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November 2, 2023 Eleven

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Every once in a while, I take a moment to try and remember the Saabs I’ve owned, some thirty five plus from memory. I didn’t always take photos of them, so sadly, a few older ones aren’t featured in the gallery above; a 900 T16S Coupe, 900 Turbo convertible, a few 9-3 HOT Aeros, an exceptional 9-5 2.3T and a 9000 S. My fascination started in the early 90’s, and hasn’t diminished over the years, in fact, you could say it’s grown deeper.

As they’ve become rarer, I’ve gone from owning to rescuing them too, some are light renovations, others more dramatic (stupid if i’m honest). I feel privileged to not only have had the pleasure of saving so many, but of also being able to share what i’ve done with like-minded Saab folk globally, it really is a blessing and I’ve met so many amazing people, some, I now call great friends.

I remain constantly in awe at how my efforts inspire others to enjoy Saabs too, recently, I received this wonderful email and felt I needed to share it:

Hello, I’ve been enjoying Saab vs. Scepticism for about a year now. You are living my dream. I love Saabs deeply. Many people do not understand, but with your beautiful photographs and thoughtful text you really capture what is special about Saab and why these cars and the company matter. I really appreciate your efforts. Thank you for providing such a beautiful tribute to Saab and with your restoration efforts keeping these interesting cars on the road.

I bought my first Saab with my lawn mowing money when I was 14 (1987 900 turbo convertible M/T with 260k miles) I’ve owned a 92 9000 turbo, 96 9000 CSE, and NG900 convertible turbo, a few 99’ 9-3s (my favourite!) an 01 9-5 Arc and many other Saabs; classic 900s and beyond. I actually paid some of my college tuition but parting out rear ended Saabs from auction and selling the parts on eBay about 10 years ago. But I’ve always wanted to just spend time (and money!) fixing the remaining Saabs and just sending them back out there to share with others.

Thank you again for your efforts and sharing them with the community. I think that your efforts have a huge impact in-terms of how much they are enjoyed and appreciated.

I always love to hear other Saab stories, some I share, some I add together with a High Mile Club Saab, but always enjoy hearing how Saabs are part of your lives too, don’t stop.

The Journey of a Saab 9000 Aero

August 3, 2022 Eleven

Built in Trollhättan, Sweden in the Winter of 1997 and sold by Ballards of Finchley for £30,225, the Saab was kept by its original owner for the next 11 years and covered just 64,000 miles. It was then purchased by its second and only other owner in 2008, who went on to keep the car for the next 13 years, however, it only covered another 43,000 miles and currently shows 107,000. Since 2019, the 9000 Aero was rarely used and became a little unloved until I heard about it late 2021.

Although it was running, it required plenty of attention; belts loose and noisy, head gasket leaking, ABS sensor fault, the suspension had seen better days, gearbox mounts had deteriorated and although the 9000 was solid at the front, the rear half required some cleaning and welding.

The driver’s door had been replaced and fitted badly, but the original one was provided with the car and although it has a dent to repair, it’s been put back on and fits beautifully again, the passenger side wing had rusted and has now also been replaced by another genuine part, but other than that, the bodywork is remarkably free from rust.

After a number of months spent at Malcolm Miles, the 9000 finally went for its MOT and passed with flying colours, a real tribute to the team for dedicating so much time and expertise bringing another Saab Aero back to life for me.

Aesthetically, the only renovation and modifications to be done so far, are fitting new Saab shocks and lowered Abbott Racing springs, having the iconic Super Aeros refurbished in a darker metallic grey and adding a full set of new Michelin Primacy tyres. After a few weeks of driving and snagging, it’ll be heading off for some paintwork and detailing and then finally, the interior will most likely be treated to a recolour.

Being a 25 year old car, it’s far from perfect and nor should it ever be, I love to see and feel each Saab’s journey, hear it’s story and honour them for what they are. Cars aren’t built like this any longer, and although they’ll never be worth tens of thousands of pounds, I still see the beauty in saving them for many years to come. There’s a lost art in building cars this well, ones that were built to last, to stand the test of time and make their owners proud, this Aero has the ability to do that now, possibly for many thousands of miles, it’s journey continues…

Shed Mentality

July 6, 2022 Eleven

Yesterday, Andy at Malcolm Miles Saab borrowed my Aston Martin to take his daughter to her Prom, I dropped it in, immaculatly clean and looking stunning, and was given the keys to their current loan car; a first generation 9-3 LPT. Obviously a world apart in just about every way you can imagine, but here’s the thing, I enjoyed driving it just as much as the Aston Martin.

A few bits of trim missing, Gorilla tape where the arial should be, paintwork in need of a good machine polish, worn badges and small, dirty alloys, but open the door and you’re welcomed to a familiar interior that, despite it’s age and lack of care, has stood the test of time and genuinely felt fantastic to sit in. Half leather Turbo seats with very little wear, an immaculate but dirty Carbon dashboard, audio and heating units with bright, perfect screens and comforting heated seats. No rattles, no squeaks, just a Saab that belies it’s run down appearance.

Then we get to its real heart, the low pressure turbo, two litre engine was as smooth as any I’ve driven, the gearbox easy and fluid and a lively surge of power that just moved the 9-3 perfectly along with absolutely no fuss whatsoever. The soft, bouncy suspension, small wheels and large tyres, made every bump and surface just fade in to the background and the steering, sharp and accurate.

Its pièce de résistance though, has to be its ability to inspire a complete and utter ‘who cares’ mentality; new road surface and flying shards of gravel, who cares, potholes, dirt, car park dinks, nah, who cares! Just sit back in the comfort of knowing that the Saab you're driving is as solid as a rock, has more individuality than most new cars and might cost you a grand total of £1 - 1,500, there's a real sense of reassurance in that.

Reassuringly Reassuring

January 24, 2022 Eleven

As the years pass and we watch our Saabs getting older, I find it reassuring that there seems to have been a real surge of interest in the brand of late; people are becoming more aware of their innovation, beauty and longevity. This will hopefully help to keep more of them maintained as they should be and ultimately, keep more of them on the roads for the future.

It’s been 10 years now since Saab manufactured a single car and yet their desirability doesn’t seem to have been lost. There are ones that have always been universally praised of course, the classic 900 for instance, but what’s reassuring is the appetite for other, later model Saabs too. The 9-3 and 9-5 are equally desirable and have seen asking prices increase recently, the 9000 is finally getting some of the attention it deserves and any model boosting ‘Aero’ is commanding even more of a premium.

As I’ve continued to source, rescue, drive and enjoy many Saab Aeros, one has consistently surpassed my expectations; the 1st and 2nd generation 9-5 Aeros. They’ve proved themselves to be not only exceptionally reliable and an absolute joy to drive, but with minor work to the handling, these Saabs can outshine many modern cars, for comfort, style and performance. Looked after, they show little sign of wear and equal iconic modern classics such as the Mercedes W124 and BMW E39, in fact, in many ways, better.

As new cars quickly change to alternative modes of fuel, be it electricity, hydrogen or other, I can’t help but think how important it is to maintain our Saabs. After all, they won’t be crafting any new cars, so what we have now, is what we’ve got.

Being somewhat of a collector has allowed me to compare my Saabs with plenty of other marques. I currently own several, and I find it reassuring that I’ll happily choose the Saabs over them and will continue to look after them for as longs as I can.

This exceptionally special 9-5 Aero, Hirsch upgraded from factory is currently for sale to make way for others to be rescued. Find out more.

Handcrafted Beauty

January 3, 2022 Eleven

As work starts on the silver 9000 Aero rescue, so does the search for new and unusual parts to give it a few desirable touches that us Saabists seem to cherish.

Currently the interior has a standard black plastic dashboard which although inoffensive doesn’t have the style this classic Saab deserves, so the first option to source was a wood veneer dashboard to replace it with.

Most available are now broken, faded and a little worse for wear, but managing to find two filthy ones at my Saab specialist gave me hope. I set about a full clean and polish and was surprised to discover the maker’s original production checklist hidden on the back of the dashboard; William Lawrence & Co. Ltd, a fine furniture maker in Nottingham, England founded in 1875 by a local Quaker named William Lawrence.

I’ve always been impressed by the quality of these pieces; genuine walnut veneer that helps create individuality in each car, but now realise that the process took some seven days, from first pressing and pigment to polish and final finish. Although not perfect, these dashboards really are works of art, small details that make Saabs special, this was a nice discovery to make and one I had never known before.

Hirsch Troll R Touches

September 15, 2021 Eleven

It’s been a hectic few weeks for the new 9-3 Monte Carlo, it went in to Malcolm Miles for it’s normal check over; oil and filter change and brake checks etc and ended up with the entire engine out.

What looked like an immaculate Saab, turned out to have a few surprises for us, not unexpected on a 20 year old car of course, but the obligatory split bulkhead had caused some areas to corrode, so with the impending suspension changes and power upgrades, it needed to be fixed and done correctly. The engine was removed as was the interior, the bulkhead welded, rustproofed and resealed and the famous Viggen Rescue Kit by Abbott Racing fitted.

Rust prevention has also been done to protect it for the future, drain holes cleaned up and coated as have the inner wheel arches. Whilst we’ve been at it, we’ve changed bushes, track rod ends, arms and brackets to handle the new Bilstein B8 shocks and Eibach springs with ease, we’ve also fitted a new Viggen clutch upgrade, a lightweight flywheel by Abbott Racing and set of performance discs and pads. The engine is now back in safely, a new 3.5 bar fuel pump and fuel filter fitted and we’re awaiting the arrival of the Stage 1 NoobTune remap to give the Monte Carlo its first 250+ grunt.

But with all of this mechanical work going on, it’s always rewarding to see some visual changes happening too. The 18” classic Hirsch alloys have been added but the best part for me has been the fitting of the ridiculously rare Hirsch carbon dashboard and the leather covered centre console. Not only has it changed the feel of the entire interior, but in my eyes, has given it the touch of individuality and quality it truly deserves.

More work will continue in time, but so far, I’m thrilled with how the Monte Carlo is coming along, it’s a Saab that deserves all it gets and will be an absolute pleasure to own and drive, the Hirsch touches taken from a genuine 2.0 Troll R from France, just add even more desirability.

The Journey Continues...

July 13, 2021 Eleven

After many months of work on the Scarab Green 9-5 Aero, it felt like the right time to pass-the-parcel so to speak. I wouldn't normally be a happy man to not have finished a project, but this one defies logic. I should be doing the bodywork next, but my heart says leave it as it is; a genuinely lovely Q car, so I'm letting its new owner decide what's next this time.

In its 21 years, it has only covered 83,000 miles, and with the work done so far, it honestly feels like a new Saab, the modifications have given it a new lease of life and it feels exceptionally tight; no rattles, no awkward noises, just super smooth and rather fast thanks to a Stage 3+ remap from Noob once again.

It took endless revisits to finally eliminate all of the issues with the suspension and handling. We've changed endless arms, bushes, brackets and bearings, we've added the B8 shocks with Eibach springs, put new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber all round, fully refurbished the beautiful Hirsch alloys and we've had a full alignment done; utter perfection.

The interior was possibly the worst I'd ever seen; buttons were horrible, seats ruined and layers of dirt everywhere, but now it once again honours the quality and longevity of Saab craftsmanship. A new full Saab Carbon dash has been added together with all new units; SID, climate and Audio all changed, a spectacular new Nappa leather wheel by TunStyle and late 2005 Aero sand leather front seats, brand new carpet mats and later Aero door sills to finish things off.

I'm always sad to watch these go, but also fills me with joy to think that another Saab is going to be cherished and kept on the road for years to come, one day, one's of these Aeros is going to be the 'one that got away' could it be this one?

Perfection

June 3, 2021 Eleven

Perfection isn’t a word to be used lightly, but the Saab 9000 Aero comes close to it for me. Don’t get me wrong, it does have its faults, but all in all and being able to compare it to over 150 cars, I’d say it’s one of the best I’ve ever driven.

During the past year, I’ve been lucky enough to own what I’d class as the all time 90’s super saloon greats; the Mercedes Benz W124 E500, Audi C5 RS6 and the BMW E39 M5, and I can confidently say, the 9000 Aero stands its ground beautifully and dare I say it, in some areas, wins.

It’s got almost unbeatable proportions for instance; 25 years old and still comfortably seats four adults in sublime comfort and style, it’s a hatchback too, and with the rear seats down will take an enormous amount of stuff, and when you want it all to yourself for a full on B road blast or just a relaxed cross country cruise, well, it just handles that too.

This isn’t quite your standard 9000, it’s had various performance enhancements to make it feel utterly at ease with modern driving; a Turbo Technics Hybrid Turbo, upgraded intake and indiction kit, large downpipe and free flow stainless exhaust together with a lovely remap running at around 300hp. The suspension has been totally upgraded with Koni shocks and Eibach springs, and it’s just about to receive a full set of Abbott Racing motorsport drilled and vented discs, pads and a set of Michelin tyres.

I might just be a little biased here as this has been a long awaited dream for me, but in the first month of ownership, it has completely justified its high ranking spot on my list of best cars. They’re getting rare here in the UK, especially the Aeros, and ones without rust are like gold dust so I count myself a lucky man to have found a lovely example. These things should be easily worth 2 to 3 times their value, the stunning interior designed and made by Recaro, is worth buying a 9000 Aero for alone in my book, they’re possibly the best looking, most comfortable car seats I’ve ever sat in.

I have lots of questions for myself at the moment, modify or leave well alone, larger wheels or just stick with the iconic, sixteen inch Super Aeros? I’m sure it’ll continue to get lavished with care and new parts, but for now, I’m just enjoying automotive perfection.

Rocking Saab

February 24, 2021 Eleven

A few years ago, I had to opportunity to buy a really special Saab, a genuinely desirable collectors edition, it's called the the 001 Concept Car, or Rocking Saab.

Designed by Ulf Hansen as a 'Design on Demand' collaboration between Saab and Playsam, based on the exceptionally futuristic 1947 Saab Concept 92001 by Sixten Sason. It really is a thing of beauty, the simplicity of design, the black, red and natural colour combination and the iconic shape make it rather special, no wonder it has become a real collector's Saab.

New Generation Saabists

January 7, 2021 Eleven

I've promised myself a little more time dedicated to maintaining the High Mile Club this year, so with renewed energy I've been gathering a few new recruits. As our Saabs get older, the original criteria of 100,000 miles became achievable by pretty much every owner, continually proving just how beautifully crafted these cars are. Some barely show signs of wear at that milage, so the game has been raised slightly to 125,000 Miles / 200,000 Km.

One new entry was this fantastic 900i 16v from Finland, its owner, Saku has grown up around Saabs and although only 18 years old has already owned 8 Saabs and 1 Volvo, he says "There’s just that something about Saab. My family has had a lot of them, even my grandfather had a Saab 900".

It’s always fantastic to see new generations with the same passion for Saab as we have, also great to see what and how they give their Saabs a bit of individuality, after all, it's another Saab kept on the road.

The 900 Classic Icon

December 23, 2020 Eleven

The Hirsch 9-5 Aero went in the Malcolm Miles yesterday to be put back together, and I’d had my eye on a beautifully straight classic 900i convertible the had been at the garage for the past few months and they very kindly gave it to me as the loan car for the day.

Purchased from ACE Saab in Kensington back in 1990 and registered by its first owner in Piccadilly, Mayfair and its only had 3 further owners during its 30 year life.

Having owned a number of these in the past, it was easy to see how straight this one is, the underneath is totally rust free, an absolutely solid floor pan and sills, this is extremely rare, but apparently this convertible was taken to live in Portugal around 1997 and stayed there in the sun for nearly 20 years which could explain its solidness.

Although it’s far from perfect and has its usual foibles, its easy to see that it could be a gorgeous classic, having covered only 104,000 miles it drives smoothly; smoke free and pulls beautifully for a non Turbo model. It’ll be having plenty of tic shortly, full service, an new exhaust, new discs and pads, fresh cluster bulbs and a damn good clean.

With rare Winter blue skies above, I popped the roof down for an hour and enjoyed a truly fantastic country drive, the tan leather has aged beautifully, the mohair hood has been replaced and it has an exceptionally rare Tonneau cover to keep the hood safely tucked away, it was a real pleasure.

It has some surface body rust that’ll easily fixed, and the interior needs some love to get back to immaculate, but all I could think it that this will make someone a very useable and unusually solid classic Saab 900 convertible. It’ll be far sale in the new year, and can’t help thinking it’ll make excellent value at circa £5000, maybe the perfect project for someone looking for a bit of classic driving in the Summer.

If anyone’s interested, mail me and I’ll pass on the details of the seller.

Caped Crusader

November 24, 2020 Eleven

It’s always a privilege to share Saabs from around the globe, especially ones that are obviously loved and exceptionally well cared for. This beautiful 9-3 SE convertible spends its life in the warmth of Cape Town, South Africa.

According to its owner, Kurt ‘The original owner cheated and didn't buy an Aero, but chose the larger Turbo Aero spec together with a wooden and leather steering wheel, leather gear stick and all the pretty stuff, god bless him’.

With its utterly original specification including 15” three spoke ALU20 wheels it’s a thing of beauty and I can only imagine how it feels to drive along the West Coast Road toward Grooto Bay, roof down and enjoying the warm South African air.

Free Saab*

November 18, 2020 Eleven

Since 2011 I’ve been happily photographing, writing and sharing stories about Saabs, mostly mine, but some others that have grabbed my attention, together with stories about folks who are also dedicated to keeping our Saabs on the road, oh and creating the Saab High Mile Club of course.

But, for a while now it’s felt a bit one sided, does anyone really read or need Saab vs. Scepticism? is it just a personal journey for me to enjoy? or does it actually go out into the big wide world and inspirer other Saab folks?

So, how about a bit of Free Saab Talk? ( *sorry, not actually a free Saab involved but got you reading ), how about others getting in touch, commenting or contributing to this Saab archive. If nothing else, I’d truly love to know if it helps or inspires other people.

Comment below or send me a Saab Story with photos

The Rains Came

August 6, 2020 Eleven

…Just, but enough for me to run outside and see how well the detail on the Viggen had worked. I don’t think I’m alone in getting a bit excited about some tiny beads of rain sitting atop newly detailed paintwork and fabric, it’s one of those simple pleasures that just makes any petrolhead smile.

From early signs, it seems as though the Fabsil Gold on the roof has worked a treat, keeping to interior dry and cosy whilst the Soft99 Fusso has worked equally well on the Lightening Blue paintwork, reassuring considering it’s been sat in hibernation for the past 5 years. I’ll looked forward to a proper English downpour with fingers crossed next.

Cheap Thrills

July 28, 2020 Eleven

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Since buying my latest 9-5 Aero back in June, it’s been a whirlwind of activity to build my very first Saab wagon the way I’d always imagined they should be.

The Hazelnut Metallic gave me the inspiration to create something a bit different; embracing the beige exterior, the supple sea of tan leather and the rare light walnut dash and enhancing it with 19” JR18 alloys from Japan Racing to create a kind of Saab Café Racer, a retro wagon for today.

A few teething problems needed sorting in the first few hundred miles, the car stuttered under hard acceleration so a new genuine Saab DI pack has now been fitted and the Stage 4 tuning has also highlighted a need for upgraded brakes at some point soon.

On to the part I relish doing on every new Saab I buy, giving the interior a deep clean. It took me an entire weekend, but the Aero is looking absolutely exceptional again, the comfortable tan leather seats have been cleaned and fed, the carpets and headlining have all been given a freshen up and the plastic, rubber and glass all cleaned and fed. This 9-5 also has a glass sunroof and that, together with the light interior just gives the whole car a luxurious, cosy and warm atmosphere, perfect for relaxed road trips and creating a genuinely impressive arrival at any grand café throughout the land.

The value for money of such a car is truly astounding, what other car could you buy with this much style, individuality and comfort for this sort of money, to say these Saab Aeros offer cheap thrills is an understatement, they really are exceptional cars that have stood the test of time. This is a very low milage example with just 80,000 miles, but double that and for a Saab, it’s still low, looked after and cherished, they’re built so well they’ll reward you for many years to come.

Mid August will see the Aero go to the bodyshop to have a few areas of rust cut out and fixed, the genuine rear Saab roof spoiler fitted and a front shark bumper to finish off the build beautifully.

Arts and Crafts

May 29, 2020 Eleven

For years I've been designing Saab builds, essentially to save some stunning cars from being broken up as parts but mostly to make the best possible version of each and every one.

With each build it's hard not to notice the exceptional folks who continue to invest their engineering skills into handcrafting special parts for our Saabs, in my eyes, these folks are Artists. The Viggen project parts store grows daily with many, many more to source but some recent deliveries really are just pieces of art, and all bespoke.

The 3" downpipe from APH Performance Almost too beautiful to hide, these all Stainless construction pipes have either a free flowing 200 cell cat or no cat at all if specified, tig welded and purged with V band joints for a perfect fit. I've commissioned five of these now and I'm sure the get better each time.

The Black Edition Grille Again, i've had a number of these commissioned and Fraser has done an exquisite job on each, he takes the best OE grilles he can find, cuts away the plastic louvers and replaces them with a perfectly fitted black metal mesh. I have mine finished in a smooth satin black finish which so far has suited each build, can't wait to see what this latest one looks like on the Lightning Blue Viggen.

The Viggen Short Shifter After a long and enjoyable conversation with Peter Raw about the Viggen Project, he suggested a part that he swears by, a bespoke short shift gear mechanism from Jam Saab. It's the first time I'll have fitted on to a build so will report on the difference it makes in a few months. Needless to say, the standard gearing is just a bit long for such quick cars, it generally feels slightly spongy and I have a feeling this will give it a more engineered, accurate feel.

Viggen Project parts list (to date) :

Tarox Sport Japan fully drilled and grooved vented discs
Tarox Sport Japan brake pads
Tarox high performance braided brake lines
Abbott Racing stainless steel subframe brace
Abbott Racing rack brace kit
Abbott Racing rear body strut brace
Bilstein B8 shocks
Eibach springs
DO88 Performance Intercooler
Nordic Performance induction kit
Momo Stealth 19" 5 spoke rims
Hankook Ventus S1 Evo tyres
TunStyle Nappa Leather steering wheel
Skyddet Aux kit
Viggen side badges by Raw Saab

The Viggen should be returning from the bodyshop soon after some required welding and paint, it’ll then land at Malcolm Miles once again for Jason and Andy to work their magic. Our aim is to build a super stylish Viggen convertible with a very capable 300+hp. The story continues…

Saab Style 2020

May 28, 2020 Eleven

Do you ever try and imagine what a 2020 Saab might look like, what would a new 9-5 look like, more to the point, what would an all new Saab 9-3 convertible look like?

Sadly, except in my imagination, none of us will ever know, but what we can do, is work our magic on the iconic Saabs we already have and continue to maintain. I have an obsession with wheels. and although I love original equipment rims, most are just too small for today’s aesthetic, so what would a Saab rim look like today?

I’m currently stock piling parts for my next project, it’s one i’ve never had before but always been on my most wanted list, a Lightning Blue Viggen convertible. As well as collecting the usual suspects; Bilstein B8s, Eibach lowering springs, full Tarox drilled Japan Street brakes , DO88 Intercooler, Nordic Performance induction kit etc, I also wanted to update the wheels whilst still honouring the original Viggen 5 spokes.

It’s taken me a load of time to choose the perfect set but think these Stealth rims by Momo are bang on, two tone similar to the Saab Turbo X rim, simple and timeless in design and just in a league of their own, very Saab. As it’s going to be a few weeks before I can try them out on the Viggen project, I had a little play in Photoshop, but truly believe they’ll be just as Saab might have fitted today.

Laser Red Aero

April 28, 2020 Eleven

Although the Saab High Mile Club has been going for some years now, I’m always thrilled when another great Saab drops in to my inbox, this gorgeous rare Laser Red Aero is the latest.

The Saab Story “This car is very special to my family. My grandparents leased it in 2006, my dad purchased it after the lease was over, and now it is my car. We all have loved the rare laser red paint color and the heated and cooled leather seats. It has been an excellent car for the last 167,000 miles, and I hope it will last at least another 167,000”

What I love most is just how beautifully this Saab has been kept, just shows how well these cars hold up to high milage. Keep them coming, I do add them to the club at random points. Join here.

Wheel & Grille

March 30, 2020 Eleven

Whilst the whole world is in Isolation mode, driving has become something I can only currently reminisce over and look forward to for the future, but that doesn’t of course, stop me from planning my next project Saab. Over the past few months, I’ve been slowly gathering parts for the long awaited Viggen convertible, and although that also has been put on hold whilst to bodyshop is on lockdown, it won’t stop me enjoying each and every component that arrives at my door.

I’m a sucker for a beautifully crafted steering wheel, the feel of new Nappa leather, immaculate perforations and visible craftsmanship. I’d originally enjoyed my Hirsch wheel so much that I search out a new one for pretty much every build now. This latest one arrived from the folks at Tun Style in Belarus who craft a wide range of fantastic quality gear for Saabs, mostly following on from Hirsch performance parts, but some originals too.

First impressions are fantastic, quality of the leather is exceptional with good perforations and exquisite stitching, the contours are ergonomic and feels gorgeous to hold, I just need the Viggen here to put it on now.

Nappa Leather Steering Wheel | TunStyle

This is my fourth Black Edition grille now I think, I initially commissioned one from a very talented Saabist called Fraser, based in Scotland he somehow manages to make each bespoke grille that little bit better than the last.

He sources great quality metal mesh in black, the best genuine Saab grilles he can find and sets about carefully cutting the internal plastic section out to form an open frame, he then applies several coats of a durable satin black paint and finally bonding in the black metal mesh.

Black Edition Mesh Grille | Fraser Davison

What can you get for £2k these days?

March 2, 2020 Eleven

Well you can buy one of the most iconic and beautiful convertibles to have ever been created for a start. It always amazes me, the value of these Saabs, but for some reason, not many people see their true potential or value. Maybe they think you can't buy parts, maybe it's because they think they're not safe or reliable, or maybe they just think they're old - but they'd be wrong.

Almost original in every way, this 9-3 HOT Aero convertible has to be one of my all time favourite Saabs, featuring a spectacular body kit by the legendary car designer Ian Callum which really does give this a timeless and rather iconic presence.

Purchased from a Saab family in Cornwall who had owned it for the past 8 years, this Aero has been cared for and maintained beautifully. It’s getting rare to see these convertibles in any other colour besides silver and carbon, so a real privilege to find one in black.

This is an auto model - I always forget just how relaxing Saab autos are, exceptionally smooth and well mannered until you push your right foot down, then, the Aero jumps in to action, the Turbo instantly spools through green and orange and straight in to the red and make regular speeds a mere memory.

Back in 2017 it had a reconditioned engine fitted with new DI pack etc and just recently numerous perished hoses have been changed, together with a general overhaul to ensure continued reliability including another sump drop and clean. The brakes have been stripped, cleaned and replaced where required, including, discs and pads, whilst the suspension has been upgraded with Bilstein B8 shocks and Eibach lowered springs.

A full stainless steel Jetex exhaust system, larger fuel pump and a Noob Tune ECU remap giving the convertible a beautifully smooth and progressive power drive.

Being 17 years old, it has a genuine patina with very minor marks which I feel are part of the Saab’s story, and although the bodywork is in lovely, rust free condition, there are a couple of dinks that could do with addressing. Ideally the iconic double Y 17" alloys could d with a refurbish too. It's in generally lovely condition, but it leaves the new owner enough areas to tinker with.

The endlessly comfortable, heated leather Aero sports seats are in lovely condition with no rips, they could do with a clean, moisturiser and colour touchup to give them a lift but otherwise a superb interior which is as stylish as ever.

Recent brake discs and pads
Aero wiper blades
Jetex s/s full exhaust system
3.5 bar fuel pump
Bulkhead strut brace
Bilstein B8 shocks
Eibach lowering springs
Noob Tune Stage 2

Saab 9-3 HOT Aero Convertible | EBay