Topics

1

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Aircon leak

« on: 22 July 2013, 08:37:23 PM »

Few weeks ago I parked on a restaurant carpark and noticed drips of oil (or so I thought), couldn't find the drips underneath so I put it down to another car.

Just pulled onto my drive and noticed drips again, lifted the bonnet and noticed green liquid on the fan surround, on the larger rubber hose next to the metal crimped join, and also a small dribble just in front of the airbox.

Am I right in thinking that green is aircon fluid? And if so is it possible to use an additive that seals small leaks??

2

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Broken light switch

« on: 24 June 2013, 05:37:24 PM »

Heard something drop onto the pedals over the weekend, had a look today and found a metal clip about 15mm wide and 40mm long. Not a clue where it came from until I noticed that the light switch cluster is loose. It still works but its not clipped into place. Hence the clip I found by the pedals. Any idea how to re-secure it?

3

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Tyre spec

« on: 01 June 2013, 08:18:43 AM »

My front tyres are 225/45/17 91Y
My rears are 94W which I believe is the correct fitting

The tyre fitters are replacing the front with V rated tyres and say they are okay for the car.

Any thoughts on this ??

4

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Service

« on: 07 May 2013, 05:28:23 PM »

Just collected my 9-3 Aero after having its 150000 mile service

Few shocks in store

Price £352.00 ouch
No 3 spark plug was just sitting there, covered in soot and never been tightened, good old Concept Saab in Brum that did the last service. Glad I don't use them.
Screw stuck in front tyre although its not losing air unlike rear tyre that drops to 11 psi in 2 weeks and no puncture detected
Steering lock on full causes the wheel to rub against the inner wheel arch trim, mechanic has a letter from Volvo stating that the new V70 has an aluminium plate fitted to the arches to stop the tyres wearing down the wheel arch trim VERY STRANGE
Fuel filter was well and truly stuck !!! They got it off but had to partly dismantle the locating bracket thing and clean it out. Doesn't smell of fuel so far so fingers crossed.

Now the biggie

How do I reset the service interval and oil quality monitor. I've done it before but can't remember (

5

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Scary thought

« on: 08 March 2013, 11:36:20 AM »

Just had a call from the mechanic about my springs

All done and even MOTd the car for me too, total cost £185 so I'm very happy

BUT

Seems the spring on the other side was missing altogether 

Had this happen on my last car too

We need another dashboard icon to tell us when the springs have gone AWOL

6

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Not good

« on: 28 February 2013, 08:14:26 PM »

Sat outside work waiting for a recovery truck. Nasty clunk on offside front and car pulling to the offside too. Taken a look under the car and the spring is unwinding itself off the cup.

7

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Fuel Flap

« on: 26 February 2013, 07:14:00 PM »

I've noticed that the locking fuel flap has started to open the flap when I lock the car.

Looking at the white pin that slides out when the door is locked, its only moving about 3mm.
Should it slide out longer? A light tug on the flap when the car's locked and it pops open a bit too easily.

8

Off-topic chat, Help, Advice, General motoring issues / CCTV

« on: 29 January 2013, 11:03:04 PM »

I fitted a digital CCTV system to my house about 18 months ago, Not cheap, but I think its a must have on your home.

The reasons I originally fitted it I won't go into, But it has proved itself over and over in the last couple of weeks.

A few weeks ago, one of my neighbours had their gas meter and gas pipes stolen off the side of their house. The police know I have a top end CCTV system installed and asked if I could check the footage at a given date and time, sure enough, I have the thieves running down the street with the gas meter and pipework in their arms. Its clear enough to make out their features without problem, and it was taken at 3am.

Well, tonight, one of my neighbours came round to say he had seen someone in my back garden, I shot outside and there he was, a little shit hiding between my shed and greenhouse, He ran like an olympic athlete and jumped through the fence at the back of my property.

Police came round in less than 3 minutes and followed the route the would be burglar took, I spent the next hour going through all 5 cameras to get the footage, Once again, you can the faces so clearly its untrue. There were 2 of them, they walked off the street, right across my drive, down the side of the house and over my back gate without even batting an eyelid. Seems they had burgled a house in another street 10 minutes previous and chanced getting into one of my sheds, I have that many locks on my sheds they would need a blow torch.

The police have taken a CD full of CCTV footage and are very confident of an arrest being made..

So if your thinking about getting CCTV, I would say go for it, its worth every penny

9

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Bonnet badge

« on: 27 January 2013, 12:35:04 PM »

Thanks to this lovely weather we've been having lately, I now have a completely blank bonnet badge

How easy are they to remove, and where is the best place to get one from??

10

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / How tight?

« on: 10 September 2012, 09:43:34 AM »

I've finally had a free day where the weather was good enough to replace my discs and pads, but the pins that hold the calipers won't budge.

Not the actual pins to remove the calipers completely, the ones that allow you to replace the pads.

The pads were replaced by SAAB main dealers a few weeks before I bought the car and it looks like they must have used an air gun to refit the pins.
The hex screw that holds the disc in place is also chewed up, and the discs were replaced by SAAB according to the service history.

Had to book the car in now to get them done.

Not happy

11

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Disc guard

« on: 06 April 2012, 05:33:00 PM »

The NSF wheel is making a slight grinding noise today, I've had a quick look through the wheel and noticed the disc guard is touching the disc at the top

If it ever warms up over the weekend I'll fit my new discs, but how easy is the guard to remove or re-attach???

12

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / MOT advisory

« on: 02 April 2012, 12:49:22 PM »

Car passed the MOT this morning but with a few advisories

Front and rear discs heavily scored and heavily rusted

No problem, I've got new ones to fit this week.

Chip in windscreen, can't be fixed and Autoglass won't replace with my current insurer

Not fussed until it cracks then I'll get replaced

Rear tyres accelerated wear inner sides

Getting 4 wheel alignment done tomorrow.

Fuel cap seal knackered

It's not a genuine cap, any ideas what sort I need

13

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Painting

« on: 21 March 2012, 10:11:42 AM »

I'm painting my calipers in the next few weeks if the weather holds, I'm also fitting my new discs all round. My question is :-

Is it worth painting the discs aswell ?

Not all over (I ay that fick)

Just around the top where you can see the cooling fins and around the centre hub that's exposed

The discs that are getting scrapped are pure rust apart from the bits that the pads rub along.

I'd hate to fit shiny new discs and find they look old and tatty a few months later.

14

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Keys for £9

« on: 11 March 2012, 01:06:44 PM »

http://www.carpartsconnexion.com/

Look under Saab parts section, item number  12787976

Is it worth getting a few in ??

15

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Brake discs

« on: 09 March 2012, 02:55:44 PM »

Anyone ever heard if this make if discs before and are they any good??

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=110786964446&kw=110786964446

I've also seen these

http://www.dcperformance.co.uk/cheap/135267/saab/ebc-standard-front-brake-discs/d1187.html

My MOT is due soon and although the car stops fine, the discs are way past their best