna Glasses at that age, but if an Aero will surprise you as to how quick it is.

[cpjitservices]

Never driven a Saab, hear good things about them

 

Let us know what its like!

[davehedgehog31]

I have recently acquired one. Mine is a 2002 (manufactured 2001 I think). Mine is a 2.3 with the High Output Turbo, it too has the slushomatic. 

 

From late 2002 (I think), the auto box changed to a 5 speed tiptronic with flappy paddles,  before that they were a 4 speed auto with sports and winter modes. 

 

Seats are very comfy and heated. It's a big car. It goes like fuck. It is quite thirsty.

 

Do you know what engine, fuel and trim the one you are going to be C/O is? The main issue you hear about was gunge building up in the sump which eventually lead to oil starvation and mechanical death in a few forms. Was cured later on by modification and a switch to fully synthetic oil. 

[rantingYoof]

If it's a post-2006 2.3 HPT then be prepared for a £500+ tax bill.

 

Also prepare for lovely turbocharged torque and the comfiest seats ever.

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Felly Magic]

Sorry, typo, it's an early 9-5 of around S reg, so not Dame Edna spec. I'm tired after a twat of a weekend which involved 4 Nat Ex coaches, and a Novotel, and off my tits on pain killers

[Ohdearme]

Drive it Nottingham and get noobtune to remap it on the sly.

 

If it’s S Reg you might be getting a 2.0lpt. In autoguise you’re looking at about 11.0 to sixty so not exactly brisk but certainly comfy and a fine motorway chomper.

 

You are likely to have cloth (possibly beige) under your buttocks but as others said, strong chance of being heated too and a most elegant cup holder.

 

Glovebox rattle has been an issue on two of the three 9-5s I’ve had. Solved with a wodge of blu-tac though.

[GeordieInExile]

The cup holder is an engineering wonder.

 

Remember the key goes in the centre console.

 

I have an Aero and handling is rather boat like do I can only imagine how one with standard suspension goes round corners. But expect to be very, very comfortable.

 

Oh and if the seats are heated only one of the rear ones will be. Which is...odd.

[davehedgehog31]

 

Seemed like as good a time as any to upload this.

[Felly Magic]

That is indeed a work of art, those Swedes eh? Will keep everyone updatificated on this. She hasn't told me when it arrives yet, but hey ho...

[SierraMikeHotel]

Oh and if the seats are heated only one of the rear ones will be. Which is...odd.

This was the case when I bought mine (now davehedgehog's), but reattaching a cable brought the other one to life. I imagine it's very easy to accidentally pull the plug out when you raise/lower the rear seats.

[Ohdearme]

They randomly had a single switch to mess with OCD’ers but it operated both.

 

Weirdly, the rear seat heating switch is straight from the Vauxhall/GM parts bin (I had it in my Cav CD)

 

It’s almost as if they were told by GM, “If you’re fitting heated seats, make sure you use our switch” and then shrugged off the production line “We did use yours to heat seats, but you didn’t say we had to use it in the front and you also didn’t say we couldn’t invent a much better and more tactile switch and use that too...”

[GeordieInExile]

Hahahaha, the front seat switches are indeed very pleasant to use.

 

Even if one of mine is no longer illuminated.

 

Oh, this reminds me. The best 9-5 feature. NIGHT PANEL!

[davehedgehog31]

Hahahaha, the front seat switches are indeed very pleasant to use.

 

Even if one of mine is no longer illuminated.

 

Oh, this reminds me. The best 9-5 feature. NIGHT PANEL!

Yet more riveting video content;

 

[Jazoli]

If it's a post-2006 2.3 HPT then be prepared for a £500+ tax bill.

 

He's being lent it for 2 months, I doubt it will matter

[Guest Hooli]

The cup holders are ideal phone holders when using them as twat nav.

 

Provided you've got a Samsung s5 in a plastic case of course.

 

Dunno what you lot are on about with boat handling. They've got suspension travel but don't wallow. Plus if you trail brake to the apex at speed the back end comes out nicely to set them up for silly cornering speeds.

[twosmoke300]

Two months isn’t long enough to “get “ a Saab .

It took me nearly a year to gel with mine and see what the fuss was about . A great long distance car that you step out off after 500 miles and think - have I driven today ?

My remapped 2.3t did 40mpg on a run and 30 round cornwall too .

[Guest Hooli]

I never 'got' mine after 17k & nearly two years it was just an ok car with enough grunt, a drinking habit & reasonable seats. Mind you most cars have exceptionally shite seats in comparison.

[Richard]

Two months isn’t long enough to “get “ a Saab.

 

It took me a lot less than that to "get" the one we bought, and it will be considerably longer before I get another. It was almost a relief when it shat itself terminally. Maybe the pre-Edna ones are a bit less unpleasant, I will never know.

[Ohdearme]

Ive always liked the ones I’ve had, the handling on the Aero was a bit wayward because every component of the suspension that was supposed to connect to another was worn out.

 

From the rear, it was so lose it looked like a Sumo taking a dump or that id joined those ‘stance yo’ weirdos.

 

Current 9-5 is more predictable, same as any big barge fast in, lean on the body roll, try to sonerve momentum and away you go.

 

It’s no E39 but it’s not the worst I’ve driven. Mondeo is a much better steer, though it pains me to say it.

[Jerzy Woking]

I like my Aero, but it has been modified in nearly every area (suspension, brakes, engine, exhaust, wheels) but still feels like a standard one until pushed hard, then all the mods makes sense. Only thing I wish it had were the cooled seats - my nephews 9-5 has these, and during this summer they were fantastic!

[DSdriver]

Has it got fake wood or fake carbon fibre on the dash? We've got one of each.

If the ignition key wont turn it is because the barrel is full of grot and needs a good flush with switch cleaner. If when the engine is warm the key turns and everything works except the car wont start pour cold water over the gearbox. Strange but true apparently.

[GeordieInExile]

I like my Aero, but it has been modified in nearly every area (suspension, brakes, engine, exhaust, wheels) but still feels like a standard one until pushed hard, then all the mods makes sense. Only thing I wish it had were the cooled seats - my nephews 9-5 has these, and during this summer they were fantastic!

It angers me that mine doesn't have the cooled seats.

 

Or properly working aircon.

[Ohdearme]

It angers me that mine doesn't have the cooled seats.

Or properly working aircon.

Oh poor you...what about me?

 

 

The shame

[Guest Hooli]

Oh I forgot, the bits of the ashtray are in the glovebox or a door pocket (I've forgot)

[GeordieInExile]

At least my bum warmers work, I suppose!

[SiC]

Oh I forgot, the bits of the ashtray are in the glovebox or a door pocket (I've forgot)

I think that was my fault breaking that. It wasn't opening, so I pulled it instead. After I broke it, I realised I was trying to open it wrong.

[2MB]

Is it safe to say that anyone who doesn’t ‘get’ Saabs should try a Volvo immediately?

N

[Felly Magic]

It is being dropped off on Sunday, with the proviso it's owner gets taken to the airport. Photos will be forthcoming

[DSdriver]

I recon the Saab is the middle ground between a Volvo 940 and a Citroen XM