Auto v manual aero 2.3T?

[boosted ls1]

Hi, I'm wondering what it would be like to drive an auto and if there are any significant differences in performance? Could the auto be tuned to make similar bhp to the tuned manuals and are they fun car's to drive? Can anybody comment, thanks?

[Jopo001]

Hi

i have never driven an auto aero but the main problem is the auto box. they only make 200 bhp because the 'box cant take the torque, so with a bit of tuning its not going to be the most reliable.

a stage 1 manual aero will make around 270 bhp with 300 ft/b of torque and this is starting to get to near the limit of a standard clutch, pushing the same power and torque through the auto will challenge the 'box and realistically you shouldnt be putting it through the auto.

you can get an auto mapped to around the same figures as a manual aero and not have any problems, however this will normally have the software to limit torque in first and second to protect the 'box

in my opinion stick to a manual, if you want a fast auto get a big merc.

JP

[deano93tid]

I have an auto and I don't know whether I would get one again pleasure to drive (if you are lazy I suppose) significant lag in gear engage in 1st to actually going.

Speaking from an 05 9-3 1.9TID 150.

[AlanG]

I have a 2.3 FPT auto (now a parts car) and a 2.3 LPT auto. The FPT (which is the same as the Aero auto engine) was noticably livelier than the LPT and the fuel consumption not much different. (Insurance is lower with the LPT though as expected). The only reason the FPT came off the road was that the gearbox was whining a lot in lower gears , still fine on the motorway in top and still performing well but it was waking the neighbours when I left early in the morning. It had only done around 145k which was a bit disappointing, the LPT has now done around 157k. I have never had a major problem with takeoff but it is obviously not like a manual (also have a 2.0 stage 1 manual) due to the troque converter. As noted above, they can be tuned (somebody on this forum used to offer the service) but the tuning has to limit the torque in the lower gears to protect the box. All in all I like them and have given the manual to my son (sans stage 1 ecu until he is older), but then I have got old and lazy.

[deano93tid]

I did however happen to have a 2.3T Aero Hot 250 as a coutesy car while my auto box was being replaced on the 9-3 and mine is chipped to a claimed 206BHP from DTUK I think it is more like 185BHP and the difference between them was amazing the 9-5 was an estate and still the pick up was incredible but it was drinking up £20 per day to get to and from work glad to get the tractor back.

[crazykev718]

ok first day on this site and the first post i ran into....this comment is for Jopo001, and i guess for everyone else. i have a 2003 saab aero 2.3 turbo, the car has 214000 miles with only stage 1 tuned. ive had the car for over 3 years and im the second owner, the car hauls ass and never had one problem with it, i change my oil every 3k and i use 5w50 castrol edge. the the gears change like a baby and i love the little lag on launches because when that turbo kicks in theres no loose in traction, i love s mode for that but if i wana burn tires i could neutral to 2000 rpm and launch with s mode, only if i want to but i dont do that alot..what im getting at is that the car is the most reliable care i ever drove and its fun. all u have to do is take care of it, i dont even have the pcv # 6 because i dont need it. also i never dyno the car but im sure its over 320hp with no engine mods or exaust or anything not even rims. the car is bone stock and and same tranny from day one. the tranny, exaust and stock filter can take 400hp befor any upgrade is needed. feel free to ask me any questions as im sure i left out quite a few points i would love to make but like i said this is my first day on this site (:

ps:drove the 03 aero in manual and couldnt even keep up with my auto aero

[Jopo001]

crazykev, this thread is for a saab 9000 aero. if you have a 2003 it will be a 9-5 aero which has a different gearbox to the 9000. the gearbox in the 9-5 is stronger than the ones put into 9000's. no-one here is doubting the capability of the engine on standard internals, the b235 found in your car is a development of the b234 found in the 9000, what my comment pointed out is that the gearbox in the 9000 cannot take the power and torque of a standard aero (this is why they were de-tuned by saab to 200bhp) and when you introduce more power they tend to throw their toy out the pram.

JP

[crazykev718]

opps i m sorry i just saw aero but i didnt know they make it in 9000 form to. i just wanted to join a post because someone told me that if anything didnt go wrong with my car yet then it will soon and its gona be a chain reaction. so i was hoping you guys can help me figure out some stuff if it was to happen. someone told me my vibration damper might be going bad due to a slight vibration in the morning. but again im really sorry about the misunderstanding, im still new to the saab world and never knew how great these cars really were

[danilo]

Have had both: a CSE auto and an Aero 5spd
Aero has a bigger boost due to it's slightly bigger Turbo and slightly more aggressive ecu.
A big more visceral in driving it. Also a genuine PITA to have to shift gears (on a far from state of the art shifter) in Any kind of urban driving
Auto box has a smaller t25 turbo which translates into a lower boost potential.. but a bit earlier onset.Lower ultimate power
Autox is ECU boost limited in D1 and D2 , whereas the 5 speed is Boost limited in 1st and 2nd gear. A little factiod not widely known :-0
Autobox is a point and squirt car..and is actually quicker than the Aero off the line and up to 30/40 mph every time.
Auto and 5spd make no discernable difference whatsoever once on the highway. if that's your main driving .
Pre 94 transmissions: BOTH 5 spd and Autobox were Fragile.
Later ones are now reasonably tough, Still fragile but much less so than earlier product.

[boosted ls1]

Thanks for the informative replies. I'll have to start looking for a replacement car. I think I'd prefer a manual but won't rule out an auto if I like the way it drives.

[paul anderson]

danilo,

I think it's a liitle known factoid because it isn't. This urban myth appeared some time ago on this site and was unsubstantiated. How does the ecu 'know' which gear the car is in with a 5 speed manual ? It doesn't, so it can't limit the torque. Otherwise is would be set to limit wheelspin in the dry in first and second if you really try ! Also check out the boost gauge when you give it welly. Goes straight up into the red zone.

Paul @ Kippen

[danilo]

Take the time and effort to 'open' the ECU program (t5suite) there on screen you will see the oem setup, which Limits Boost in D1 and revers in the Autobox version of the programming, AND in 1st, 2nd and reverse of the 5 spd programming .
A bit more involved than typing personal opinions though.
How can the machine tell what gear it's in ? Easily apparently, through its rpm and road speed sensors and stored gear ratio info.. it's clever.

[s.s.d.d]

saab 9000 aero auto 97 over 300,000 miles same box ecu remapped runs 1.5 bar auto box still sweet