Snapped Suspension Spring

[hueandcry71]

A good friend of mine owns a 4 year old 1.8T Vector Sport that he has had from new. He has looked after this car meticulously and it is well below the average mileage expected for a 4 year old car..

This morning he got in it and heard a snap and a loud thump. He was unable to move the car.

The AA came and took it to a local Saab garage and they found that the driver side suspension spring has snapped.

Has anyone elese ever had this problem as the Saab delaership said they have seen this on a few other cars of similar age. If so then surely this is a design/materials fault and my fried would be entitled to some recompense from Saab??

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

[dave_s13]

Try posting on here

http://www.saabscene.com/forum/index.php?showforum...

You'll get a much better response.......it's a bit quite in this room sometimes

[Rocket Pepper]

It's one of the most common failures across all the later 9-3 models, and the first gen GM900's.

I suspect a suspension spring lasting several thousand miles over four years would be hard to argue it hadn't done its job. Not saying I support its relatively short life compared to most, but such a part lives and works in a harsh environment, I don't see how you could make a case for it not doing its job. Certainly worth approaching Saab though. In any case, they aren't expensive new, though I know that's not the point.

[hueandcry71]

Rocket Pepper said:

It's one of the most common failures across all the later 9-3 models, and the first gen GM900's.

I suspect a suspension spring lasting several thousand miles over four years would be hard to argue it hadn't done its job. Not saying I support its relatively short life compared to most, but such a part lives and works in a harsh environment, I don't see how you could make a case for it not doing its job. Certainly worth approaching Saab though. In any case, they aren't expensive new, though I know that's not the point.

thanks for your response. My mate reckons £500 to replace the front two springs.

[Rocket Pepper]

bks, that's ridiculous! Where's your mate located?

[hueandcry71]

Rocket Pepper said:

bks, that's ridiculous! Where's your mate located?

Liverpool.

[Rocket Pepper]

Hm, I'm 120 miles east, but there's JG Motors in Colne Bridge , Huddersfield, or Aeromotive in Batley. Both good long standing Saab specialist, and about 60 miles and much less than £500 quid from Liverpool.

[NiceCupOfTea]

One of the springs snapped on my brother's ng900 not long after he had it - fortunately it was just a small bit at the end and it was still OK to drive, not great though.

£500 for two springs is madness though, I got all the shocks and springs done on my c900 for not a great deal more!

[i want an aero]

no way is it £500 for 2 springs , here you can get the hirsch springs for under £300 for all 4
http://www.elkparts.com/product_info.php/cPath/76_...

[gti-ted]

I know of 2 seperate cases of this both on identical 54 plate diesels
In both cases the drivers spring has snapped and gone through the tyre.
One just coughed up the bill the other made a complaint to Saab customer service and got a replacement spring and a new tyre. Seems to allways be the drivers side

[dickkark]

I did a pair on a 54 plate 93 tid recently.
£97 for the parts from Toomeys laindon, Essex.
took about an hour to do.
where does £500 come from?