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Re: winter performance of 9-3 vs. 9000 (long) Posted by don_young [Email] (#815) [Profile/Gallery] (more from don_young) on Sun, 6 Jul 2014 21:18:22 In Reply to: winter performance of 9-3 vs. 9000, Salty, Sun, 6 Jul 2014 16:54:38 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
I would estimate that they are pretty similar in competence in snow. I've had an '87 9000T and replaced it in 2006 with a new 9-3 2.0T SC. We live in the SF Bay Area and regularly trek up to Kirkwood (base=7800', site of the 1996 SOC) during the winter. The cars always have been shoed with the current Nokian WRs. Most trips are snow-free until 5-6000' and I've only had to use snow chains twice on both cars and those were only on occasions when we had been snowed in for a couple of days and had to get out of Kwood. Whenever I approached a Caltrans chain control station going to the mountain, the workers would see a Euro car with four snow tires and wave me on, thinking I was AWD. Handling and braking in snow with the Nokians were similar for both vehicles. My 9000 suspension was a bit lowered and I high-centered it once after a new storm -- no such issues with the 9-3 SC, tho I am probably more prudent these days. I have a sense that the 9000 was also a bit more stable in crosswinds than the 9-3SC, a characteristic that I would attribute to differences in weight and cross-section. We recently acquired a 9-3X so I'm looking forward to testing its capabilities this winter -- tho, I'm bummed that the 16" WRG2 from the SC won't clear the calipers of the 9-3X.
_______________________________________ ================================ Current stable: 1967 96 V-4 Monte Carlo 1968 Sonett II V-4 1988 900T convertible 2006 9-3 2.0T sport-combi -- stage 1 BSR 2011 9-3X -- Stage 1 BSR ================================
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