What I Did To My Saab Today.

[Audax]

I sorted the headlights out with the 3M headlight restoration kit on my 9-5. I was going to take before and after photos but I got all the kit outside to realise my phone was in the house and didn't fancy leaving my tools there for the light fingered to grab them while I was away...

Anyhow, I did the worst headlamp first which was probably a mistake as I didn't put as much effort in and it didn't turn out as good as the other one. Either way the headlights will now certainly be an MOT pass next month which is the desired effect.

The 3M kit is very good although the polishing compound didn't seem to work all that well so I used a bottle of meguiars plast-x that I had kicking around from doing this job a few years ago (I didn't do it properly then as it was winter, cold and hard work by hand with wet and dry!) but by comparison the 3M kit on a drill was great although you have to be careful of swirls appearing.

[jmblack]

Replaced pollen filter on my wife's 9-5 est auto. Is there any car in the world with a more awkward filter to change? Added to that old one that was done by at a service some time ago had no foam seal fitted....some things you're better to do yourself....

Smells better now!

[Paper Plane]

Taken Helga (the 9.3 conv in my pic) for MOT, service and full brake replacement. Needed a front exhaust clamp, engine cleaner and some bulbs so now £700+ poorer.

steve 

[Audax]

Mine has been a bit slow to start the past few days, battery voltage over the terminals is 12.2V so a new battery has been ordered from ECP for delivery tomorrow.

[mikeloadsasaabs]

First post on this thread. I rarely have to do anything to my old thing. But today, I treated her to fresh oil and filter. Yesterday it was new plugs. While I had the front wheel in the air, I put the new air filter mounts on that I bought some months ago, the metal and rubber on the old ones had parted company.

One of the reasons I spent a few minutes on the car today is that it has a couple of big days coming up. Firstly, on 30th September is the tenth anniversary of registration. Secondly, the odometer is now reading 199,266, so the big 200k is near. They won't coincide as I'm not planning on racking up nearly 740 miles in the next 5 days. I'll be posting again to encourage all those 9-5 owners to keep their cars running.

[Audax]

MOT done today along with oil and filter service + check over of car. £120 total. 

[Kev_Mc]

Since I bought the old 1998 9-3, I've done/had done the following:

New floor mats from Ebay.
Oil and oil filter change.
Bought a drivers side headlight unit from Ebay - recevied today - got to fit it yet....

[StanleyB]

Since I bought the old 1998 9-3, I've done/had done the following:

New floor mats from Ebay.

Now why did I not think of that? My mats are older than the financial crash. I am going to order a new set right away.

[sgould]

Swapped the DI unit. The spare I've had for many years is back in the boot and the new one with the correct part number is in the car.

[Kev_Mc]

Since I bought the old 1998 9-3, I've done/had done the following:

New floor mats from Ebay.

Now why did I not think of that? My mats are older than the financial crash. I am going to order a new set right away.

The ones I got for the 9-3 don't fit that well (supposed to be a tailored fit), though they're still a lot cheaper than the ones from Halfords which also wouldn't fit! However the ones I bought for my new car fit perfectly.

[Kev_Mc]

Tomorrow - the rubbish wheels and tyres are coming off the 9-3 shed to be replaced by slightly less rubbish (but straight) wheels, with massively superior tyres. Headlamp with a hole in it is being replaced too.

[Kev_Mc]

Here's a pic of the car with the new (old) winter wheels on. Looks a lot better than the old ones. They look huge compared to the old wheels despite only being 16 inch! Pic taken earlier this evening.

[bgentles]

It was last week if truth be told, but I replaced the green rollers on the driver's window. However, not for the life of me could I fit the retaining clips, so the regulator arm ball joint is all that's keeping them in place. I zipped everything back up and went into the garage where I eventually managed to squeeze a clip into a roller. It seems to me that the reason these things break in the first place is squarely down to the force they are under with the clip in place. The window is (currently) up and down fine mind, but what on earth was I doing wrong?

Regards,

Brian

[ScarbSaab]

Took the car into the back lane last night and adjusted the Xenon headlights. Only a crude setup as it still needs proper calibration to the new front sensor and I was deliberately conservative in vertical alignment, but with only a couple of turns I've got decent range again.

[Kev_Mc]

Here's a pic of the car with the new (old) winter wheels on. Looks a lot better than the old ones. They look huge compared to the old wheels despite only being 16 inch! Pic taken earlier this evening.

Not half a mile's drive after taking this photo, I went over a raised railway crossing. When the car returned down onto the suspension, I heard an unpleasant sound. I assumed something had fallen off and I'd driven over it. Luckily the customer I was at had garage facilities and they kindly jacked the car up to see what the problem was. Turned out the spring had snapped right towards the top.

Managed to drive the 180 miles or so home with the cracked spring with no problem. Car now has a new spring, shock absorber and bushes on the front drivers side!

Cracked Drivers side headlamp has now also been replaced with one I got from a scrappy.