UKSaabs

Here is my latest car a 1999 Black 9-3 SE Sport FPT.



I'm hoping it will be more surefooted than my NG900 when I do some trackdays.

It's a bit tatty compared to my NG900, the 900 has been looked after better.

So far I'm happy with:
1) Performance, its much quicker than the NG900.
2) Seats, full electric love them.
3) Handling, I don't know if it does make a difference but it came with an AR rack brace.
it certanly feels more positive.
4) The colours, black paint and black leather seats
5) and it has a Sunroof!

I'm reasonably happy with:
1) The handling is much more improved than the NG900, apparently the suspension is
firmer, hence the "Sport" tag. Just wait and see how I get on with a Trackday.
Its, all stock Saab stuff at the moment.

I'm not happy with:
1) The condition of the paintwork, at the moment its faded in places and when the sun
came out it was a swirl mark spectacular!
I'll be investing in some of the Meguirs scratch remover type stuff.
I already have Super Resin Polish and Carnuba wax, just need to the renovation first.
But, I'm waiting for spring before this happens.

So, things to do:

1) Try and solve an annoying squeaky rattle from the back of the car.
2) Replace the defunct rear speakers.
3) Renovate the leather on the drivers seat.
4) Refurb the alloys.
5) Get some decent rubber tyres.
6) Bodywork renovation, in the spring!

Things to ponder:

1) Upgrade to 17" wheels.
2) Buy some white Team Dynamics with some sticky Yokohama rubber for trackdays.
3) Rear ARB upgrade.
4) Kilien springs with Bilstein shocks, but how will this compare to current setup?
5) 3" full system JT exhaust, just 'cos its noisy

Pipe dreams:

1) Quaiffe LSD.


Progress to date.

1) I prised off the rear speaker covers and the cones are shot to bits, only attached
half way round the speaker.
2) I think the annoying squeaking noise is the polystyrene tool holder in the wheel well,
I've padded it out with old rags, so I hope this cures it.
3) I also greased all the hinges and locks for the rear seats.
4) Rainx'd the windows.
5) Transfered my UKSaab stickers from NG900 into the 9-3, and fitted my we are Saabs
stickers as well.

So hopefully I'll find out tomorrow on my commute if it has worked.

Happy Saabing!

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Joined the burble, burble, burble brigade, with 3" zorst.

looks good mate

dont think there was ever a sport though for the og9-3

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KEV - (9000kev)

Yes Kev, They only made them for about a year and called it the 9-3 SE HOT Sport. It had the B204R engine; X-Flow intercooler and 200bhp from the factory.

The Aero with T7 B205R replaced it but looked the same inside and out then they facelifted the Aero in late 2000 and gave it the Viggen bodykit and interior etc

Good purchase, I originally wanted a Monte Carlo Yellow SE HOT Sport last year as a base car but ended up with the Aero.

Enjoy

looks fab John
the SE Sport is a great 9-3 to have - no sludge worries, I gather - and, as T5, highly tuneable

rich

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MY2000 9-3 Viggen - Maptun st3+ with ARM chassis/LSD
previously - '87 c900 16TS vert, '85 c900 T16S

Update so far:

1) Cured the annoying squeak in the boot, it was the polystyrene tool holder around the spare wheel, padded out with cloth rags, problem solved.

2) Rainx'd my windows, didnt do it properly in December, much better now.

3) Fixed my We are Saab stickers, and UkSaabs stickers, although Rob Beard noticed air bubbles on UKSaaabs stickers so need to sort that, using the window cleaner and credit card technique.

4) This is the exciting one for me, we went to the garage so Dad could swap the private plates on his car to "normal" plates. Got talking to another Saab enthusiast, he has an amazing black T16 C900, with some very nice detail touches, Yoko Parada's turning vanes to cool brakes, battery located on left of engine bay, cone air filter fitted to make this work, etc etc. Anyhow, Roy asked how the 9-3 was, which I said yep okay apart from 1st and 2nd whining gerabox when cold, so probably could do with a gearbox oil change.

So...

5) NEXT SATURDAY YOUR'S TRULY IS GOING TO CHANGE THE GEARBOX OIL AT THE GARAGE, ITS KIND OF LIKE AN APRENTICESHIP FOR ME, I CAN'T WAIT, SO HAPPY

So, there you go I'm going to do my first bit of car mechanics, I know it sounds simple to the real mechanics and FMB members, but its one small step for man one giant leap for me!

Why am I doing this, cos I'm skint, and Roy would rather see the car kept in fettle, so cool.

Oh, yes, now tyres, still under discussion.

And I need to add to my list of thing to do:

a) Brake pads been recommended to go for Mintex 1143 (if I have remembered correct), Ferodo 2500 can be a bit cool for road use, even though they are great on track, the Mintex gives a better road use.

b) Eibach springs to lower those wheels into the arch's

c) Piggy back or SAS rear ARB.



That's all for now, Happy Saabing.

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Joined the burble, burble, burble brigade, with 3" zorst.

Nice John.

Does yours have a boost gauge & APC? I think mines an LPT as it's missing these

Is that your dads 9-3 vert I can see sneaking a peak there

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1st rule of fat club is you don't talk about fat club...

Hey Dai,

Yep, mine has a boost guage, can watch it for hours! And the APC.

Funnilly enough yes that's my Dads' vert, YELLOW with viggen body kit, its an auto, its does have a boost gauge on the dash, but its not working! His does have APC valve fitted its in the front of the engine on the left side as you look at it.

It's quite interesting his vert; as we were out in today, giving it some stick and compared to mine its not as quick, but still very quick, I had a 9000 LPT converted with help from Jules to FPT stage 1 on slush box and that made a huge improvement.

So have to persuade Dad to go stage 1. And dread to think what a stage tune will do to my car, as its already fast enough for the time being, HAPPY DAYS, WUHEY

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Joined the burble, burble, burble brigade, with 3" zorst.

yours isnt an se sport imo.. will say on log book

based on having the wrong seats no boost gauge no apc and the normal steering wheel... (sports had the 9-5 style one with the thumb grips as standard with the wooden one optional)

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down with the td04 long live the t25

Oh No has Dai been sold a duff car?

Mine does say SE Sport in the log book, it also has the thumby steering wheel, I really like it. It's very quick, has B204R type engine. The seats have like three rib or ridges near the shouder/top, and they are full electrics, but they are different from Viggen seats and different from Aero seats, hope this helps.

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Joined the burble, burble, burble brigade, with 3" zorst.

The plot thickens then

Just checked and it's a SE Turbo on the log book. So defo 154bhp!

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1st rule of fat club is you don't talk about fat club...

indeed...

still as youll no doubt be fitting a massive intercooler anyway the only advantage to the 204r is mute...

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down with the td04 long live the t25

Latest developments.

Changed the gear box oil today, its was black but wasn't lumpy

I didn't so much do this myself but watched what to do. So at least I know how to do it now.

Shame is I don't have a car lift and fully equiped Saab tool kit!

Anyhow, whilst the car was up in the air, I did get a good look at the suspension parts.

So we've decided:

Later on this year fit:

1) AR track control arm bushes.
2) AR support arm bearing.
3) Another bush at the back of the front suspension.
4) Fit a Saab TDI front ARB
5) Piggy back the rear ARB
6) Fit some Continental Sport Contact tyres cos they're sticky.

Remember that I've already got the AR steering race fitted.

Things to leave alone:
1) Exhaust, as the back box is brand new.
2) Springs and shocks, its already on a Saab sport set up.
3) Engine MAP, as its fast enough for my skills.

Things to do tomorrow if its dry:
1) Wash the car!

Happy Saabing.

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Joined the burble, burble, burble brigade, with 3" zorst.

Whats the thickness on these TDI ones John?

Still surprised that no one fits a thicker 25mm ARB to both the front & rear same as some of the 9k guys (never did it myself though as its a few £££)...do these 9-3's understeer so badly that its best to just fit thicker on the rear only? Haven't really pushed mine yet but it doesn't feel half as bad as I thought it would...well happy with it

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1st rule of fat club is you don't talk about fat club...

I don't know how thicker the TDI front ARB is, but aparently it is thicker than what I have fitted.

The garage is adamant that it really does work and its cheap too!

I did mention about just doing the rear ARB only, but they insisted that you should also do the front.

So, roll on summer, sorry no pun intend.

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Joined the burble, burble, burble brigade, with 3" zorst.

Another one for the list!!

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1st rule of fat club is you don't talk about fat club...

Making the front thicker induces understeer which is precisely what you are trying to reduce by increasing the thickness of the rear bar.

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ケイ Homebrew Stage 3 - 256HP 360NM

True.

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*******
UK distributor for JZW tuning, 2.8V6 T8 T7 . Pm for details
9-3Turbo X 320bhp 400ftlbs/540nm

Ref the ARB, I know that Two Stroke Saab always condsider the 2.2 TDI Front ARB as an upgrade and then piggy back the rear but i would be more inclinded to do just the rear.

If you increase both the front and rear you may end up with a similar car to what you started out with as one will cancel the other, Probably why none of the tuners offer a bigger from item for the 9-3.

Funnily enough my late model 9-3 Aero has a 26mm factory fitted item up front, The Viggen has a 24mm unit and then theres a 22mm and a 19mm unit fitted on the other models.

Apparently the 2.2 TDI item is the thickest and so ive read is 28mm, If you are going to upgrade i certainly wouldnt go that big up front....I would piggyback the rear or if you can justify it buy a SAS 22mm item and depending on what is currently fitted up front on yours leave it alone.

Latest news.

My radio broke today.

Was on my way to Race Retro, was listening to a track by Nero called Doomsday, when my Radio decided to turn itself onto full volume!

I was on the A14 NO HARD SHOLUDER had to speed along to find a layby.

Radio wouldn't turn off, turn down, anything, tried pulling the fuses not fun as the drivers door where the fuses were on the traffic side.

In the end i opened the boot and ejected the CD's, that stopped the music, so the radio was mute but was still permenantly on!

Got to Race Retro, and found 4 small screwdrivers in an autojumble, managed to get the radio out of the dash and disconnected it.

Phew, was thinking it was going to drain the battery.

Radio was quite HOT so I assume it has died.

So, now I need not just new speakers but a new radio!

Race Retro was great, when I've sorted my photobucket I'll put a link up.

Keep on Saabing

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Joined the burble, burble, burble brigade, with 3" zorst.

bad luck mate, not heard of this happening before

rich

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MY2000 9-3 Viggen - Maptun st3+ with ARM chassis/LSD
previously - '87 c900 16TS vert, '85 c900 T16S