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I have looked through multiple recent (and less so) posts on similar issues and would like guidance please.
I have a 2002 OG9-3. I am sorry to say that I really understand very very little about cars (some of the more perceptive amongst you may spot that in what follows...).
Question:
- do I really have to pay USD1600/EUR1400 for this problem. Unfortunately, we have had a consistently bad time with Saab servicing in Italy and have very little trust in the quality of their diagnostics (whatever the problem we end up paying USD1500 every time...). I - and my family - adore our 9-3, but we have had such a rotten time with servicing that we are really being driven away.
Problem:
For a number of weeks we have heard a belt-like whirring upon starting up the car and/or idling. I presume it is the same turbo-sounding whirring described above.
Earlier this week, I returned to Rome after a wonderful 3000m+ road-trip (Rome-London-Rome) in which the car offered barely a murmur. Pounded my way back across Europe to Rome at very high-speed. On the last day, teh a/c stopped giving out very cool air (unfortunate given that it was well over a 100 degrees outside, but heh).
However, about 2 miles from home, we heard a metallic disk-grating-type sound from what sounded like the clutch (sounded like plates grating together).
My wife took the car to the coast with the boys whilst I returned to the office.
Over the weekend - I wasn't there - the power steering went, the car started to overheat, the battery light went on and she stopped the car.
It has been towed to the local saab mechnanic. He has said that it is the a/c compressor and that we should pay USD1600 or thereabouts (oh, and wait a week).
We had a belt - not sure which one... it was at the front and I could see it, if that helps - only a few months back. The whirring seemed to start sometime after that.
Anyway, and having browsed through previous saabnet posts, I am reluctant just to accept a straight "oh..it's the compressor" diagnosis and shell out so much money (times are hard for most of us at the moment... ). Is there anyway that one can tell from above whether it could be something simpler and/or more straightforward.
And from what I have read above, it even looks as tho' I may just be able to circumvent the a/c altogether, which may too be an option...
I know I may sound deeply distrusting, but there are precedents... one of the less positive aspects of expatriate living.
Many thanks... (I have 4 hours to give the mechanic a reply...)
posted by 168.202.2...
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