900 vs. 9000 suspesions

[dmtinker]

My wife has a 95 9000CSE and I have an 89 900 T16 vert. Man her car drives SO much better than mine. It handles better and is much smoother. They don't look too different dimentionally...so why is the 9000 so much better?

[900t]

The basic design of the 900 dates back to 1967, where the 9000 dates back only to 1985...

Also your 900 is a convertible and lacks a lot of rigidity a hardtop car has.

Also the 9000 is much newer and probably has notably less milage, so all the bushings and suspension parts aren't worn.

[dmtinker]

I've had an 89 4 door and an 85 hatch back, they all rode the same. My wife also had a 92 9000 which still rode better.

[bkrell]

I just got a 2001 9-5 (which still borrows a lot from the 9000) and the difference in handling between it and the NG (I know it's not a true 900 descendent) is incredible. Turns that I was too afraid to take at high speeds (even w/ stiffer shocks and beefed up rear axle) I take without even realizing how fast I am going in the 9-5. I don't know if it's the multilink rear, the heft, or the less sloppy front, but wow, big difference. I always worried about putting polys up front on the lower arms but on the 9-5, it has stamped one piece arms so maybe polys would have been great after all.

[1985 Gripen]

Do any of you former 900/9000 owners who now drive a SportSedan notice the difference of the ReAxs system?

Would that system have a bearing on the skidpad ratings of the 9-3SS? How can the ReAxs performance be quantitatively assessed (what metrics would show its advantage)?

[Dean O]

call me contentious (you wouldn't be the 1st ) but my T16 easily out-handles my 9000 n/a, despite being 11 years older. Even the missus' 900 SE n/a is far tighter round the bends than my 9000. Could be due to worn suspension or tyres - but it ain't

[Chris 9-5]

Contagious, never

[aeropilot]

Originally Posted by bkrell

I just got a 2001 9-5 (which still borrows a lot from the 9000)

Not really.

The 9000 platform is the joint Saab/Lancia project dating from the early 1980's.

The 9-5 platform is based on a modified GM Opel/Vauxhall platform, similar to the GM900 and 9-3.

[Dean O]

Originally Posted by Chris 9-5

Contagious, never

ere, don't blame me for yer spots, ducky

[ragtopcav]

Originally Posted by aeropilot

Not really.

The 9000 platform is the joint Saab/Lancia project dating from the early 1980's.

The 9-5 platform is based on a modified GM Opel/Vauxhall platform, similar to the GM900 and 9-3.

we can blame Clarkson [or a badly informed researcher of his] for this myth.

As it goes [I'll almost feel the sigh of relief from 9-5 owners the world over] there's very little carry over from the 900 to 9-5 either.

The changes from Vectra A [new900 donor J-body] to Vectra B [9-5 donor body] are quite noticeable when you view from the underside.

Lots of ordinary part carry-over though, brake disc/calliper, abs sensors, hub bearings; but components that are key to vehicle dynamics do differ [quite noticably in front subframe and rear axle configuration]

[D. Thomas]

Possibly the Mrs drives on smoother pavement at lower speeds and misses all those potholes you normal fall in to!!!. Kidding!!

Two different cars with two dramatically different suspensions and wheelbases. Having had both, the 9000 was smoother and large car like, while the 900 was nimble and much faster from the startup!!

A little something for everyone!!

[bkrell]

Originally Posted by aeropilot

Not really.

The 9000 platform is the joint Saab/Lancia project dating from the early 1980's.

The 9-5 platform is based on a modified GM Opel/Vauxhall platform, similar to the GM900 and 9-3.

That's right...Opps! New to the model-that's my excuse. Well, how in the world then is the 9-5 so much better handling and riding than the NG900? I just don't get it. But that's another thread...

[900t]

Your 9-5 does have a trunk, so that should give a dose of added rigidity. Plus Saab took a fair bit of flak on the 900, and tried to remedy that with "1300 improvements" 9-3, and that was around the time the 9-5 came out... and isn't the Vectra of 9-5 development a newer Vectra than that used on the 900 and original 9-3?

[bkrell]

Is it the later Vectra or a tad larger car? I can't remember even though I just read all this stuff when I was considering buying one. Yeah, I haven't even ridden in a 9-3 so I dont know how much it was improved. I never thought my NG was THAT bad though. I'd say the 9-5 lpt feels about like a better handling, slightly bigger and faster Honda Accord (latest American version). The steering is so nice and bumps are damped SO WELL without giving you a wallowy feel. The 9-5 excels in broad sweepers that I thought my 900 was going to tip over on. I don't even mind the fact that my 9-5 has the SAME seats as my 900 given the fact that I am not tipped out of them as much.