Thread: Anyone else spin an engin bearing in their Saab 9-2x Aero? I blew three engines!

I've been posting this in other threads, but want to start one to see if anyone else ran into the same problem with their 2005 9-2x Aero Auto-Trans...

I blew THREE engines with my brand new 9-2x Aero within 40k miles of each other. After the second engine 8 Saab mechanics (HUGE labor charge due to the fact none of them had ever worked on a Saabaru), told me that it was all due to the fact that i stopped using dino-oil and switched to synthetic after my few Saab oil changes went away...it seems that whilst maintaining higher RPMs (ESPECIALLY THE AUTOMATIC TRANS BELIEVE IT OR NOT) spin engine bearings due to the tightness of the Boxer engine, the "too-slipperiness" of the synth oil, and the way a flat-cylinder opposing engine gets oil to the bearings.

I enjoyed racing (AFTER the 2nd blown engine) the 9-2x Aero...had a few kits on it, limiter/governors off, ordered without sun/moon roof and electric seats to drop overall weight...fun little car, but DEFINITELY NOT a Saab. Same with the 9-7x...total GM build. Yeah, they made it look somewhat like one and put the ignition on the center console, but being a Saab owner (the true ones off the line in Sweden), I could tell as soon as i looked at the instrument panel and the air vents of the 9-7's...the 9-2's were completely obvious, and all their carfax reports start with "shipped from factor in Japan...". I'm DONE with any Saab that doesn't come off the Sweden production line (like my old 900, 9000, 9-5t, and new 9-3Aero.

Anyway, Hurricane irene came by a few months ago and landed a huge maple tree on my 9-2x Aero (oops)! got a $13k total-loss check, put that together with my savings and picked up a 2011 9-3 Aero Turbo4. SO NICE to be back in a REAL Saab!

PLEASE reply if you had a 9-2x Aero and spun an engine bearing! Also reply if Mobile-1 kills cars as I've been told by many mechanics (as my new 9-3 says to only use Mobile-1)!

~ScotHibb

Irene was never a hurricane on shore.

My ardor for getting a 2006 Aero died when I found out I could locate a Ferrari Daytona easier in New Jersey and then the boxer engines were problems. Subbies were duds too.

Funny but I almost bought a low mile Porsche Boxter from that fancy place around Princeton. Low miles. Then went on the PCA web site and it said not to buy one with low miles unless you could document factory engine replacement. I thought I found a 17,000 mile gem. It was also badged as an RS though there is no such car of those years.

Aside from seeing one on a dealers lot (the old Hunterdon Saab), I have never seen another.

Probably why this forum is so quiet. They only made like what .. 250 Aero's in 06, with the higher output engine .. like 4 horses but bigger displacement.

What do you mean about Irene never being a hurricane on shore? It KILLED most of our state!

Yes, it's definitely hard to find....but I was using Saab to replace the engines so it was up to them to find them, learn how to install them, and replace them because they screwed up on the installs...THRICE! That's why I'm begging for answers! It was such a limited run and everyone modified them and voided their warranty so there was never even CLOSE to enough information on record for a recall, but I was told off the record that it was the synthetic oil that blew 3 engines. Thank you Hurricane Irene for being the 1st hurricane to go land-bound over NJ and land many branches on my lemon of a non-saab car so I didn't need to spend $11,000 for another engine replaced by a Saab dealer...

There's a site JUST for 9-2x owners (must be filled with every 9-2x owner in the world as it's active as heck) www.saab92x.com . I posted therein, wondering if I should take the "total loss" check from Allstate and buy-back the car to part it out since it's getting rarer and rarer by the week. I had 1000's of replies to the post, IMs, emails, etc, asking for everything from visors to Aero chrome tailpipe upgrade, to the metal aero pedals, to even a cab light cover! Then I found out that the salvage comapny offered Allstate close to $5k for the darn thing, and I had to buy it back for that or let them have it...not a tough descision since the salvage comapny THOUGHT it had a perfect, brand new engine with a few thousand miles on it......little did they know it was BLOWN, hence the reason the Hurricane Irene did a tap-dance on the hood, top, side panels, etc with tree branches from all over the place!!!

PLEASE.....anyone out there....any thoughts on Mobile1 or synth oil versus dino-oil??? Everyone knows you need to break-in any new car with limited RPM and DINO OIL (not synth oil), changed every 1000 miles, then every 3,500 miles, then it's broken-in after 6 oil changes and 5,000 miles after slow increases in top RPM...then the fun begins...there's a reason the speedometer goes to 160MPH and above....I have been over 150 when I stopped looking down at the gauges and focused purely on the strait stretch of highway...everyone should remove any governor/limiters...the only Saabs I haven't modified are ones i leased for my wife...all the ones I own are modified is some way shape or form. I HATE factory settings and limited power!

Geez...my ADHD went on a rant again.....

So....please tell me...ANYONE....any thoughts on synthetic oil versus dino-oil, especially in the 2005 9-2x Aero???

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU USE SYNTHETIC OIL IN YOUR 9-2x Aero....this is the THIRD engine replacement...note the part that they use "!!!!!!" to direct me NEVER to use synthetic oil in this model.....so glad Hurricane Irene took this car out and I was able to grab a 2011 9-3 Aero with a ton of $ from insurance company...

This is what happens when GM destroys a company and you are frustrated that they want to charge you $12k to replace ANOTHER engine after 3 blown...and a Hurricane named Irene is predicted to hit land directly over NJ.........................



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BYE BYE SAABARU...Hellooooo 2011 9-3 Aero.......bye bye Allstate for taking 2 months to cut me a check! Guess this directly affects the number of 9-2x Aeros available in the US.......sorry GM.....NOT!

Quote from insurance adjuster "with a major hurricane coming, why would you park your car THERE?" me "it's part of my driveway, is it not??? Write me a check Jethro...".

The NSW downgraded Irene as a hurricane shortly after it hit the mainland down below DC. The winds dropped below hurricane force and never reached it again. It was technically "tropical storm Irene", the difference was that it was long, long, and slow moving so the damage was intense. I was without power for, like this freak snow, about a week.

Originally Posted by ScotHibb

any thoughts on Mobile1 or synth oil versus dino-oil??? Everyone knows you need to break-in any new car with limited RPM and DINO OIL (not synth oil), changed every 1000 miles, then every 3,500 miles, then it's broken-in after 6 oil changes and 5,000 miles after slow increases in top RPM...

You would think synthetic oil should be safe for all modern engines. All Saabs have synthetic oil from the factory (including the 9-4X). The requirement to break in a car with dino oil seems to be outdated as well.

That 9-2X seems to be a busy place for a car with such low sales volumes. And also explains why there aren't many 9-2X owners on the regular Saab forums.

Originally Posted by tunnanxwd

The NSW downgraded Irene as a hurricane shortly after it hit the mainland down below DC. The winds dropped below hurricane force and never reached it again. It was technically "tropical storm Irene", the difference was that it was long, long, and slow moving so the damage was intense. I was without power for, like this freak snow, about a week.

Yes, but they came out later and said that the downgrade was due to measurement in the edge of the eye, where the most intense winds are and what they base a downgrade on...they showed stronger winds than the eye when it was still Hurricane Irene when it hit NJ (miles away from the eye). Either way it's splitting hairs, the winds that took out my trees and buried the surrounding towns along the rivers were hurricane-level winds (not just gusts)! Besides, it could have been "mini wind dust storm Irene", it did its job and got me $13k total-loss for a piece of worthless junk that I couldn't get Saab to fix again!

Originally Posted by Frank Wulfers

You would think synthetic oil should be safe for all modern engines. All Saabs have synthetic oil from the factory (including the 9-4X). The requirement to break in a car with dino oil seems to be outdated as well.

That 9-2X seems to be a busy place for a car with such low sales volumes. And also explains why there aren't many 9-2X owners on the regular Saab forums.

Indeed...it's a VERY busy place with more active members than cars produced! The funny thing is, I went there to part-out my Irene-busted-up 9-2x aero and found TONS of people within an hour that were begging for most everything from a hatchback to cab light covers! But what i found VERY interesting is that they ALL (well, can't speak for every single member) hate Saab! Most of them wanted a Subaru WRX Impreza and found that they could get the Saab for the same cost due to incentives. It became kind of a cult following, they all brag about who has the 1st 2004 (MY 2005) off the line, or who has the last MY 2006. I TRIED to get information out of them about the synthetic oil thing, and they all jumped down my throat!

As the story goes...after the second blown engine (Saab had to cover 100% of the job as it was under parts warranty), they asked if I was still using Dino-oil as they used for all my free warranty oil changes...I said "of course not, I'm having the premium synthetic oil put in every 5,000 miles (Saab calls for Dino-oil every 7,500 miles). Initially FOUR mechanics and the service manager at JMK told me DO NOT put synthetic oil in that 9-2x Aero, it is too "slippery" and spins engine bearings at higher RPMs". I said they were crazy, and they put it on the last service receipt to document it so if i didn't start putting dino-oil in it they wouldn't replace a 3rd blown engine.

I asked why the manual didn't mention it, he said it should but they don't want to bring attention to it as many of the kids who bought the car modified it and blew the warranty so a spun engine bearing is on their tab. I didn't find one other person in the forums that was a Saab enthusiast, all JUST 9-2x fans that never plan on buying a Saab again (unless Saab puts out another Saabaru)...very strange demographic which I am not a part of as my Saab 9-2x Aero purchase was on impulse for my wife to drive, but it was a zippy car so i drove it a lot and killed 3 engines.

If anyone knows of problems with this model only and synth oil let me know!

It's interesting to hear this information about the 9-2X. I never really paid much attention to it and assumed it was a reliable car because it was made in Japan. I guess not all Japanese cars are created equal. Saab dealers must have a hard time with the 9-2X when it comes to maintenance and these repairs. The warranty cost for Saab North America must have been quite high.

The Saab Media website doesn't even have information or pictures of the 9-2X and 9-7X. http://media.saab.com/en-us/asset-library

Quite the hostile and negative environment on the 9-2X forum.

Saab92x.com / did the oil guy delete his thread
Saab92x.com / 2005 9-2x Aero AT - all parts (tree hit roof, insurance totaling)

Makes me kind of glad they have their own forum. It's owned by VerticalScope, by the way..

Be VERY HAPPY that all trash in that 9-2x “forum” don’t post on this site. They are all nasty and attack people in groups. As you can see, I abandoned the site after yesterday’s 9 pages of rants (I find it hard not to reply when someone attacks me or my family). Like I said, I only joined the site to part-out my hurricane-busted 9-2x Aero. I wrote on one post that it had a new engine that had never run anything but Dino-oil and from there on out a group of hoodlums have done nothing but troll on all my threads, search the internet for personal information about me to post on the thread (including pictures of me and my wife and daughters, phone numbers, work information, you name it. They also don’t understand that if you Google my name there are a bunch of us out there...a few in NJ. 13 years ago I tried getting the Yahoo email address “ScottHibb” and it was already taken by another distant relative with the same first and last name. They are now connecting me with another Scott that isn’t me, but sounds like a drug dealer, which isn’t good as I work for a major pharmaceutical company in upper management.

The shame of it all is that the site administrators and moderators join in on their antics!

I have no interest in that site whatsoever now that I have signed over the title of the 9-2x Aero to Allstate for salvage.

Why, by the way, did you post that second link?

Anyone who follows the first link can get a PRETTY GOOD look at the demographic that purchased the Saab 9-2x model...thank God they hate Saab and anyone who drives a Saab other than a Saabaru...those 9-2’s should die-out soon and the blemish be gone...

Yeah, I've had my issues with Topher and Azrael.

Total assholes with nothing better to do than screw with people.

Whats sad is that I once considered Topher a friend. I drove 500 miles round trip to help him and some guys from TSL with their 24 Hours of Lemons car. Ended up using my Astro to pull the frame out on their car after Topher pissed someone off on the track and they turned him into the wall.

Topher and Azrael don't hate Saabs. Topher has had a couple 9-3's and Azrael has a Viggen. But as people they are despicable.

Originally Posted by Hirsch

Yeah, I've had my issues with Topher and Azrael.

Total assholes with nothing better to do than screw with people.

Whats sad is that I once considered Topher a friend. I drove 500 miles round trip to help him and some guys from TSL with their 24 Hours of Lemons car. Ended up using my Astro to pull the frame out on their car after Topher pissed someone off on the track and they turned him into the wall.

Topher and Azrael don't hate Saabs. Topher has had a couple 9-3's and Azrael has a Viggen. But as people they are despicable.

Wow, they told me they would never own a Saab...guess they were just trying to get at me and bait me. Even when my original intent was to part-out my 9-2x at 50% of lowest internet price they started in on me and turned my thread into a circus that ended with me letting Allstate have it and take the pay-out check. Tropher and Azrael both threatened me and my family, and posted my personal contact info, etc. Can't believe you met them in real life...how old are they, 25-30???

It's too bad...

I was stupid for letting them suck me down to their level...they are very angry that I deleted my threads (which killed over 19 pages of their banter) and abandoned that site (nothing of worth therein, only went their initially because I figured there were more people in the forums than 9-2x's made, so a perfect place to part-out a 9-2x Aero)...I'm sorry I ever Googled it now...

Thanks for the info, make me feel a little better it wasn't just me...

No, it's not just you. Topher has been banned from TSL more times than I can remember. He's so unwelcome there now that whenever he posts I post a picture of Troll Spray. If he told you that he's never owned a Saab he's a damn liar. Same with Azrael.

I've met topher, ADouglas, Jessop and Castor Troy, all from TSL and 92x. The only one out of those 4 that didn't turn out to be a complete asshat is Jessop. Topher and Azrael(AKA Jeff) are in their early 30's. Way too old to be acting like they do on the internet. I met the 4 of them in 08 at Toledo Speedway. Then again in 09 at Nelson Ledges Raceway. Only Castor Troy(AKA Ben Centrone) wasn't part of the team this time. He was part of another team that Chris and ADouglas charmingly nicknamed Team Never Been Laid. They turn on their own.

For the record, his name is Chris Campbell and uses the gmail address ccampbell at gmail.com. Azrael's real name is Jeff something.

Guys like topher are one of the reasons that I would never use my real name as my screen name.

How sad. Months after I was banned from tophers site and they are still talking about me on 92x, a site I've even been a member of!

Hmm, might be time to join. Tell some truths about Topher. See how he likes it.

Also, stay away from thesaabconnection.net, thats tophers site.

They spend all their time in mutual admiration between doing reach arounds.

Just my humble opinion.

They do love to bait and switch. The best trick is going back and changing posts to make you look the fool. I actually tried to post with their style one day and just couldn't do it. I thought they were like 22 year old brats. Hard to believe they are in their 30's. Even after I left I would send people over to answer questions about 9-2 stuff. I don't think they ever responded and some would never even get a confirmation to allow posts and quit trying.

Originally Posted by tunnanxwd

They spend all their time in mutual admiration between doing reach arounds.

Just my humble opinion.

They do love to bait and switch. The best trick is going back and changing posts to make you look the fool. I actually tried to post with their style one day and just couldn't do it. I thought they were like 22 year old brats. Hard to believe they are in their 30's. Even after I left I would send people over to answer questions about 9-2 stuff. I don't think they ever responded and some would never even get a confirmation to allow posts and quit trying.

You just hit the nail on head. A bunch of 30 year olds that act like 12 year old school yard bullies.

EDIT: This is the kind of content you get when topher and his crew are allowed free reign of a forum. http://saab92x.com/viewtopic.php?id=9846

Originally Posted by Hirsch

No, it's not just you. Topher has been banned from TSL more times than I can remember. He's so unwelcome there now that whenever he posts I post a picture of Troll Spray. If he told you that he's never owned a Saab he's a damn liar. Same with Azrael.

I've met topher, ADouglas, Jessop and Castor Troy, all from TSL and 92x. The only one out of those 4 that didn't turn out to be a complete asshat is Jessop. Topher and Azrael(AKA Jeff) are in their early 30's. Way too old to be acting like they do on the internet. I met the 4 of them in 08 at Toledo Speedway. Then again in 09 at Nelson Ledges Raceway. Only Castor Troy(AKA Ben Centrone) wasn't part of the team this time. He was part of another team that Chris and ADouglas charmingly nicknamed Team Never Been Laid. They turn on their own.

For the record, his name is Chris Campbell and uses the gmail address ccampbell at gmail.com. Azrael's real name is Jeff something.

Guys like topher are one of the reasons that I would never use my real name as my screen name.

How sad. Months after I was banned from tophers site and they are still talking about me on 92x, a site I've even been a member of!

Hmm, might be time to join. Tell some truths about Topher. See how he likes it.

Also, stay away from thesaabconnection.net, thats tophers site.

Thanks for the info...I will stick to this forum or other trusted forums where people can be at least civil enough not to gang-up and bully each other. He has been posting non-stop on 92x.com about me, he changed the name of the thread to my full name and my career title to, as he puts it "ensure that the search engines pick this up and attach it to him so he gets fired, divorced,....so on and so on". He even started making calls to people at a company I used to work, which is great because I screen-grabbed it and it gives me the chance to get my corporate lawyers involved as he is now attacking a member of management and attaching negative information to them and the company...

Originally Posted by Hirsch

You just hit the nail on head. A bunch of 30 year olds that act like 12 year old school yard bullies.

EDIT: This is the kind of content you get when topher and his crew are allowed free reign of a forum. Saab92x.com / Do you wipe sitting or standing

He must have some serious issues to go this hardcore on someone that crossed him on his precious "93x.com territory". Does he do anything for a living or just sit on the internet trying to ruin total stranger's lives? I can see him blasting back at me when he got annoyed and I pushed back (I'm not one to back-off when pushed), but I never went past offending a few people who then came at me, guns blazing. I did blaze back, but never wen past, albeit childish, name-calling and back-teasing (i.e. I never looked up personal info on him to use against him in the forums or worse in 'real life' against my family and career and shit. Oh well, I guess it's "over" (I'm guessing with this band-of-playground-brothers it will never be over), my best bet is to be the "adult" and just keep away from the site. As was discussed, he basically took my re-posting of info/proof on synth-oil killing 9-2x aeros as me calling the entire forum "stupid and uneducated"? Wow. What a trip.

All yesterday I kept getting a million emails saying that thread he started against me has updates. I'm not going near that thread, already spoke to my attorney friend and emailed her screen-shots from earlier (and shots that 2 guys emailed me of some recent stuff from earlier in the day), she said I could push it if I wanted to because they were direct threats in a public forum by at least 3 posters, with you-know-who leading the pack (said I had to file a complaint with local PD!), I'll see how it all pans out, hopefully he's take my lack of presence on the site as me saying "I quit", and let it go.

Damn, I'm glad i took a few days off of work...I wouldn't have gotten anything done if I was in the office!