My personal experience :
September 2001
I called Abbott wanting information on their TiD upgrade box for the 2001 Model Year 9-3 2.2 TiD - they were very helpful and invited me to bring the car over on the ferry.
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October 2001
I brought the car over on the ferry, having had a booking at the garage. The TiD upgrade was fitted, whilest at it, they fitted the VRK(minus strut brace) and a Viggen back box, the whole operation took a day, I was given a courtesy car and left pretty happy.. however,
The viggen back box was positioned way to close to the rear under valance on the bumper, which covered the rear of the car with soot pretty quickly. Also the car didn't subjectively feel really quicker, a bit quicker but not that much quicker.
Also at the time my car had Eibach springs only - and Ed critised these as being spongy and not impressive.. on the test drive (I had to conclude that this was because I hadn't fitted Abbott springs or Koni dampers yet)
Koni dampers where then subsequently fitted. Handling had improved unbelievably, however I don't know if it would have been even better with Abbott springs. So perhaps I'll take Eds word at that, but I wasn't for changing over brand new Eibach springs to find out.
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Back in NL I was having real doubts about diesel upgrade, the little light on the switch to switch it in wasn't on (never was)in either switch position, it wasn't noticably faster (however by this time I had a performance air element from JR fitted (Elkparts supplied) and perhaps that, the switch, and the backbox were having a placebo influence on me.. it was however very good around corners.
March 2002
I was over on business in the UK in March 2002, had an appointment with Howe Engineering in the UK for them to fit a set of spangly 17'' Saab alloy wheels and tyres (a very good deal) to the 9-3 and dropped into Abbott on the way home...
They took the car out for a drive and said the upgrade was working.. they moved the exhaust further away from the bumper, and charged my half an hours labour for that.
Moving the exhaust away from the bumper cured the rear soot problem.
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Back home again, I just couldn't tell the difference.. one day I ended up kind of racing another Saab 9-3 TiD he stuck with me - so eventually I got scientific. Stop watch in hand one evening I timed 0-100kph, 50 to 70KPH in different gears, 70 to 120KPH etc.. in both switch positions.. times were the same - and they were low (little quicker than standard) - so the box has never worked.
By this time it was coming up on the Saabonly Abbott trackday at Goodwood.
I called Abbott ahead of time and told them to bring a new box with them, because I was sure mine wasn't working. No problem they said.
October 2002
They fitted the new box at the trackday whilest I was at driver briefing, the little light worked.. and for the first time I could *feel* the box working.. the car felt great and much quicker.
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But the soot was all up the rear of the car again, and everytime I switched the upgrade on I could see diesel smoke in my rear view mirror when I accelerated.. it's much worse with the upgrade ON versus OFF.. and this lead to me investigating the cause, how the upgrade works, and how to really tune a diesel (Which is discussed in another post on this board).
In November 2002 I bought a 2.3 Turbo Saab 9000 for my wife...
I replaced the brakes with parts bought from Trent Saab (Stage 2 Group N kit). I replaced the exhaust with the full JT 3'' system including downpipe from Elkparts. I replaced the airfilter with a JR performance element from Elkparts. I replaced the front corner lenses with white ones from Speedparts. No problems with pricing, quality of parts, delivery or service from those vendors.
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In March 2003
I fancied an ECU upgrade for the 9K.. I had called speedparts, but they wouldn't sell one for a 1992 car equipped with TCS.
Abbott had just reduced prices on 9000 ECU upgrades so I called them.. the price agreed, the upgrade delivered almost next day. Credit card debited, it came with good instructions and consisited of a chip for DI/APC and an uprated wastegate actuator. I fitted both of these and the performance increase was impressive (adding 40HP)
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April 2003
The car's timing/balancer shaft chains were really rattling by this time, the car was dropping copious amounts of oil from several places, I had no record of the head gasket ever getting done, and the handling was woeful for such a powerfull car.
So I contacted Abbott again. We agreed a price of 3200 pounds for the following work:
New Chains, pulleys, balancer shafts, full engine out rebuild and check of bearings etc.
New cylinderhead gasket, new cam cover gasket, new oil pump and seal.
New uprated rear anti-roll bar, new abbott poly bushes on the front and rear anti-roll bars, new abbott poly bushes on the wishbone bushes, new abbott poly gearbox mount, new abbott poly top engine mounts, abbott springs and Koni dampers.
The work would take 3 weeks and I could leave my car with them and pick it up 3 weeks later. A good price I thought.. Okay - VAT would need to be added, but that was fine.
I got there and added two more things to the list - Gas polishing the cylinder head (it was going to be out anyway) and taking care of all the dents on the car. 400 pounds was to be added to the price.
I paid a 500 pound deposit and left the car.
For two weeks the car never moved from where I parked it. When I called Abbott to see what was going on he offered that they were very busy, but not to worry it would all be done.
On the tuesday before the friday that I was going to the UK to pick the carup I was rung by Abbott to say that the parts that were delivered for the engine job were not correct, that this particular 1992 car needed another kit and would I mind waiting a week.
I couldn't because the ferry was booked etc, so he said he'd do what he could.
On the Friday I arrive at Abbott.. the car is finished, everything is done. I'm presented with my bill - 5800 Pounds INC VAT. About 1600 pounds more than I was expecting!.. WHY I ASK?
Ahh, well the kit for your car was considerably more expensive than that of other 9000s (okay, but I wasn't warned of that by Ed in the previous conversation). The head also had damage I didn't know about which was one of the contributors to the considerable oil leak - which they took time to repair, and fixing the dents cost a wopping 180 pounds... also they were charging a lot more than 400 extra pounds for the gas flowed head.. also Oil, a transmission service and other fluids were charged, not on the original quote...but were necessary.. it was still a shock tho.
I negotiated on several points and got the price down to 5000 pounds, some 600 pounds more than I was expecting.
The car certainly drove very well though.. excellent in the corners and a completly different car to drive, very composed, and very very fast.
After my test drive, I drove back to Abbott.. I noticed that the top engine mounts hadn't been replaced - that was immediately taken care of and fitted. The guys at Abbott also commented on the TCS CRTL light being on.. (it was on before the Abbott work and spent a good hour helping me determine the cause of it, gratis (I should think so .
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May 2003
The check engine light comes on, the car runs roughly and rich. I get on-the-phone help with Abbott all day to help diagnose that the crankcase breather hose has perished and split, Mark Edger gets me a used one, which Bill Jones brings over from the UK for me the eve before speed 2003 - Replacing the hose cures the problem (but why didn't Abbott notice that when rebuilding my engine? - they had replaced all the small diameter vacuum hoses).
On the drive to the ring, and at the ring the car runs so hopelessly hot, I only do two laps. Bar the heat the car performed flawlessly and was a great drive.
I call Abbott at home on a holiday regarding the overheating.. he answers my questions, however typically the answer that comes back are more upgrades. They had previously swapped my 82degree thermosat with an 89 degree on. He recommends I fit their highflow alu intercooler (more cash!)..
Overall I have to conclude that the service I've recieved from them has been consistant, however, they need to sort out their quotation process and give firm quotes.
I'm not at all happy with the diesel ECU upgrade.. i think it's dangerous to fit without suitable air and cooling mods. I'm a little disappointed as to the overheating nature of my 9000 on the track.. but hey, it's a road car and is fine in that capacity.
I'm very happy with all the chassis advice I've been given, and would say that that is their core competancy.