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Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 14:33:22 -0400
From: Daniel Tucker <dctuckernopsamcape.net>
Subject: Re: Is the 9-5 2.3L LPT just a bath tub on wheels?


Alan, Off the line, the car is notably quicker. There IS notably more torque to get you moving. I have no idea what the real world numbers are, before or after. However, I can dispatch all lesser BMW's and Porsches with ease. Top speed, I don't know. The claimed 140ish stock is faster than I've ever had the nerve to do on a US highway. My personal top speed is 125, and the Abbottized car gets there with significantly less effort than it did stock. Highway passing in the 50-90 range is phenomenal! From 50, drop it to third, floor it, and the car is amazing. Third gear tops out near 90, and continue to accelerate in 4th. I have managed to chirp the OEM Michelin Pilot HX's on the 3-4 upshift. The engine does run out of breath a tad, increasingly so above about 5300 rpm, though I'm told that the intercooler in the HOT is an improvement I could/should add. Gas mileage? I've never cared, quite honestly! It's not a Honda Civix EX... Cornering and handling are the most dramatic improvement. There's A LOT less body roll in hard cornering, though I think that the convertibles come with softer springs than the coupes, so my improvement may be more dramatic. Most significantly, there's less squat on acceleration, so the drive wheels are more inclined to stay hooked up, particularly accelerating out of a corner. There's MUCH less wheel spin from the added torque, due to the stiffer rears. Steering response on your 9-3 is much better than on my 900 to begin with. That's still true with the Abbott springs, but a little less so. Costs: Saab Sport exhaust, dealer installed $450 Abbott Trionic $1000, though I've heard as low as $850 from the US distributor, plus $300 for a Trionic box from a junked car. plus ~$75 (?) for a VDO calibrated boost gauge Abbott Springs $450, Installation and 4 wheel alignment ~$250 (? can't quite remember) Spring will bring a set of BBS HK 17x8 wheels with Bridgestone S02 Pole Position tires in 215/45/17. Should help steering response, cornering grip and acceleration. Particularly in the wet, where the Pilots really suck. ($2100) Is it all worth it? Other than a modified Mustang, I've only been beaten by a late model 911, after harassing him mercilessly on the highway for miles, and a 300ZX twin turbo which absolutely dusted me at about 110 mph (I was in the wrong gear, but it wouldn't have mattered!). I can fit my wife's wheelchair in the back seat or truck, and I'll have room for the baby seat I'll need in February. I can also carry 3 family, friends, co-workers or clients comfortably and discreetly, without hinting at the performance potential of the car. I think it's the pinnacle of the versatility that I've loved in all of the 7 Saabs my wife & I have owned over the years. I want to put a Saab sport exhaust and Abbott Trionic in the 9-5 wagon we're planning on buying in the next few months. Don't think my wife will go for the springs though! Dan Alan Houghton wrote: > Just for curiosity's sake, what does this mean in terms of your car's > performance: > > off the line or 0-60, > top speed, > highway passing or approx. 50-90, > gas mileage? > cornering and handling? > > I just got a 9-3 SE HOT and although I'm very pleased with the > performance, I'm curious about what more I could do. > > Also, about how much did these enhancements cost? > > Daniel Tucker wrote: > > > > Scott, > > > > I have a '97 900 SETC to which I've added the Saab sport exhaust, Abbott > > Trionic upgrade and Abbott sport springs. If you're less than happy with the > > performance of your 9-5, I would not hesitate to install the sport exhaust as > > a first step, and the Abbott or Hirsch Trionic as a second step. In close to > > two years since I've had the Abbott box in my car, I have had NO durability > > problems attributable to the added power, with about 25K miles since the > > upgrade. I run the car at up to 19 lbs of boost, vs ~10 lbs stock. And use > > that power regularly! > > > > My car did eat a turbo (replaced under warranty), but I feel that was due to > > a severe leak in the intake system (blown hose), from the time the car was > > delivered by the dealer (demo, w/6K on the clock) until 6 months later when I > > installed the Abbott box. The Trionic is amazing... despite a gaping hole in > > a 1/2" ID hose, the car made stock boost all that time, causing the turbo to > > work double (+) duty to do that. I didn't realize there was a problem until I > > couldn't get the car to make the 17 lbs of boost that Abbott specs. I have > > had NO other mechanical problems with the car. > > > > I did get a Trionic from a junkyard to send to Abbott, so that I could keep > > the original stock box, to install in the car when returning to the dealer > > for service... just in case. This upgrade may void your warranty on any > > related failures. OTOH, the largest volume Saab dealer in the world, in > > London, sells Abbott prepped cars, new, with the full factory warranty. That > > speaks volumes about the reliability of these upgrades. > > > > Saabs have traditionally been over engineered. The transmissions of the new > > cars are not the weak links that the were in the classic 900's. Look at the > > drive shafts. Don't be afraid! > > > > Go for it. > > > > Dan

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