Greetings all!
It has to be said that my recent motoring karma has not been good. This could be traced back to the fateful decision I made to sell this,
2012-06-24144452 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
I loved this car so much - I have never kept a car for as long as I kept this (very nearly 5 Years........)
I sold it because the gearbox was failing and the dreaded rust had started to kick in........Now I realise that I should have got all of these things sorted because from this I got the OG 9-3 Aero which was a nice car but this came to a sticky end when the front wheel came off. Next came the Big red bus ('00 9-5 Aero estate) - which although it looked great, I never, ever bonded with. When the 9-5 started to become a little naughty, Mrs B called time on 'bangernomics' and demanded that we get a sensible and suitable 'modern' car to comfortably seat our now very-much growing 3 children. This led to us buying our XC90 - which to be fair does the job beautifully. This then led me in to selling the 9-5 and then using Mrs B's 9-3 vert. Mrs B as soon as she got her much-wanted XC90, she knew that I wouldn't keep the vert and that she knew I would go 9000 shopping! Of course, as I am not the type to let people down, I started my search.........
What I wanted was a either an Aero or a decent Anniversary. This turned into a long search, mainly because since I got my last 9000 the number of 9000s has all but disappeared!
Eventually, a friend mentioned how he had been to P&P car sales and that they had a real beauty. He had intended to buy this example but then decided I should get it instead. But when I rang P&P they were sorry to report that it had sold. But they suggested I get in contact with DCA Saab as they thought that they might have a 'few' Anniversaries.... So I did - they said that they did indeed have 3 awaiting attention. Daniel at DCA promised he would go up to their yard and see what they were like and pull out the best one. This turned out to be a '97 2.3 FPT auto in Scarab green. Here are the initial pictures he sent me of the said car;
2.3FPT Anni by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
2.3FPT Anni by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
2.3FPT Anni by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
2.3FPT Anni by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
Suitably interested, I asked for more information. They told me that it had full S/H (mainly Main agents and the rest Independent specialists - 19 stamps in all!) and that it had done 123k.
So with that I organised to go view during this past week - however as is often the case with family life plans didn't go to plan. I was then faced with the prospect of cadging lifts and using public transport for another half term. With this I took the brave (maybe stupid?) decision to buy the car 'blind' and get it delivered.........scary stuff!
So the 9000 was listed on Uship and eventually I agreed to have it delivered on Saturday. So when it arrived looking like this;
20171028_145210 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
20171028_145242 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
20171028_145526 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
20171028_145710 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
20171029_114848 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
20171029_114853 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
The spoiler was particuarly manky........
20171028_145535 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
But generally the car is sound and pretty much rust free - but boy is it ever grimy and dirty!
So fast forward to today I was set about giving her possibly the most thorough detail she had have in many a year - this was the regime;
Washed using G3 bodyshop prep shampoo
Clay mitt (G3)
Washed again with Megs Gold class shampoo
Megs Ultimate compound
Scratches treated with G3 scratch paste (loads have now gone!)
3 coats of Autoglym Super resin polish
2 coats of Autoglym HD wax
Interior - thorough hoovering
Leather cleaned and conditoned (Meguiars mirror bright leather treatment)
Door shuts cleaned - more needed
Tyres dressed using Megs Endurance
After around 4 hours this is how she looked;
20171029_162550 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
20171029_162413 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
So what are the priorities?
1. Tyres - they are not good. Looking at quite what to do in terms wheel options. I have always dreamt of set of Exposed nut Superaeros. If not a better set of Anni alloys - in any case a set of Uniroyal Rainsports are the dream
2. Replace number plates - these are ordered
3. Replace front and rear badges
4. Get the code for the head unit - this is being addressed this week too. Now done and working, sort of.......
5. Get the central locking working - module is needed. Sourced!
6. Get better rear spoiler in Scarab
There will be more.............
So I have given the old girl a bath and fitted the new number plates;
before;
9000 Anniversary by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
20171029_162550 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
and after;
20171219_144526 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
20171219_151050 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
20171219_144510 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
It is true what they say about the little things, they really do make a big difference!
Next (cosmetically) is to deal with the badges front and rear (I am led to believe these might be coming to me via a man with a long white beard)......
Worried about the rear badge on the decor panel - anyone have any experience of replacing these without causing damage to the decor panel?
Moving onto the engine bay. As you can see from the photos below she was sat for around two years before being recommissioned by DCA Saab before being sold to me. Anyone got any ideas how to get rid of the 'mottled' effect on the metals?
20171219_133334 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
20171219_133338 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
20171219_133341 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr
Early in the new year the thermostat to be changed, coolant flushed and changed. Alongside replacing the coolant hoses with silicone ones;
www.neobrothers.co.uk/maptun-coolant-silicone-hose-kit-saab-9000-91-98-20--23-petrol-5365-p.asp
and also one of these;
www.saabits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=676
I have now done around 1500 miles and apart from the oil leak (now temp fixed) and the frozen door mechanism, she has performed brilliantly. Loving be back in a 9000!
It has to be said that my recent motoring karma has not been good. This could be traced back to the fateful decision I made to sell this,
2012-06-24144452 by Mark Blewitt, on FlickrI loved this car so much - I have never kept a car for as long as I kept this (very nearly 5 Years........)
I sold it because the gearbox was failing and the dreaded rust had started to kick in........Now I realise that I should have got all of these things sorted because from this I got the OG 9-3 Aero which was a nice car but this came to a sticky end when the front wheel came off. Next came the Big red bus ('00 9-5 Aero estate) - which although it looked great, I never, ever bonded with. When the 9-5 started to become a little naughty, Mrs B called time on 'bangernomics' and demanded that we get a sensible and suitable 'modern' car to comfortably seat our now very-much growing 3 children. This led to us buying our XC90 - which to be fair does the job beautifully. This then led me in to selling the 9-5 and then using Mrs B's 9-3 vert. Mrs B as soon as she got her much-wanted XC90, she knew that I wouldn't keep the vert and that she knew I would go 9000 shopping! Of course, as I am not the type to let people down, I started my search.........
What I wanted was a either an Aero or a decent Anniversary. This turned into a long search, mainly because since I got my last 9000 the number of 9000s has all but disappeared!
Eventually, a friend mentioned how he had been to P&P car sales and that they had a real beauty. He had intended to buy this example but then decided I should get it instead. But when I rang P&P they were sorry to report that it had sold. But they suggested I get in contact with DCA Saab as they thought that they might have a 'few' Anniversaries.... So I did - they said that they did indeed have 3 awaiting attention. Daniel at DCA promised he would go up to their yard and see what they were like and pull out the best one. This turned out to be a '97 2.3 FPT auto in Scarab green. Here are the initial pictures he sent me of the said car;
2.3FPT Anni by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr2.3FPT Anni by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr2.3FPT Anni by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr2.3FPT Anni by Mark Blewitt, on FlickrSuitably interested, I asked for more information. They told me that it had full S/H (mainly Main agents and the rest Independent specialists - 19 stamps in all!) and that it had done 123k.
So with that I organised to go view during this past week - however as is often the case with family life plans didn't go to plan. I was then faced with the prospect of cadging lifts and using public transport for another half term. With this I took the brave (maybe stupid?) decision to buy the car 'blind' and get it delivered.........scary stuff!
So the 9000 was listed on Uship and eventually I agreed to have it delivered on Saturday. So when it arrived looking like this;
20171028_145210 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr20171028_145242 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr20171028_145526 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr20171028_145710 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr20171029_114848 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr20171029_114853 by Mark Blewitt, on FlickrThe spoiler was particuarly manky........
20171028_145535 by Mark Blewitt, on FlickrBut generally the car is sound and pretty much rust free - but boy is it ever grimy and dirty!
So fast forward to today I was set about giving her possibly the most thorough detail she had have in many a year - this was the regime;
Washed using G3 bodyshop prep shampoo
Clay mitt (G3)
Washed again with Megs Gold class shampoo
Megs Ultimate compound
Scratches treated with G3 scratch paste (loads have now gone!)
3 coats of Autoglym Super resin polish
2 coats of Autoglym HD wax
Interior - thorough hoovering
Leather cleaned and conditoned (Meguiars mirror bright leather treatment)
Door shuts cleaned - more needed
Tyres dressed using Megs Endurance
After around 4 hours this is how she looked;
20171029_162550 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr20171029_162413 by Mark Blewitt, on FlickrSo what are the priorities?
1. Tyres - they are not good. Looking at quite what to do in terms wheel options. I have always dreamt of set of Exposed nut Superaeros. If not a better set of Anni alloys - in any case a set of Uniroyal Rainsports are the dream
2. Replace number plates - these are ordered
3. Replace front and rear badges
4. Get the code for the head unit - this is being addressed this week too. Now done and working, sort of.......
5. Get the central locking working - module is needed. Sourced!
6. Get better rear spoiler in Scarab
There will be more.............
So I have given the old girl a bath and fitted the new number plates;
before;
9000 Anniversary by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr20171029_162550 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickrand after;
20171219_144526 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr20171219_151050 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr20171219_144510 by Mark Blewitt, on FlickrIt is true what they say about the little things, they really do make a big difference!
Next (cosmetically) is to deal with the badges front and rear (I am led to believe these might be coming to me via a man with a long white beard)......
Worried about the rear badge on the decor panel - anyone have any experience of replacing these without causing damage to the decor panel?
Moving onto the engine bay. As you can see from the photos below she was sat for around two years before being recommissioned by DCA Saab before being sold to me. Anyone got any ideas how to get rid of the 'mottled' effect on the metals?
20171219_133334 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr20171219_133338 by Mark Blewitt, on Flickr20171219_133341 by Mark Blewitt, on FlickrEarly in the new year the thermostat to be changed, coolant flushed and changed. Alongside replacing the coolant hoses with silicone ones;
www.neobrothers.co.uk/maptun-coolant-silicone-hose-kit-saab-9000-91-98-20--23-petrol-5365-p.asp
and also one of these;
www.saabits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=676
I have now done around 1500 miles and apart from the oil leak (now temp fixed) and the frozen door mechanism, she has performed brilliantly. Loving be back in a 9000!
