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Some mates in Melbourne have come across a bargain: carbon fibre dash kits for the 98-02 Saab 9-3 from the supplier that used to fit them on to Saabs for Saab Australia. They used to charge Saab Oz $800 for the fitting, too, and it’s basically a stick-on kit!!
AlAero and Sab have now completed the fitout of their 2002 9-3 Aeros with the full kit and I got Al to snap one up for me, too. I saw the kit in Sab’s Aero a few weeks ago and it was top shelf stuff. Looked absolutely fantastic.
Here’s what it looked like in the Viggen:
And here’s the woodgrain that it’ll be replacing in the Monte Carlo:
Click either picture to enlarge.
I really prefer the carbon fibre look. I’ve got used to the woodgrain in the Monte but I think the carbon fibre really has the more sporting presence, which is the nature that the car should have in my mind. The woodgrain comes across to me as a more luxury-type item. With the all-black interior, the carbon fibre’s going to fit in beautifully.
Whilst the 1999 Viggen I used to own had a tape deck in it, the less expensive 1999 Monte Carlo that I now own has a CD player in it. I guess the original owner of Monte Carlo #9 must have optioned up.
That does leave me with a problem, though, as the only carbon fibre kits that the supplier had left were all for dashboards equipped with a tape deck. As I’ve already got a CD changer in the boot (trunk) I don’t feel that I need the in-dash unit as well and would be much happier getting the tape deck and thereby fitting the complete carbon fibre kit.
So….have any of you ever done this?
Are there any tricks for new players?
I imaging I should be able to pick up a tape deck fairly cheap, but I’ve heard there are codes that have to be matched up, etc.
Any tips and thoughts are welcome.
——
By the way, if any of you Aussies are looking for them, AlAero tells me the supplier has a handful of carbon fibre kits and around 10 brushed metal kits (used in the Aero) left in stock. They have a bunch of woodgrain kits, too.
Don’t believe the price on the page, either. I got mine for $50!!
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19 responses so far ↓
1 ctm
// Jan 12, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Is that a Wunderbaum I see in that Viggen…?
2 sab
// Jan 12, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Heres some links to it isntalled in my 2002 9-3 Aero:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/avalynii_sab/3137619966/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/avalynii_sab/3137619878/
Top shelf stuff! Im more than chuffed with how it looks!
sab
3 Robin M
// Jan 12, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Swade, my stick on kit went around the whole radio unit, so it did not matter what unit you had. Ok the radio is still saab grey but it looks fab to me. Mines been on for well over three years now and still looks as good as the day I “stuck” it on. Very happy. http://www.flickr.com/photos/trollpowersaab/983772328/in/set-72157594553303869/
4 Markac
// Jan 13, 2009 at 1:05 am
Montes came standard with the CD player and usually the stacker too. Radios and tape decks have to be ‘divorced’ from the donor car and ‘married’ to yours. PITA if you ask me. Go with Robin Ms idea’. Anyway do you still use casettes?
5 albert
// Jan 13, 2009 at 2:32 am
Is there any difference in size?
Or do you really want to stick the kit also to the radio?
6 Bernard
// Jan 13, 2009 at 3:55 am
Anyway do you still use cassettes?
Cassette adaptors are a very easy way to connect an MP3 player to a car stereo that doesn’t have an aux-in.
7 gordon
// Jan 13, 2009 at 5:21 am
After the embarrassment at the furniture store yesterday, I would gladly trade my 9-5 sedan for your Monte Carlo hatch, but the steering wheel is on the wrong side.
That being said, and it probably being too late, the question to be asking yourself is whether you like your Monte Carlo or are you trying to convert it into a yellow Viggen? The carbon fiber looks good, but SAAB used the wood instead for a reason. You can still add wood door pulls, glove box, console trim.
It looks like the Monte Carlo was intended as more of a luxury touring car, rather than a sports car. There is a smooth, soft, easy, gentle feeling to the regular 9-3 that the Viggen doesn’t share. I learned to appreciate it on 1000 mile drives. Maybe in Tasmania, benefits that you notice on a 1000 mile drive don’t matter so much.
8 Swade
// Jan 13, 2009 at 6:31 am
Hit the nail on the head, there, Bernard. I don’t use tapes or CD’s in the car anymore. I mostly listen to radio. But the tape adaptor could come in handy for my iPod.
Gordon, if I drive 1000 miles on this island I end up needing waterskis! I’ve had the yellow Viggen conversation with myself already. The answer is “a little bit”.
9 Markac
// Jan 13, 2009 at 10:11 am
Swade: If all you want is an auxillary input, you’d be better off with an AudioTroll AT1. That is probably better and a lot less complicated than trying to marry up cassette players just for the sake of cosmetics.
gordon: The Monte Carlo is basically similar spec to the first 9-3 Aeros that arrived the following year (2000). I don’t think carbon fibre or silver dashes were availble on the Aero until it adopted the Viggen bodykit in 2001.
I like the carbon fibre, but I’m somewhat reluctant to change my Monte as it is possibly the lowest mileage example that still exists. I do plan some enhancements and improvements however. I think removing the woodgrain dash on the Monte would be quite messy anyway. I had the same woodgrain dash on my 900S Talladega but somehow I think the woodgrain matches a rocky black dash better than the charcoal on the Monte.
10 Brad Lauzze
// Jan 13, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Swade,
Carbon fibre is definitely nicer than the wood finish. Having both wood in my CSE which looks fine with the taupe interior, and the carbon fibre in my Monte Carlo Yellow convertible, I can say that I like the wood finish, but I LOVE the c/f.
The c/f set-up in the convertible has actually been changed a few times now. I started out with the “stick on” carbon fiber overlay that I purchased from Saab for $10, then I added a set of carbon fiber door pulls which I found on ebay, and finally I was able to snag up the last brand new full blown carbon fibre dash in the Saab warehouse…
…and it is currently sitting here in my apartment while the convertible sleeps out the winter in storage…
Anyways, nice interior upgrade that you’ve settled on.
11 alaero
// Jan 13, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Having had Wood, Flat Silver and now Carbon Fibre in my 9-3 i can say that the Carbon is the best looking. It adds so much more to the cabin than the drab grey that came from factory.
As for the tape deck question, it needs to be married to the cars immobilizer.
simple tech2 job.
12 Markac
// Jan 13, 2009 at 2:03 pm
alaero: It needs to be divorced first before it can be married. An Auditroll AT1 is much nicer if only an aux input is required and pretty cheap. If using a genuine iPod, the AT2 is the way to go. If a CF cover for the CD is required, there are other sources.
13 Swade
// Jan 13, 2009 at 2:12 pm
What other sources? It’s got to match the silver colouring that’ll appear around the SID, the ashtray cover etc. Unless there’s a spare CD piece laying around in Sweden, getting the tape deck’s going to be the only way to go about it, I think.
If you know of any other sources, I’ll be glad to check them out and prevent the changeover.
14 Richard
// Jan 13, 2009 at 2:15 pm
After years of silent observing in this exquisite saabista sandpit, I feel now is the time for a question; Are all the carbon fibre kits provided by Saab down under stick-ons?
The carbon panel (legit) I got from Saab in Gothenburg, for my ‘02 Aero, including the “aluminum” panel i once removed on my RHD 9-3 whilst residing in the UK were both full replacements of the old gray plastic one.
Regarding CD vs. Cassette. Can’t you just remove the empty slot cover for the cup holder, between the radio unit and the SID?
Or just keep it, if it’s a stick-on kit?
Cheers from a cold Sweden! And thank you for a warming “blog”!
15 alaero
// Jan 13, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Burg designed the carbon dash inserts for Saab, they have spare pieces yes, but they dont have the cd piece swadey is after. trust me i bought 4 of the bloody kits, and waited a while whilst they went through the kits looking for one.
The brushed metal one they sell is nice, but it doesn’t have the same stick on backing as the carbon ones. 3M tape is used on the Carbon one.
As for the Tape player yes it need to be divorced and married etc etc, if you can get a audio troll go for it but Granite Embedded doesnt ever seem to have any audio trolls fir sale.
a.
16 Markac
// Jan 13, 2009 at 2:40 pm
There are several firms in the US making dash kits in whatever finish you like. This place does a RHD CF kit for Saabs. You might be able to persuade them just to provide the part you need? It’s about $169 Australian for the full kit, I hope they can separate.
Cheers,
Mark.
17 Abs
// Jan 13, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Thanks Markac! You may have just saved me over $250 on the Black C/F per your link. Although I try to support Swade’s Sponsers, State of Nine’s C/F kit seems a little overpriced. The price difference is just Too good to be true!
This will go most excellent with the Anniversary Edition Embossed Seats and Custom Racing Pedals from Ultimate Pedals. Thanks Again!
18 Markac
// Jan 13, 2009 at 6:24 pm
No problems Abs. I hope they can provide the small part that Swade needs too. I only wish I could order something for myself but things are very tight at the moment.
19 gordon
// Jan 13, 2009 at 11:52 pm
On the Audio Troll, I have a 9-5 and was using a tape adapter for my iPod. That worked fine, but the sound quality with my audio troll and my iPod is better than with my CD player. The thing is maddening with its quirky behavior but he got the sound quality nailed. Of course, if you keep the stock front 3.5″ speakers and play 128kbps mp3, the cassette adapter will be just as good.