From Phin, Latvia & UK
Old vs. New
Extinction Rebellion sends a sinking home along the River Thames, 85% of Venice underwater including St. Mark’s Basilica and entire villages cut off in South Yorkshire, let’s face it, none of us can be ignorant enough to deny the changes in global weather and yet we still keep on churning out new cars each year that are less and less likely to stand the test of time.
Saab 9-5 Aero | 18 years old | 98,000 Miles | Buy now
Saab 9-3 Aero | 17 years old | 110,000 Miles | Enquire
Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea of electric cars with ridiculous acceleration, but I don’t like the environmental cost of building them, it’s not a new concept, but keeping older cars on the roads has got to be more sustainable than building new ones surely.
Take a 15 - 20 year old Saab, renovate it, keep it well serviced and clean running and it’ll outlast most, if not all of the modern cars around today, not only that but they’re exceptionally safe, comfy, reliable, individual and of course, financially wise.
It’s one of the reasons I keep rescuing Saabs, ones that might not seem financially sensible to fix, but with a little work and effort will give many more years of pleasure, safety and reliability, yes they use a little more fuel, but set that off against the impact of an entirely new car with its 30,000 + components, and it seems a worthwhile cause to me.
For my part, I’ll continue recycling used parts, and crafting stylish Saabs until I can no longer do it, a bit of welding here and a few salvaged goodies there is far more exciting to me than any new car available, I also feel good reusing stuff rather than adding more flames to an already roaring fire we’re all facing.
This might be a politically incorrect post, but why not, I currently have to aquaplane across a number of flooded roads to get home, and it’s only getting worse. Be really interested to know how others feel…
Black Edition Aero
I’ve owned the new black Aero convertible for nearly 2 months now, but until last week, I hadn’t sat in it, let alone driven it.
Arriving on a trailer directly from it’s old owners in Padstow, Cornwall it was obvious it hadn’t been driven for a while, although recently serviced, the brakes were slightly seized, the battery lazy making it hard to start and lots of (i’ve been patiently waiting to be driven again) smoke.
After the usual full service, oil and filter change, brittle hoses replaced, strut brace, Bilstien B8 and Eibach spring set up, Jetex exhaust, DO88 Intercooler, Nordic Induction kit, and NoobTune remap all there was left to do is pop on the gorgeous set of 18” Turbo X alloys which really do suit the original generation 9-3, it feels even more timeless.
An inaugural drive home exceeded expectations, I forgot 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.
The next morning brought with it a very strange occurrence, hard to start, stuttering acceleration quickly turning to complete stalling, nothing but a dead Saab, the folks at Malcolm Miles came to the rescue with a Tech II, DI Pack and infinite knowledge of these cars, but after a few head scratching minutes with none of the regular causes at fault, a small sensor with a bad connection was discovered and pushed back together, problem solved, Saab alive, again.
Since then and a few hundred miles later, it’s feeling right at home, dirt and all, with the new mesh grille I’m absolutely loving the Black Edition look, the wheels just work seamlessly and the old 93 feels just so right.
Next, a new handmade downpipe by Alan at APH and we’re on to the cosmetics, lots to do, but first the seats need a damn good clean and feed, then the small dents, then….
Face Off
Work continues on the 93 Aero Black Edition project, the obligatory sump drop, fluids out, brakes off stage is well underway and it appears the car has been well maintained, but having been stood for a while it needs a thorough refresh. The turbo has some play in it, however we’ll reserve judgement until it’s run for a while, then, if it needs a change up, we’ll do it then.
The Bilstein B8’s are on together with the Eibach lowering springs and is now sitting on the 18” Turbo X alloys with Bridgestone Potanzas all round, we’ve popped on the new DO88 Intercooler and Induction kit, Karl at Noob is currently performing magic on the ECU and a stainless steel Jetex exhaust system is on its way. Whilst it’s in bits, we’ll also pop a strut brace on for added handling strength too.
Cosmetically, I’ll leave the 93 to settle in first, then I can work out what needs some attention, Gliptone Scuff Master and moisturiser has been ordered to give the seats a refresh but other than that, only time will tell how it’ll progress, Autumn is upon us so less opportunity to lavish it with TLC.
Less than the sum of its parts
Last night, the Ebay auction ended on a pretty special first generation Saab 95 Aero, i’d set a sensible reserve taking in to account the high level of new and unusual performance parts, and also the amount of time and effort that had gone in to saving another Saab for a long future.
It didn’t meet the reserve, it was exceptionally close, but i’d already set it to the lowest acceptable price, I always question why others don’t see value in older cars, especially one’s that have had so much work lavished on them, they actually offer far better value the a lot of new cars, take devaluation and running costs in to the equation, together with build quality, longevity and reliability and I’m honest surprised people don’t see the benefit.
Alas, I have a sad option facing me, I can essentially break all of the hard work up, remove all of the performance parts for a future project or to sell them and still sell the basic car and that way, the car becomes more valuable in parts as it is as a whole.
Question is, can I bring myself to do that knowing what an exceptional, all rounded reliable and unique car it is? Cash vs Integrity, hard one.
And so it Begins (Again)
Some say it's an obsession, others say it's just idiotic, but I love buying Saabs and making them the best they can be, we're not talking garage queens, but practical daily drivers with the odd dent and scratch, unique cars that becomes part of your family.
A few weeks ago, I passed on the field Aero convertible to its new owner, as he continues to tinker with bits still required, I started looking for the next project and it didn't take long to find it.
Another HOT Aero convertible, but I'm glad to say, it isn't Silver for once, and that makes me a very happy man, it's actually Black, oh and automatic too.
Whilst I adore the manuals, there's nothing quite like a perfectly smooth auto convertible, after all it's about taking time to enjoy the world, roof down, warm breezes and sun, and the Saab 9-3 Aeros are possibly one of the most timeless designs ever crafted to enjoy it in.
This one has spent most of it's life in my ancestral homeland of Cornwall, with only a few previous owners it has been cared for but has plenty signs of wear, the paintwork although good, has been through too many car washes, swirls and surface marks aplenty and a few irritating small dents, all easy to repair though. The interior also shows signs of wear and will need a damn good clean and feed to get it feeling like it should again, but on the whole, a nice solid Aero.
New Bilstein B8 shocks and Eibach lowering springs have already arrived, together with a DO88 intercooler, pipes and a new induction kit, a stainless steel exhaust system is on it's way and Karl at Noob Tune will be performing his magic on the ECU, aiming for a simple Stage 2 remap at around 260hp for beautifully smooth and enjoyable power, and of course, the stunning 18" Turbo X alloys will take pride of place on each corner of the Aero.
To be continued (again)...
Built not Bought
A fellow Saabist, Jonas Kakarikas from Sweden has recently posted a time-lapse film of him building his dream Gen1 9-3 Aero convertible.
Jonas's build is similar to how I tend to like my Aero convertibles too, he's added around £5,000 worth of performance parts including upgraded and lowered suspension, sports exhaust with rear muffler delete, DO88 intercooler, an induction kit and the ever gorgeous BBS CH alloys.
I rarely see any other colour besides silver now, so this exceptional blue one is a real treat. Well worth a few minutes watch, and the smile at the end says it all, that's what Saabs are about.
Jonas Kakarikas | Instagram
The Last Great True Saab
Back in 2017, Jalopnik got hold of a Viggen convertible for one of their Not New Reviews, I've only just come across this and it's a great article, ok so a few obvious non Saab statements, but well written and some superb photos.
To me, it just highlights what a fantastic car the original generation 9-3s are, and why to this day, they remain just so unique. It’s a long review so i’ll feature a few highlights here, but it’s well worth popping over to Jalopnik to read the entire article.
Out of all the quintessentially weird cars that wore the Saab badge, this one has to be among the most eccentric. I took one out for a drive, a convertible one too, which technically makes it more of a hot coupe than a hot hatch. Plenty of Saabs came after this one, but this one was one of the last true great weird examples from the brand.
All that factory-tuned 20 psi of boost (that’s a lot for a factory setup) went straight to the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. Other mechanical modifications over a standard turbocharged 9-3 included a higher capacity intercooler, a performance-tuned ECU, a higher flowing exhaust system, a performance clutch and pressure plate, stiffened and lowered suspension components as well as reinforced CV joints and driveshafts.
Back in the day, Saab claimed a 0-60 acceleration time of roughly 6.5 seconds. That’s about the same as some current front-wheel-drive hot hatchbacks like the Ford Focus ST. But unlike the Ford, the Saab came with its own training program video hosted by a professional jet fighter pilot.
Fundamentally, what makes this Viggen so special is that during Saab’s 67-year run of building quirky and unusual aircraft-derived automobiles, the Viggen stands out today as one of the fastest production Saabs ever built.
Getting inside a Saab reminded me how absolutely different these cars were from anything else in the late nineties and early 2000’s. The dashboard and windshield are as flat as a plank of wood, and the dash is high, filled with buttons and a large air vent, presumably to look like an airplane cockpit.
It kind of works? Oh, and the radio has a weather band. A weather band!
Nothing really happens below 4,000 RPM. That’s when the insane boost pressure shoves you hard into the immensely comfortable seats and emits cool jet-like air swirl sounds along the way - pssssttttssshh - boost gauge all lit up and everything, quickly running out of puff at around 6,000 RPM.
It’s an unusual way to put down power, but it definitely works.
Maybe someday Saabs will become so sought after that the brand will mysteriously spawn back to life. And what a glorious day that would be.
Jalopnik | The Saab 93 Viggen was the last great true Saab
Hope & Glory
Being an old fashioned Petrolhead, i’m constantly drawn to a vast array of car gatherings, I love the culture and communities they inspire, I love wandering around looking for inspiration and I love taking photos - win.
Last weekend I visited the Rollhard gathering at Bicester Heritage, my Porsche 964 had been accepted as one of the show cars which was a privilege amongst some pretty awesome builds. But above all, from what seemed like the entire European stance tribe I hoped and prayed there would be a Saab amongst them.
After wandering through endless BMW, VeeDubs, Mercedes, Audi, Nissan and the odd Volvo, I came across just 1 Saab, a decent looking black 93 with serious stance and a rather nice interior featuring a set of front Recaros.
From what I know of Saabs and how beautifully they tune, I’m always surprised more folks don’t jump on them, they’re affordable and unique enough to really stand out at these gatherings, I might just take the 95 Aero along next time.
Saab Sleepers
1989, the year I started driving and also the year I realised I had an uncontrollable desire for cars, over the years I’ve owned around 90, but one kind has always intrigued me more than others, Sleepers.
'A sleeper or Q-car is a car that has high performance and an unassuming exterior. Sleeper cars are so called because their exterior looks similar or identical to a standard car'
I started with executive, big engined BMW 5 series, 528, 530 and M5, then I tried an Audi S6 and a few wonderful Mercedes W124 320 coupes, all had the Sleeper feel, but it took my very first Saab 9-5 Aero to fully realise the beauty of a true Sleeper. Exceptional comfort, relaxed cruising, unassuming styling, yet put your foot down and it quite easily surprises many other drivers, even in its standard form and I loved that.
What followed was a growing passion for the Saab marque, but the 9-5 Aeros have always held a special place in my automotive heart, over the years I've owned eight 9-5 Aeros, all saloons and all tuned to at least Stage 3. I love modifying them just enough so that folks in the know, will know, but everyone else will presume it's just a nice looking executive saloon.
Of course there are always giveaways, the lowered, purposeful stance, the larger exhaust, the subtle whoosh from the upgraded induction kit, and in my case, always a set of purposeful wheels, but to the uninitiated, still no hint of what hides under the bonnet, and to me that makes the perfect Sleeper.
The 9-5 remains an underrated car in my eyes, ridiculous value for money with huge tuning potential and has to be one of the most comfortable cars ever crafted, and long may they stay that way, after all that means more for us Saabists to keep to ourselves.
From Field to Road
Having taken the 9-3 Aero from field to road in such a short space of time, I’d envisioned numerous teething problems before it settled down to be a trusted companion and that’s currently what’s happening.
We’ve changed a crank sensor to elevate a hot starting problem and had another remap done to ensure the ECU aligns with the performance parts correctly, but a few issues still remain unsolved. It has a flat spot under extreme acceleration, at around 5000 rpm it holds back a little, not much but it is there, it also holds the revs when I take my foot off the accelerator, so both of these will need to be addressed.
I also gave it a nice roof down 200 mile road trip to London last night for a quick bowl of pasta and pizza at one of my favourite haunts, and noticed it slipped out of 5th gear twice, a little unnerving when overtaking on the M1 so a few issues still to be sorted. A final and far less important issue is the subtle smell of mould, the entire interior has been stripped and cleaned, but there’s still a slight odour, especially when the car has been in the sun, roof down and this soon vanishes, but it’d be nice to clear completely.
Of course, I’m picking on details now, overall the transformation from a field find to an iconic, modern classic with undeniable road presence has been ridiculously rewarding, the Bilstein B8 setup has given it the final stance and handling it deserved again and the Turbo X 18’s are just perfection.
I happened to ask a question over on Twitter at the weekend “Still one of the most beautiful and timeless convertibles ever created, Y or N?” and had resounding agreement, although some still consider the Saab 900 to be the ultimate convertible, having owned both, I personally still believe this is more timeless, i’d give a joint first for beauty.
Saab Countryman
If you love taking photos of cars and you're like me, I'm constantly looking for the next perfect location, a hidden corner of a city, a wide open space, a secret country lane - it becomes a pleasurable obsession.
About 10 minutes from home, I've discovered an ideal place - shaded by trees, no though roads and peaceful, I can leave the car in the middle of the road and take time to get the photos I want.
Part of the pleasure of this blog is having the ability to share the beauty of Saabs, the timeless style that every Saab possess, from the early 99 and the 9000 to the later 93 and of course the gorgeous original generation 95 Aeros.
Nothing to prove
I find it hard to explain why I’m drawn to Saabs, despite having a choice of other marques to grab the keys to, I still choose the Saab ones. I think about this a lot, what makes them such emotive cars, yes they have smile inducing performance, they’re becoming rare and yes they’re ridiculously comfortable, all reasons to love them, but I keep coming back to one thought - they have nothing to prove.
They take you out of an increasingly banal world of shiny identikit cars, not competing on worth or ego, not ashamed to be different, they offer a kind of moving sanctuary from a world of meaningless superiority.
Saabs still have a presence that is rare, they sit alongside their peers with ease, they allow you to arrive anywhere in style and more often than not, induce happy conversation, “Do they still make Saabs?” “My Father used to own a Saab” “The most beautiful convertible ever built”.
In an age where everyone should be considering sustainability, I find it hard to comprehend why folks need to buy a new car every 3 - 4 years with huge manufacturing impact, when an older Saab offers luxury, reliability, style and efficiency.
Saabs have nothing to prove, and I love them for that
You got a fast car...
Sometimes, it’s hard to not just stop and stare for a while, giving yourself a moment to fully appreciate the aesthetics of a car, it’s form and stance, it’s simple, sharp design. For years I’ve found myself drawn back to the first generation Saab 93 convertible, the Ian Callum Aero bodykit especially adds a touch of genius to an already exceptional car. Even today, 17 years on, it feels timeless, the clean Swedish lines uncluttered and uncompromised.
Subtle enhancements are all that are needed to create my perfect convertible, a lowered stance and a gorgeous set of alloys to fill those arches.
Let the world around you pass by in a blur while you take in the moment.
Griffin from the flames
On Friday I collected the Aero convertible from Malcolm Miles, it had passed its MOT, the new wheels and tyres were fitted and it was more than overdue for a bit of clean. First stop at the local car wash proved that the roof indeed needs re-coating and waterproofing again, i left rather damper than i’d have liked but it reassured me that all of the windows seal beautifully though.
A rainy Saturday morning wasn’t a great start to a day dedicated to interior mould and dirt removal, but soon the Saab gods smiled, the rain stopped and I set about cleaning every visible surface, it really is amazing how years of dirt and use can build up, but it also never fails to impress just how robust and beautifully made older Saab interiors are. After several hours of hard work its starting to feel driveable again, the mould smell is still there but already less, the dashboard and buttons are all spotless again and various joints cleaned and greased.
It still has many hours of work left, but already feels special again, although I’ve changed the badly warn front Aero seats, they’ll need a good clean, colour and moisturise to bring them up nicely, and then it’s on to the roof lining, that to needs demoulding and refreshing.
With a couple of hundred miles under its belt, Ive also realised the original shocks are way too soft and floaty, it has lowering springs on, but without upgraded shocks, the ride still feels a little like a boat on waves so they’ll soon be replaced with a set of Bilstein B8s all round.
Aero Rescue Mission Report
I can't seem to keep up with the folks at Malcolm Miles, before I knew it, they've taken the old engine out, stripped off all of the performance parts and the new 57k block is already installed and running, all within a week.
They've literally replaced endless perished and missing hoses, clips, nuts, bolts and pipes, checked the lovely TD04 Turbo and installed a new clutch slave cylinder, 3" downpipe and an uprated Viggen clutch to handle the extra power. Brake pipes have also been replaced together with new discs, pads and cleaned calipers.
We've been slightly nervous about the inaugural roof opening, but besides the handle falling off, it opened perfectly, a bit glitchy and in need of a damn good clean and lubrication, but it opened and closed, we have a convertible!
Still one hell of a lot to do, but it now starts, stops and rolls without being dragged about on seized running gear. So what next? the new stainless steel Jetex exhaust system arrives tomorrow, Noob Tune will be matching an ECU upgrade to the new spec, another rare set of 18" Turbo X alloys are on their way together with 4 new Bridgestone Potanzas and the new Aero front seats have to be installed, once we've got the mechanicals sorted, hopefully it'll pass its MOT and on track to be another great Saab saved.
A Road Trip to...
…Cardigan, North Wales. Firstly, this is more about driving than it is about cars, and dare I say it, not all journeys need to be in a Saab, it helps, but let’s face it, a great Road Trip is a great Road Trip and if you love driving as much as I do, it’s pretty much always as exciting as the destination itself.
I was heading out to Makers & Mavericks, an event hosted by the inspirational jeans company, Hiut Denim based in Cardigan, North Wales and what promised to be 500 miles of pure driving pleasure.
The initial part of the journey to Wales is always laborious, 50 mph speed restrictions, endless traffic and mind numbing roads, but patience is a virtue and you’ll soon find yourself driving along immaculate roads and winding your way through ever more beautiful landscapes. Hit the A44 running alongside the River Wye and you’ll quickly gain altitude with majestic snow capped Alpine forests on one side and wild open mountainside the other, take the opportunity to turn off the main A44 and embrace the majestic wind farms and shear beauty of the valleys nearby.
A little further on and in to the valley with endless tree lined, sun dappled roads, wind down the windows and enjoy the raw, visceral sounds of the engine bouncing off the tress and hillside rocks. this opens up on to the A487 coastal road with immaculate sparkling blue ocean views and slate lined beaches, eventually leading to my temporary market town home.
After a weekend of meeting some inspirational and exceptionally talented creatives, I had the pleasure of the return journey home, and it didn’t disappoint.
Purity of Design
When it comes to wheel design, not many marques got it quite so right as Saab, they seemed to create an endless array of beautifully simple styles that remain just as timeless today as they did the year they were launched. From the early Inca and Aero wheels, the later double Y spokes and brutal nailhead wheels they’ve all kept a purity of Scandinavian design that’s hard to beat with any aftermarket alloys.
On my current project, the 9-3 Aero convertible, it already has a set of iconic nailheads, but I’ve always been tempted to push the size up slightly to a set of 18” and only one original Saab design keeps me coming back for more, the Turbo X. After fitting a set of the rarer 19” Carlsson versions to the 9-5 Aero project, it seems only right that the 9-3 should be treated equally, so once the brakes have been totally replaced, we’ll see how they look, I’ve only ever seen them on one other og 9-3 Aero and they looked exceptional.
Dirt don't slow you down
A few weeks ago, I got a great email from Mark, it simply said 'Too many shiny cars, let's have some contrast.' And let's face it, he's spot on, who drives around in perfectly shiny Saabs all of the time?
Mine for one, is constantly dirty, I actually like it to look dirty, means it's been driven and enjoyed, where others are careful not to go on grass verges to let a car pass, or enjoy a full on drive in the pouring rain, mine gets stuck in. Drive it, enjoy it all, come rain or shine, wind or snow, our Saabs are built like tanks and can pretty much cope with whatever nature has to throw at us, even a bit of old fashioned dirt, and all in sublime comfort and individual style. Cheers Mark.
Saabs United GB Gathering 2019
Whilst the Swedish SU sadly falls into complete ruin, a group of Saab folks here in the UK have taken up the gauntlet and seem to be raising the griffin from the flames so to speak. Saabs United GB have organised a second gathering to bring us all together, and this year it’s got the spectacular backdrop of the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre.
The inaugural gathering saw nearly fifty Saabs come together, but imagine it’ll attract plenty more this time around, there will be a number of our favourite Saab specialists including Raw Saab, Noobtune, Nordic and AP Tuning together with some decent food and coffee and plenty of gorgeous aviation stuff to explore too.
Not only is the entrance fee stupid cheap (£6 per person) but all funds will be going to a great charity, Pilgrim Bandits.
Saturday 8th June between 10am and 4pm at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Spilsby PE23 4DE, UK
