New 9-5 Home, Mind Sufficiently Blown

Posted by eggsngrits on December 15th, 2007 8 Comments Printer-Friendly

Well, EnG took it in the shorts yesterday in Dallas with my “new” 1999 9-5 SE losing the belt during the morning commute. Again, thanks to French’s for getting me on track in about 5 hours with a clean bill of health and a new engine mount and a new belt. Again, I love the internet — I knew exactly whom to call to help!

Living with the 9-5 on the road — wow. Easy. This car loves the highway. Very, very stable at highway speeds, even on some bad stretches of road in Eastern Arkansas (it’s much better than it used to be there, I’m thankful to report). Lots of room for acceleration to pass, always a linear response. Steering is precise without being overly fussy.

However, when you get off the interstate highways is when the fun really begins with this car.

What a blast to take off at a light and have the car leap forwards from the first stomp on the pedal! The smoothness of the transmission — I cannot say enough. With only a couple of traffic lights, I was able to shift from first to second to third so smoothly that the car barely hesitates! Try that in a C900. It just doesn’t happen. On the curves, again the incredible steering feel and precision put you in complete control. I have so much more confidence to really push the 9-5 in a corner vs. the C900.

Then, there’s the real biggie. The thing that really sets the 9-5 SE apart from my convertible — the stiffness and suspension. These two things are hand-in-hand in my opinion; you can’t really have a great suspension if the car flexes, and you can’t have a stiff car that’s really driveable without a good suspension. As I said before, the 9-5 is a freakin’ rock. Solid, like it’s one piece of metal. No rattles, no noises, no shaking. Then, it’s got this incredible way of negotiating all of the bumps and curves without losing a bit of footing — it seems to instictively know how to keep the tires in contact with the pavement. Finally, the road feel is incredible, yet it doesn’t jar your fillings loose with a race-car ride. Comparing the 9-5 to a twenty-year-old convertible in the stiffness department isn’t a fair fight, I know, but the comparison is from my perpective, and that’s what I’m used to.

I’m still a newbie, so there will be more impressions to come, for sure.

Unfortunately, since my trip home was delayed, I didn’t get the opportunity to shoot the pictures that I had planned, nor did I get my ribs >:(, but I got the chance to shoot these. My point-and-shoot camera really doesn’t do well with night shots, so these are mediocre and heavily Gimped.

First, the 9-5 at the Arkansas State House in Little Rock, Arkansas:

Then the 9-5 on Beale Street in downtown Memphis, Tennessee:

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Mike C. said:

Eggs: You should feel the difference in the ride from my 02 se vert to my o4 vert.
BIG BIG improvement with the 04 in ride quality, looks, trani and interior noise. Your new ride looks great. I am sure once you get finished with it, it’s going to look even better. CONGRATS ON YOUR NEW RIDE.

-December 15th, 2007 at 6:02 am
RJ said:

Welcome to the 9-5 club, Eggs. Looks so good in white…

Also, I wish I had a manual like your car has. You got it made!

(Well, until you start with your mods anyway…)

-December 15th, 2007 at 6:40 am
Greg Abbott said:

As much as a 9-5 enthusiast as I am, you clearly have never driven a well-sorted c900 with a solid roof.

I’m in the midst of putting back together a Talladega Red SPG — it’s been lowered with Intrax springs, Bilsteins, and new ball joints and suspension bushings all around, and . . .

it is pure magic how it handles. Incredibly light on its feet, immediate response to steering inputs, etc. It’s the automotive equivalent of a scalpel, carving its way through urban traffic.

My daily driver, a 2000 9-5 Aero, while possessed of many handling virtues, is simply not the same.

I also have a c900 convertible, a red ‘89, and your assessment of what the body flex does to the handling is spot on — if I were comparing my 9-5 to a c900 convertible I would have exactly the same reaction as you are having.

But nit-picking aside, congratulations on the 9-5 — they’re awesome cars; they do hold up incredibly well (my 9-5 has 125,000 miles and not a squeak or a rattle).

Actually, I had a 1993 900 SPG, but it’s been a long time — I sold that car eleven years ago. Hard to remember the subtleties at this point. I agree with you that the C900 is probably quicker on the move than the 9-5, but the 9-5 is night and day vs. the ‘vert. EnG

-December 15th, 2007 at 6:46 am
saab9x said:

congrats on a great choice!

-December 15th, 2007 at 7:22 am
MarkS. said:

Congrats on your new 9-5! And Greg…long live the SPG!

-December 15th, 2007 at 7:26 am
Andy Rupert said:

That was an interesting comparison. I’ve not driven a 9-5 as of yet, but having owned three C900s, I did notice the progressively stiffer suspension going from a base 8-valve, to a 16 valve, and then especially in the Turbo hard top.

If the 9-5 is even better, as you have said, it must be pretty good. I’m glad your happy with it.

Well… see above. It’s better than my 1988 C900 ‘vert. EnG

-December 15th, 2007 at 7:49 am
swade (Author) said:

I’m loving the handling of my C900. Just goes right where you point it. But I haven’t spent much time in a C900 ‘vert, so I don’t know what that’s like.

The 9-5 is undoubtedly a great handler, though, and I’m chuffed that you made it back without further incident and with such a great ride. Enjoy every minute.

Thanks, Swade!! Vive la C900!!

-December 15th, 2007 at 7:50 am
Tedjs said:

My 9-3 simply loves the highway as well, and it is one heck of a machine to cut in and out of traffic in. Tap the throttle; let the transmission drop a few gears and the power just pours on.

I should have driven a 9-5 when I got my car as I have never experienced the 2.3L engine.

Glad to hear you are enjoying your new car.

-December 15th, 2007 at 12:19 pm