Messages

16

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Service

« on: 01 April 2014, 01:27:17 PM »

I am sure the GM parts are very good quality but I get a branded part from my local factor for £7.20 and they seem to last at least a couple of years. He has some cheaper one for sale but they are unbranded so who ever makes them is not proud of it so I stay well clear.

The angle grinder is only needed if the last person who fitted them did not use copper grease on the threads.

Steve

 

17

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Is this a good deal??

« on: 28 March 2014, 12:30:44 PM »

.

But the main use is that you can download a list of speed cameras and get a warning as you approach.

I thought you could be fined for that in France?

Steve

18

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Is this a good deal??

« on: 26 March 2014, 05:09:36 PM »

I found another way of mounting my SatNav.

I used a telephone bracket, a mounting kit made by Ram, http://www.ram-mount.co.uk/     a hardwired power supply with an power button that sais SatNav.

Looks neat and easily removed with out having a suction pad on the screen.





Steve

19

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Is this a good deal??

« on: 26 March 2014, 04:46:27 PM »

And when I was looking to buy a sat-nav Garmin updates were pricey as opposed to TomTom which I can update for £20 a year.

Some Garmins come with free lifetime updates and the NuLink service is great.

Steve

20

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Is this a good deal??

« on: 25 March 2014, 05:30:19 PM »

I am sure you could get this unit from a Car Hi Fi specialist and they would fit it for less than Saab are charging.

Steve

21

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Damp gearbox

« on: 25 March 2014, 07:04:03 AM »

Yes that was my guess.

I spoke to my friend who repairs gearboxes last night. He laughed and said he had seen it before.

He suggested I do a few hundred miles and replace the fluid again, he does not think it will have done it any harm but probably best to do it again for peace of mind.

The reason I posted this to warn the people who take there cars to non specialists to make sure they know what there doing.

Steve

22

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Damp gearbox

« on: 24 March 2014, 07:10:19 PM »

I decided today to give my 9-5 Aero a proper service as I have had it for 5 months.

It was serviced by a VW dealer a month before I bought it and has been OK apart from the slightly higher fuel consumption than my last Aero.

The oil change went OK apart from a very tight sump plug.

I decided to replace the gearbox oil for 2 reasons. Since I have had the car I have noticed the gearbox was always damp with gearbox oil and secondly on my last car the gear change improved with new fluid.

I undid the gearbox drain plug and was surprised to find the fluid was quite thin,cherry red and also there was a lot of gearbox oil. I did not measure it exactly but it was a lot more than the 2 litres I was expecting. My catch can hold 5 litres and it was nearly full.

I can only presume the oil must have been replaced in the past and who ever did it looked at the automatic specification and filled it with the 3.8 litres that it specifies.

I have just been for a test drive and funny enough the gear change is a lot crisper and the car feels a lot quicker but no wonder with all the all in the gearbox.

It will be interesting to see if the fuel consumption improves.

I have cleaned the outside of the gearbox with solvent so hopefully I will have a dry gearbox from now on.

Steve

23

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Exhaust systems - experiences of different quality levels?

« on: 23 March 2014, 08:57:03 AM »

My local Motor Factor quoted me a little more than Ebay or the like and his systems come with a 2 year guarantee.

If there is a problem he will probably still be there and in my experience he is good for any warranty claims.

Also his systems are made my suppliers that make systems to original spec.

Finding a good used system might be the sensible choice on economic grounds.

Steve

24

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: 222,222 miles

« on: 13 February 2014, 08:44:02 AM »

On high mileage what about this car.

http://consumerist.com/2013/09/23/mans-3-million-miles-in-volvo-sets-record-for-highest-mileage-by-a-single-driver-in-one-vehicle/

An amazing story and just shows what they can do with proper maintenance.

Steve

25

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Knocking has got too be done

« on: 13 February 2014, 08:40:54 AM »

My guess would be the front sub frame bushes.

An easy test is to put a lever under the rear of the sub frame and see if you can lever it up towards the floor of the car. My guess will be it will move quite easily and probably touch with out to much effort.

On some cars if you use the sub frame to jack them up will move a lot before the car even starts moving.

Steve

26

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Headlight levelling sensor for xenons - wonderful!

« on: 10 February 2014, 01:11:53 PM »

I have heard that you need Tech 2 after you fit new sensors but I fitted ones to my last car and it was all OK.

Steve

27

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Aero Normal MPG

« on: 06 February 2014, 09:15:38 AM »

I drove it around a bit yesterday with code reader on the passenger seat in live data mode. The temp according to that ranged between 99 and 106f once warmed up. I checked it when I got back with my infra red thermometer and the top hose was at just below 100c so it looks like the sender unit is about right.

Air filter is not very old but I have a friend suggested maybe it is damp? With the amount of wet weather we have had that might be worth a try. Does anybody run a foam filter in the standard air box?

I think the most disappointing thing is the economy on a long run, it struggles to do much above mid 30's even if I drive very gently. Low fuel consumption on short trips is something I just put up with.

Steve

28

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Headlight levelling sensor for xenons - wonderful!

« on: 05 February 2014, 08:10:52 AM »

Could it *really* have not been repaired or replaced with a second hand unit? More often than not people getting rid of cars because they will cost some money to repair end up with a newer car with a new set of problems.

Apparently not, I asked the very same question. The last of the Rover 75's had a different ABS control unit that is very hard to source.

I did have my on eye it as I thought I could do just this but this had already been looked into. At the time there were only 3 new units left in stock and who ever sells Rover spares these days knew exactly what they had.

It was a lovely car, the 2.5 V6 estate with every extra and only 22000 thousand miles, it had the belts done which I understand is a job to be avoided.

Steve

29

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Headlight levelling sensor for xenons - wonderful!

« on: 04 February 2014, 11:11:54 PM »

It will fail its MOT for 2 reasons, the headlights will be out of adjustment and any warning light is now an MOT failure.

You might get away with taking the warning light bulb out and adjusting the headlights correctly if the testing station is not aware you have Xenons.

On a tangent there are lot of cars being scrapped because of warning light problems. I know of a nice low mileage Rover 75 on an 55 reg that was scrapped last year because the ABS warning light was on and it needed a new control unit (£1800).

Steve

30

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Headlight levelling sensor for xenons - wonderful!

« on: 04 February 2014, 06:17:57 PM »

You could try disconnecting the faulty sensor, when I did this on my previous Aero the light came on but the headlights stayed at the correct level with no movement. Maybe the sensor needs to be connected for them to move?

Steve