looks like I have another orphan car

[plym_46]

SAABs if not orphans have always been the read headed step child of the automotive family, Often ostracised, not understood, ridiculed for thier differences, and unquestionably loved (may time sunrequited) by their supporters.  I have had several, a 2 stroke 96 GT, a V4 96, 2 or 3 99's (one was my wife's) and a 900.  All filled with true quirks.  My theory was that SAAB employed excorcists to keep gremlins out of their airplane factory, where freaky mechanical disturbences at alltitude are seen as a weakness, as upposed to an endearing charcter flaw.

These exiled gremlis found there way to the auto factory, and cheerfully took up residence in tools, parts bins, wiring bundles, brake pads, steering gear, and transmissions.  Engendering the special qualities held so dearly by SAABophiles.

And of course Saab tried to control and reinforce these quirks, by keeping the supply of parts tightly within their own distribution links.

Bosche points were proprietarily labled SAAB and were thus rendered unreliable.  In my personal experience, my wife's 99 needed new brake calipers.  These SAAB labled components were identified as Dealer stock only, remanufactured unavailable. and at the time priced at $149.00  ea special order through the dealer, full price deposit necessary shipping charge extra, to place the order, delivery time of indeterminalbe length. 

So I had a friend who ran a BAP GEON/ European auto parts store.  I took one of the calipers in and he recognized it immediatly as a Girling part (although being conspicously marked by a SAAB mark in the casting. We got the paper catalog out and a check of part numbers, showed a striking similarity to ones for VW type 3 station wagon. A one letter difference in the part number. Checking one of the VW parts against the SAAB part verified that the differences amounted to the SAAB casting being replaced by the word Girling, and the list price for new at $47.00, and remanufactured at 23.00.  New in stock, remaned from the warehouse available tomorrow.

Thanks! here's my 46 bucks see you in the AM.  With this lesson in mind, when I needed a timing chain and tensioner, I ordered them for a Triumph TR 7 ( which shared basic engines with the 99) and saved another 150.00 bucks.

So did I love my red headed step child, no, but my wife did............Did GM love their RHSC, obviously not.  It was nearly the downfall fo both, and surely sealed the current fate of SAAB.  Guess the Chinese don't understand gremlins..........

[rreid740]

Though my 1941 P-12 is "at camp" getting the care I hadn't been able to give it lately, I lately find myself going through yet another "getting to know an old car's needs" experience - with a 1998 Saab of all things!    And after Friday's court decision, it looks like Saab may join Plymouth on the 21st century orphans list.

I hope this isn't TOO "everything else" for the General Discussion list.  It does relate back to my 1941 Plymouth - psychologically at least.

My son moved from Indiana to Chicago - where'd you'd be crazy to own a car  - and I took this.  I know he's got no sense for taking care of cars (and no money to get someone else to do it).   I knew it was pretty beat but I still figured I could get a decent driver with a couple weekends work and under $1K parts.

That wisdom seemed doubtful once it showed up.   Discussing it with his GF (a Mopar gal herself - drives a modern Charger) she thought it was probably not worth it, and I mostly agreed.   But then a funny thing happened that reminded me of the first few months with the 1941.

It stopped being a pile of mysteries and endless discoveries, and I got myself "tuned" to the car.   Suddenly I started understanding that the Scary Brakes are a matter of adjustment, the leaking top is a matter of getting back to periodic maintanance,  the exhaust system is about $100 at Rock Auto.   Most of all, it was when I realized that every attempt of the past 8 years by others to fix the misaligned driver's window was misunderstanding the problem - everyone was trying to fix the gap at the back, but it was all because the window was lifting 1/8" too high.   Whomp.

Sometime when I wasn't paying attention things like this 98 Saab and my wife's 97 Miata (daily driver) had become "old cars" and the local mechanics don't want to mess with them.   Why?    Because finding the parts for a 20 minute job can take 20 minutes itself - not accounted for in the flat rate book.   And they have plenty of late model work, so they don't want to mess with this.   And actually, this is one reason I couldn't keep up with Gus.  Too much work on the daily drivers. 

Guess that's a good reason to bondo up the Miata's fender before spring, so that when Gus comes home, he and I can get reaquainted.  He'll show me his nice new radiator, and I'll start thinking about replacing the cracked side window, and maybe even making new seat covers.