Forum Saab IV

[Split_Pin]

Nice one on finding the right colour too!

[Split_Pin]

Work continues:

Oil and filter change.

The sump plug is very awkward to access but on my last 2 9-3s  I had devised a method using a jack to move the spanner the first turn as I couldn't get a swing on it. The bracing structure gets in the way too.

But early 2004 cars (my previous ones were a 54 and 06 plate) must have a different design as it's impossible to get anything on the plug other than a 15 mm swan necked ring spanner. I had to resort to just my own strength (which is meagre) to crack it off but I managed in the end. I remembered all the other tricks to getting the oil filter out the restricted space and so on.

All done no bother.

I discovered that someone (Ken, I presume) fitted a spacer plate to the ECU to protect it from the heat of the engine. Karl at Noobtune makes these.

Y braces under the floor which always rot out are good on this one.

I collect my new bumper on Thursday. Not going to lie, I will be rattle canning it but there's enough black trim on it to break up the blue so I reckon it will be OK.

[brownnova]

So good to see this getting the love it deserves!

The owner before me had had it for many years, but wasn’t a car person at all so had just done the basics for years, hence the state it was in when I picked it up. What’s nice is that along the way each of us has done a few jobs to improve it! Over time it’ll be a nice car! 

Is the boot lid still bent up in one corner? 

[Cookiesouwest]

On 01/05/2025 at 19:59, Split_Pin said:

All 4 of my Saabs have done the rounds of the forum and as far as I know are still extant here.

Laser Red 9-3 Cab Auto: Northernmonkey, SRi05 twice, Wack, me and currently MAF260.

Espresso Black 9-3 Manual: Jazoli, me, Prince Rupert, Cookiesouwest and now the ex-wife of another member whose name escapes me

Steel Grey 9-5: wgl2019, Crackers, Bornite, me and now Aldo135

Current Nocturne Blue 9-3 cab: Brownnova, DirtyDaily, Ken, 83C and me.

To show I'm putting it about a bit now:

I bought the 9-3 from 83C who also used to own the forum A8. The latter was the 'Bumpergate' car and the perpetrator of that owned my Espresso 9-3 for a short time (I refrained from cracking any funnies on that yesterday 🤭)

DirtyDaily who used to own the blue 9-3 now owns an Audi A8 I also owned.

I've sold Aldo135 3 cars now, 2 of which I bought on here!

Anyway, the blue 9-3 cleaned up well inside and out. I found a bottle of leather cleaner under the seat so used that and improved the seats a lot. 

I kept the tailored mats I bought brand new for the Espresso 9-3 and fitted them to the blue one today:

Oil and filter ordered.

I'll fit the splitter tomorrow in lieu of a new bumper.

The clonk from the back is exactly the same noise that my red 93 made, and likely still does. It never got picked up at the MOT.

The front ARB bushes are also creaky, same as my Espresso 9-3. Never fixed that either 😂

 

@mercedade had the espresso from me, for his ex.

[mercedade]

Yep, still going well. Just ordered a service kit for it actually 

[Split_Pin]

17 minutes ago, brownnova said:

Is the boot lid still bent up in one corner? 

Ken replaced it with another in the same colour so it's spot on now!

[Split_Pin]

Got woken at 7.45 this morning by the alarm going off. I think its either the drivers door or bonnet. I changed it to door sensor only mode in the SiD to rule the latter out.

I will try and speak very nicely to the chap I am collecting the bumper from to see if he can just disable it altogether. 

I also reset the service indicator so no more warning message.

[SRi05]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Got woken at 7.45 this morning by the alarm going off. I think its either the drivers door or bonnet. I changed it to door sensor only mode in the SiD to rule the latter out.

I will try and speak very nicely to the chap I am collecting the bumper from to see if he can just disable it altogether. 

I also reset the service indicator so no more warning message.

These old 9-3's can have alarm issues. Best just deleting it altogether with Tech2 to save the hassle like I done with mine. Nobody is going to steal it anyway 😂

[Split_Pin]

Aye I was going to look out that picture of the guys details you used if the local guy isn't able to do it 

[purplebargeken]

It’s a nice car to drive.  The heat shield was indeed fitted by Karl. Couldn’t find a bumper in the right colour sadly. Oil and filter was done in November IIRC. New correct plugs were done just prior to the Noobtune in the New Year. 
 

I found the NT made a huge difference to how it drove but that’s just me perhaps.

[Split_Pin]

Aye it does drive well, no issues at all. Same as my other manual example, pulls well around town and in the mid range but obviously not as blisteringly fast at the 9-5. 

Fed the seats with Gliptone liquid leather as they were a bit dry.

I need to get a new air filter as judging by the rusty screws on the air box, it was done quite some time ago.

 

[purplebargeken]

Yes, they are rusty. That was going to be the next thing on my list.

[Split_Pin]

New bumper collected tonight.

Convertibles are great for collecting bulky items. Just drop it in and go!

[Split_Pin]

I changed the air filter tonight. The screws were rotten and one rounded off, bloody Torx crap. 

Old one wasn't too bad:

4 is enough to hold the airbox for now, I'll put a few in my toolbox buy a few next time I'm at U-pullit. 

I've sanded down the new bumper. Unfortunately there are a couple of small splits but they are hidden so holes drilled and cable ties applied. The paint has arrived too, I'll lay that down when I next have time.