Saab

After last week’s DVLA fail I returned this lunchtime, cautiously pessimistic that something else would be wrong. On Friday I had received Section 10 of the V5, kindly returned by the new owner very quickly using recorded delivery. Arriving at the DVLA at 12:23 there was a warm stuffy room full of people and a … Read more

Prepare yourself for one of my dullest posts yet (that’s quite a claim). I haven’t had to deal with the DVLA for a few years, but today hasn’t been successful. Given my buyer’s rapid timescale as his 9-5 Aero sold quickly, I wasn’t sure what could be done about the numberplate transfer, so first thing … Read more

But not the slow sort of Sunday drive while wearing a hat and driving a Rover 400. A good blast across country and M50 to a very long lunch before repeating the journey back. Car started and drove fine, the increased wind noise and exhaust note compared to the Mondeo is noticeable, but none of … Read more

Today I found out that someone has posted video from this year’s Llandow trackday on YouTube. It seems to contain more shots of the Saab than would have been expected given the number of cars present. I like the poster’s comments, mainly this bit “and a Saab 9000 which was tuned up to say the … Read more

Because the car is only leaving the garage once or twice a month, although I had bought a new Tax Disk online, I kept forgetting to fit it. But a while back I remembered, and it was a nice day, so I spent some time fitting it. Because I like shiny things, I have an … Read more

Got the Aero out of the garage yesterday (it only comes out once every ~ 3 weeks for a good blast), and let a mate drive it down to another friends house about 90 mins away. Before we went to The Boot Inn. for a hearty meal. It was great to be back in the … Read more

Having become involved in motorsport timing via a colleague, I had timed a couple of events at the Curborough sprint track near Litchfield. This is an interesting motorsport venue, used regularly for sprints and car testing. A short twisty piece of track, used by everything from unmodified small-engined road cars to powerful single seaters, and … Read more

I travelled up to Birmingham on the train to collect the now fully functional Saab. £396.86 for the headgasket, all the work, new thermostat and a few other bits and pieces such as an oil and filter change. Seems ok to me. Chatted with Paul at WMSS about his track car and what I should … Read more

Just spoke to WMSS, the car is ready, has been road tested, and all is fine. The corner of the radiator where a few drops were spotted seems to be ok now the car isn’t over-pressuring massively, but if I do notice any future coolant issues, I’ll remember to check there. Cost appears to be … Read more

Just spoke to Paul at WMSS. John has been working on the car, the head is off, and being cleaned up. It seems the head gasket had gone, but there appears to be no further damage. The head is flat, and there is no pitting. They are therefore replacing the head gasket and thermostat, and … Read more