Daily driver woes, what would CR do

[mrhobbz]

So I bought a Saab 9-7x in 2013 as a DD with 70k miles on it and have loved it up until it has started falling apart. It's primarily the typical GM issues, interior accent lights going bad, fuel level sending units (replaced twice now) but as of recently the GMT360 drive train in it has been doing some really concerning things. It keeps burning up encoder motors (enough that I now have a spare & necessary wrenches in the back) and a whole bunch of intermittent binding issues.

 

I've done all of the scheduled diff fluid changes and what have you but it doesn't seem to help. The tires are all the same w/ even tread wear and air pressure.

 

I really think the car just hates me. I've now also been having tons of electrical issues one of which related to the HIDs which lines up with a GM recall (ballasts) but they refuse to fix it since my VIN isn't included, sensors going nuts, the typical oil consumption issues, gummed up intake manifold due to the displacement on demand. I have to reason to believe it was a flood/damaged vehicle. I'm about tired of dumping money into it however.. I could probably have it paid off within the next 4-5 months and being a remote employee my commute usually consists of driving a mile down the road to get groceries a couple times a month.

 

So do I pay it off and drive it until the diffs explode or trade it in now (looking at a ford raptor or a used c63 amg) and take a hit on it as I'm currently upside down on it (I think, I haven't checked KBB or NADA in a while)

[caseyctsv]

How can you be upside down on it if you only have 4 or 5 months left?

[mrhobbz]

How can you be upside down on it if you only have 4 or 5 months left?

 

I owe 8k on it

[Geeto67]

It sounds like you have the crow hopping and drive line lash issues. There is a TSB out for both and both may cause your car to eat encoder motors. Did you do the tire marking check where you mark each tire in the 6 o'clock position drive 10 feet in a straight line and then see how far the marks are from each other?

 

It sounds like this car is going south in a hurry, and driving it till it breaks isn't the answer because if it breaks before you get to the point where it is paid off then you have a worthless car and a car payment. It looks like you have other cars, can you drive one if them until this heap is paid off? My advice is to pay it off to the point where you are not underwater in it and then get away from that thing as fast as possible. It's still worth something now, ain't going to be worth something when broken.

[mrhobbz]

Haven't tried marking the tires but I'll give that a shot next weekend. I've called every GM dealer in the area and they all tell me every TSB applicable has been done. The repair work isn't a big deal, I'd probably have to pay someone to do the drive train stuff because I really don't know much about AWD systems in general. I just can't gauge if it would be worth it. Worse case scenario the remanufactured diff's are in the $3,000 range not including labor. Not sure on the tcase. I would take it in for diag but the issues seem to be fairly intermittent

[STEVE-O]

Good luck getting anything trade in. Ever since they went south no one wants any part of a Saab.

[Geeto67]

I really don't think your differentials are the problem. The binding you mention is it only on sharp turns? If so, that's crow hopping. It could also be failing u-joints.

 

just because the dealer says their paperwork says it is done doesn't mean the work was actually done or the problem hasn't returned.

 

if you haven't read this thread yet, you should:

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217890

 

the TSB for Crow hopping is in there. From what I understand about this either the T-case, the Prop shafts, or the U-joints are about to take a massive dump. I've had 4WD cars for years and usually when I got binding in turns it was never the diff, it was always the front u-joints and sometimes a ball joint that would cause a u-joint to bind.

 

Even the cheapest model 9-7x is worth $6K in average retail according to NADA so you may not be as underwater as you think.

 

Ask Cordell about the crow hopping issue. He's at Lash and this issue affected all GM cars on the platform including the trailblazers so he may have more insight into it. He said in his Lash post that he can do some of the orphan marque stuff like Pontiac and Saturn, maybe he can do Saab as well since it is just a re-bodied trailblazer.

[Cordell]

I honestly haven't had any Trailblazers/ect eating encoder motors. I'm sure someone willing to spend the time on it is going to find something worn, binding, ect. I have seen most of the driveline issues stem from the front diff, but this very well could be something else. Personally I wouldn't want a Trailblazer, let alone the Saab version that I doubt you could get most trim parts for. I'd seriously consider trading it off and being done with it.

[Not Brian]

Cut your losses and get the fuck out of that shitfest. Trailblazers/Saabs and all that Chevy shit from those years is junk.

[mrhobbz]

The only time I've had it bind in sharp turns has been when the encoder motor has shit the bed. So it's definitely not the *same* issue. The last time it really bound up was in WV in a straight line up through the mountains. It felt like it was dragging wheels (it actually wasn't) but it was crow hopping then while I was getting off of the freeway during that incident. When I got to SC I did replaced the diff fluids and made two trips from Ohio to SC hauling a 6x12 enclosed tandem axle loaded the brim and it didn't have a single problem (it has the tow package BTW) the trans seems to shift fine even when romping on it (I can count how many times I've beat on this thing on one hand). I'm also a member on Saab central, I'll check that post out.

 

One thing I do know ad being a problem is the rear end after the leveling suspension settles sometimes the rear end will clunk when leaving from a stop, apparently this is an issue with the drive shaft angle when the suspension is at the lowest point.

 

I checked the suspension when I did my oil change a few weeks back, wheel bearings, and ball joints are fine and I have noticed anything. I think I may have a dealer look it over, either that or I'm going to clear a space in the garage and start tearing the front end apart

[mrhobbz]

I honestly haven't had any Trailblazers/ect eating encoder motors. I'm sure someone willing to spend the time on it is going to find something worn, binding, ect. I have seen most of the driveline issues stem from the front diff, but this very well could be something else. Personally I wouldn't want a Trailblazer, let alone the Saab version that I doubt you could get most trim parts for. I'd seriously consider trading it off and being done with it.

 

Luckily I haven't had to get body/trim parts for it but yes you are right, finding them is difficult. One example is the piss poor hood they designed. The front edge of it folds over itself on the inside (now rusting from the inside out) no reproduction hoods to be had and all of the used hoods I have found have the same problem.

 

The ford dealer down the street has a nice looking ford raptor I think I'm going to go check out next week. I occasionally do some light duty towing (motorcycles, atvs, lumber, etc) so I think that might be the best option for me. I've talked myself out of the C63 I've wanted.

[kirks5oh]

 

The ford dealer down the street has a nice looking ford raptor I think I'm going to go check out next week. I occasionally do some light duty towing (motorcycles, atvs, lumber, etc) so I think that might be the best option for me.

 

11.8 mpg bro. seriously. i love the truck, as i only drive short distances---12k miles in 16 months of ownership. and the ride is a little rough, but the truck is unique and fun

[mrhobbz]

11.8 mpg bro. seriously. i love the truck, as i only drive short distances---12k miles in 16 months of ownership. and the ride is a little rough, but the truck is unique and fun

That's not too bad, my Saab only gets 13 city

[iwashmycar]

geesh. 13 city!?! I guess if you are going to pay out the nose for gas you might as well like what you drive. Raptor it up!

 

Edit - I see you are remote too. Then yes the Raptor is a perfect "DD". I do the same...get 14-15mpgs and still fill up like once a month...maybe.

 

Get the SAAB perfectly clean, no CELs, ect and trade that sucker in.

[Trouble Maker]

Get the SAAB perfectly clean, no CELs, ect and trade that sucker in.

 

This, so much this. Get rid of that SAAB ASAP, sounds like it's a ticking time bomb.

[mrhobbz]

geesh. 13 city!?! I guess if you are going to pay out the nose for gas you might as well like what you drive. Raptor it up!

 

Edit - I see you are remote too. Then yes the Raptor is a perfect "DD". I do the same...get 14-15mpgs and still fill up like once a month...maybe.

 

Get the SAAB perfectly clean, no CELs, ect and trade that sucker in.

 

This, so much this. Get rid of that SAAB ASAP, sounds like it's a ticking time bomb.

 

Thanks for the input guys, this is what I'm going to be doing. The only CEL/code it's throwing is for the fuel sending unit so I'm going to put a sending unit in it this weekend.

 

I stopped by to look at that raptor and they had already sold it :-( There is a super clean 2008' F-450 super duty crew cab though.. I didn't have time to take it for a spin (I start work at 2pm) so I'll likely go back and look at it tomorrow.

[Trouble Maker]

I stopped by to look at that raptor and they had already sold it.

 

Coworker said his dad got a very lightly used, almost new, one for a relative song a few years ago, and just traded it in for nearly as much as he bought it for. He said the market for those is crazy right now for some reason. Just second hand info, but it may be what you are seeing. Good luck with finding one!

[mrhobbz]

Coworker said his dad got a very lightly used, almost new, one for a relative song a few years ago, and just traded it in for nearly as much as he bought it for. He said the market for those is crazy right now for some reason. Just second hand info, but it may be what you are seeing. Good luck with finding one!

 

Yeah could be, not too sure on the raptor at this point. I've found a handful of 2010's with 60k+ miles on them going for mid-high 30k My budget is in the 35-40k ball park but the raptor seems awfully expensive for what it is.

[kirks5oh]

the raptors hold their value quite well for some reason. its a fun truck for sure, it stands out, drives pretty well for a lifted/big tired truck, but its not the most practical vehicle.

[iwashmycar]

Hmm. I think a F450 dually is a bit different than a Raptor...but hey.