I Went To Trollhättan And All I Brought Back...

[John F]

Tayne, on 01 Nov 2014 - 11:51 PM, said:

I might be driving to the Nordkapp next year, I have to add Trolhatten to the itiniary.

Where is the Volvo museum?

 

Bloody hell... are you going the quick* way via Sweden? Or are you going to spend the rest of your life driving up through Norway?

[Sudsprint]

Yo Sudsprint!!! Tell us a bit about life with your 9-5, I love those and they have mega shite kudos in my eyes due to their short lifespan and untimely end.

 

 

Drove from Kent to Grimsby to get the one I wanted (only done 8k in 2 years).

 

She is lovely. 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

That looks flipping great SS. I wonder how many they sold over here? Who does the servicing and that on it? Have you had any grief with it?

[Sudsprint]

That looks flipping great SS. I wonder how many they sold over here? Who does the servicing and that on it? Have you had any grief with it?

 

Don't know numbers sold but most are diesels (mine 2L petrol turbo).

 

A small independent services it in Tunbridge Wells and parts don't seem an issue.

 

Fuel consumption is pretty awful but it is as long as a 7 Series. 

 

Absolutely huge in the rear and handling is superb. I just love the tasteful design and it is loaded with toys including head up display.

[forddeliveryboy]

Lurv your pics, UmBongo. I've just searched for when the last Saab engines were used in 'their' cars - apparently 2009! The quality of Saabs still amaze me, given the size of the company. My 124s are really crap by comparison in some respects, and better in almost none.

 

I remember one aspect of the company which frightened GM was the cost of the Saab seats - well over £100 (have a funny feeling this was each), which was quarter of a century ago. They managed to sort them so they cost £15. I like pre-1990 900s for this reason alone.

 

Regarding the platform-sharing, remember the 'last real Saab' (which felt anything but at the time) was a shared platform. Fiat Croma, Alfa 164, Saab 9000 and Lancia Thema. Saab did have a lot of input into the 90s cars.

 

I used to know a suspension engineer who told me the only makers who really bothered much about spring quality and behaviour were Alfa Romeo and  Saab. Apparently they had some epic pissups after work with Saab engineers in the mid-90s, laughing about the total crapness of everything GM. Saab people were, according to suspension engineer mate, famously rude to the faces of American bosses who tried to tell them what to do. "How would you understand us if we were polite?" they would say.

 

According to this same guy, similar stories were had with Alfa, who seemed slightly more fearful of Fiat.