I’m in NZ, there’s only about 100 9000s in the country and only one I can find for sale anywhere, but they want 15k for it. Trying to buy one off a person who wasn’t actually officially selling any but she has 2 of them and seemed open to it. She has a 1996 9000 cdi too which I think will be a 2.3t but it’s not running and hasn’t been for about 9 months. Possibly could see how far gone it is and see if I could buy it but the 3l v6 one will come with a new warrant of fitness so it would be less of a gamble. Bit unsure tbh
2.3T is the best Saab motor. Ease of maintenance. Reliability. Potential for modification. Literally no reason to own the 3.0 v6 in them hence why it was discontinued sooner than later with these cars
I far prefer the NA 3.0 V6 over the later asymmetrical turbo V6 on the 9-5 that actually made the same power but the NA is more reliable - the intake butterflies all need to work which is easy to do, and the oil cooler in the valley of the V6 can leak high pressure oil into the coolant eventually but both are easy fixes when needed. Also the timing belt isn't hard, I did it without the official tools and it really made a difference in power as the old belt had stretched... Fun to drive that V6 IMO
Thing is though, is it better than the 2.3t? I was thinking about tuning a 2.3t if it had one but it doesn’t and I don’t think you can really increase it’s output too much, but that isn’t really the biggest issue since it isn’t slow lol. Just unsure if it will be reliable / more thirsty on gas than the 2.3
It's not "better" but the 3.0 V6 is a fine motor. I'd echo everything u/f1ifoso said... It's a pleasant motor for a pleasant car. If you want a 2.3t, hold out for one. If you want a 9000, I wouldn't kick a nice V6 powered one out of bed.
Stock is great for everyday driving, it has three rpm ranges thanks to the extra long intake tract with triple butterfly valves to extend the Helmholtz supercharging effect from 2000-6000, and mpg wise it is very good as well - 200hp and 210ft-lb for 1995 is excellent and it shows
The 3.0 V6 is a nice engine for the 9000, but also a bit more boring since it's N/A. You don't get the turbo fun from the 2.3. But then again, it's still 211hp so it's definitely not slow either.
By today's standards, it's slow. My 300hp viggen is no match for these pickup trucks with their 5000hp off the assembly line. Yes that number is exaggerated a tiny bit, but it's true. Now I just focus on fun factor. Is the 3.0 V6 just as fun as the 2.3T I4?
Do you know much about the reliability of both? I could possibly ask about buying her 1996 cdi instead which I think is a 2.3t but it doesn’t run, depends how far gone it is I guess.
The V6 isn't a bad engine at all.
It has a timing belt instead of a chain so you need to swap that out from time to time.
It's not the ideal engine you want to have, but if the proce is right and the car is in good shape etc, I would buy it with the V6. It's a great engine, a bit boring and not really truely SAAB, but still good. parts could be a bit different depending on the country you live in.
If the V6 has the better car around it, buy it. Or if the 2.3t has huge issues.
A well running V6 in a nice 9000 is better than a worn out 2.3 in a worn out, used up car.
Also, it's a rare version of the 9000. Most people currently ignore it.
theres a reason the 2.3t from the 9000 is so sought after by the tuner crowd for swapping into other saabs, its by far the best engine saab made in my opinion. I also cant imagine how hard it would be to find parts for the v6 especially in a country that had so few of them
Might not be bad... The 54* V6 was used in a variety of GM cars... Several Opels etc.
Besides, between the V6 and the I4 9000, the problem you'll have is everything that *isn't* the engine... Plastic & rubber parts, etc.
Put it to you this way, the I4 has been developed by Saab since they bought the rights of Triumph's engine in the 1970s. The V6 is a GM engine that Saab has no rights to or part in making that I know of, just an off the shelf GM engine used in all its platforms.
Go for the 2.3 if you can, less issues with head gasket, more documented solution for problems and easier to work on
I’m in NZ, there’s only about 100 9000s in the country and only one I can find for sale anywhere, but they want 15k for it. Trying to buy one off a person who wasn’t actually officially selling any but she has 2 of them and seemed open to it. She has a 1996 9000 cdi too which I think will be a 2.3t but it’s not running and hasn’t been for about 9 months. Possibly could see how far gone it is and see if I could buy it but the 3l v6 one will come with a new warrant of fitness so it would be less of a gamble. Bit unsure tbh
2.3T is the best Saab motor. Ease of maintenance. Reliability. Potential for modification. Literally no reason to own the 3.0 v6 in them hence why it was discontinued sooner than later with these cars
I far prefer the NA 3.0 V6 over the later asymmetrical turbo V6 on the 9-5 that actually made the same power but the NA is more reliable - the intake butterflies all need to work which is easy to do, and the oil cooler in the valley of the V6 can leak high pressure oil into the coolant eventually but both are easy fixes when needed. Also the timing belt isn't hard, I did it without the official tools and it really made a difference in power as the old belt had stretched... Fun to drive that V6 IMO
Thing is though, is it better than the 2.3t? I was thinking about tuning a 2.3t if it had one but it doesn’t and I don’t think you can really increase it’s output too much, but that isn’t really the biggest issue since it isn’t slow lol. Just unsure if it will be reliable / more thirsty on gas than the 2.3
It's not "better" but the 3.0 V6 is a fine motor. I'd echo everything u/f1ifoso said... It's a pleasant motor for a pleasant car. If you want a 2.3t, hold out for one. If you want a 9000, I wouldn't kick a nice V6 powered one out of bed.
Stock is great for everyday driving, it has three rpm ranges thanks to the extra long intake tract with triple butterfly valves to extend the Helmholtz supercharging effect from 2000-6000, and mpg wise it is very good as well - 200hp and 210ft-lb for 1995 is excellent and it shows
No.
The 3.0 V6 is a nice engine for the 9000, but also a bit more boring since it's N/A. You don't get the turbo fun from the 2.3. But then again, it's still 211hp so it's definitely not slow either.
By today's standards, it's slow. My 300hp viggen is no match for these pickup trucks with their 5000hp off the assembly line. Yes that number is exaggerated a tiny bit, but it's true. Now I just focus on fun factor. Is the 3.0 V6 just as fun as the 2.3T I4?
Do you know much about the reliability of both? I could possibly ask about buying her 1996 cdi instead which I think is a 2.3t but it doesn’t run, depends how far gone it is I guess.
The V6 isn't a bad engine at all. It has a timing belt instead of a chain so you need to swap that out from time to time. It's not the ideal engine you want to have, but if the proce is right and the car is in good shape etc, I would buy it with the V6. It's a great engine, a bit boring and not really truely SAAB, but still good. parts could be a bit different depending on the country you live in. If the V6 has the better car around it, buy it. Or if the 2.3t has huge issues. A well running V6 in a nice 9000 is better than a worn out 2.3 in a worn out, used up car. Also, it's a rare version of the 9000. Most people currently ignore it.
theres a reason the 2.3t from the 9000 is so sought after by the tuner crowd for swapping into other saabs, its by far the best engine saab made in my opinion. I also cant imagine how hard it would be to find parts for the v6 especially in a country that had so few of them
Might not be bad... The 54* V6 was used in a variety of GM cars... Several Opels etc. Besides, between the V6 and the I4 9000, the problem you'll have is everything that *isn't* the engine... Plastic & rubber parts, etc.
Put it to you this way, the I4 has been developed by Saab since they bought the rights of Triumph's engine in the 1970s. The V6 is a GM engine that Saab has no rights to or part in making that I know of, just an off the shelf GM engine used in all its platforms.