2001 Saab 9-3 Aero Hot – Project Profile

Oh Saab. How we miss you and your quirky, innovative but quite frankly brilliant cars. Before its demise, and along with fellow Swedes Volvo, Saab had been strapping turbochargers of various sizes to its engines for decades. From the 99 back in the ’70s – arguably the first successful forced induction production saloon – to the last 9-5 model in 2012, Saabs and turbos went hand in hand and the Saab 9-3 Aero was no exception. The first generation of Saab 9-3 was introduced in 1998 as a successor to the excellent 900 and was available as a two and four door saloon as well as a two-door drop top. While it wasn’t that much of a departure from the previous 900, the 9-3 did feature enough changes and updates to warrant a fresh badge and decent sales figures followed. Power was supplied by a low-pressure or high-pressure turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine or a 2.2-litre turbo diesel. While these were decent enough engines it was nothing to really write home about. That all changed, however, with the launch of the Saab 9-3 Aero HOT.

You might be thinking that the HOT moniker actually means hot, as in “hot-hatch” but you’d be wrong. While the Aero HOT was hot in every sense of that word – it produced 210bhp and could manage a 0-60 dash in the six to seven second range – HOT actually stands for High Output Turbo. What that means is a larger Mitsubishi turbocharger that could handle higher levels of boost pressure, therefore providing more oomph for the range-topping Aero.

What is it?

This particular Saab 9-3 Aero HOT is a 2001 model with less than 100,000 miles on the clock and one lady owner in its past. It’s an original car that needs some TLC to get it back on the road and bring it back to its turbo-whistling best. There is currently no MOT present having been off the road since 2015 but money has been spent in restoring its past glory and the parts needed are included in the sale.

Why is it a project? 

As stated the car hasn’t been running since 2015, apparently due to a leaking power steering pipe. While it has been outside since then the advert does state that there is no corrosion, which is great news. Not only that but the car has also just had a major service. The bad news, however, is that the engine has not been started yet, we presume since 2015, as there are still some parts to fit, including the aforementioned PAS pipe as well as some exhaust sections.

There may not be any rot here but the car does carry some dents in the roof and bonnet and there are some scuffs to both bumpers and so some bodywork restoration would be required. Aside from that it appears to be a pretty decent example of a rare model and so should make a relatively cheap and easy project for someone. Potentially. With the re-fitting of some parts and a good going over you could conceivably have a year’s ticket on this in next to no time.

Five things to look for:

1) Bulkhead

Some owners will refute this but there are enough examples of past issues to warrant a mention. The steering rack on the 9-3 is mounted on the bulkhead which causes the area to become overly stressed and potentially crack. Listen out for creaks or knocking noises when turning and look for cracks around the rack’s mounting point. Repairs are possible, however, as are modifications to solve the problem entirely.

2) Turbo

Regular oil changes using fully synthetic dinosaur juice are imperative for the health of the turbocharger on the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder fitted to the 9-3. The engine hasn’t been started for a while and so it will be difficult to assess the condition. A look through the car’s history and previous MOTs is going to be your best bet here to determine the state of the engine and turbo but the Mitsubishi unit is generally unstressed at factory boost levels. The fact that the last, recent service included fully synthetic oil is a good sign.

3) PCV System

Oil sludge build up can lead to excessive pressure in the crankcase which in turn will cause oil leaks where there shouldn’t be oil leaks. Later cars were fitted with an updated PCV system and so these issues are more likely to occur with older models. But it’s still worth checking for any leaks from the top end. Again regular oil changes with good, fully synthetic oil will reduce the likelihood of these crankcase pressure issues.

4) Electrics

Saab 9-3s, especially the range-topping Aeros, were equipped with all the bells and whistles, including fully electric heated seats and climate control and so there are a lot of electronics that can potentially malfunction. The ECU can also be a little flaky at times so check to make sure all of the toys are working as they should.

5) History

The advert states that the car has had just one previous owner and that the full book pack and service book is present. It doesn’t mention how comprehensive the service history is though. Have a look through all of the paperwork for evidence of those all-important oil changes as well as any other service or maintenance work that has been carried out.

What should you do with it? 

At face value this looks to be a pretty straightforward project. Re-fit the exhaust and brakes supplied, give it a good clean and polish and then get it down to your local MOT testing station. The interior is good to go and you can worry about smoothing out the bodywork at a later date, the important thing is getting this hot Swede back on the streets where it belongs. It’s an original example and should be kept as such because you don’t see too many of them about these days.

They might be rare, but if you’re looking for a Saab 9-3 today, you’re in the right place. Here’s where to find a Saab 9-3 for sale.