Saab Turbo X: What it’s all about…
Some time ago I put a post up here asking new Turbo X owners how their cars were going.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there’s been a bit of traffic in that comment thread over the last few days. One owner has even posted his mini-review in there and in keeping with my theory that the best judges of a car are those who actually pay for it, I thought I’d reproduce it here.
Saabs are a bucketload better than what the press give them credit for, hence we try and tell the great stories about Saab here. The satisfaction and happiness evident here make for a pretty good recommendation if you ask me.
Our owner’s name is Bob. I’m not familiar with who Bob is, but his story seems to include some prior Saab ownership, as well as wider Swedish ownership having traded a Volvo S60R for his Turbo X.
His review (for which I thank him), as posted in comments on June 17, goes like this:
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OK, here is a mini review.
I got my car 10 days ago and I am now at almost 1000 miles, as I had to drive around the state. It had 200 miles on it as it had to be driven for the trade. It is a Sedan Navi 6 speed. Looks gorgeous and I love the relatively narrow wheelbase which is so SAAB. Very aggressive looking, esp. from the rear, as it stands a bit elevated.
No gas cap lock, but XM module takes it’s place. Got me a Stant locking cap.
Peels off like there is no tomorrow, kicks your head back, then just goes. My fault was that I was used to the Volvo S60R’s longer clutch so I was hesitant to drop it fast. The clutch is quite short and you just drop it, the car is so powerful it will not die, as long as you are at 2000 rpm. My mistake was to grind the clutch thinking it was already engaged while accelerating. No more, now I got the hang of it and it is a blast.
The cop in our two stoplight town was having his donut and looking at me downthrottle (brrrvvmmm), downshifting (oh so sweet noise to my ears it does it like the Lamborghinis in the movies) to stop, then we looked at each other, then PING! I am off to 35 mph in 1 sec, he just jumped into his car and followed me all the way to work 5 miles down the road at 30mph. We talked and he had a good laugh, he thought i was going to gun it for 80 in town 
Well, now he now knows my new car and aversion of lawyers 
On the twisties going up on a 20 deg gradient it sings in 3rd gear with the Haldex doing its magic on gravel, love how it howls for more. Windows down is a must.
On the highway I stopped dropping in 5th to pass, all it takes is a gentle “milking” of the turbo with the needle in the orange zone (just like the 2001 9-3 I had) and voila, I am flying slowly releasing the gas while this things “buuuugs” whistling past people.
So far I’ve had about 10 people stop me and talk to me about the car, but keep in mind I live in the deep country, I may have the only SAAB in town People turn heads to watch (men more than women) the source of that sweet throaty growl that this thing puts out between 1500-2500 rpm in town.
Needless to say I am in love again. Not much time to play though: infant seat in the middle and two child seats on the back row. I’ve already removed juice, crackers, and ice cream from the car
My 5 year-old looked at the car one evening when I pulled in and commented on the car, “Oh daddy your car looks like a monster”, then pointed to the LED eyebrows over the active cornering halogens that really wiggle as I turn the steering wheel.
K&N filter 33-2337 arrived today, UltimatePedals ($120 alternative to Hirsch’s $400 aluminum extravaganza) are on the way. To BSR or not to BSR? I pray RICA does a PPC based tune just like I had in my S60R.
Get it while you can!
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NO–don’t let them eat in the car!!!
Doesn’t the fuel-filler door lock when you lock the other doors? I know that’s the case in my 2002 9-3.
The K&N filter will make your car louder and less reliable, but it won’t make it faster (especially when you are stuck in “limp-home mode” because your air flow meter has been killed by the less-restrictive filter).
First, thank you for posting my impressions. Sorry for the totally amateurish post.
I read some posts about the oil clogging the MAF meter in SAABs. Interesting this never happens in Volvos. I know that mode, the one with turbo loss and CEL light, it would come on every 3 months until Volvo fixed it with a software update.
I will take my chances with the K&N i guess. So far i have used these filters in 5 cars, and all i heard is praise, including from mechanics.
Bob - You are correct that the oil is the culprit for clogging MAF sensors. However, I think the K&N filters are quite thick and hold the oil rather well. IMO, it’s better to use a K&N filter than take a chance with a less restrictive paper/cloth filter and risk worn rings.
delightful post. police “escort,” and all…
congrats on the new, x-rated “monster.” i have a 2008, 9-3, and notice more drivers seem to get out of the way when i’m following–and i’m not even following closely–than when i’m driving any other car. …must be those cool/mean-looking light pipes…rock!
Bob, the standard air filter is significantly better on cleaning the air than the K&N filters.
As the engine is turbocharged, the pressure drop over the air filter is compensated for, so changing the air filter will not make any difference to the better, but maybe for the worse, as long as you have the standard ECU software.
I have a K&N in my 2007 9-3 and the only thing that I really notice is that my fuel consumption decreased 1-2 MPG. I was getting 32-33 MPG driving very concretively trying not to use the Turbo, but now it’s at 30-31 under the same conditions. I chalk that up to a more sensitive Turbo that breathes a little better thus the MAF sensors pumping in more gas to match the increase Air Volume.
Mailr, would the dealership have the proper revised software to compensate for the pressure drop? Please expand on why it would be worse as well, you got me curious.
If you’re not using the standard air filter, the relationship between the manifold air pressure and flow changes. (At high flows, the air temperature might change a bit as well due to the differing pressure.) This throws the algorithms off a bit, but as the lambda sensor readings will be used to compensate with, it will lead to more unstable mixture ratios. Richer mixtures -> lower MPG, leaner ratios -> higher risk for engine damage.
Saab doesn’t have any software for different air filters (quite naturally, such a thing has to be qualified) but tuners usually have. However, some are decisively better than others.
Oops. I didn’t mean the manifold air pressure and flow, I meant the air pressure and flow before the trottle valve.
Did anybody have problems with their Turbo-x
I’have a terrible noice when i drive above 130km/h at the richt front site of my car???
Cor:
I picked mine up on Saturday. The car is awesome.
On Sunday evening I started noticed a high pitched whining/squealing from the rear when going between 15 to 45 mph (24 km/h to 72 km/h). It is pretty loud from the outside. It’s in the shop right now.
I think it’s the only one in Wisconsin; hope they don’t break it!!
Cor, fortunately mine has been trouble-free for more than 3 weeks. What kind of “terrible noise” is it that you are experiencing? Could it be something stuck to your tire or the wheel well?
Kroum, at the first iám from holland so sorry for my bad english.
my turbo-x is delivered 30 april and i have at this moment 3500 km driven with it and direkt from the start i’have a terrible noice at the richt side from 130 untill 200 km/h above 200 untill 260 km/h there is nothing and from 0 untill 130 there is also nothing.
i thought it was the roof rail while my car had as option roofrails so we have put it away and now my car is without roofrail and with the original roofstrips but the terrible noise is there.
i thought it is maybe the roofwindow but i canot exactly tell you where the problem is it comes from the right side front at the the doorstyle and this week i go to the garage to try to see if they can help me.
Mine’s fixed. They said there was a loose seal in the rear differential rubbing on something. Apparently no damage or leaked fluids. The noise is gone.
I am the proud new owner of a Turbo X Combi. This is one sweet car, although we haven’t pushed it too hard due to the break in period. One question I have is with the manual tranny. I’ve been able to shift into neutral quite easily without pushing in the clutch to do so. As I haven’t driven a manual since my high school days with my Suzuki Samurai, I don’t remember if this is acceptable. Any thoughts?