Over 100.000 km with Joe (Saab 9000 CS)
It's now been five years since I last came across Joe geschrieben have. Yes, it still exists and it is in top shape! Joe is a SAAB 9000 CS 2.0t from March 97. I bought it in January 2013 with 170.000 km on the speedometer as a parts carrier (950 €) for my 98 CSE and it wasn't my plan to drive it.
It turned out differently. I've been driving Joe for eight years, have covered almost 110.000 km with him and I don't want to be without him anymore.
We have seen and gone through a lot together over the last few years, and he has always been a loyal companion. Long journeys took us through the Baltic States to Latvia, Denmark and Sweden anyway, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, ... Otherwise he is at home in daily use and occasionally has to move a heavy trailer. There are hardly any long business trips anymore.
Early in the morning on October 27.10.2016, 80, I thought our journey together would end. From the left a big fallow deer came out of a fir tree plantation at top speed and hit Joe unchecked in the front left. I drove at about XNUMXKm / h! The deer rolled over the hood, its shovels making deep furrows in the sheet metal that ended just short of the window. Then he answered. Fortunately, the hunter was quickly on site to rescue the proud animal - a shame. He was in a really bad mood because he lost the third big stag within two weeks, but was very surprised that Joe was still ready to drive: “The other cars looked different and didn't drive anymore”. Well, SAAB ...
The insurance company and its appraiser were very fair in assessing the value of the old SAAB. So Joe was able to start his third life seven weeks later with a manageable additional payment on my part. Lucky.
The repair dragged on for a long time, as getting a usable fender for the 9000 is an almost impossible task today. The first went in the bin, only the second was usable. I now have a set of new fenders in the attic - it's better to have it than to need it.
In March 2017 we went on a long vacation trip to Verona and Lake Garda. The way there through Switzerland and back via Austria, a total of 3200 km, as always without any problems. On his 20th birthday, we made our way home from Garda. On this trip I was really amazed at how the 150 hp at that time ironed the Alps flat.
The next two years were calm. There was once a new water pump, a new exhaust and whatever wear and tear occurs at the tender age of 20+, nothing exciting.
In autumn 2019, various points emerged that went into the money and for a moment I thought about making these investments again. I couldn't think of an attractive alternative, so I got down to work: There were nasty car parking dents, preferring nameless people, tires and brakes were down, a saddle was stuck, and the underbody and rear axle had to be treated with rust protection again. To do this, the brake lines were removed and the rear axle dismantled and preserved, including new shock absorbers.
The result is great. A newly designed rear axle together with new tires on the aero rims is like a RESET at annual car level. In addition, at the beginning of the year there was a set of fresh driver and passenger seats made of good BoW leather with a low mileage. The previous ones were already used due to an engine failure and had now done their job with a total mileage of over 400.000 km. The driver's seat in particular is in need of an overhaul.
Then there were other things to do first, this construction site was postponed. Until Tom recently wrote this article about "Bella Italia".
An Italian dealer just offered several unused and new original control units for the B204L, one fit for Joe. I ordered immediately. A dealer in Buford / USA still had two Trionic-5 APC valves, which are now just as rare as fenders. I have them now too.
This result is also brilliant. The already pleasant engine runs even more refined, quieter than the B204L and drives super relaxed. It does not tempt you to lawn, but provides excellent driving performance when required. For the Italian Aero, SAAB has adapted the Trionic again, which is very successful. Compared to the 900 II, the engine got a little more torque (283Nm), which more than compensates for the slight extra weight of the 9000.
Joe is now a discreet one-off, perhaps the only 9000 CS 2,0 turbo.
Images and text: Gerd Pitschmann
Thanks for this great contribution. The Saab 9000 was one of the best Saabs that I have driven myself and I'm glad that this “Joe” is still so well cared for. I still regret that I confused my 9000 CS Anniversary for my next Saab and this beautiful CS could not be put somewhere in time for later.
@Ebasli
Troll has already cleared up the leather. I search for parts on the usual platforms. Sometimes I just look around, sometimes purposefully, but you need patience.
The rims from “Lake Garda” are BBS Cross-Spoke 7 x 15, perfect for 205 tires on which the 9000 then runs very comfortably. They make a slightly wider track. It was available as an accessory at the time and at the beginning of 97 there was a series 9000 CS that was delivered like this. In Hamburg there is still a red from this series for sale.
I would also be happy to meet in Kiel, Mr Koch can certainly establish contact.
PS .: A little addendum on the engine. Since I've been driving with the Italo-Aero control, consumption has been around 10% lower! I hadn't expected that at all. However, it has to be confirmed in the long term.
Chapeau & 1.000 thanks
Since I've been reading here for less than 5 years, for me today there were 2 reader contributions to Joe and the 9K.
Both very stimulating and inspiring. Fascinating how stylish and sustainable the author is. Big cinema.
As much good as is written about the 9000, I think I should drive one at some point, even if the ignition bolt is in the wrong place.
Hmm, so far I always thought you “deer” mainly your engine and not the fender ...
Did you at least get a nice piece of the deer as a consolation? 😉
Beautiful 9000 and I congratulate you on your attitude to keep it going. I could
get weak again and consider getting one again.
But no, that would cause trouble with the local government. She already thinks that I put too much money into my 9-5 I.
I would like to have BoW Leder again ...
BoW = Bridge of Weir leather, very thick high quality leather in old 900 and 9000
Greetings from the troll
What a beautiful car and exemplary sustainability - thank you for this wonderful report! 🙂 If you want (and there are no really major disasters), getting a Saab is almost always cheaper than buying various new cars - it is more beautiful, stylish and easier to use anyway! It's a shame about the stag, but it's great that Joe put away the collision so easily and was allowed to go on living!
I still have two questions: Who or what is Bow? “Image without words” or the English bow will probably be just as unlikely as the result according to the search engine: bio-organic weapons! 🙁 And how do you get the addresses of various dealers from Italy and the USA? Just go ... t?
By the way, I think the blue color is wonderful, it looks great on the 9000, simple, classy elegance, and both rims. Unfortunately, you rarely see the “from Lake Garda” in particular.
I wish you many more wonderful years and hundreds of thousands of kilometers with this piece of jewelery! Maybe you meet by chance at Lafrentz's? Would be very happy!
What a noble SAAB!
It would have been a shame to sacrifice this to a deer ... All's well that ends well! 🙂
Thank you for this beautiful emotional participation including the great pictures.
Continue to have a good accident-free journey!
Congratulations on the beautiful 9000!
I have often written that the 9k is still the reference car in its class for me, but when reading the article I realized that the 9k is also a sustainable car “almost” without sacrificing it. An Alpine radio navigation system went into our son's 9kaero, and the SAAB is personalized via the connected phone. I only miss the good light and the all-wheel drive from the 9-5NG.