Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 23:24:52 +0000 From: Grunff <grunffnospam.com> Subject: Re: new saab motor for 9-3 series
Dave Hinz wrote: > I don't know, but there are a couple of guys here who know the BMW > line well. It's not "avoid the Saab V6" that I'm saying, it's > "V6 is for people who value piston count over engineering", > as a general statement. There is no BMW V6 - it's an I6. It works well in a BMW because it's mounted longitudinally, and set well back into the bulkhead. A transverse mounted I6 is near impossible, and a transverse mounted V6 is a real pain in the arse to work on. What's more, the GM V6 has many notorious weak spots - on an absolute scale, it just isn't a good engine. Now take that and compare it with the long established, well developed Saab I4, there is just no competition. To be fair to 6 cylinder engines, there is a noticeable difference in smoothness between a 4 and a 6 - but that in itself doesn't make a good engine, there are lots and lots of other factors. -- Grunff