Welcome to the Volvo club - Ive got a Volvo with something D5 on the back :) I wonder how many times you have 'jabbed' your ignition key into the centre console already, after owning a SAAB like me. I have a dint into the centre console. For those who are interested the ignition is next to the gear stick on the SAAB.
Story time about SAABs - my first SAAB to this day, I believe, save me and my family's neck - we were one of the familys caught out at Boscastle during that freak flood. Although we werent right in the heart of it, we were on our way out of Boscastle when it happened. Im sorry you can keep all your 4 x 4s and your people carriers getting washed away like toy motors - believe it or not the SAAB 95 just kept ploughing on through the water and I was waiting for the engine to splutter and die out at any minute, but, it never did. We didnt realise how bad the situation was until we were stopped by the emergency services on the High Road and the Sea King landed in the next field to the road wanting to know if anyone wanted emergency evacuation.
Ive included two photographs - one when I opened the door when we were stopped and as you can see it was like being in the middle of a river. The other photograph is the Sea King landing next to us.
When we got back to our digs at Stratton, I had a quick check of engine oil and there was a slight sign of water in the oil. However, instead of taking it to a garage whilst on holiday for a highly expensive oil change, I decided to drive home (approximate 380-400 mile) and when I took the car to the local garage for an oil change - I asked if they could keep the oil for me to look at to see the water content - and for them just to have a quick check of the wheel bearings and soforth which they told me - the front passenger side wheel bearing needed replacing and drive bearing.
When I actually picked the car up from the garage, they were waiting for me - with a dish full of half bricks, stones and twigs, removed from front around the radiator area and around the drive shaft areas and from around the engine protection pan. The oil wasnt that bad, and, as far as the mechanics could see there was no damage to the actual engine.
As far as I know, the car is still running with something like 120,000 mile on the clock - ah I used to like that car.
The next SAAB I bought - had one thing missing - a portable petrol station. I must have paid for the car four times in petrol. She was the SAAB V6 Griffen/special with the twin full terbos on - boy did that car use to frighten me
Could get all me models in both SAABs though and the back seats used to fold flat, one thing that doesnt happen in the new Volvo
YET !!
AYE
jOHN E
BLUEBIRD