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Car Forum / Saab Cars / February 2005how fast does your Saab go?
Dangerous question. I've owned my 1996 9000 CS LPT for 3 and a half years and have 188,000 km on the clock with an auto box. The speedo goes up to 250 km/hr and with the open road speed limit in NZ at 100 km/hr, I've always wondered, how fast will my car actually go? I've sometimes touched late 140's while overtaking but always felt there was plenty in reserve. Anyway, last Monday while on holiday in Rotorua, I drove down for a round of golf at one of the two courses at Taupo golf club with a good mate who lives locally. We teed off at about 2.15pm. I shot a 92 (not bad for my first time on the course) and ended up losing by one stroke so the beers were on me. After a couple of pints (don't worry, I was well under the limit) I bid my mate good bye and started to drive the 80km or so back up to Rotorua. The time is about 7.30pm, the light is good, its a Monday evening so hardly any traffic on the road. There are a couple of really good long straights just north of Taupo and a few things are running thru my mind: Is today the day?- yes, provided there is no oncoming traffic. What are the chances of a cop being on the road- low probablilty, its summer on a Monday evening, they're all at home having dinner (I hope!) What happens if I get caught? Automatic loss of licence at 150 km/hr- lets not go there. The two beers helped me with this one. So I resolve to "find out" at the first straight, but promise myself that I will immediately decelerate if I spot oncoming traffic. If the car becomes unstable, I don't want to put others at risk. Onto the straight, all clear, no cars either way. The cruise control is set at 108km/hr for the open road ahead. I begin to press the gas pedal- not all the way but like I'm in a heavy overtaking situation. The car surges forward. The speedo passes 120-130-140 no problems. At 150km/hr I start getting excited. The car feels rock steady. I can hardly hear the engine but the stereo is also up loud so no surprises there. I hit 160km/hr or 100 mph for the metrically challenged. Easy. I haven't done the "ton" for years, the speeding laws here are diabolical and it just isn't worth it. This fantastic car is just humming along sweet. 170 the car is still pulling strong. 180, this is as fast as I've ever gone in any car and that was years ago in a rental car. The car is rock steady on the road. I'm so intent on the speedo and looking ahead I can't see what the rev counter is getting up to. 185, wow. The car is STILL pulling strong and rock steady. I feel safe as houses. Exhilirating, thrilling! I am about two thirds down the straight and look up to see two oncoming cars. *Damn* As I promised myself, I take my foot off the gas and let the car coast down. We all know our saabs take a while to slow down. I must be doing about 140 when the cars pass me going the other way. I can't stop grinning the rest of the way back. I'm tempted to have another go at some other straights further along the road, but I've taken enough risks for one day. The roads here are not very good but the car felt safe and under control the whole time. Even at 185 km/hr I felt the car had much more to give, I reckon I could have made 220 comfortably. No signs that the engine is tired even after 188,000 km. So thats my story. I still don't know exactly how fast my saab will go but I know that it will go way beyond what is legal and a fair idea that the car handles satisfactorily even at extreme speed. I won't be doing this again in a hurry. cheers, John Hey - what a great story! Is that a 2.0 or 2.3 litre?? > Dangerous question. > [quoted text clipped - 67 lines] > > cheers, John 2.3 and going well > Hey - what a great story! > Is that a 2.0 or 2.3 litre?? [quoted text clipped - 90 lines] > > > > cheers, John > Dangerous question. > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > golf at one of the two courses at Taupo golf club with a good mate who > lives We had a holiday in NZ last year (from OZ) and loved Taupo. Almost wanted to uproot and go and live there. We stayed in a caravan park and in the early mornings I'd cross the road and do a walk in the golf course- wonder if it was the same one (pretty near the gorge)? Rotorua was also really interesting, but a bit on the nose sulfur-wise. My daughter did the Taupo bungee. I now own a 2001 convertible, only had it up to around 150 kmh. Not sure I'd want to drive it on NZ roads with the scuttle-shake! We had a campervan, that was hairy in some cases. An aussie who's seen NZ, now thats a rare thing. Every kiwi visits Oz at some stage. Probably was the same course, not many different golf courses in Taupo. > > Dangerous question. > > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > sure I'd want to drive it on NZ roads with the scuttle-shake! We had a > campervan, that was hairy in some cases. > Dangerous question. > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > golf at one of the two courses at Taupo golf club with a good mate who > lives We had a holiday in NZ last year (from OZ) and loved Taupo. Almost wanted to uproot and go and live there. We stayed in a caravan park and in the early mornings I'd cross the road and do a walk in the golf course- wonder if it was the same one (pretty near the gorge)? Rotorua was also really interesting, but a bit on the nose sulfur-wise. My daughter did the Taupo bungee. I now own a 2001 convertible, only had it up to around 150 kmh. Not sure I'd want to drive it on NZ roads with the scuttle-shake! We had a campervan, that was hairy in some cases. > Dangerous question. How fast is a BMW? 10mph faster than your car, apparently... Many cars these days will do 130mph; Fords, Vauxhalls, ordinary cars. The top speed is almost irrelevant, no longer need to prove that your can can do the ton. Well I once did 125mph, but that was in my FIAT 132 many years ago. More important is how the car feels at 70-80 MPH, the uk motorway cruising speed. My 9000 2.0 LPT is a doodle to drive as it's very stable. Noise it not too bad as it shows 3000 rpm. The paradox is that the better car you drive, the less you feel it's there. That's until you're forced into a lesser tin pot. >> Dangerous question. > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > less you feel it's there. That's until you're forced into a lesser tin > pot. I totally agree! In fact in my 1996 2.3 FPT CSE 90mph is all too comfortable. Not only will this car get to 90mph very quickly, but it does it in such an unfussed effortless way. Speed warning set at 92mph. It's my guess that the local boy racers in their Saxos and Corsas would kill themselves very quickly if they tried our vehicles as they wouldn't have the road noise and revs to warn them just how quick they're going! Best I've had out of her is a tad over 130mph on the speedo, but don't tell the rossas! M62 motorway between Leeds and Hull, 4am, no traffic either side of Motorway, only me driving, no alcohol on board, speed greater than 100mph for about 1 minute, could have gone faster but decided to leave it there, i.e. bottle went! In article <41FB5903.A4950BAD@sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssizefitter.com>, johs@sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssizefitter.com says... > More > important is how the car feels at 70-80 MPH, the uk motorway cruising speed. > My 9000 2.0 LPT is a doodle to drive as it's very stable. My old C900 T16 actually felt better at 80-90 than it did at 65-75. And the one time I cruised on the M62 at 100+ over the pennines, it was wonderful.  Signature"Sorry Sir, the meatballs are Orf" The poster formerly known as Skodapilot. http://www.bouncing-czechs.com > My old C900 T16 actually felt better at 80-90 than it did at 65-75. > And > the one time I cruised on the M62 at 100+ over the pennines, it was > wonderful. Carl, That's not actrually all that unusual. Most wheel balance and vibration shows up in the band of speed from about 55 to 75mph. At speeds above that things tend to smooth out as the vibration is "out of resonance" with the suspension. -Fred W > Carl, > > That's not actrually all that unusual. Most wheel balance and > vibration shows up in the band of speed from about 55 to 75mph. At > speeds above that things tend to smooth out as the vibration is "out > of resonance" with the suspension. I suppose that is until you hit 120-140mph when it resonates again? BR:Z >> Carl, >> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >> > I suppose that is until you hit 120-140mph when it resonates again? Yes, but not as violently as at the lower speeds in my experience, probably because we are at a higher harmonic? Either that or it's an even / odd harmonic thing... I tend to live at the lower speeds ;o) -- -Fred W > I tend to live at the lower speeds > ;o) Me too :) BR:Z >> I tend to live at the lower speeds >> ;o) > > Me too :) > > BR:Z I find myself consciously spending more time there with my new 900, which is write-me-a-ticket red, but since it looks it's speeding even when it's parked I'd rather it escaped the attention of the cops for awhile. It has visited 90+mph a couple of times, though. > Dangerous question. > [quoted text clipped - 65 lines] > > I won't be doing this again in a hurry. A good rule of thumb is that the max speed of your Saab is at 5000 rpm at the highest gear. If you look in your manual you'll find the speed at 1000 rpm on the 5th gear which is 37 km/h for the 2,0L non turbo, 41 km/h for the 2,0T and 45-46 km/h for the 2,3T engine. For an auto transmission the speed is 40-41 km/h on the 4th gear but here the max rev is slightly higher IIRC. Here in Europe we have the possibility of trying the cars on German autobahns and I can assure you that the car will be rock solid up to 200 km/h. If you want to determine your speed the speedometer is not the most accurate tool, the rpm meter is much better but there are still uncertainties like meter accuracy and tire wear (worn tires give a lower actual speed but the error is only in the order of a percent or so) The 9000 is really a great car at high speeds but the 9-5 is even better as the sound of the wind is significantly reduced. In a 9-5 you don't really feel any difference when driving at 100 km/h or at 180 km/h while in a 9000 the wind noise increases much more. This is at least true when the cars are new but my experience is that the noise insulation deteriorates much quicker by the years in a 9-5 than in a 9000. Anyone else noticed this? Signatureth two beers and the radio turned up so load you can't hardly hear the engine . . . - Interesting. I like to push my Saabs to their limits too, but I do it off-road - on a track - without the beers and no radio so I can hear the engine, tires, transmission, brakes, and suspension. I could actually find the limits on a road when I had my 1986 8 valve 900. Now I have a 900 turbo with the SPG package - and the common sense to push limits on a track. There are many cars that are fast in a straight line. Toyata even made a Camry sedan with a V6 and 5 speed manual transmission! For me, the real fun in a Saab is the way it handles in the turns :-) > Dangerous question. > [quoted text clipped - 67 lines] > > cheers, John The stereo wasn't so loud as the engine was so quiet. > two beers and the radio turned up so load you can't hardly hear the > engine . . . - Interesting. [quoted text clipped - 80 lines] > > > > cheers, John I drive manual transmission Saabs. It helps to hear and feel the engine . That way you know when to shift without looking at the speedometer or tach. This allows you to keep your eyes on the road. I often let the sound of the sport exhaust system provide the "music" in my turbo :-) I adjust the volume with my right foot :-) > The stereo wasn't so loud as the engine was so quiet. > [quoted text clipped - 165 lines] >>> >>>cheers, John > I've owned my 1996 9000 CS LPT for 3 and a half years and have 188,000 km on > the clock with an auto box. The speedo goes up to 250 km/hr and with the > open road speed limit in NZ at 100 km/hr, I've always wondered, how fast > will my car actually go? I've sometimes touched late 140's while overtaking > but always felt there was plenty in reserve. A Sonett III in mostly stock configuration will do 116MPH. I have a SAAB 95 2.0 SE and came to 215km/h on the german autobahn, and i dint put the pedal to the metal but i had to break becouse of road construction. > > I've owned my 1996 9000 CS LPT for 3 and a half years and have 188,000 km on > > the clock with an auto box. The speedo goes up to 250 km/hr and with the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > A Sonett III in mostly stock configuration will do 116MPH. I have done 140mph (225km/h) couple of times w/ my '99 9-3 FPT (185hp) and it seems to do that quite easily. . I bet it would do little more if wife would not start nagging :( I have to admit that with original suspension, 140mph is too much for the car. It started to wonder around, and freeway curves started to feel fairly tight. After I replaced suspension (Eibach Pro-kit & Bilstein Sprint) bahaviour of car changed quite a bit. I recommend. You can feel the difference in slow speeds, too. BR:Z Well .... faster than the NSW police think is desirable on occasion (81 900T). Hehehe WARNING, I love my 1994 CSE FPT 2.3L AT. I been know to go to fast at times, I have pushed my pure stock red racer to it limit of 138 mph. It pulls hard till 125 mph than kind of flattens out and will not reach the 140 mph it is limited at by Saab. But beware the last time I did this I do not have very long strait sections on my local highway, I left my foot off the pedal completely at the end of the strait away at 138 mph. and just around the first turn was a state policeman. He clocked me at 84 mph and wrote me up at 80 mph as a favor. I did thank him (I did) I just turned around and went and paid my fine right than. So much for my new tires that I had the money in my wallet for. Remember he who speeds loses, even in a Saab. Jean Paul > Dangerous question. > [quoted text clipped - 87 lines] > > cheers, John > Remember he who speeds loses, even in a Saab. Not always...I equipped my black Viggen with a laser jammer and got lased doing over 90........didn't even get pulled over (though he did shoot me a nasty stare:) I've been lased in other spots but never at that high of a speed. I've been considering a x/k/ka jammer but they are over $1000 so I'm not sure I need it that bad. There is a solution: have a Valentine One radar detector. It is not cheap ($400), but I saved probably thousands of dollars since I started using it in 1997. It has much more sophisticated DSP to separates false alarms from real ones, and shows direction of the signal, which further helps to make the decision of whether to slow down. It does not help against lasers, though, since lasers are highly directional, and by the time you see the signal, you probably have been clocked. I guess the laser jammer that WitchDr mentions would help there :-), but is it legal? -Dima > WARNING, > I love my 1994 CSE FPT 2.3L AT. I been know to go to fast at times, I have [quoted text clipped - 106 lines] >> >> cheers, John What is the model of your jammer? Something I might consider, too :-). ----- Original Message ----- From: "WitchDr" <Witch**DR@usa.nobulkemail.net.ru> Newsgroups: alt.autos.saab Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2005 1:28 PM Subject: Re: how fast does your Saab go? >> Remember he who speeds loses, even in a Saab. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > speed. I've been considering a x/k/ka jammer but they are over $1000 so > I'm not sure I need it that bad. Nice story to read ;-) especialy for one guy from Germany like me. I hit the Autobahn almost every day and 185 km/h is nothing unusual. I drive an 9-5 Aero (250 hp) wagon - maximum speed is 256 km/h (around 160 miles) GPS measured (speedo shows 260). Im pretty sure the car could go faster but maximum speed seems to be somewhat limited by Trionic 7, as the turbo-boost decreases at 255... Greetings from Bavaria, Matthias > Dangerous question. > [quoted text clipped - 87 lines] > > cheers, John |
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