Author Topic: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D  (Read 6677 times)

Steve McF

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Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« on: 12 March 2019, 10:40:49 PM »
So since getting the chains done on the Aero, I thought I'd use it for work for a few days, now that I don't feel concerned about chains breaking etc.

So this evening I popped out to my ukulele class (no, seriously!!), and afterwards took a long round trip home, taking in country roads, a bit of the M40 and so on....well sometimes you just have to!!!

Since having this 9-3ss, there is always the temptation to compare it to the 9-5 I had years ago, and which I sadly traded in around about the time this beast was about to hit the road for the first time with owner number 1 in Scotland!!

I've always felt the 9-5 was the better car, more solid, smoother comfortable ride, great cruiser and suitably fast, even though it was just a 150bhp Ecopower with velour seats. That's not to say I didn't like this 9-3 - it is just a different beast, and different experience.


So let's have look into this a bit more:


9-5 the better car? Well, maybe overall, but it's a bigger, more expensive car, probably aimed at a different sort of buyer, so they are not going to be the same.

9-5 is more solid? Well, maybe, but let's not forget, I had my 9-5 from when it was 3 years old to when it was 6 years old, and I was only the second owner. The car did from 51,000 miles to around 75,000 during the time I had it. Now this 9-3 has had a life!!! It is 13 years old, had 4 owners before me, and now had 96,000 on the clock. It's a much older car than my 9-5 was when I had it, so there will be more rattles and knocks etc, but actually, it's not doing too bad!!!!

9-5 was a smoother, more comfortable ride? Well again, maybe. But my 9-5 had 16" wheels with bigger tyres for a softer ride. It also had what must be the equivalent of Linear/Arc suspension rather than Aero, so more softly sprung. This 9-3 is the Aero, and has the stiffer sports suspension. And thanks to a previous owner, 18" wheels rather than the standard 17". So the ride might not be as soft, but crusing on the motorway or A roads, it's still very comfortable.

9-5 was suitably fast? Yes it was. I didn't rag it, but I knew that if I wanted to overtake something I could, comfortably. The power was in reserve, but I used it when I needed to. This Aero though, is a very different beast - much faster and more responsive, even without a Stage 1 remap (which I do still hope to do at some point).  Again, I don't rag it or abuse it, but I can drive it more spiritedly than I do our other cars, because it is fast, and faster and lighter than my 9-5.

And as the 9-3 is not my main daily driver, when I do choose to take if for a blast, it's because I actually enjoy driving it, and look forward to driving it!!!! I have been amassing bits and pieces to improve the car -  front splitter, folding wing mirrors, 314mm front brake upgrade (discs, back plate, refurbed bigger calipers), front wing to replace the one with the poor paint finish etc. As well as the remap, I hope to get a bodyshop to sort those rear arches out (which I have temporarily halted the rust with the application of some Hydrate80 just before Christmas). Now that the chains have been done, this project Aero has only just begun!!!

Is this a mid life crisis car? Mmmmm, I leave that for you to decide :D : :D But it is the fastest car I've ever owned....and it's a Saab, which takes me back to when I bought my 9-5, because it had a sort of exclusivity about it ;)


Norfolk Jim

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #1 on: 13 March 2019, 10:34:11 AM »
Interesting Steve.

I had several 9-5's all estates (after 3 9000's) as I loved the huge load area - you could get a door in the back and shut the tailgate without moving passenger seat around. One had the moving load board on rails in the boot which amazed me. In all I had one of the very first 9-5 Estates prior to Aero. A 2.3T SE with every conceivable extra including load compensating suspension - was most comfortable Saab i have ever owned and engine rebuilt by Abbotts and tuned with bigger turbo to 285hp. It was T reg and is still on the road with some 275k on the clock! I also had one of the last 2.2 TiD Hirsched Vector Sport facelift with all Aero accessories except engine - that was 55 reg and is being used to drive from Norfolk to Brussels weekly with now nearly 300k on clock, a 1.9 TiD Dame Edna Vector sport Hirsched and a 54 reg facelift Aero HOT that had the full Abbott treatment - bigger turbo, bigger brakes, bigger exhaust, upgraded suspension and so on 300hp rocket - did I like them - yes I did and found all to be v comfortable except the Aero but that was my fault. The earliest SE was though beyond doubt my favourite. Last was the DE diesel after which I went Subaru Legacy (loved it but due to gearbox problem got money back) and then Volvo V70 D5 (nice car, big but not so nice to drive - massive turning circle) and then a Passatt Sport est (hated it) - all these within 14 months to finally end up with the 58 reg 9-3 Aero TTiD Estate which I kept for 3 years. Mine had 18" wheels but still seemed very comfortable. Was very fast and incredibly economical until I started having DPF issues but it was never big enough for me (carrying a door was nigh on impossible and not possible with a passenger as their seat needed to go so far forwards with both back seats down). I often carry long items to site including ladders (full extension ladder fitted diagonally but needed foam at front as close to windscreen and foam at back windscreen). My blac lab also looked like he was stooping to look out the back as roof seemed low. I also found it noisier than the 9-5's and didn't seem as solid.

As you may know in light of no newish 9-5 estates being on sale now I've ended up with a 2011 Nissan X Trail Tekna. Has all the toys and more than Saab had (even reclining back seat), amazingly the same length as the 9-3 but slightly wider the internal space is to say the least - massive. I can get door in back without moving passenger seat and have massive load area much higher and wider than the 9-3. Engine is 2.0 diesel 173hp (soon to be 238hp via Celtic Tuning) and very smooth. Torque much lower than the 9-3 but the tune will resolve this with no changes to the car. I'm quite pleased to be getting near as damn 50 mpg which I find excellent for such a heavy car capable of towing 2200kg trailers. Of course I also have 2WD or fully auto 4WD with diff lock. You can throw it into corners (always best with 4WD as cuts out oversteer) nearly as hard as the aero but I can honestly say it is the most comfortable car I have ever had and is very very quiet as a diesel with no engine noise at all in cabin.

Sorry seems a lot of garbage but that my 9-5 to 9-3 history. Now had Saab continued with the new 9-5 Estate then that'd be what I would have bought!!

sgould

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #2 on: 13 March 2019, 01:08:31 PM »
When we had the Hirsched (195hp) 1.8t and my Hirsched 9-5 Aero (280hp on the saloon, later 300hp on the estate), I preferred the 9-5.  This was good because my wife bought the 9-3 and claimed it as "her" car. :)

Since she changed to the 280hp 9-3 V6 Carlsson, the balance has changed.  I'm happy driving the Carlsson locally and it's tolerable on longer drives , mainly due to the smooth engine, but the 9-5 is more roomy and comfortable.  However the 9-5 is quite old and some bits are tired which is reducing its desirability at the moment, but we shall see.  We plan to take the Carlsoon to the Saab Museum Festival in June in Trollhattän which will be the longest single journey that the car has undertaken, but June in Europe with no ventilated seats?? :o
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Steve McF

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #3 on: 13 March 2019, 03:39:48 PM »
And a Green Card? :0

sgould

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #4 on: 13 March 2019, 04:33:46 PM »
Green Card, International Driving Permit (maybe three of them...).

We got new passports this week, maybe they will need to be changed for blue ones... ::)
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Norfolk Jim

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #5 on: 14 March 2019, 09:25:00 AM »
I tell you what would have done well if GM had allowed it and that would have been to put the 1.9TTiD 180 engine into the 9-5 Aero 8). With Hirsch tune that would have been superb, as fast as a petrol aero but go from mid 30's mpg to high 40's mid 50's mpg.

Although like Will I preferred the 9-5 I did find I could thrash the 9-3 TTiD and still return good economy and the torque that came in from 1850 rpm was incredible and carried  on right up to redline. If I'd done the same with my 9-5 Aero I'd have looked at mid 20's!!!! ::) I was always fresh after driving the 9-5's but I did find on long drives in the 9-3 I often felt tired afterwards; perhaps the slightly lower ride height and smaller cabin?? I've now done several long drives in the X Trail and feel the same afterwards as I did getting out of the 9-5 - fresh and able to do the return trip straightaway - plus I now have the Jap reliability

The 9-5 was a good car shame GM killed it.

BTW - my insurance renews at end of the month!!!! LV has said if we are intending to drive on or after 29th March in Europe and we leave the EU we will only need a green card which must be carried at all times. We need to contact them to obtain the Green Card which has to be posted - they say it should take 7 - 14 days to supply one. They say it will be needed for driving through the EEA but also countries such as Serbia, Switzerland and Andorra; also if driving from Northern Ireland into Ireland


phoenix

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #6 on: 16 March 2019, 02:10:33 PM »

carrera

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #7 on: 17 March 2019, 10:23:13 PM »
Cough Cough... is this what you mean ?



.. though I can also offer this one

Now can someone explain the background to the name ??
« Last Edit: 17 March 2019, 10:37:12 PM by carrera »
9-5 Aero Estates, 2002 Cosmic Blue, 2003 Steel Grey, 2003 Graphite Green, 2004 9-5 Glacier Blue 2.0 saloon, 2004 Nocturne Blue 2.2 diesel estate, 2006 & 2008 Black Aero saloons, 1998 9000 CSE with Aero engine, 9-5NG Aero XWD

sgould

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #8 on: 18 March 2019, 12:17:38 AM »
In the early days of Saabscene there was a member who used that symbol as his avatar.  He runs a hotel in North Wales and his board name was "Fawlty".  It seemed to catch on. 
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Norfolk Jim

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #9 on: 18 March 2019, 12:33:11 PM »
I remember him - yeh good avatar

carrera

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #10 on: 18 March 2019, 03:57:53 PM »
Well I know understand why the Fawlty, but still don't get the link to, how shall we say, having a bit of fun in the car.

Anyway, having pulled the icon from the internet archives, if you want to add it to the list of available smilies for STT feel free to download it  ;D, that'll keep Steve McF happy and maybe others too. 
9-5 Aero Estates, 2002 Cosmic Blue, 2003 Steel Grey, 2003 Graphite Green, 2004 9-5 Glacier Blue 2.0 saloon, 2004 Nocturne Blue 2.2 diesel estate, 2006 & 2008 Black Aero saloons, 1998 9000 CSE with Aero engine, 9-5NG Aero XWD

Steve McF

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #11 on: 19 March 2019, 12:45:37 PM »
Ha ha, don't worry!! I'm happy already - I just remembered people using this logo/avatar when talking fondly about putting their foot down in their Aeros (9.3 and 9-5) ;)  ;D ;D

phoenix

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #12 on: 19 March 2019, 12:49:51 PM »
Well I know understand why the Fawlty, but still don't get the link to, how shall we say, having a bit of fun in the car.

Around 2001/2, SAAB’s chief chassis engineer of the time; Ekkehard Schwartz was asked to describe the new 9-3, his answer; a simple scribble of a SAAB driver with a huge grin experiencing the pure joy of driving.

wrighar

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #13 on: 19 March 2019, 03:44:49 PM »
In the early days of Saabscene there was a member who used that symbol as his avatar.  He runs a hotel in North Wales and his board name was "Fawlty".  It seemed to catch on.

His avatar got modified, to have a larger 'belly' though :-)

Steve McF

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Re: Where's that picture of Fawlty when you need it? :D
« Reply #14 on: 19 March 2019, 04:25:08 PM »
In keeping with the Saab drivers of today (myself included? :D).

I know my belly is larger today than when the avatar was first drawn ha ha