2003-2011 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Among the myriad of SAABs I've owned, I drove a manual 94 9000 Aero for 130K until she hit 240K and sold it in outstanding running condition. It did eat me alive in repairs while I had it. I loved the car, though. It just became too much to maintain. I, now, have a 2006 9-3 Aero manual with 204K on the clock along with two other 9-3 Aeros, both with slighly over 100K on them.
As others have stated, they're two totally different animals. The 9000 Aero seats were just amazing, but I would definitely prefer the 9-3 Aero seats over the CSE. I'm not a small guy (6,0" 240lbs) and I drive my 9-3 Aero to Myrtle Beach once per year for a golf trip (9 hours one way). I don't experience any fatigue, and I'm very comfortable for the entire trip. The back seats offer way less leg room in the 9-3 and you lose the utility of a hatch unless you get the combi. The tranny in the 9-3 is light years better. I'm still going strong with the original tranny and clutch in the 9-3. By this time, I had already put two trannys in the 9000. The turbo hits harder in the the 9000 Aero, 15psi vs 8psi in the 9-3 (not sure what the 97 CSE is making). I miss that hit, but a tune in the 9-3 solves that handily. My son has a mild JZW tune in his 07 9-3 Aero and it's just silly fast. The 9-3 construction just seems better. Less noise like creeks and air around the doors, and they corner great right out of the box. As already stated, more refined. The 9-3 window regulators and sunroof mechanism are far superior. I've had zero problems with them. I was was always messing with that stuff in the 9000 and NEVER got the sunroof to seal properly. A/C in the 9-3 is way better and more cup holders ;). I'm still running all the original coils in the 9-3. I can't recall how many DI cassettes I went through on that 9000. If you tune the 9-3, though, the first things to go will be the coils. AutoZone sells them for $70ea and they come with a lifetime warranty. There are more wheel options too, if you're into that kind of thing. Putting 18"s in the 9-3 will make its cornering even more fun. It's no secret that the 9-3's V-6 Aero engine is more difficult to work on and from what I've just learned, if you need a 9-3 Aero engine rebuild, just buy a new car. That wasn't the case with the 9000's 2.3T (wonderful engine and still my favorite SAAB engine).
Given the choice, and knowing all that I know concerning reliability, performance and comfort, I'd pick the 9-3 every time. Of the 16 SAABs I've owned over the past 25 years, the 9-3 Aero is my favorite.
Good luck
80 900 GLE
83 900S
83 900 Turbo
85 900 Turbo
86 900
89 9000 Turbo
89 900
94 9000 Aero
01 9-5 Wagon (RIP Drunk Driver)
01 9-5 Wagon
04 9-5 Aero Wagon
06 9-7X 4.2
06 9-3 Aero (Current)
06 9-3 Aero (Current)
07 9-3 Aero (Current)
08 9-7X Aero
12 Mercedes ML-350 (Current)
posted by 174.54.1...
, Sun, 27 Apr 2014 13:04:25
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