Improving Fuel Economy 9-5 Aero HOT Estate Auto
Discussion
What are you hoping for?
We had a couple at work and I looked at buying one. They'll do 35MPG sat at 70ish on the motorway (which is a big part of my use) but stop start around town and any auto will be terrible plus any use of the performance will murder the MPG (and the front tyres).
We had a couple at work and I looked at buying one. They'll do 35MPG sat at 70ish on the motorway (which is a big part of my use) but stop start around town and any auto will be terrible plus any use of the performance will murder the MPG (and the front tyres).
sploosh said:
Switch to LPG? I've done 100k miles in my 95 on LPG.
Conversion cost was £2k a few years back but seems to have dropped to sub £1,000 recently.
yes, this was my thought too. am looking at a car this week that has a new engine installed so lpg makes sense. have ran some lpg-to-petrol calcs and the figures are impressive. i can buy lpg at 65-75p per litre and even with increased consumption there's a 30%+ saving. only question is, who are the experienced saab lpg convertors in the uk?Conversion cost was £2k a few years back but seems to have dropped to sub £1,000 recently.
With all due respect i've have to ask if you are looking at the right car if you are worried about economy.
I have an '06 auto Aero estate and in town then 20mpg is the norm and on motorways i get high 20s and those figures are with a fairly light touch on the loud pedal.
Manuals seem to be a bit better and the pre Dame Edna model (05?) seems to fare better again.
If you were to convert to LPG then the tank will be in the boot which would take away a lot of the benefit of the estate. As for remapping i have seen marginal improvements claimed but not significant savings.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
I have an '06 auto Aero estate and in town then 20mpg is the norm and on motorways i get high 20s and those figures are with a fairly light touch on the loud pedal.
Manuals seem to be a bit better and the pre Dame Edna model (05?) seems to fare better again.
If you were to convert to LPG then the tank will be in the boot which would take away a lot of the benefit of the estate. As for remapping i have seen marginal improvements claimed but not significant savings.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
bikerPaul said:
With all due respect i've have to ask if you are looking at the right car if you are worried about economy.
I have an '06 auto Aero estate and in town then 20mpg is the norm and on motorways i get high 20s and those figures are with a fairly light touch on the loud pedal.
Manuals seem to be a bit better and the pre Dame Edna model (05?) seems to fare better again.
If you were to convert to LPG then the tank will be in the boot which would take away a lot of the benefit of the estate. As for remapping i have seen marginal improvements claimed but not significant savings.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Here, I'm wanting to scratch two itches at the same time. I've had a 9-5 Aero Hot Estate before and, frankly, loved every minute of it...never has there been such a good all-round vehicle for the money; simply, I think they are the very best dash for the cash so want another.I have an '06 auto Aero estate and in town then 20mpg is the norm and on motorways i get high 20s and those figures are with a fairly light touch on the loud pedal.
Manuals seem to be a bit better and the pre Dame Edna model (05?) seems to fare better again.
If you were to convert to LPG then the tank will be in the boot which would take away a lot of the benefit of the estate. As for remapping i have seen marginal improvements claimed but not significant savings.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
The second itch is fuel economy. Over the past 5-6years I've been spoilt with semi luxo-barges that have returned very good mpg and see no reason why an Aero, with the right logical mods', can not do the same.
With previous cars returning 48-58mpg [average 40-45mpg], the 9-5's engine should be able to give sensible economy when driven normally and its 28mpg average is thirsty by today's standards. It may be that my expectations are too high for what is an old'ish design but an LPG option [toroidal tank in boot well] with Flash Tube lubrication, with improved economy and 250bhp is a very attractive proposition.
My LPG 95 is a saloon with tank in the spare wheel well. Usually get between 50 - 60 litres of gas (varies depending on temp as my local gas station's tank is above ground) which is good for 230 - 250 miles depending on use.
Wouldn't want any less range than this or filling up would become PITA.
No change in performance.
Stretton LPG did mine (5 mins up the road). He's done a lot of Saabs and has always been honest enough with me - but any approved fitter should be able to work on a Saab.
Wouldn't want any less range than this or filling up would become PITA.
No change in performance.
Stretton LPG did mine (5 mins up the road). He's done a lot of Saabs and has always been honest enough with me - but any approved fitter should be able to work on a Saab.
The best way to fuel economy on a 9-5 Aero is to buy a manual! If it has to be an Auto, and you still want economy, then maybe look at the 2.0/2.3 LPT's instead. LPG's don't seem to like the highly-tuned state of the 9-5 Aero, especially not if you ever consider remapping it.
For remaps, I use www.noobtune.co.uk.
For remaps, I use www.noobtune.co.uk.
P2BS said:
The best way to fuel economy on a 9-5 Aero is to buy a manual! If it has to be an Auto, and you still want economy, then maybe look at the 2.0/2.3 LPT's instead. LPG's don't seem to like the highly-tuned state of the 9-5 Aero, especially not if you ever consider remapping it.
For remaps, I use www.noobtune.co.uk.
The LPTs are slightly better than the Aero on paper. In the real world, they'll be about the same as you'll cane them harder than an Aero.For remaps, I use www.noobtune.co.uk.
If you want significant economy it'll be manual or LPG or a 1.9TDi auto (which is not a bad unit at all).
otolith said:
Are the lower powered 2.3 models actually any more economical? The official figures suggest that the two most economical petrol cars in the range are the Aero and the base 2.0!
According to Saab figures this is correct. Agree ref' auto-box v's manual. Was hoping to find the Saab PH massive to offer some proven mods'...so to give some feedback have completed a mass of research into LPG including an operational spreadsheet based on 10k, 15k, and 20k miles per annum. I can buy LPG between 65-70p/ltr in my area [West Oxfordshire] + £1000-£1200 quoted for a good LPG system. Payback is as follows:10k: 15.76mths
15k: 10.51mths
20k: 7.88mths
I drive 15-20k per annum meaning ROI within 12mths + amortized annual savings @£1369 p.a. will more than cover the annual running costs/servicing/insurance/annual LPG test certificate et al. With 26mpg average UL with an auto-box, LPG to UL pro-rata MPG is 45mpg; this is a significant saving.
[old thread: new update]
Let me pitch in to this, if only to cover off some of the prejudice & uncertainty around a different fuel.
I've run a 9-5 aero 250 hot on LPG for over 50,000 miles.
It's currently showing 29mpg on lpg
My last fuel cost 70.9p per litre
My last annual lpg service cost £130
I have a simple 2006 lpg system, with a valve saver - so yes, if I put the engine & gearbox in sport mode, it'll accelerate with a whisker more energy on super unleaded than on lpg - but it'll run just fine on either. It's rare that you *need* that extra edge on performance - it's just there for fun.
LPG range is 220 miles, give or take, so, yes I do stop to fuel more often than if I was running on petrol. But not more often than on my old Mitsubishi Legnum VR4.
I do 20,000 miles a year, & I've had the car over 3 years. LPG savings vs petrol cover the cost of:
- all servicing,
- maintenance on a 10 year old car [abs sensor, oil cooler, alternator, turbo, tyres],
- improvements (self-levelling rear suspension, Bilsteins at the front, rebushed suspension & anti roll bars, drop links, a strut brace, alloys]
and have covered the cost of buying the car.
I reckon I'll keep it another year, by when it'll have done 250,000 miles. By which time it'll be time to move on & do the same again on a younger performance Saab B-)
& yes, it's all eco: I could get £10 off my road tax... and apparently I burn a third less carbons. Mostly, my eco footprint is bigger 'cos I'm running an old car, cleanly (on LPG it would pass its MOT without a catalyst).
If you don't mind running an old car, this kinda looks like a way to run decent performance, cheaply.
Let me pitch in to this, if only to cover off some of the prejudice & uncertainty around a different fuel.
I've run a 9-5 aero 250 hot on LPG for over 50,000 miles.
It's currently showing 29mpg on lpg
My last fuel cost 70.9p per litre
My last annual lpg service cost £130
I have a simple 2006 lpg system, with a valve saver - so yes, if I put the engine & gearbox in sport mode, it'll accelerate with a whisker more energy on super unleaded than on lpg - but it'll run just fine on either. It's rare that you *need* that extra edge on performance - it's just there for fun.
LPG range is 220 miles, give or take, so, yes I do stop to fuel more often than if I was running on petrol. But not more often than on my old Mitsubishi Legnum VR4.
I do 20,000 miles a year, & I've had the car over 3 years. LPG savings vs petrol cover the cost of:
- all servicing,
- maintenance on a 10 year old car [abs sensor, oil cooler, alternator, turbo, tyres],
- improvements (self-levelling rear suspension, Bilsteins at the front, rebushed suspension & anti roll bars, drop links, a strut brace, alloys]
and have covered the cost of buying the car.
I reckon I'll keep it another year, by when it'll have done 250,000 miles. By which time it'll be time to move on & do the same again on a younger performance Saab B-)
& yes, it's all eco: I could get £10 off my road tax... and apparently I burn a third less carbons. Mostly, my eco footprint is bigger 'cos I'm running an old car, cleanly (on LPG it would pass its MOT without a catalyst).
If you don't mind running an old car, this kinda looks like a way to run decent performance, cheaply.
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