Here's something you don't see every day: Took the old 900 to the dealer for some touch-up paint and while there asked if they had any vacuum hose (you can never have enough spare stuff). Matey cut me a couple of metres and said there was no charge. http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif Maybe he remembered me from the time he tried to sell me 16 valve HT leads for my 8 valve (price difference £42!)

Oh and on the way there a blond girl in a silver C900 convertible flashed her lights to say hello. Couldn't tell if she was a gansta come north for the scenery or a local hair dresser on her tea break

...and then you woke up

I had a similar experience (not with blondes "flashing" at me unfortunately ) with my Carly at Newbury Saab. I'd become painfully aware of a horrible grinding/screeching noise from the front right wheel, 30 miles into my ownership. Turned out to be a stone stuck in the back plate. Charged me 0.00, even though it took 20 minutes of a tech's time!

Looks like some of them can apply good customer relations!

quickly typing another post to get off 666 posts! http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/FIREdevil.gif

It just goes to show that there are good dealers out there. I get a little disillusioned with the seemingly constant sniping about [expletive deleted] dealers and exorbitant parts prices - so it is good to hear a couple of positive stories

Currently have a 9-5 , but i used to own a GM 900 on an L plate. This was back in 1998, but... took the car in for a service, and it also needed new brake discs and pads all round (knew the pads were needed, but discs - ouch). Can't remember exaclty but total bill was about £800. http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif Car had done over 100,000 miles on original discs - but ouch. http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif

Next day, I was travelling along a duel carriageway, when the drivers side front indicator housing just flew off the car and disintegrated as it bounced down the road.

Turns out that the indicator housing is held on by just one screw, all that was left was the bit of the mounting post which was under the screw head.

Went straight round to Beechdale Saab in Nottingham, guy there just shook his head in disbelief, and replaced it free of charge . Must have felt sorry for me after my big bill.

I now occasionally have a quick look at the mounting posts, cos the 9-5 is the same, though I now have headlamp protectors which cover headlamps and indicators, and these are secured using the same screws as the indicators AND headlights.

Cheers, Vince

Have always had protectors on previous cars. Haven't done this on 9-5 for two reasons:

1. I thought they might interfere with the wipers. How have you found them?
2. The headlamp glass can be replaced separately if the glass breaks (it did and I have!)

sgould

Totally agree about headlamp protectors. Had them on the last 93 and the wipers scratch them like hell and reduced light output (I was surprised they were made in Australia - suppose it's the stones in the outback! ).

Originally posted by sgould:
Have always had protectors on previous cars. *Haven't done this on 9-5 for two reasons:

1. I thought they might interfere with the wipers. How have you found them?
2. The headlamp glass can be replaced separately if the glass breaks (it did and I have!)[/b]1. I wondered this as well before I had them fitted. If you look at your headlight, there is a bit of plastic below where the wiper parks at the bottom, the protector curves out a bit at the bottom and the wiper parks on this instead - it actually looks better designed than the original bit of plastic.

2. The protectors cost about £30 a pair fitted. I remember having a headlamp glass break on my GM900 and I seem to recall it was about £70 to replace - don't know how much they would be for a 9-5.

Only had them fitted for about 10 weeks, so don't know how they will last. I think they look good as well.

I've got them on my 9000, and yes, they do scratch and limit/diffuse light output. Any ideas if polishing them might work, and if so, what polish should I use?

Gassy, just been given some protectors for my 9000 which were scratched from the wipers, I polished a lot of the scrates out using T-cut. Next thing is to get some new wiper blades so they dont scratch and maybe disconnect the wiper motors until snow is likely.

Thread seems to have changed subject!

Headlamp glass for 9-5 from Elkparts, much cheaper than £70 - Thanks Julian.

Protectors- where from?

Also concerned that headlamp wipers will not be as effective. My experience from before was that I needed to clean both sides of the protector as well as the glass underneath when they got dirty. Wipers will clean only one in three of these sides!

Have heard that toothpaste is the polish of choice for plastic - a bit less abrasive than T-Cut.

Finally, I think I remember that EU regs changed a couple of years back to allow non-glass headlamp lenses. I also think that some recent cars (Rover 200/25??) use polycarbonate which is more resistant to damage.

For the future, I hope the "glass" on expensive stuff like the Xenons is unbreakable http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif

Yeah thread has changed subject - it's the nature of conversations.

I got my protectors fitted at SAAB main dealers - same time as I had Cruise fitted - which was also a bargain (IMHO) at about £100.

My dad has polycarbonate headlamps on his Peugeot 406 (or is it 407 ).