Ever heard of the Saab Viggen?

[Hoonda]

Because I've just bought my first car, one of these. A 2000 9-3 Viggen. Yet I still don't know everything about it. It's so rare it's hard to find anything about it. But I love it so much that I have to tell a bunch of random people on the internet. I got it for $10K, it's got a 2.3L turbo four that's already pumping 20 psi in. About 3000 of them made.





So does anyone know any websites of tuners for the vig? I could imagine this thing would respond to well to even minor mods. Not that I'm considering doing anything soon, but it's nice to know everything before I make a decision.


P.S.- Isnt that red thing a sexy beast? Yeah, that's my old car complete with 86 hp. Quite the upgrade, eh?

[ferrarifreak013]

i cant lead you anywhere. nice car though i always was a fan of saabs(is it saabs or sabbs?)

[Smithy]

I thought that the Saab Viggen was a jet fighter? haha. nice find, i like it..

[nota]

i cant lead you anywhere. nice car though i always was a fan of saabs(is it saabs or sabbs?)

Apperantly it's SAAB spelt with capitals, as with GM

I've also heard of the SAAB Viggen jet fighter, it's powered by a Volvo engine

[Cyco]

Cool, great car.

A couple of quick points:
- At 20psi the turbo is operating outside its recommended range, and loosing efficencey

- The replacement wheels are not everywhere, but not rare, don't go too much bigger it will kill the ride

- Watch for torque steer can't remember the model years but early in its model life the firewall was more flexible than intended and a sudden rush of boost made this quite noticeable.

Have fun, great looking car.

[Hoonda]

Hmm... I think I was mistaken on the turbo pressure... I read somewhere that it's 20 psi stock but i just searched some more and found its ~13. My mistake.

As for the wheels, I love the stockers. Probably one of the last things I'll go for, and if I do it will probably be wheels that have a similar look anyways. Dont know if I'd stick with the 17's or go 18's.

In the time between my first post and now I found abbottracing.com, and they have a kit (called "viggen rescue") that claims to make it the car it should have been in the first place. Really just a kit of a steering rack clamp, better busings and a subframe brace. They also have things like better intercoolers, intakes, exhausts and such, but the problem is they're UK based.

[Cyco]

No problem with the UK

Abbot Racing really know their stuff. Their fix (which I'd forgotten about) fixes the torque steer issues caused by the firewall flexing by beefing up the area that the flex was most noticed - where the steering box was mounted.

In the US there is also Swedish Dynamics, and in the UK Elk parts or even the three Trolls in Sweden. E.T.T. still makes the best Saab go fast parts, but has no website, and is hard to get hold of.....

[clutch-monkey]

- Watch for torque steer can't remember the model years but early in its model life the firewall was more flexible than intended and a sudden rush of boost made this quite noticeable.

isn't this the car that has an even chance of killing you on the straights, and then corners can be suicide? heard stories of it

[Hoonda]

Hmm... I'll look in to Swedish Dynamics, US based is slightly more convienient for me :P

I found an Abbott dealer in Washington, but that's still pretty far from socal. I know I could get parts shipped but support would be a bit difficult.

And no, nothing wrong with the UK at all-- in fact I might move there in a couple years to get an automotive engineering degree at Loughborough University and I have an opportunity to go into a BMW apprenticeship.

[Vindesh17]

Thats a really nice car, I've always had a soft spot for SAAB hatchbacks.

[IWantAnAudiRS6]

You picked up a nice beasty there along the same lines of the 9-3 Aero HOT, IIRC.

Cyco's your man for Saabs...

You should get this as your front numberplate.

[Bentley_GT]

My friend has one of thoose in blue, check out the swedish tuning company nordic.se

[Ferrer]

Many years ago I saw a 3-ddor blue one in a restaurant's car park. Quite a beast and perhaps the coolest Saab ever built.

[JRodrigues]

It's Saab's coolest model.. Very nice engine, but as it was already said, watch out for torque-steeeeeer... At least you have an advantage over others drivers: you can pass them without moving the wheel

[Ouz]

what the heck is this torque-steer?!