Saab 9-3 2.8T Stage 0
$599.00
Saab 93 2.8T Stage 0 320hp
24 in stock (can be backordered)
Description
Stage 0 (320 HP / 400 lb-ft Upgrade)
Flashable Tune Via Handheld – Store Multiple Tuning Files
– No Laptop Required
– High Speed Data Logging
– Complete Customization Available
– Updates Via Email
– View & clear trouble codes
– New! Speed Limiter (vmax) & Tire Size (speedo) Adjustment
Additional information
| Weight | 1 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 5 × 3 × 1.5 in |
Ben –
Ben says:
August 8, 2015 at 12:29 am
Just wanted to add my praise to the Stage 0 tune!
I bought my 2006 Aero auto back in early 2012 and did a lot of research comparing various tunes and one thing that kept bringing me back to VTuner was not only the superior power and torque, but the reputation that Brian has built with excellent customer service and knowledge. I am very glad that I went with VTuner!
I sold the car to my brother a year ago and it is still running perfectly. The tune has been running, untouched, for over 3 years now and the car would have done probably 70k km in that time (at least). I haven’t had one single issue that could be caused directly from the tune. As long as some precautions are taken, the car will run beautifully for many years I’m sure.
I changed the following together with loading the tune:
– K&N panel filter
– Spark plugs (Denso Iridiums IKH22, gapped to Brian’s suggestion – can’t remember what that is now)
– 6 new coils (Rockauto, about $40 each, are actually Bosch items although branded as something else)
– Cleaned the MAF (Brian was able to tell that this needed cleaning just from sending him a log of the car via email!)
In terms of maintenance, I was told by an expert Saab mechanic that the auto gearbox will be fine as long as its oil is changed frequently. So I have had the oil changed in it twice as often as is recommended by Saab and it still drives exactly as it did when I bought the car.
Regarding oil changes, as you know the Saab has an oil quality meter which, to my knowledge, actually measures many different properties of the oil (so is not just a “timer” as such), so it should be a reliable measure of the actual oil quality. Having said this, I have just stuck to the recommended 20k oil change intervals but if I were still the owner I would probably change this twice as often just to be double sure. I haven’t had any issues at all – just saying, oil is cheap but engines aren’t!
As for how the car drives with the tune – it’s chalk and cheese compared to stock! The throttle is more sensitive and gives the impression of the car being more “boosty”, which in turn makes it feel even quicker. I’ve only ever run the car on 98 RON fuel so cannot comment on any lower octanes. I cannot recall what the fuel economy was like when the car was stock (as I only owned it for about 2-3 weeks before loading in the tune!) however I was getting about 12.5 L/100km (18.8 mpg) average with an average speed of about 45 km/h which I would consider semi-city driving. I have consistently seen 7.3 L/100km (32.2 mpg) on the highway over a several hundred km long drive, and this has been repeated on at least 5 lengthy drives. The absolute best I have ever seen is the same as the claimed fuel economy of 6.8 L/100km (34.5 mpg) over about 40 km at 100 km/h which I imagine would be the same as the official fuel economy test (the longer drives were with luggage and at 110 km/h). So as you can see, fuel economy is dead on what the stock car would see, possibly better considering it’s less likely to change into a lower gear on a steep hill, etc.
Overall, I am extremely impressed with the tune and Brian’s customer service. Anyone thinking about tuning their V6 should do so immediately with VTuner. Don’t even look at the competitors!
Randy –
Randy says:
2015/10/24 at 1:12 pm
I was getting ready to sell my 2010 93 CV because it didn’t have the power i wanted. As a last resort, i decided to try the Stage 0. Holy crap – not for sale anymore!! The power at any gear from 2200 – 5500 rpm’s is crazy. I drive an aggresive piece of FL interstate where you better be able to move quickly to advance in traffic or avoid getting hit. No issue any more – I smile everytime I drive my car. Totally worth the money and Brian was extremely responsive.
Joe S –
Joe S says:
2015/07/21 at 8:13 pm
Ok I finally bit the bullet after researching and asking Brian a lot of questions. I have a 2008 Aero convertible which I bought at 65K miles after my 2005 Saab convertible gave up the ghost. I wanted the V6 power, then when learned of VTune wanted it even more. I went for new coils and recommended plugs along with a K&N filter up front. The conversion really just took a minute or 2 just like the instructions said and the machine has run flawlessly for a month now. The difference in power and acceleration in any gear is very noticeable and I have no issues merging and keeping up and ahead if I want to with traffic in metro Atlanta, which is saying something. I heartily recommend this upgrade to anyone considering it, it takes the car from brawny to BEAST.
James Baker –
Absolutely the best performance modification for the buck hands down. Living in the Silicon Valley, +300hp cars are the norm and with today’s California highway speeds and short merges, the Stage 0 tune makes quick confident work out of commuting. The low end torque the tune delivers is a dream, just absolutely beautiful, and it pushes the car with ease without being obvious about being on the throttle. This tune is more than I anticipated. Working with Brian is also an awesome experience. You don’t chance run into a character like this everyday. Absolutely knowledgeable, responsive, stands by his work, and is great to work with. I also had investigated other tuning options, and in the forums I found Brian was the go-to-guy, and now from experience, I can say he most definitely is the go-to-guy.
Josiah G –
Absolutely fantastic tune. Money well spent every time.
I had the Stage 0 tune on my 2006 9-3 Aero 2.8T V6 and it just woke the engine up brilliantly. Performance was through the roof and every car-tuner that rode in it wanted one of their own. The ’06 Aero is just harder to find now with a manual transmission. I had 50k miles on it and put a fun 50k more on it with the tune, until someone rearended me in August and totaled it… It was a very sad day. Of course I kept the VTuner Handheld for when I find another one!
I’ve been on the hunt ever since, especially for a Turbo X… that would just be nuts. Might go for a Stage 1 or 2 for that though!
Thanks for everything Brian, I look forward to my next one! You’ll be hearing from me again!
Matt R –
I have a 2006 Saab Aero. Before I even begin talking about the performance gain with the stage 0. Brian takes customer service to a whole new level, not only with his knowledge but his patience with answering questions. Coming from a GM of a shop in which we deal with a lot of Saabs. The performance gains were incredible and found no loss of daily driveability. I am going to recommend this to any one looking for more performance out of their Saabs and will send as many people I can your way. Thanks again for everything again. Will be contacting you soon about stage 1 or 2.
Jon S (verified owner) –
Definitely the best money spent on my aero since ownership. I was a bit hesitant at the beginning (150k miles on original turbo), but I eventually bit the bullet and went with Brian’s tune. I was between this and JZW stage 1, but those on the forum Saabcentral led me to Vtuner, as he has more experience with the v6 and a solid reputation. Brian is quick to answer questions, and spent hours emailing and talking over the phone when I initially had a problem (my fault, triggered the battery safety disconnect switch and didn’t realize).
I’ve run the 93 tune for a little more than 2000 miles and have had a fantastic time. Really turns the car into a beast. As others have stated, the torque from around 3k rpms is unbelievable. My car easily breaks sticky summer tires loose in second gear. Will be looking at stage 1 or 2 eventually as the stock turbo is still hugely limiting top end power though.
Make sure your coils and plugs are all in good shape, and that you have the right ones (I would change them anyways, just to be safe.) Also a warning for those 6mt drivers, make sure your clutch is up to the torque this tune offers. If you’re on the edge, just go with it. Really wakes up the aero and it will make your car feel fast again!
Joe F – Georgia –
I own a 2007 Saab 9-3 Aero 2.8T with just over 180K miles on it. I learned of Brian and Vermont Tuning from the SaabCentral postings, and decided to try it. It is everything that the other reviews say it is! Makes the car superbly responsive and fast as hell for the money!!! I simply could not comprehend that with no hardware changes at all the car could be upgraded this much. I am truly impressed with the fun to dollar ratio!!! Thank you Brian!
Scott (verified owner) –
I have a 2007 9-3 Aero Combi, 2.8t. Not an abused car, well maintained with Mobil 0-W Synth. At 152,000 miles I wanted to take the chance on a tune. Have had the Stage 0 on the car for a couple weeks and am very pleased. Easy to install. What other users note above has been my experience. This is worth the money, if you want to enjoy your Saab more, and Brian has been great on responsive and helpful customer service.
Mekhi (verified owner) –
Simple install. Worth every penny; looking forward to Stage 2!
Christopher Contreras (verified owner) –
2007 Saab 9-3 Aero, installed at 130k miles on motor. 5 stars. This tune is very reliable and worth every dollar. Day and night difference. Easy install and it is very quick as well. I will be upgrading to stage 2 soon, since I already have full bolt ons. Cheers
Brooke (verified owner) –
Just magic. After the BMW dealer pissed me off by offering $500 on my 2007 saab 9-3 aero with 106K, I decided to skip the BMW and keep the saab and fix it instead. New struts, AC compressor, alternator, fuel pump, ECU, coils and plugs (Brian’s recommendations-(but look for the AC-Delco coils – they are Bosch with the GM logo- and half the price) , belts and hoses, etc. Talked to the local saab dealer (hard to find) who recommended Maptune., but spoke to Brian and went with VTune stage 0. He was very helpful on the install, although it’s not difficult. Before: not great off the line, quick in 3rd and 4th, easy to lug in 5th and 6th. After: very quick off the line, huge difference in 3rd and 4th, and good acceleration even in 5th and 6th. No driveability issues at about 1000 miles. No misfires. It’s a little disconcerting to see the boost gauge in the red on hard acceleration, but nothing has blown up yet. Easily the best money I’ve spent on any car in terms of fun per dollar. If saab had offered this as an upgrade they would still be in business.
Ryan Gerth (verified owner) –
I programmed the VTuner to my 2006 93SS 2.8T on December 30th, 2017 when it had just over 110k miles. I installed the spark plugs as recommended, and made modifications along the way. Water/meth injection (highly recommend), LS2 Direct Ignition Coils to solve the longevity issue with factory, catless down and mid-pipes, GenuineSaab cold air intake, and many others. Brian helped me along the way with programming changes for the LS2 coils, Water/Meth, etc and I have NEVER had an issue. I am just shy of 200k miles and about to sell the car. Oil changes every 5k miles with oil analysis every time shows a healthy engine. Brian’s tune is safe and kept up with everything I wanted this car to do. I’m sad to be leaving the Saab scene, but hope he does well because his product is unlike any other. This truly is a long-term and safe solution to an engine that can really be let loose.
Gus Schumacher (verified owner) –
Recently got the Stage 0 tune for my 2008 9-3 Turbo X with an automatic transmission. Super easy install, and the difference is acceleration and responsiveness is huge! Brian was really helpful throughout the process too. I’d highly recommend the Vtuner stg 0 to anyone with a 2.8T Saab.
Lawrence P –
If you own an Aero 2.8 and it’s not tuned by VTuner. Your just doing it all wrong! Brian was awesome to deal with! I installed the recommended plugs before the programming. This stage 0 just completely transformed my 06 Aero 6sp Manual! I will definitely be sticking with VTuner for all my future tuning needs!
John Leeser (verified owner) –
Hands down, dollar for dollar, the best upgrade/improvement to my 2008 9-3 Aero 2.8 with 140K miles. The pop and jump added to the already fun to drive Aero is amazing. The installation was easy. Brian was responsive with my initial questions. And he was quick to get back to me after I sent him my file for the test drive after the install. All was fine. I have been running the tune for six months now. I’ve noticed no issues with the “back” three coils and plugs that I replaced prior to installing the tune. However, recently I did notice a miss..Brian’s install device helped me to identify that it was one of the front cylinder coils not initially replaced. Swapped it out and all is well again. The only thing bad about the tune is that my wife now wants my car. She is currently driving an ’08 9-3 2.0 with 246k miles so I get it. But that means another Aero may be in future. Another Saab is not a bad thing. It will get a Vtune for sure. 5 stars!!!!! More if I could.
Steven Bradley (verified owner) –
Installed on a 2006 Saab 93 2.8t V6 aero convertible .first of all at the car is like night and day change the coils,spark plugs air filter and I also have a PedalBox installed on the car man this car is so much fun to drive now it’s ridiculous….. In the future will be doing the intercooler all the piping and a new turbo. Thanks Vermont tune……
Martin Zhu (verified owner) –
I have the same car as Steven’s – a 2006 9-3 2.8t V6 aero convi. I recommend changing your coils, spark plugs, air filter, and engine oil and filter before the tune. It just works so well. The acceleration logic is different from the stock, but much faster. Thanks VTuner, thanks Brian.
Andrew Bell –
First loaded the Stage0 tune onto an 06 Aero about 6-7 years ago, and subsequently my current 08 Aero XWD (both 6-speed manuals). After 6-7 years and 100,000km, absolutely nothing but good things to say about the way both cars operated / operate with this tune. I agree with the other comments posted here – if you own a Saab and enjoy stepping on the gas once in a while, this upgrade is almost mandatory.
Chris (verified owner) –
Great tune and so easy to use. About to buy another for my second Saab V6
Mitch (verified owner) –
Brian is the best worked with him the first time I bought the tuner about 5 years ago he is very responsive and helpful. I just purchased a second one as the first one was stolen out of my car. I wouldn’t go anywhere else for the tune it was just that good and I can’t say enough about the customer service. If you’re on the fence just send it and get one.