Finally got there at around 11:45pm yesterday!
Not a very exciting report really, because this has been one of the best cars we've owned. We bought it around April 2007 at c.71,000 miles, as we were buying a flat in Austria and knew that not only would we be frequently plying the autobahns (SWMBO doesn't do flying
), but also needed a load carrier. Annual average around 20,000, but it has been as high as 24,000 and is now around 17,000.
First job was to Hirsch the suspension in May 2007. The shocks we had fitted are still in action at the front, but I was disappointed that the rears failed (oil leak) about 63,000 miles after being fitted, so it's on the second set. No problems with the springs.
A little later came the Maptun Stage 1- 265bhp (from 250) and 420Nm (up from 350). Fuel consumption then, as now, is 27mpg in day-to-day driving, 33mpg on a run. Only once or twice have I seen more. It doesn't seem to make a great deal of difference whether we cruise at 70mph or 100mph.
Oil and filter have been religiously changed at 6,000 mile intervals, originally Mobil 10W30, now Shell Helix Ultra 5W/40.Uses a bit of oil between changes, but doesn't visibly smoke. New PFR6H-10 plugs have been fitted every year in August (a habit I got into as part of pre-summer holiday prep). The auto trans oil was changed most recently at 150,000, but it's still a good colour. It has never entered a garage for a service since I bought it six years and 130,000 miles ago, which has kept the total cost of ownership down.
Most of the hardware is original. It had a new power steering pump under warranty in the first few months of ownership to cure a noise (which it didn't but seems to have disappeared). The front discs have been changed twice, most recently about 20,000 miles, but are as yet showing absolutely no signs of wear. The rear discs and pads were changed at around 140,000 and a couple of weeks ago, along with the handbrake shoes (see post on recent saga). New ball joint and track rod in 2010. Second-hand steering rack in 2011 due to rust getting into the original (I believe this was caused by a cable tie being used as a gaiter seal after the new track rod was fitted, but can't prove anything). This was a challenge in itself, being a RHD car and living in a LHD country
. Just before we moved to Austria in 2009, it had a good going over by Saabtech (great people) who replaced the auxiliary belt, power steering pipe, and the auto gearshift cable. In 2011 the electrical bits on the ignition switch failed meaning a new unit.
Lastly, I had a DI fail in January this year, quickly sorted and replaced by a new unit - luckily I had a spare.
Bodywise, holding up fairly well. A few odd scratches and a very scruffy front spoiler. A few bubbles of rust around the rear wheel arches. I managed to reverse into a rather large garage sign a couple of weeks ago which has displaced the bumper trim where it wraps around under the rear lights. Interior still smart, with ventilated leather seats which have a lost a little of the colour in places, but no sagging or tears. It's got all the toys, and the only thing that doesn't work fully is the passenger side folding wing mirror, which sometimes needs a little encouragement.
The only persistent problem is the dreaded rear tyre droning, which has always been there and no doubt always will be, a bit like income tax
The current summer Michelin Primacy 3s seem to be better, and the winters (Michelin Alpin PA4s) haven't developed it in around 10,000 miles, so perhaps I'm on to something. As an aside, I use 225/45 17s in a 94W load/speed rating for the summers, and 205/55 in 16s at 94H in the winter. Ride doesn't change on either, the only really noticeable difference is lighter steering on the winters.
So all in all a great experience. Never broken down on us apart from the DI, and since that was only 250 yards from home I can't grumble. It's cruised for hours at 100mph. It still bowls along very smoothly. It's lived the last four years in Austria, meaning salty, snowy roads for extended periods. I have just bought a brand new set of 16" genuine alloys from Turners Hill Garage (another great place, I get most of my spares from them) due to sealing problems on the ratty old ones used for the winter tyres, which are sitting with my parents waiting for us to arrive next week. I'm currently running the winters, so they'll be swapped while we're in the UK.
I like to think this is one in the eye for all the teeth-sucking, doom and gloom merchants who criticize Saab at the drop of a hat.
