Key fobs have come a long way since their introduction. Once used as a way to unlock your car from afar, they’ve now become the key themselves. They can be color-matched to your car’s exterior paint and can start your car when it’s way too cold out. Even the shapes have become more design-focused...

Replacing the starter on a 2001 Volvo S60 T5 is an easy DIY that takes about 1 hour to complete. It also helps if you have small hands to maneuver in tight quarters. Parts & Tools You’ll Need: Volvo starter Sockets, ratchet Torx bit set Zip ties Flashlight (optional) About 1 hour of free...

Oil analysis helps us figure out the health state of the engine’s oil, which is essentially the lifeblood of the engine. It’s often a mystery to figure out as newer cars have much longer oil service intervals while older cars may have hidden problems lurking.I was fortunate to have historical...

Several months ago I replaced the front struts on a 2004 Saab 9-3 Arc. The struts were shot and I skimped on replacing any of the other components as they seemed to “look” ok. For months it bugged me and after doing some research I decided to replace the strut bearings + mounts as they typically...

Has your Saab 9-3 rear window strip seen better days? Mine was disintegrating and becoming an eye sore: Ordering a new strip for a 2004 Saab 9-3 Arc (SAAB 12789697) helped me figure out how this attaches to the rear window. The c-channel attaches to the window while the rubber flap helps to...

I recently found 2 of the 3 engine cover bolts to have stripped out threads on a 2004 Saab 9-3 Arc. The bolts no longer would bite and just kept spinning indefinitely. The bolts were fine but the threads inside the holes were damaged. One popular option to repair stripped threads is to use...

This is one of those car topics that gets debated like politics or religion. This article isn’t meant to fan those flames but instead it’s to share what I’ve observed so you can make your own decisions. Most modern factory-produced cars including European cars like BMW have a knock sensor which...

A few months after getting a 2004 Saab 9-3 Arc I found that the rear passenger side power window would not always roll back up. Instead it would try to roll up but soon stop and make a crumpling paper type of noise until I let go of the controls. I would have to help it up with my hand in order...

When you replace shocks + struts on a car like this Saab 9-3 you really should be replacing them as a set around the same time to ensure consistent suspension performance. A few months earlier I replaced the front struts, but held off on the rears as I didn’t have enough time to do it all in one...

Replacing the Engine Mounts on a 2001 Volvo S60 T5 is moderately easy to do: it requires a bit more muscle but everything is relatively accessible. Tools you’ll need: new lower right Volvo engine mount new Volvo engine torque rod new upper rear Volvo engine mount sockets, ratchet breaker bar...