I’ve already mentioned it in the forum but still I wanted to bring it to the front page in case some did not see it: June 20th 2011 marked the date when Hirsch Performance products could finally be pre-ordered through the US dealer network.
From what I’ve heared the first parts and software upgrade tools are on their way to the US now. For details please contact your local Saab dealer. If you want to check which products are available in your market you can also visit the Hirsch Performance homepage.
I already have, and will, spend a lot of money on the things they have to offer!!! Love it!!! 😀
Me too… 🙂
More good news!
I can’t wait! I hope a dealer near me decides to carry Hirsch. I am just holding my breath until I can Hirsch my car.
Why wait.. go to the best local dealer you have and ask for it. If they get questions about it.. they might become more interested in providing the service! The consumer has the power! 😉
Willing to Hirsch my 2010 9-5 Aero, but my Baton Rouge, Louisiana SAAB dealer says the Japanese earthquake/tsunami has delayed the launching of Hirsch in the US. They said to check back with them in early August. To their credit, it appears they looked into it for me, and two different employees called me back, but ultimately said to call back in three weeks and they’d check again. Anyone else encounter a delay due to the Japanese tragedy?
Great news. Now I just need the IE 9-3 I ordered 4 months ago to be built so I can tune it!
I’m a little torn as to whether I’d want to do the upgrade. I’ve read that your car will suddenly require 91 octane fuel (based on the U.S. scale) and the engine will sound different after you’ve upgraded. I have a 2.0T model and I like how it sounds, and while I use 91 anyway, I am just not sure if I would want to do the upgrade. Plus, there is the cost associated with it. Call me weird: but I’m a sort of a purist, so I tend not really like the “tuner car” look. So even if I… Read more »
You have to speculate to accumulate. Nothing in life is free. 🙂
I’m pretty sure for a software upgrade you can get a 10 day trial period. If you are not happy the dealer will reset to the factory setting and refund the cost. You are just out the 30 minutes labor it takes upload and the software.
Right, you got the 10 day free trial period. You may have to pay for installation/deinstallation, but that is up to your dealer.
hmm, maybe Ill look into it. No rush though: Im happy with my SAAB as it is ….
The new 9-5 2.0T (and presumably 9-3 Griffin) is now chippable to 260hp as expected! This should be 100% reliable too, because GM has sold that engine before in that setup. A 9-5 with that spec would be a very high impact and efficient high speed transporter! Man, I wish I needed a car right now.
The figure is 260hp / 295 lb-ft. This 2.0T motor is known for being very upgradeable. In other vehicles it will do 340 lb-ft out of the box almost. Consider this GM upgrade for a related engine (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/18/gm-releases-turbo-upgrade-kit-for-solstice-gxp-sky-redline-and/) This would be a very “intelligent” car to buy and chip…. drool.
Hirsch remommends 98 octane , is this available in the USA ?
98 RON octane is the same as 91-93 octane in the USA. It is in every city or town in America. But many Europeans online believe it suggests their gasoline is higher octane. Kind of like 100 km/h sounds faster than 90 MPH, but isn’t 🙂
In many parts of the South, 90-octane gasoline is as high as you can get. 91-octane gasoline in my area (Texas Panhandle) is VERY scarce and anything above 91-octane simply doesn’t exist. I wish I knew if there was a reason for this and, if so, what that reason is.
I would not get excited yet. They have come out with fanfare and a brass band before but there is no mechanism for dealers yet. I made calls last week.
Exactly what is “pre-ordered” ?? You can go to who? How can a dealer take money if they don’t have the computer or the training? And they don’t.
Note that the US dealer page is blank.
The dealers got their info on the last dealer meeting.
As I said the first upgrade tools and parts are on the way to the US now. The dealer page will be updated as the dealers have their tools in hands.
There was no meeting from the dealers I spoke with.
There was a list you could sign up to be on and it came with a discount if you signed by the 15’th.
They indicated that it would be at best the end of summer before the equipment arrived and the training started.
THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE LAST LIST. I CALLED THE DEALERS ON IT AND THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE PROGRAM. 3 DEALERS THAT WERE ON A BOGUS LIST.
It was at the last dealer meeting.
The one dealer who did talk to the about signing up knew nothing about the Euro program where you try before you buy. I had to explain it to them. As a major selling point, a service trial, since they have a higher price helps justify it. Without it it strips them of half of their advantage, the remainder being the warranty. Come to think of it, this also precludes any of the more advanced packages where they would change the IC or the turbo since that would be additional training. As usual Hirsch and Saab send the circus but… Read more »
When it comes to training it’s not a big deal. For the US those tunings are software only. And I don’t think a car mechanic needs some training to install rims, spoilers or an exhaust.
What of the rest of the Hirsch package? It is more than just a flash, I read the product line and much requires other hardware like IC and turbo to get the high end power. OH? are they excluding the high end power packages? So from what you are saying they ARE EXCLUDING the high level packages? Where was this alleged “meeting” held … till72? Till (pun intended, nuk,nuk), I started making phone calls one of the comments was that there was NO ACTIVE OUTREACH TO PROMOTE THE PROGRAM, one of the fellows I know called me back and told… Read more »
The meeting was in Denver at the end of June. A Saab USA dealer meeting, which is logical since the distribution channel for Hirsch Performance in the US is Saab USA. As published earlier here on SU the software upgrades that are CARB certified are 9-3 2,0T MY 2007- 9-3 2,8T MY 2008 9-5 2,8T MY 2010- There is only one upgrade (300hp for TurboX), which requires additional hardware and that will afaik not come to the US, which is a matter of certification costs for a model that is not on sale anymore. When it comes to high level… Read more »
You can call it negative but there has to date been no substance behind these programs. The first time, list was published of the participating dealers. I called three and not one had heard of the program or signed up for a list. Clearly it was pencil whipped and these small dealers were not happy with being used. This month it is an announcement in some obscure (the dealers words) that would be missed unless you were looking for it. I note the lack of details for this program too. There is no list No mechanism for collecting money to… Read more »
The point about a car being in production is that you need to look at expected sales and cerification costs. Not a problem in markets where Hirsch is available for many years but in new markets you have to make a decision how much of your back program you can offer.
That leads to the point of former SaabUSA/GM more or less blocking Hirsch from the US.
There is substance behind it, believe me.
I’m a little unhappy with the program myself. I have a 2009 9-3 Aero which is not eligible for upgrade (well, I already used VTuner, but there’s the other stuff) and tuning my six-month-old 9-5 voids the warranty?!
Still, this is progress and while it doesn’t help me now, it will help SAAB USA and perhaps when I buy the next car years from now.
Of those interested in the lowering kit for the NG 9-5 (2.8T AWD), I contact Hirsch directly and they replied (real quick) with “We are still waiting for some side impact crash simulations with the lowered suspension installed to be finalized. Please chack back in 3-4 months time.” I think its pretty cool that they are actually doing crash simulations – hopefully they will offer this package in the US because the NG 9-5 sits way to high. I parked next to a 2011 LaCrosse last week and the nose on the Lacrosse is at least 10-20mm lower than my… Read more »
I also have the NG 9-5… I know I’m biased but I think the LaCrosse is aging quickly. It’s looking far less similar to my car that I originally thought.
The interior on the Buick is terrible and I also like the 9-5’s looks better. However, I do applaud Buick – their line-up is much improved.
till72, since you have such an inside track, get your story straight or at least go back through the archives of SU. The original SU links blamed it on the failure to meet the California standards. Then the list was published where it did meet the standards. Now you blame it on GM? How about Maud and the EIB. So Hirsch has a link to a list that nothing comes up on? IMHO, the reason for the exclusion of the TX and 09 Aero is that they thought we would all get in line to get car that was now… Read more »
rallyho,
we know you are right,
please give us all a break,and read the comments policy.
The problem about the TX and ’09 Aero were the California standards, didn’t want to blame that on GM. The problem for Hirsch is that they had to decide which upgrades to send to the CARB approval. And the TX fell through as they expected only few sales. My point was that if GM had been more friendly back then Hirsch were already in the US for some years with the respective back programme and we would not have this discussion. As for the empty dealer list – I’ve already explained that. You’re so eager to talk it down, just… Read more »
I just got a call and the program is being formed. There are no details on IF the US program will have the trial period that the EU has.
IMHO, big mistake if they don’t since that is a heavy selling point regarding consumer confidence.
Absolutely agree. The 10 day trial is something that will bring people into the dealers and lord knows Saab needs all the consumer confidence boost in the US it can get. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved anyway. How many won’t buy the flash in the end? 10-20%? Heck if only 10% buy the upgrade it will be worth it. Would sound like very cheap but positive marketing to me if dealers started to invite owners in to try the tune out for zero cost. Who knows they might even get hooked (like some here) and come back for… Read more »