The banner above is an advertisment - if it asks you to download software, please ignore.
Site News - 7/1: Members: Log In to See Fewer Ads! | 5/28: SAAB Evolutions/TSN T-Shirts $14
[General | Members | C900 | 9000 | NG900 & OG93 | 93 | 95 | NG95 | 99 | Sonett | Vintage Models | Clubs | Other Cars | FAQs | Gifts | Member Photo Galleries | Member Directory | Classifieds | Manuals | *Buddy Registry | *Mileage Registry | Polls | What's New | Raffle | Photo of the Month | Sponsors]

95 Bulletin Board
1999-2009 [Subscribe to Daily Digest]
(Search Author's Posts: e.g. Keyword:username)*Members Only

[Main 95 Bulletin Board | BBFAQ | Prev by Date | Next by Date | Post Followup ] Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
2002 9-5 Aero vs 2000 528ia Prem and 2001 325i Sport
Like This Post: - Subscribe to Daily Digest for this Bulletin Board
Posted by Jason (more from Jason) on Tue, 17 Sep 2002 13:28:06 Share Post by Email
In Reply to: Reviving the 9-5 vs 5 series debate, bRAD, Tue, 17 Sep 2002 10:29:48
Alert me when someone posts in this thread:
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup

One of our other cars is a 528ia, and one thing that car has over the Aero is the magical steering BMW is known for. It's as if the steering system were hard-wired into your brain, and the car was reading your mind. It's so precise that it feels like you could position the car within +/- 1mm of where you want it to be! No other car steers quite like this. Furthermore, once someone drives this car, the benefits of the nearly 50/50 weight distribution are readily apparent, to car cognoscenti and non-cognoscenti alike.

On the other hand, the Aero doesn't disappoint. The steering is also quite accurate, but it is just a touch slower in ratio. The body leans a bit more in turns, but the car hangs in there, and grip is abundant. The brakes, now that they've bedded-in, are excellent, and are easier to modulate than in the 528i. The power, torque, and fuel economy of the Aero far exceeds those of the 528i. Interior space and cargo room is far more abundant in the Aero. The Aero seats are more comfortable, and the the audio and climate control systems are infinitely better.

I met up with my cousin from PA, in Queens. He has a 2001 325i Sport, and this was the first time he was seeing my Aero. He was amazed with the it, and when it came time to drive back to Long Island, I offered to swap cars for the drive back. "You wanna drive my car?" I asked him. "Heck, yeah!" was his reply.

I'd had plenty of seat-time in the driver's seat of his car previously, and I was curious as to how his car would feel, now that I'd gotten used to the Aero.

Driving along local streets in Queens, headed for the Long Island Expressway, my first impression was that something was wrong with the clutch. It felt like I was trying to crush a rock under my foot! It was so stiff! The gearbox, too, was stiff, somewhat unwilling to go into first and second gears. The shifter felt numb, and it was difficult to gauge what the synchronizers were up to, unlike in the Aero. BMW's reverse-lockout mechanism (force the lever HARD LEFT, past the 1/2 gate, then forward) further contributes to the impression that the shifter is stubborn.

As for steering, my cousin's car is cursed with the "enhanced power steering" that BMW installed in 2001, and got rid of in 2002. This means the steering is overly boosted, and a lot of road feel is gone... Handling is still good, braking is first-rate. The 2.5-liter engine is somewhat lacking in low-end torque, so the gears are very short (for example, 70 mph is a rather high 3,000 rpm). This makes the 325i feel quicker than it actually is.

When we got to Long Island, I wondered what his first words would be. Would the lack of familiarity with the electronic throttle and turbo make him think that the car was slow off the line?

Nope. His first words were, "Damn! This car is so SMOOTH!". Next, he said, "It's really fast! I didn't want to push it though, because it's not yet broken in..."

He went on to praise the clutch, gearbox, and drivetrain. He felt that these were more driver-friendly, and much easier to operate, than on his BMW. Inputs which would cause his BMW to protest (bucking, jerking) elicited nothing but smoothness from the SAAB.

I asked him about the BMW's clutch, and why it felt so heavy to me now, when previously, it did not... he replied, "Yeah, because the SAAB clutch is so light, it's perfect, really... the shifter is great too!" He went on to admit that his left leg often cramped up when driving his BMW in NYC traffic.

Not only is the BMW clutch stiff, but it also suffers from an overly long throw, and too high a friction point... I used to lust after BMW M3s, but I now know that I would be quite uncomfortable driving one of those things... And besides, my heart already belongs to a Swedish gal...

SAAB 9-5 AERO... BRAVO!

Jason
'02 Aero

posted by 24.46.48...
Posts in this Thread:
Alert me when someone posts in this thread:
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup
Post a Followup

No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.

Name: Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
E-Mail: (Optional)
Re-Enter E-Mail: (Confidential & Secure - Not revealed to other users!)
Note: Please check your spam folder for BB responses.

Subject:

Posting rules are simple - No for sale/wanted ads may be posted here - use the site classifieds.
You may not cross-post your message to multiple BBs.
Not permitted: political/religious topics and being disrespectful (personal attacks, insults, etc...).
 Site Members do not see any red text, inline ad links, bottom of page anchor ads, box ads, or anti-spam check.

Message: (please no for sale/wanted classifieds - post those in the Saabnet.com Classifieds)
Links are now automatically made active, no need for any special code (or use the Option Link field below) - don't put links in () or end with a '.'
To add inline images to your post, use [img]http://www.domain.com/img.jpg[endimg] (or use the Optional Image Link field below).

Links are now automatically made active, no need for any special code (or use the Option Link field below) - don't put links in () or end with a '.'
To add inline images to your post above, use [img]http://www.domain.com/img.jpg[endimg] (or use the Optional Image Link field below).
Optional Link: (e.g. http://www.saabnet.com/)
Link Title: (Optional)
Optional Photo/Image Link: (e.g. http://www.saabnet.com/img.jpg)
Photo/Image to Upload: (Please be patient while file uploads)



StateOfNine.com
SaabClub.com
Jak Stoll Performance
M Car Covers
Ad Available

The content on this site may not be republished without permission. Copyright © 1988-2024 - The Saab Network - saabnet.com.
For usage guidelines, see the Mission & Privacy Notice.
[Contact | Site Map | Saabnet.com on Facebook | Saabnet.com on Twitter | Shop Amazon via TSN | Site Donations]

Random Saabnet.com Member Gallery Photos (Click Image)
This is a moderated bulletin board - Posting is a privilege, not a right. Unsolicited commercial postings are not allowed (no spam). Please, no For Sale or Wanted postings, SERIOUSLY. Classifieds are to be listed in The Saab Network Classifieds pages. This is a problem solving forum for over 250,000 Saab owners, so expect to see problems discussed here even though our cars are generally very reliable. This is not an anything goes type of forum. Saabnet.com has been a moderated forum since 1988. For usage guidelines, see the Saabnet.com Mission and Purpose Page. Please remember that you are not anonymous. Site Contact | Site Donations | Other Sites by SP - Poverty2Prosperity.org | Run Club Menlo Park | ScreenBot


Site Members do not see red text instructions, bottom of the page anchor ads, or box ads.
Click here to see all the Site Membership Benefits!