Topics

1

Off-topic chat, Help, Advice, General motoring issues / What's it worth - but not the usual...

« on: 11 June 2013, 10:47:38 AM »

The car is a 2003 manual Aero estate, genuine 57K miles, FSH to 30K. I've serviced it ever since. I've had it since October 2008. It runs fine, accelerates, tracks and brakes straight, tyres wear evenly, so the running gear is all fine. Full leather, climate control (blows cold), usual electrical toys. AS2 audio. Double Evo alloys, good tyres, new MoT, tax to next March.

So far so good. BUT: it was a Cat C write-off at just over 30K miles... The bodging git that rebuilt it used a second-hand bumper, and not enough plasticiser in the paint, so the front bumper is a real mess; not cracked or damaged, but badly stone-chipped, and it looks S**T. Minor wheelarch scuffs to both rears, but they ARE minor. Some peeling lacquer, but (front bumper apart) it looks quite presentable, and the interior is fine.

It has to go (supplanted by an old E-class Merc). The Cat C will obviously depress the value, and I really have no idea what to ask for it. Gentlemen, over to you for your opinions; any and all gratefully received.

BOF3

2

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / 9-5 Xenon headlight - dismantling?

« on: 15 May 2013, 12:11:50 PM »

Afternoon all. Long time no post, but I'm back.

I'm trying to sort out one xenon headlight on my '03 9-5. I have a spare (dismantled) unit for parts.

The problem is that the levelling motor within the unit is knackered; it turns, but the beam does not move. Typical Valeo stripped internal gearing, I think.

The only way in is by removing the headlamp plastic cover. Can anyone tell me whether the mastic that holds the cover in place softens with heat? (If not, I probably can't get it off without doing too much damage...)

Please help.

BOF

3

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Headlamp Levelling again - but not the usual

« on: 08 February 2013, 10:52:08 AM »

Good morning gentlemen; long time no post, but I'm still around - and so is my 9-5 (2003) with xenons, and the warning light has come on. The offside beam moves up, then down (a little - not all the way) when I switch them on, then stops; the nearside does not move at all. The warning light comes on only when the offside beam has stopped moving. I can also hear a low-pitched sound - like someone rubbing one of the strings of a cello - during beam movement, which I suppose must be the levelling motor doing its stuff - or the other one trying to...

Looks like something has either seized, or popped out/snapped off/broken, inside the light unit. Does anyone have any idea what is likely to be the culprit?

BOF3

4

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Oil level checking

« on: 21 September 2012, 02:39:42 PM »

'03 9-5 Aero. Is the oil level meant to be checked with the dipstick fully screwed home, or just resting against the spring? I've always done it with it just against the spring, which must be a fail-safe, but is it right?

BOF

5

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Gearbox Filler Plug - the cursing gets worse....

« on: 02 September 2011, 01:39:19 PM »

OK, driveshaft in place and all back together. Now to top up the gearbox.

'03 Aero manual. I have loosened the filler plug, but the level plug defeats me. It looks so easy in the Haynes - and so it would be with the gearbox on the bench! In the car, however, access is blocked by the subframe... The short end of the key is too long to get it into the plug

I can get the ball (long) end of the 8mm Allen key into the level plug, at an angle of 20-30 degrees, through the wheelarch, but I will not be able to get much torque on that, and probably won't be able to undo it.. Alternatively, I can grind down the short end of the Allen key until it will go in, then hope to take it from there and get it undone.

Finally, I can just make a guesstimate of how much oil I lost, and stick (about) a quarter of a litre in (what with spilt on the drive, and absorbed by Kimwipe, and other small losses, I can't say how much I lost; I doubt I actually lost quite that, but better too much than too little (or is it?)

That last is the preferred option, but will I get away with it? What would be the likely result of a little too much oil (up to, say, 150 ml too much) in the gearbox?

Please help; I'm reaching the point where I don't want to fix it, I just want to hurt it....

BOF

6

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Driveshaft - the cursing continues....

« on: 25 August 2011, 11:56:15 AM »

Could some kind soul with a working WIS (can't get mine to load) be so kind as to let me know how much grease to use to repack the inner and outer joints on a 9-5 '03 Aero manual LHS driveshaft? Haynes says 190/120 gm (ish - the manual's in the garage), whereas the kits have come with 50cc each, which is about 50 gm. 190 cc in particular seems an awful lot.

Please help - a simple task is turning into a real pain....


BOF

7

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Driveshaft Boot Replacement - a "What the ferk" moment...

« on: 24 August 2011, 02:03:25 PM »

I'm doing both driveshaft boots on my '03 Aero manual's LHS, but.....

I have the driveshaft on the bench. Regarding the inner boot, Mr. Haynes talks glibly of pulling the spider out of the outer, but oh no I can't....

The outboard end of the housing seems to be unhardened steel, and deforms easily; it forms a slight lip, and the three rollers on the spider won't quite go past it. I assume this is OE, but do I try to get the spider rollers out by deforming or cutting the lip, or simply clean it up as much as possible without dismantling, then repack with grease?

Please help.     

8

Off-topic chat, Help, Advice, General motoring issues / Tyres again - Conti SC3 vs SC2 - Advice Wanted

« on: 16 July 2011, 12:08:28 AM »

I currently have (well-worn) Continental Sport Contact 2 tyres on my 9-5 Aero estate, and am considering swapping to Sport Contact 3s. I'm assuming grip is not a problem, but can anyone tell me how they compare for noise and wear?


BOF

9

Off-topic chat, Help, Advice, General motoring issues / TYRES INFO WANTED

« on: 07 July 2011, 11:41:10 AM »

I'm thinking of fitting HiFly tyres "(Hifly is manufactured by Shandong Henfeng Rubber & Plastic Co in its 'state of the art', 80 million square metre manufacturing facility in DongYing, using the latest manufacturing equipment from Europe, the U.S. and Japan)" unquote.

03 Aero estate, will fit 225/45/17 94W XL. I don't rag it much - mostly 75 mph on the motorway; only occasional red mist moments...

Has anyone tried these tyres? Advice would be greatly appreciated.

BOF

(Yes, this is a repeat of a post on SaabScene - I'm still on there as well. I don't like it as much since the ads started appearing, and navigation on it became slower, possibly as a result, but I still use it. You can't have too many SAAB websites to seek minformation on...)