I have been having problems with the self levelling headlights on my 02 Aero.
Local dealer was telling me there is over 700 sensors on back order with NO delivery date forcast >:(
In the new year with the new MOT test my car will fail so I thought I had better get it sorted.
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p109/STEVEP440/DSC00835.jpg)
In the US there seems to be no shortage of these so I ordered one and though it has taken several weeks to get here and has cost me more than buying one in the UK at least my car will pass its MOT in the new year.
One thing that concerns me does it mean 700 cars will fail there MOT's if Saab dont sort out there spare parts problems? Or will these cars get exemption if the parts are not available?
looking forward not having that little orange light on every time I drive at night, looks like I will be busy Saturday morning.
Steve
I've never thought of buying standard parts from the US. Only done that with computer bits before.
How did customs treat it?
I buy quite a lot of fishing rod making parts, rod rings, whipping thread etc., that you can't get in UK both from shops and ebay and up to now have never had any request to pay duty. Touching wood as I type this..............!
With the postage it was $85 so about £55 and the UK customs had another £18 off me >:(
So a total of £73 but at least I have a car I can get MOT'd.
I think they are just over £50( including the VAT ) when available in the UK.
I have been buying bits for my Jensen for years from the US, the stuff is so much cheaper even with the carriage and import duty I often save up to 30% on new stuff and even more on used. I once bought a set of Titanium pushrods for $1 each and they were so light the shipping cost only another $22, they are over £50 each new and I needed 16.
There are a few tricks you can do to save you a few £££ on duty. PM me and I will tell you.
Well worth doing if the parts problem does not get fixed soon.
Steve
They're £75+VAT in the UK so you saved yourself a few quid :D Although, saying that you probably won't be able to take advantage of the 2 year warranty but then, it would be unlikely to get a claim approved for a part anyhow unless it was fitted professionally.
I once bought a clutch kit from Saab Australia and fitted it myself, had it fail after 2000 kms, and they honored the warranty. Now I buy my parts from the US though as I save up to 50% but probably don't get warranty.
On another note, Australian Customs don't charge anything for bought online up to $1000 value, which is great for me :)
I had not realised there was a 2 years guarantee on UK parts.
I am just relieved to have got one.
Maybe I should have bought several and sold them? ;D
Steve
To get a warranty claim completed in the UK you have to provide an invoice from a VAT registered garage which explicitly shows the part and price, you need to have a mileage on the car when the part is fitted and give another mileage for when it has failed and give them fault codes blah blah. It's not fun doing warranty claims but then most parts last 2 years anyway, it was only a shonky batch of DI cassettes that seemed to need the warranty invoking in the past and maybe an ecu once (which was really not fun).
I know it may sound stupid but are there none on the secondhand market?
There must be quite a few out there now that have died from engine problems and the like?
I also wonder if a good electronics engineer could repair them as it is normally the contact pins that corrode away - having said that you often end up having the loom as well.
When I had my towbar fitted a couple of years ago the electrics developed a problem which was diagnosed as water corrosion as the relay had dropped down into spare wheel well and was sitting in some water - I had a small leak!!!! A new one was going to be around £100 so I spoke to a couple of circuit board makers and ended up meeting a chat only 3 miles away who makes printed circuits. He has a look and within a week made a complete new relay for the sum of £12.50 and said it was piece of cake and why did Saab want so much. This makes me wonder if someone like him can repair them??????
The second hand idea is a non starter, everybody I spoke too reckoned it was one of the first things to go.
Getting one rewound might work, the winding will be very fine but I am sure it could be done.
Its the pins that connect to the loom seem to be the problem in most cases, even if they do work as soon as you take the plug off the pins seem to disintegrate.
As they are still available in the US for what it seems about the same as the UK price even after it has been posted and import duty applied its probably not worth the bother, hopefully mine wont need another one. I am going to waterproof the joint when I fit it this weekend.
Is it just fit and forget or do I need to get it Tech 2'd?
Steve
It does need Tech 2 according to the WIS
It also depends on which bit of your sensor has failed. The WIS shows that the sensor itself is separate from the linkage.
If the sensor has failed then you need to recalibrate a new one. But if the link and levers have failed then you could perhaps leave the original sensor attached to the wiring and replace the mechanics only. But you may need to match the position of the lever on the sensor exactly.
Every scrapper I have so far encountered has had the pins corrode on the sensor, I know someone who may be able to weld new pins on to the sensor but it would cost at least £30 (probably more) which makes it a bit of a no go.
Replaced the sensor today and to my shock there was nothing wrong with the sensor >:( That will teach me to trust the guy at the local dealer.
The problem turned out to be the cable, the connector on the loom was broken so not locking into place. Soon as I pushed the old cable into the sensor it started working but kept popping out.
I fitted the new sensor and the new piece of loom as I had them here anyway.
Anybody need a used front sensor before I put it on Fleabay?
Steve
I'll have it. PM me with a price?
BOF