The opinionated ramblings and muses of a weary web victim.
The SAAB 9-3 Aero has its New Home
Published on August 13, 2013 By Jafo In Everything Else

Now, before anyone rushes off in horror that this poor lad has had his 'family jewels' handed to him on a platter.....

....it's common Aussie 'strine' for being stuffed...aka worn out....

Oh, and 'strine' is....er....strine for 'Australian'....

....but no, for the past 4 weeks-odd I have been busy hurting muscles I didn't even know I had....[or anyone else did, for that matter]... busy completing works on a garage that began in February, 1987 ....when we bought 'the worst house in the street'.

Yes, it might have taken 7 years to get the toilet indoors....but it took since 1987 to get the car into the garage.

Today, at 4.00pm I finally dun it.

It was a case of necessity....having gone through one of 'those years' that includes a mid-life crisis....[ok...so I'm late to that one too]...as I'd bought a nice new [to me] 2007 SAAB 9-3 Aero Convertible ... something that NEEDS to be off-street and protected.

OK, so I need a shoe-horn to fit it into the garage [I have about 8" each side and to the rear....when parked hard to the nose..... but it's done.

Below is the critter as advertised online [needless to say now a wallpaper].  Bought in the depths of winter.....still waiting for decent weather to get it topless and eat bugs.

It has a 'wee bit' of get-up-and-go .... turbo-intercooled 2.8l V6 puts out around 250hp, with a wide torque curve that essentially eliminates lag.

Bottom line IS 'the bottom line'.... paid 70 thou less than its purchase price new.

IF I can find a way to take a snap of it whilst in its garage I'll post that....  it's a good thing it's a convertible....as I had to climb over the door to get out.  'Tight space' doesn't really cut it ....even if it weren't a prohibited ride for a Probationary driver...I can bet they'd never get it in or out of the garage without dinging it...

Ah.... roll on summer...


Comments (Page 2)
3 Pages1 2 3 
on Aug 14, 2013

well, you obviously bought the wrong car....  

 

 

on Aug 15, 2013

sydneysiders
well, you obviously bought the wrong car....

Well...if I was going for 'small' .... it'd be this one....

peel trident

on Aug 15, 2013

and after closing the garage door...

on Aug 15, 2013

Styrofoam walls would allow for some pinball action after a pint or so. 

on Aug 15, 2013

IROKONESS
Styrofoam walls would allow for some pinball action after a pint or so.

The garage is so short I need to park the nose touching the end wall...to be sure the roller door will close.  It's 12mm rubber foam on 3mm ply sheet and there's nothing behind the point of contact so the ply 'springs' one or two inches...

on Aug 15, 2013

Very ingenious, and again pinball friendly.  lol   I wouldn't be able to wait, she would be on the road if she were mine.  Beauty! 

on Aug 16, 2013

Just how long do you need to exhale to be able to exit the cockpit, or are you going the convertible top/skylight/ejector seat route?

P.S. You may need to move it over just a bit, you still need to get a Bushmaster in there....

on Aug 16, 2013

Wizard1956
Just how long do you need to exhale to be able to exit the cockpit, or are you going the convertible top/skylight/ejector seat route?

Yes....the reason it's in a garage is because it's a convertible....and the reason it's accessible [ingress/egress] in this garage is because it's a convertible.

Step one ....open roof.

Step two.... step out.

Step three.... close roof.

on Aug 25, 2013

More than a week later and my arms still ache.....

...but then yesterday I was 'painting' the car roof....one coat of cleaner....and 2 coats of proofing.

Meanwhile.....the weather is 'turning'....and spring is on its way.....almost time to get topless...

on Aug 26, 2013

I've actually managed to exit the car with the roof on.  Added a grab handle to the left side wall to make the process a little more 'elegant'.

Probably would be handy though if I were in a LHD part of the world...but I ain't...so I have to skrunch across to the passenger seat to get out...

on Aug 26, 2013

And I thought only 'girlies' drove Saab softtops............only messing with you Paul............Looks like a great 'bird puller'!!!!!!!!!

on Aug 26, 2013

Leo the Lion
And I thought only 'girlies' drove Saab softtops

Probably thanks to the early versions which were a little bit 'limp spaghetti' in the chassis dept.

This one is 200kg heavier than the sedan thanks to proper stiffening...and has enough power to 'need' torque limiting in the lower gears.  That means speed 'off the line' isn't all that wild....but once rolling its acceleration is quite significant.

....and only children and cop-bait get all 'moist' over traffic-light drags.  Grown-ups tend to be more interested in dynamics, not 'noise' ...

Now, if I get all silly and look at a stage 0 remapping I can bump the HP from 250 to 320 with next to no effort...but I'm not yet convinced that's going to be the way to treat the tranny....but Hirsch has a warranty-safe mod to 275 that apparently improves fuel economy...so that might be the go...and Swedish Prestige has the 'kits' ...

on Aug 30, 2013

Well....I seem to have gotten the knack of getting the car in and out of the garage....that's gotta be a plus.

....and the weather's getting better...

on Sep 01, 2013

That's awesome Jafo.

on Sep 08, 2013

Yep, getting out is a simple back-and-turn....and getting in is a 'two bites at it' sort of thing....turn once...back....and turn again.

It'll never be 'brainless'....and I'd defy any of those auto-park thingies to be able to handle it....not without knocking off a few corners...

Overtaking is kinda - um - fast.  I have to get used to the idea of backing off BEFORE you pull out.....cos hitting 140kph isn't conducive to keeping your licence....

Did 250k on Saturday with the roof off....Terry said it was cold...but I was enjoying it too much to care....besides...she had her electric seat on...

Daylesford [Nth west of Melbourne] is a tourist trap - got some great artwork up there....

3 Pages1 2 3