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The lease on my '02 9-5 Aero was up, and because of unfavorable rates, the lease on an '05 would have been more than $100 higher per month. No thanks. As Mike Lynch would say, I really got a "killer deal" back in '02 with 1.3% financing.
The car was nearly perfect! Other than routine maintenance, the only item requiring attention was a rattling passenger-side window. (A well-known problem, requiring some rubber pieces to be reinstalled)
I looked around and almost got the new BMW 330i. In terms of sheer driving pleasure, this is the one to beat. The steering and handling are simply amazing. But they're charging an arm and a leg for this one because it's new, and it's a first-year model which is bound to be problematic...
I drove the latest Audi A4 Quattro and was also impressed. I drove the 2.0 turbo-4 with gasoline direct injection. It beats the SAAB 2.3 turbo in terms of smoothness, and it has less turbo lag to boot. Handling is nice and nimble, but the interior is too cramped for my tastes, and Audi reliability can be questionable.
I looked at the Infiniti G35. Nice car, lots of power, but the interior is really cheesy--it felt like I was sitting inside a mid-80's Maxima!
The car I wound up getting an '05 Acura TL 6MT w/navigation for about $32.5K.
The first thing that strikes you about the Acura is how modern it is, especially compared to the 9-5 which is growing long in the tooth.
ENGINE/GEARBOX/DRIVETRAIN: I loved the SAAB turbo 4 in the mid-80's, when it was one of the first to feature such advances as a 16-valve head, turbocharging w/APC, and later, Trionic, but this engine is a dinosaur now. The DI issue is only being solved now (maybe?), and why in the world do the pulleys still disintegrate? This engine also eats spark plugs (every 10-12K for copper or every 25-30K for platinum) and cooks engine oil (you should only use the best high-30 weight to 40 weight synthetic engine oil and change it often)
The Acura has a state-of-the-art 270-hp V6 with a real 105,000 mile tune-up interval, and because it's a V6, it's unmatched by any 4-cyl in terms of smoothness, sound, and flexibility. It carries ULEV-2 certification. In day-to-day commuting (NYC/Manhattan and Long Island), I'm actually getting slightly better fuel economy with the TL compared to the 9-5.
As is the case with all Honda products, the Acura's 6-speed manual gearbox is a joy to use, with short throws. You can shift it as quickly as you like, unlike the SAAB manual gearbox, which doesn't like to be rushed. The TL easily pulls around low-speed corners in 3rd gear whereas the SAAB would complain in 2nd. Midrange torque is better in the SAAB of course, but the Acura isn't torque-limited in 1st and 2nd gears so it sprints to 60 mph in less time (5.7 sec vs 6.4)
Acura doesn't have to torque-limit the TL in the lower gears because it has 100% more traction, via a limited-slip front differential. The TL puts power down through BOTH front wheels, unlike the SAAB with its open front diff. With an open front differential, once one front wheel loses traction, it's game over. Traction control will apply the brakes and cut engine power. No comparison to a limited-slip diff which will send the power to the other wheel. This is particularly useful when accelerating quickly out of turns.
SUSPENSION: The TL has a firmer, but less harsh, suspension. It feels stiffer, but actually swallows potholes better. It doesn't mask high speed as well as the SAAB. However, bigger tires and wider wheels give the TL a higher level of grip on the skidpad. Also, higher ground clearance in the TL means less bottoming out. Overall, the TL is more nimble and tossable, and has better measurable handling (objectively) but not quite the same high-speed feel (subjectively) as the 9-5 Aero.
BRAKING: The SAAB's brakes are excellent, with wonderful feel, but they produce copius amounts of sticky brake dust. As expected, the TL's brakes produce much less dust. The TL has 4-piston Brembo brakes up front. The TL has a shorter stopping distance but less pedal feel compared to the 9-5.
LIGHTING: The TL's bi-xenon lamps illuminate the road better than the ones in the 9-5. They have a wider, brighter beam, and better throw. Also, the TL has LED brake lights which are brighter (and quicker to illuminate) compared to the incandescent bulbs used in the 9-5. I prefer the rear amber directionals in the 9-5, however. The TL features red directionals.
INTERIOR/CONVENIENCE: The Acura has great seats, but the 9-5 Aero seats are still king! The 9-5 has a roomier interior and trunk. But everything else in the interior of the Acura is better!
Let's start with the dashboard. The Acura has beautiful electroluminescent gauges, and real aluminum trim (unlike the fake plastic in the 9-5 Aero). The TL has higher quality switchgear, and a more modern layout. There's two large cupholders in the center console--FINALLY, a cupholder for my fiancee! (She was very happy about that) The TL has more nooks and crannies where you can store things.
The TL has Bluetooth technology, which works perfectly with my Nokia 6600. As soon as I get in the car and start it up, they're linked. The phone stays in my pocket, and any incoming or outgoing calls route automatically through the stereo. No more fumbling with a headset or the phone keypad. Caller ID shows up on the MID (Acura's equivalent of the SID) The Acura's voice recognition feature is much better (quicker and more accurate) than the OnStar system's.
The TL has (as optional equipment) one of the best navigation systems on the market. It has a large 8" touch screen and it can respond to voice commands. It's fun to ask it to "find nearest Chinese/Italian/Japanese (etc) restaurant". Through Bluetooth you can call that restaurant easily to make a reservation or place an order! Or, the system can locate the nearest gasoline station, police station, hospital, shopping mall, etc.
XM satellite radio comes standard on the TL and it's very entertaining on long trips, with over 150 channels to choose from. My fiancee enjoys this feature as well. It's somewhat strange that XM didn't make it into the 9-5 earlier than the '06 model, since GM is such a huge supporter of XM...
Oh, and speaking of the radio, the TL has one of the best systems on the market, with DVD-Audio 5.1 surround and DTS capability. I love the in-dash 6-disc changer. The tape deck facilitates an iPod connection (through an adapter) but an input jack would have been better.
Acura has the best implementation of the "mirror tilt down while in reverse" function. The mirror adjustment selector switch has three settings--left, middle (off), and right. When it's to the left, the driver's side mirror tilts down automatically in reverse gear, and when the switch is to the right, the passenger mirror tilts in reverse. Center position=no tilt.
The remote for the door locks works from a much greater distance on the TL. Also, it lets you roll down all the windows and open the sunroof, by keeping the "unlock" button depressed. This is convenient on hot days. (Closing them requires you to use the key)
I love the Acura but will continue to have fond memories for SAAB. I look forward to seeing the next-generation 9-5.
If anyone finds a steel-gray, stick-shift '02 9-5 Aero sedan with ~37K miles on it, with a SAABNET sticker on the rear passenger side window, that was mine! I left some goodies on it, like a Stratmosphere piston-type BPV, a Fumoto oil drain valve, wheel locks, headlight & foglight protectors, and the original carpets (I used SAAB all-weather mats, so the carpets were mint).
I'll still be lurking on the BB as time allows!
Jason
posted by 69.114.82...
, Sun, 16 Oct 2005 17:07:01
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