Tom Donney Motors

Saab Village Saga

YEARLY MANDATORY RENEWAL TIME!

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This month I am going to re-run my October Newsletter from 1996, which has become an annual edition on service.  We have had a lot of positive comments on this newsletter and as new members get added on to our mailing list, service questions are always one of the first, and most important asked!  I am adding a few extra things from the previous years, but for the most part it will cover my
experiences and recommendations for service on SAAB cars, or, for that matter, any vehicle.  Bear in mind that many people have their own thoughts on this so you do what works for you. This is only given as advice to what I've done and been successful with.  I will mainly talk about routine maintenance that all cars require adding my own twist of some twenty plus years of working professionally on cars.

First you need to know what kind of success I've had with  cars that I've owned long term.

1975 SAAB 99 LE, 4 speed:  Driven as a company "truck" for over 450,000 miles.  Replaced original engine & transmission (neither needed to be replaced, but I had a newer, lower miles engine) at about 250,000 miles.  Again, no major engine or transmission work done.  Still have this car.

1977 SAAB 99 EMS, 4 speed:  Driven as my own personal car to just about 300,000 miles.  It never had any major transmission or engine trouble.  I replaced a timing chain (because of noise) and a transmission input shaft (splines wore off from clutch disc).

1978 SAAB 99 LE, 4 speed:  Driven as my own personal car; then as a company sales vehicle and later in life as a delivery "truck" and loaner for over 400,000 miles.  No major engine or transmission work. (Did replace input shaft, also) Still have this car.

1982 CHEVY S-10 Pick-up, 4 speed:  Driven as a company delivery truck for over 465,000 miles.  Rebuilt engine at 200,000 miles for carbon build-up, although engine had very little wear.  Replaced transmission bearing at about 300,000 miles.

1984 CHEVY S-10 Pick-up, 4 speed:  Still driving this as a company truck with over 475,000 miles on it.  Replaced engine at 400,000 miles and rebuilt rear end at 200,000.

1984 CHEVY S-10 Pick-up, Automatic O/D:  Still driving this as a company truck with over 375,000 miles on it. Still the original engine but this truck has had three automatic transmissions in its life time.  (And you wonder why I'm in the automatic transmission business?)

1987 SAAB 9000 Turbo, Automatic:  Still driving as a family car with 211,000 miles on it (actually it may be sold by now!).  Replaced timing chain & head gasket at 175,000 miles and turbo at 165,000 miles.  Transmission had governor seal break at 170,000; but was a minor fix in the car.

The service all of these vehicles have had is very similar.

Engine:
Oil & filter change, and check all fluid levels every 2,500 miles or every 3-4 months.  If it is a vehicle that gets about 1,000 miles a week on it, we extend it to 5,000 miles for its routine maintenance.  A good quality 10-30W of most any brand works.  I've never used synthetic oils, but have no problem with their use.

On turbo cars it is a must to keep good, fresh oil in them!!

On most SAAB's the engine life is exceptional and all I've ever done to mine is replace timing chains.  I would recommend replacing your chain every 150,000 miles, or when they get noisy.  Sometimes the tensioners and guides need replacing too.  I try to repair or replace  alternators and water pumps at about 125,000 - 150,000 miles.

Tires:
Rotate tires every 5,000 miles!  I didn't believe this one at first but it really proved to be very beneficial.  By rotating tires every 5.000 miles instead of 10,000 to 15,000 we were able to nearly DOUBLE tire life on all of our vehicles!  Our overloaded delivery trucks are averaging 70,000 miles on a set of tires before they need replacing (and they still look pretty good!)

We rarely have an alignment done unless there is a major problem or parts replacement and I own a $20,000 4-wheel computerized alignment rack! It always seems that I have more to say than I have room to say it in! Check in next month’s newsletter to find information on transmissions, filters, plugs and other fluids (and the infamous minor leaks - believed by some as a SAAB's way of “scenting their territory!!”).

With that I will let you get back to doing something productive!! And........thanks again for being part of my SAAB Story!

--Tom Donney