9-5 Aero Exhaust advice
Discussion
Have just bought a Jan 2006 Saab 9-5 Aero (pre dame edna) with heated and cooled seats, auto wipers, auto dip, folding mirrors etc. really happy with the car.
There was an advisory on the last MOT for a corroded rear silencer. Past experience with Saabs (2000 9-3 turbo, 1997 9000 2.3 turbo, 1984 900 16v Turbo S and I still have a 1972 96) was that genuine saab exhaust last well and cheap replacements do not.
Any advice on best way to go? Genuine saab replacement is over £300, so I could get a Jetex or similar CAT back for same money.
I do not want any obtrusive noise and I find the 250 hp adequate, though I intend to keep this car for some time so stainless would be nice.
When I look at the back box the corrosion appears to be just to the outer casing - it is not blowing, suppose it May get through another MOT and give me more time to save up for it!
Thanks
There was an advisory on the last MOT for a corroded rear silencer. Past experience with Saabs (2000 9-3 turbo, 1997 9000 2.3 turbo, 1984 900 16v Turbo S and I still have a 1972 96) was that genuine saab exhaust last well and cheap replacements do not.
Any advice on best way to go? Genuine saab replacement is over £300, so I could get a Jetex or similar CAT back for same money.
I do not want any obtrusive noise and I find the 250 hp adequate, though I intend to keep this car for some time so stainless would be nice.
When I look at the back box the corrosion appears to be just to the outer casing - it is not blowing, suppose it May get through another MOT and give me more time to save up for it!
Thanks
Have a cat back Maptun SS exhaust on a 9-3 aero. Maptun and Jetex exhausts are the same ( for the 9-3 )
Very little, if any difference in noise level. You would need to change out the CAT’s for race spec ones for any big noise change.
No noticeable change in performance, for this the ECU would need to be remapped.
I purchased it due to being unable to source the correct OEM back box. Quality looks pretty good and the full system didn’t cost much more than what Saab listed for the back box alone.
Very little, if any difference in noise level. You would need to change out the CAT’s for race spec ones for any big noise change.
No noticeable change in performance, for this the ECU would need to be remapped.
I purchased it due to being unable to source the correct OEM back box. Quality looks pretty good and the full system didn’t cost much more than what Saab listed for the back box alone.
The Saab Rear silencer has an out lip (external) on it which catches all the muck from the rear wheels and corrodes the outer box. It is double skinned and will go on quite a time. Genuine ones come up quite often on eBay, I paid about £150 for each of the ones that I bought (I lived in a rural area and the roads were very muddy)
They literally all do that! If it bothers you - and there's no reason why it should as it's only the outer skin that only the MOT tester sees - then I recommend the BSR / Jetex (same thing, different badge) cat back system; I had one on my first 9-5 & they're really nicely made, a great fit, and probably the best value out there. The MY04/MY05 Aero's (which yours is) have a different tailpipe location to all the others, so make sure anything you buy is specifically for a 2004/2005 Aero.
I have heard stories of Maptun systems going rusty, which is a bit worrying as they're supposed to be Stainless Steel. Maybe just a bad batch, but I know where I'd spend my money.
Maptun is a bit of a branding exercise in my opinion, they used to be solely a remapper, but now seem to be a 'Saab aftermarket performance parts supplier' with hit'n'miss quality in my opinion.
HTH
I have heard stories of Maptun systems going rusty, which is a bit worrying as they're supposed to be Stainless Steel. Maybe just a bad batch, but I know where I'd spend my money.
Maptun is a bit of a branding exercise in my opinion, they used to be solely a remapper, but now seem to be a 'Saab aftermarket performance parts supplier' with hit'n'miss quality in my opinion.
HTH
ABS is hanging in, the rusty long brakepipes had to go and I just went around the tank rather than over it. Rear end was very soggy as expected, still knock-kneed even after a change of everything! Heater flaps gave very cold feet last winter but 1/2hr tinkering got it back 
Love the old bus, 2 miles to get to 195k tonight
Love the old bus, 2 miles to get to 195k tonight
tonyvid said:
Rear end was very soggy as expected, still knock-kneed even after a change of everything!
Even the rear subframe bushes & the rear rose joints & inner bushes on the camber arms? All those things effectively control the camber of the rear wheels, so if the car is sitting at the correct height (with non-saggy springs) there should be nothing wrong with the rear camber.The trailing arm bush controls toe-in of the rear wheels as you're probably aware, and it's the one thing that will lead to prematurely-worn rear tyres.
HTH
Yep, trailing arm bushes and rose joints were changed, I replaced the rear springs and dampers with OE Aero parts which raised the rear up about 30mm(!) and it's had a couple of very comprehensive 4 wheel alignments but still eventually turns the inside edges into that horrible stepped wear that growls like a bearing. Once it starts that, the wear gets worse very rapidly(by the time you notice the noise the damage is done and it's time to junk an otherwise good tyre)
At its worse it wore a tyre like this in 10k before all the bushes etc were done, the current Goodyear Optigrips seem to suit and one has lasted almost 40k but needs changing now.
Even with my boot completely empty the ride height is right on the minimum specified and this takes the rear camber to the max specified. I'm tempted to put some standard springs on the rear which might take it to the proper max height for an Aero chassis!
At its worse it wore a tyre like this in 10k before all the bushes etc were done, the current Goodyear Optigrips seem to suit and one has lasted almost 40k but needs changing now.
Even with my boot completely empty the ride height is right on the minimum specified and this takes the rear camber to the max specified. I'm tempted to put some standard springs on the rear which might take it to the proper max height for an Aero chassis!
The rear box on my '02 Aero wnet through to the inner casing after about 2 years (At least 2 MOTs) of outer casing corrosion. The whole system (Saab) was offered at a reasonable price so I took it. Previous experiences with what were then 'premium' cars and after market exhausts had not been great.
Only 132k on mine and not so far noticed any extreme tyre wear. (Had that on an Omega some years ago so I watch for it.)
I did have the noisy rear tyres that sound like a shot bearing. New tyres fixed that a few year back now. The dealer suggested it was down to tread pattern (Michelins) and thought that was unlikely but they were right. No sign of a repeat so far. Fronts only last about 10k though. Probably because I don't do enough motorway work so they are always in for wear with little or no high mileage straight line respite.
Rear brake pipes were required a couple of years ago.
There's a crack on the ABS sensor hub section on one of the fronts. Annoying activation of the ABS at slow speed but I'm sort of used to it now. It's been there for a few years ...
Apart from that .... the usual problem with the A/C display, the rear wash doesn't work but I have no idea why the pump doesn't seem to get the water to the nozzle, and the rear parking sensors gave up not long after I had a towbar fitted a few years back. Oh, and the Alarm keeps telling me it needs a service and goes off regularly but so far has not reported what it thinks is troubling it.
Still, it's 10 years old and so far all the important stuff seems to be hanging in there.
Only 132k on mine and not so far noticed any extreme tyre wear. (Had that on an Omega some years ago so I watch for it.)
I did have the noisy rear tyres that sound like a shot bearing. New tyres fixed that a few year back now. The dealer suggested it was down to tread pattern (Michelins) and thought that was unlikely but they were right. No sign of a repeat so far. Fronts only last about 10k though. Probably because I don't do enough motorway work so they are always in for wear with little or no high mileage straight line respite.
Rear brake pipes were required a couple of years ago.
There's a crack on the ABS sensor hub section on one of the fronts. Annoying activation of the ABS at slow speed but I'm sort of used to it now. It's been there for a few years ...
Apart from that .... the usual problem with the A/C display, the rear wash doesn't work but I have no idea why the pump doesn't seem to get the water to the nozzle, and the rear parking sensors gave up not long after I had a towbar fitted a few years back. Oh, and the Alarm keeps telling me it needs a service and goes off regularly but so far has not reported what it thinks is troubling it.
Still, it's 10 years old and so far all the important stuff seems to be hanging in there.
My ABS works when it feels like it - I'm hoping that it's a good, old-fashioned power supply problem and will investigate the next time I have a dry day to do it.
There is, I thing, a battery in the alarm system that can require replacing - there's a thread on one of the SAAB forums about it: if I've kept the 'how to' guide then i'll post it.
There is, I thing, a battery in the alarm system that can require replacing - there's a thread on one of the SAAB forums about it: if I've kept the 'how to' guide then i'll post it.
IroningMan said:
My ABS works when it feels like it - I'm hoping that it's a good, old-fashioned power supply problem and will investigate the next time I have a dry day to do it.
There is, I thing, a battery in the alarm system that can require replacing - there's a thread on one of the SAAB forums about it: if I've kept the 'how to' guide then i'll post it.
The ABS on mine works fine other than for the sensor on a front wheel sensing the crack in the 'sensor marks' on the hub at low speed.There is, I thing, a battery in the alarm system that can require replacing - there's a thread on one of the SAAB forums about it: if I've kept the 'how to' guide then i'll post it.
You can also get a completely re-furbed alarm/siren/battery unit on eBay these days. There has in the past been a kit sold for that but now one of the LCD repair guys is offering an alarm refurb complete.
I may try it but my alarm problem seems very random and involves, or so it seems, the internal movement alarm.
Not as bad as an Omega I previously owned. That alarm would go off randomly even when driving in the motorway. Had to disconnect the battery when parked. Which made it interesting to get into since the key did not work on the driver door to the boot was the only way in.
rannsachair said:
They do work, not something I thought I would ever need in Scotland, but do really work on a sunny day. Leather has perforations and there are fans that draw air from between seat on you, believe Saab patented this.
Mate I wasn't disagreeing. I saw them on a friends but couldn't find one with them for sale, they are quite rare I think. Standard seats can get a bit sweaty so yes, I am slightly jealous.When uksaabs is back up, have a look for noobtune maps, chap is highly recommended.
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