Conference terri::cars_uk

    
    I read recently that GM (who now own SAAB cars) were thinking of
    selling the Calibra in the US as a SAAB. Unfortunately (I think)
    this plan has been scrapped because the Calibra would be 'too far into
    it's life cycle by the time it was federalised' (R&T quote).
    
    What do SAAB owners think of badge engineering other cars into SAABS?
    
    Mark (PS I've no doubt that modern Opel/Vauxhall cars have SAAB like 
    quality).
    
    

    About as useful as badge-engineering an Austin 1100, calling it a
    Morris and expecting people to be taken in by the fraud........
    
    I'd still rather be in a SAAB in an accident than in anything made by
    GM, excepting perhaps a B**I**G truck........

...rather like changing Datsun to Nissan...

    GMEurope have effectively reassigned some of the production floorspace
    of SAAB to build Vectra and Calibras. Maybe the reason for this strange
    idea ...

	I don't think that the build quality of Vauxhall's is good enough to
	get a SAAB badge.  My wife's SRi is appallingly built, full of tacky, ill
	fitting plastic.  The doors, boot and bonnet all have huge shut lines
	filled with great wodges of rubber.  The carpets are as cheap as you
	can get (pressed fibre with plastic fitting studs that break).  The 
	paintwork (metalic) is full of blotches and its got naff plastic 
	wheel trims.  

	Dave

    Vauxhall do seem to specialise in particularly naff wheeltrims. I
    believe it is to sell more alloy wheels.
    
    Steve

 Except the carlton wheel trims, they looked pretty decent, in fact they were
the best thing about the car IMO.

	 Alan	
	~~~~~~

    
    I got one of Saabs 'sales packs' through the post with an invitation to 
    test drive  - free to a good home :-)
    
    ps - I've filled in the 'what car do you drive at the moment' form - 
    they'll probably throw it staight in the bin because it sounds like
    someone is taking the ****, but  it's all true honest, my main car is a
    company car, ex-MOD lightweight Landy, and I had a free choice of
    vehicles..... :-)
    

    I need some advise from all you sparks out there. I have a SAAB 900 GLS 
    (x REG) and every couple of mins the fuel guage goes full deflection a
    couple of times and then back to a normal reading, Could this be a
    short somewhere? 
    
    If so where is the fuel pump located, as I have not been able to get
    hold of a workshop manual anywhere as yet.
    
    
    Any help would be  grately appreciated.
    
    Thanks in advance
    
    
    Pete.

    Yup, sure sounds like a short, either in the float switch or in the
    wiring. Look underneath to see where the tank is, favourite is under
    the back seat.
    
    Above it (under the seat squab, or in the boot) you should find a large
    rubber bung which when removed will expose the tank top where the float
    and pipes are. 
    
    Suggest disconnect and tape the end up and try for a day or so. If it
    still persists, it's in the wiring. If it's gone away it's the float
    switch. Normally held in by a lock ring wedged around the circumference
    of the plate revealed in this 'ear 'ole.
    
    I DONT advise trying a repair, better to replace for safety sake.
    
    If it IS the wiring you can allways run your own wire under the carepet
    and connect up to the original near the dash somewhere.
    
    Richard

    Hi Richard
    
    
    Cheers for the advise I will take a look when I get the time (you know
    - the pressures of work and all that)
    
    I should be able to get the seat up now - it took me 3/4 hour last time
    then I found the lever under the seat!!!!!
    
    
    Cheers agin
    
    Pete.

    I had an x reg saab that did that only when the fuel gauge was low,
    but when I spoke to the mechanics,they said that it did this to
    bring your attention to the fuel gauge,and after filling up it 
    stopped.

    RE.-25
    
    Mine used to do that but at the moment I am on 3/4 tank and it has
    started doing it already - (me thinks mechanics didn't want to get
    involved!! possibly) when they told you it was to bring your attention
    to the gauge..... but then again it is swedish!!!!!!

re.25:

My wife used to have a Saab 900 Turbo 'Y' reg. The fuel gauge never blipped.

Dave.

    
    	I have a C reg SAAB 900i (87000+ miles) that needs a 
    	new clutch.  I live in the Reading area.
    
    	Can anyone recommend it being repaired at Mr. Clutch on
    	the the Oxford Road, or should I think about taking
    	it to a garage that specialises in SAABs and is a bit
    	more expensive.
    
    	Besides RA Engineering, can anyone recommend a 
    	garage that knows what they're doing when it comes to
    	SAABs (please don't mention Reading SAAB because they
    	are cost prohibitive if don't have a lease car).

    Welwyn Saab, in Welwyn Garden City, have always done a very good job
    for my wife's Saab 9000.
    
    Having said that she has just had a clutch slave and master cylinder
    replaced and new clutch, 600 odd quid. Is that a lot? It wasn't done by
    Welwyn Saab as it happens but it may give you a guide.
    
    Andrew

As an aside - the 900 (ie. not the 9000) has the clutch on the front 
of the engine, so if you fancy yourself with the spanners it's not 
such overwhelming job as some other front wheel drive cars, 
although still not trivial.

- John.

This remined me of a problem a friend had with his 99 back in college.  The
slave cylinder was leaking so he had 'restricted' clutch action.  It finally
made it to a point where he would sit at a light in nuetral, when the light
turned green he'd depress the clutch, slip it into 1st and give it some gas. 
With his foot still on the clutch pedal, the leak would cause the clutch plate
to engage and off he'd go!  All his shifts were done the same way, clutch down,
shift and automatic engagement....  He would have to wait 10-15 seconds between
shifts or it wouldn't disengage.

He did get it fixed eventually.

Dave