2.3HOT Aero Estate

[Geoff1951]

Oh dear.
Try a 2.3t, the seats are fine.  I dunno what your budget is, where you are, or how recent a year you want, but there's one on here -

http://www.saabparts.com/en-gb/uk/used-cars/used-cars/search-used-cars/

[Steve440]

Seats are easy enough to replace, there are loads on the bay of plenty.

Keep the originals for when you come to sell it and they will look as good as new.

Steve

[steventon95]

It's a thought. I could lose the electrical adjustment and heating quite cheerfully for a bit of comfortable padding. I'd need to do the lot though, fore and aft, or it would look a bit odd.

[Steve440]

You would not need to loose anything

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Saab-9-5-Complete-Leather-Interior-From-2000-Model-Estate-/181169130424?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2a2e858bb8

Steve

[TomPaine]

If you press the Sport button and go round corners like the Aero lets you you'll come too appreciate the extra side-grip of the seats!

[aljshep]

A lovely thing to drive, but oh those blasted sports seats. Both myself and SWMBO find them uncomfortable.


After three 9000 CSEs I hated the seats in our new 9-5 Vector Sport.  But after a month or so I loved them and still do!

[steventon95]

WE did actually have 3.0tid Vector Sport with the sporty seats. I got used to them after a while, but SWMBO couldn't stand them (or rather sit them  ) even after two years (when we got rid of it after two years of CPS angst and a new clutch and flywheel. But that's another story and it wouldn't have been improved by different seats 

[jmblack]

As Geoff said try 2.3t. Ours is plenty fast if not aero fast. Has comfy seats and standard suspension so a bit more comfy too. It surprises anyone who goes in it with smooth power delivery without being too edgy.

[steventon95]

I've been doing some calculations. We do something like 18,000 per annum, including visits to France (diesel -20%). It's beginning to look like diesel no contest ... not to mention the extra VED and insurance. So it's off to look for another decent low mileage 2.2tid.

They're still around and cost a bag of washers because people think the 1.9's are more up-to-date (ha!). I can a decent one for a few grand, give it new tyres, change the oil, scour out the EGR valve and off we go for a few more years ...

[Geoff1951]

I was thinking that the fuel consumption would play a part, and doing 18k a year, I don't blame you. But I'd seriously consider an automatic, they may be rare with a diesel but there are some out there.

I had the use of a 9-3 saloon, 1.9 TiD, 150 bhp, for a day recently. Six speed manual box. Very fast, but I was constantly grabbing to change gear. The power was all in a very narrow band and it would have driven me mad if I had it as my own car. Never mind the high 40s mpg. IMVHO it would be great with an auto box, even losing a few ems per gee. (and that's my view of every diesel I've driven, with both types of box, whatever the make.)

There are a couple of dozen 1.9 auto estates on autotrader.

[Audax]

There are a couple of dozen 1.9 auto estates on autotrader.

They are a bit gutless as an auto, but you will save yourself from having to replace the clutch and flywheel when it goes wrong (which it will in a manual) and the money saved will pay for a Hirsch remap to 175hp and 350nm of torque.

[nine-fiver]

How much is deisel up there these days?

[Geoff1951]

They are a bit gutless as an auto, but you will save yourself from having to replace the clutch and flywheel when it goes wrong (which it will in a manual) and the money saved will pay for a Hirsch remap to 175hp and 350nm of torque.

Problem solved!

[steventon95]

Oh well, I finally chickened out and have just bought a 2.2tid Auto, driven 170 miles back from the NW all is well and SID says 46 mpg. Plenty of traffic and I wouldn't have been able to use an Aeros additional oomph ...

[Geoff1951]

Result!