Turbo X’s and tow hitches

Posted by swade on July 2nd, 2008 11 Comments Printer-Friendly

Jonnyboy asks a good question in comments:

Anyone have a tow hitch on their Turbo X SportCombi and where did you get it? I was told by a dealer today that you can’t install one because of the new chassis enhancements. Please tell me this isn’t so…as I really wanted to install a tow hitch utilized bike hitch.

Unfortunately for Jonnyboy, it’s true. Though in his case, he might be able to find a solution.

I heard about this for the first time last weekend and I’ve just written to a rep from Saab UK about it - just to make sure I had it right.

It’s not to do with chassis enhancements - or not primarily, at least - so your dealer’s a little out there. The reason why Saab won’t allow you to fit a tow hitch to a Turbo X is because the torque limiter has been removed on the Turbo X. As a result, Saab don’t want you towing heavy items with the vehicle.

Given that Jonnyboy wants to carry bikes around rather than a trailer or a caravan, it might not be such an obstacle, however. I’d suggest that your dealers should be able to help you with a solution.

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It should also be noted that the Aero with XWD will have the torque limitation in place, and therefore won’t be restricted in this way.

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Comments

eggsngrits (Author) said:

Swade’s got it right. I also suggest that the TurboX has a different rear fascia than the typical 9-3, so it’s possible that some hitches will not fit.

-July 2nd, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Ziggy said:

I purchased a Turbo X, live in the northeast US and will need snow tires for the winter. Has anyone identified a 17″ wheel and snow tire for the Turbo X? The dealers have told me it will not be done until later this summer or fall.

-July 2nd, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Erunas said:

Ziggy, a friend of mine has a Turbo-X pre-production version and they have special Saab winter wheels with tires. They are special because of the larger brakes on it so they have to be, they are absolutly great looking and i thought they were for sale allready. If they are not however i will expect them to be released soon.

-July 3rd, 2008 at 12:21 am
Erunas said:

I think i found them, when i saw them irl they were tinted in the same color as the original turbo-x wheels but this might not be the official Turbo-x winter wheels now that i think about it.

It’s the 15-spoke wheels about halfway down:
http://www.saabsverige.com/main/SE/sv/accessories/10/93_SS/2008/T/1/result.shtml

-July 3rd, 2008 at 12:40 am
BaRa said:

You might try to put the bikes on a roof rack. That should fit on the roof of the Turbo X

-July 3rd, 2008 at 2:03 am
SAABLANCE said:

All the Turbo-x models have the fore and aft mounted roof mounts receivers.The cargo hitch is $300 plus labor and the necessary hitch-mounted bike carrier is add’l.$262. Roof mount bars @$139,bike carrier’s:fork mount @$131,upright @$125. Granted the hitch mount carries 4 bikes,unless you need that kind of capacity thats a big price difference!

-July 3rd, 2008 at 4:26 am
Ziggy said:

Erunas, one of the Saab dealers I am working with in the US also identified that 15-spoke wheel and 3 other 17″ x 7″ 9-3 wheels as possible winter wheels. He did indicate I should bring the car in, pull off the 18″ wheel, and they will confirm which ones clear the front brakes. Once I do this I will post the results. Two other Saab dealers told me to wait until fall when the tire/wheel package is identified by Saab

-July 3rd, 2008 at 5:47 am
Beren Erchamion said:

I couldn’t bear the thought of messing up my X’s rear end. Perhaps the combi is ok for a hitch. I just passed 4000 glorious miles…what a car!

BTW - Meguiar’s XNT wash and wax is great on the X!

beren

-July 3rd, 2008 at 11:30 am
Erunas said:

@ Ziggy

So i might be right then? Interesting…

-July 3rd, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Squid said:

I just bought a Turbo-x traded in the 2006 aero and all the connections are there for the trailer hitch. It is simply a liability for Saab- I have pulled my bikes on a Bike-lug collapsible trailer without a problem. Light weight low torque and you will be just fine. The only cutting in the removable panel underneath, which is a necessity on any 93 body, for any trailer hitch to accommodate the vertical weight.

-July 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 am
PTRacer said:

Just wanted to share another TurbX hitch/roof rack story. GM/SaabUSA Customer service has just told me that ANY external load that increases the GVWR on the TurboX will invalidate your drive train warrantee. That means roof or hitch loads. A month ago Customer Service said, “no problem, go ahead and install the roof rails and hitch, we will only deny warrantee repairs if the car is totaled.”

Last Friday they changed their minds. (1 month later) So now I own a car that I can’t use as promised by the Dealer and Customer Service.

This really SUCKS!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Saginaw, MI

-September 30th, 2008 at 9:54 am