SAAB 9-5 1.9 Tid Estate

Mar 30, 2006
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Hi guys.

Does anyone tow with one of these cars ? With 150bhp and Torque (lbs feet)236 it sounds quite good. Add a kerbweight of 1775 and it should be a perfect match for my Challenger 540 with a MTPLM of 1500kg. BUT is it as good as it appears to be ?

I ask this question because I am thinking of buying one, but, as with some other potentially great towcars, there can be serious potential problems when you hitch it up to a caravan and start to use it for towing - the Mk2 Honda Crv for example.

So can anyone out there give me some sound advice as to whether it is a sound purchase for towing a van with a MTPLM of 1500kg please ? I did consider the Cr-v, but have given it a second thought as there appears to be a question hanging over it for towing ability. I do like the SAAB, and it has great fuel ecomony when solo for such a large car.

One other question that requires a definitive answer is the Kerbweight - SAAB give it a range of figures up to 1775kg depending on specification across the range - so do you know what the kerbweight is for a 9-5 Vector Sport 1.9 Tid estate ?

What a quandry I find myself in over this issue of a suitable towcar. My current car is a Skoda Superb, but I would like to move to a larger estate, and I do like the SAAB, but . . . . .?

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

James
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I had a 9000 CSE and it was a great car all round. I seem to recall that last year the CC Towcar Tests puta 9-5 through its paces and there was some comment about its stabilty at speed, but you should be able to check that out via the CC. I agree with you from its spec it should be a good towcar. It's on my 'futures' list so I will watch your thread with interest.
 
Oct 30, 2006
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Sorry, a bit off subject, what have you heard bad about Honda CRV's for towing ? I heard only good things when we got ours, now you got us worried !!
 
Mar 17, 2007
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Don't know too much about the Mk2 CRV ( Except I think it had a very low nose weight limit,) but the latest one is a very capable tow car, that I find first class. I also tow with an Accord with the same engine, but the CRV is much better all round, and very much more comfortable.
 
Jul 26, 2005
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The SAAB, I believe, uses the same 1.9 td as the Vauxhall, which is sourced from Alfa Romeo.

I read a road test some time ago, that there is a lot of turbo lag when starting off, especially with a van on the back. You obviously can't test drive one with a van, but try one first.

I recently traded a 9-5 2.3 petrol turbo, and had nothing but niggly recuring faults.
 
Jan 8, 2007
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hi james

we owned a vectra 1.9cdti 150 2005 which uses the same engine as the saab.we found it a great car solo but had problems with the engine when towing 1450kg.after various repairs by vauxhall which didnt work we got rid.

in my opinion,towing about 1300kg with this engine should be ok but no more.vauxhall gave it a max tow of 1600kg if a driver and passenger were in the car,any extra weight in the car must be deducted from the max tow.

maybe i was unlucky,but tread very carefully.

dave
 
Mar 14, 2005
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The maximum permissible towload of 1600kg for the Vectra 1.9cdti (150PS) is independent of the payload and does not reduce if more than driver and passenger are in the car.

The maximum towload of the Saab with the same engine is 1800kg.
 
Jan 8, 2007
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hi lutz

the maxtow on the vectra does reduce depending on whats loaded in the car.two people at 75kg and 20kg of luggage is allowed with the max tow at 1600kg.any additional weight is then deducted from this according to the vauxhall brochure.

cheers

dave
 
Oct 28, 2006
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hello James,

we tow are van ,which does only wiegh 1300kg loaded admittedly with my wifes fiat stilo 1.9jtd which is rated at 140hp with it being euro 2 and unless im mistaken is the same unit vauxhall and saab borrowed off fiat in return for fiat using the vectra floorpan for the croma.Cant say much on the car its-self except i like them.what i can say is the engine is brillant,in three years of ownership its never used a single drop of oil or water.its been no trouble what so ever.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Dave, if that is what the Vauxhall brochure says, I'm fairly sure that it's incorrect. It would only be correct if the permitted gross train weight is less than the sum of the gross vehicle weight and the maximum towload, but, to my knowledge, that is not the case with this model.
 
Mar 30, 2006
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Sorry, a bit off subject, what have you heard bad about Honda CRV's for towing ? I heard only good things when we got ours, now you got us worried !!
Hi Paul.

Sory if I upset youat all. I am trying to decide what towcar to buy to tow a Challenger 540 with a mtplm of 1500kg. This is the limit for a MKII CRV, and I have heard that Honda do not put it forward too much as a good towcar for whatever reason, but I do see quite a few on the road attatched to vans. I cannot afford the new version which is by far much better car, so only a 55 plate say for me. I like it, and have test driven it, but just not too sure as a tow car as I heard the car is kind of under some strain when towing ?? there are so many views on these things, so I cam on here to ask the people with the most experience at towing. I would still have a CRV I think as it is quite frugal when solo, and only a part time 4x4 which is just the job. I just need convincing that it will do it and not be a problem. Be assured that I am also repeatedly told that the Honda CRV is "bombproof" which is a major reassurance in itself.

Kind regards

James
 
Mar 30, 2006
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Dave, if that is what the Vauxhall brochure says, I'm fairly sure that it's incorrect. It would only be correct if the permitted gross train weight is less than the sum of the gross vehicle weight and the maximum towload, but, to my knowledge, that is not the case with this model.
Hiya All.

Thank you for your replies, and taking the time to respond.

I think I must pass on the 9-5 1.9 Tid though after reading the comments on the Caravan Club website about it becoming "seriously" unstable at speed !

Looking now at the 2.2 Tid but it has less power, or the 3.0 Tid which should be able to tow a house.

My van is a Challenger 540 with a Mtplm of 1500 and I do not wish to have a big 4x4. Thought about the CRV which I like a lot (a 05/55 plate version) but need to be convinced that it is a good move as I heard that Honda do not recomment this car as a towcar . . . . seems daft to me, but there must be a reason.

Volvo V70 also figures largely, but a little too expensive for me I think. What a state to get into over a car huh ?

I have a Skoda Superb Elegance 1.9 Tdi at the moment, but it has to go since I bought this van as I dont want the tail wagging the dog so to speak, and I would rather an estate/hatchback for the versatility - its just a huge question of which one ????

All your help is really appreciated, and I would also appreciate any further comments on my thoughts about this, once again if you have a view and the time to respond.

Thank you all.

Kind regards

James
 

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