Premium gas and windshield wipers

[Dave T]

Do you think there's any interest in writing on the following topics?

1. My own data about whether premium gas results in better gas mileage?

2. Windshield wiper data, testing several brands on my Saab.

[Burnsside42]

Do you think there's any interest in writing on the following topics?

1. My own data about whether premium gas results in better gas mileage?

No - because 89/93 Octane is what you should be using in ANY turbo Saab - otherwise you will dirty your valves and ruin your motor with enough time. 87 Octane is crap gas for crap motors

[Dave T]

No - because 89/93 Octane is what you should be using in ANY turbo Saab - otherwise you will dirty your valves and ruin your motor with enough time. 87 Octane is crap gas for crap motors

Ok, you get the few sentence summary.

Yes, 92 and 93 octane gets better gas mileage than 90. I've mixed gas to get 90 but never used straight 87. Higher octane gets better gas mileage than 90 but not enough to account for the higher cost.

In Seattle, there are a few Chevron stations where the difference between 87 and 92 is sometimes less than 20 cents and regular is more than $4. That's still too much to pay solely for increased gas mileage but it makes the difference so small that I almost feel like I'm getting premium for free. When gas prices are going up fast, the difference is sometimes 16 cents in a few stations. Once it was 12 cents!

• Saab is dead and there won't be any new products in the future. The excitement is gone.
• People are a bit burned out on the forum scene
• It's mostly new members asking for help with a problem. There only is a very small number of regulars.
• Other social media like Facebook and blogs are replacing forums
• Too many other existing larger forums. It's a heck of a lot easier to buy communities with people (SaabCentral and other VS forums, SaabsUnited) than starting something from scratch.

I don't like Facebook. I don't really use it except for a few friends that insist.

The excitement about new models is certainly gone. However, the excitement about my current car is still there.

Perhaps, there might be some interest in things for the Saab? For example, there are always new tire models, some of them suitable for Saabs. I currently have Continental ExtremeContact DW, which I deem to be the "best" tire (no such thing), but I think there's a new "best", the Michelin Pilot Super Sport. The Continentals are so much better than the stock tires.

Probably next year, I'm going to buy a bottle of Malm's carnauba wax. I used it for my 1990 900 and it was superb. It's expensive. When I got my 2005, I didn't think of it and bought some wax from the store.

If my car were suddenly crushed by a meteor, I'd look for a new 2011 9-3. If that meteor were in 2014, probably not a 2011 9-3 because it would be too old by then. Saab Ken recently got a 2006 9-3 Sport Combi so the thrill of getting a car might still be with him.

I'm still excited!

[rpiereck]

I also hate Facebook and I hate being corralled into using it.

[euromobile900]

I want to hear about windshield wipers, Dave! I've used Bosches, and their failure rate seems to correlate with the age and condition of my windshield. My girlfriend uses the life out of hers, and only gets about 6 months, which seems unacceptable. I've heard a lot about new silicone rubbers, but I tend to regard anything newfangled for cars with suspicion.

[Dave T]

I want to hear about windshield wipers, Dave! I've used Bosches, and their failure rate seems to correlate with the age and condition of my windshield. My girlfriend uses the life out of hers, and only gets about 6 months, which seems unacceptable. I've heard a lot about new silicone rubbers, but I tend to regard anything newfangled for cars with suspicion.

I'll write it up! If you want the bottom line, pre-publication conclusion, it is Michelin High Performance, available at Walmart. That is the most cost effective wiper that works well. Valeo 900 Ultimates, available at several places, including Tirerack.com, are excellent quality (but not perfect). The higher cost is somewhat more than the lifespan, I believe but I was going to wait until spring to write it up because then the cost issue will be settled.

I did do test some controls to increase the reliability of my conclusions. In other words, a new car has a smooth windshield so later models tested could be at a disadvantage so I retested an earlier tested model.

Of course, my testing is limited to the fact that it's a real world test. One gets real world results but can't test different models on the same day....actually, I also tried that.

• Saab is dead and there won't be any new products in the future. The excitement is gone.
  
  

I was thinking of getting a new 2011 9-3 stored at the port. However, the prices are not that good. Besides, my 2005 9-3 is now over 7 years old so even if disaster strikes and parts are unavailable, I would have gotten enough use from the car. OTOH, the car will probably not be a daily driver past 2020 (15 years old) and a 2011 could push that further to 2026.

Not everyone is like me. I suspect that Frank likes to get a replacement car somewhat often. I can see how that is fun!

Frank's Automobile World has a poll and the car of the year may be the Subaru BRZ or BMW 3 series. Those two are likely replacements for my Saab. Unfortunately, I am a fan of buying new when I need another car. That means the days of Saab for me will not last forever.

[rpiereck]

BRZ as a replacement for a 9-3? Not a bad car, but maybe too small?

[Dave T]

BRZ as a replacement for a 9-3? Not a bad car, but maybe too small?

Without seeing it in person, it's hard to judge. I do fear that the back seat is too small and the trunk too small. Actually, the 9-3 seems smaller than the classic 900 because the 900's seat folds flat and the parcel shelf comes out completely. I suspect the 9-3 is not that way so there can be a steel crossmember support for added safety.

The current generation Acura TSX is supposed to drive a little like a boat, unlike the previous generation. If so, this is going in the wrong direction for me.

Not to fear, I'm not getting a new car anytime soon. The current Saab is fine and still provides daily thrills. Part of what I like is the actual car but part of it is the name. The Saab name is not too dull but also not too flashy. The BMW name is a little too flashy. It didn't used to be that way. In the 1980's, BMWs weren't too flashy.

[Burnsside42]

Don't buy a BMW - and a BRZ is just too expensive and it's RWD.... not a good daily driver.

[rpiereck]

I drove a Scion FR-S and while it's a fun and responsive car to drive, much like a Miata with a hard top, it isn't really big inside. The trunk however is designed to be large enough to be able to carry four full tires, supposedly so you can drive your FR-S/BRZ to the track, swap in your track tires, and then swap back street tires. It's not a small trunk. The rear seats are small.