Does the panel approve?

I thought you were trying to save money on fuel?

The cost to change to that will cancel out any savings for a long time, so it seems a bit pointless.

It'll use much less 2.0 will always use less than a 4.0. And it is on a week by week basis where it hits. Plus I get a car that is 7 years newer, better condition, and while Toyota import spares aren't exactley hard to find, UK Saab parts are even easier.

It's a turbo, so the difference may not be as much as you think.

I really don't understand this outlook.

You've spent countless months telling us how reasonably priced and easy to get parts are for oddball Toyota imports....

Bah! What does it matter what we think? Worst you'll get is a slagging from here if you moan about what an inappropriate choice you've made and a hole in your pocketses if it goes wrong.

I'm going to tell you what I think anyway:

Remember, it's based on the very out-dated 'St Albans' floorpan.

It's got "wood". I don't like it, but the car's cheap enough for that not to matter.

I find those seats quite comfy, if they're the same as featured in Mother's 9-5.

It's a Saloon. The boot'll be big enough, but is it a useful shape for your computery bits and will the opening take what you need to carry? (I had to buy a washing machine yesterday - Passats have big boots but you won't get a washing machine through the hole).

It's a turbo'd petrol auto. Is it going to be much more efficient than the car its replacing?

That diesel 9-3 you posted a day or 2 ago will be much cheaper to fuel, won't make the commute any longer and is a hatcback.

Reasonably priced and easy to get, but not as easy as the local GM=20 dealer.

And on the subject of fuel, currently spending about =A3250 a month, for=20 about 1100 miles. I can claim back the mileage for the business driving=20 but if it is the same ammount regardless of wether it is a 2.0 using =A320= =20 or a 4.0 using =A330.

If it is 2.0t rather than a 2.0T, it will be slightly sprightlier but=20 not much more thirsty than an NA 2.0. 2.0t is just the latest=20 incarnation of the Saab LPT format.

--=20 Carl Robson Audio stream:

I know a 9-5 is not the same as a 9000, but anyway.

Our 9000 CSE never really did better than about 23 to the gallon.

And that was an auto too.

Get it if you want to, but I honestly don't expect it to be any better than the Toyota in that respect.

The seats do fold if needed, but I would prefer not to. A server is about the same dimensions as a large suitcase.

Auto will be thirstier than manual, but if it is LPT rather than an FPT, it will be a bit better than a 4.0 auto, and newer.

If you're going to spend money on changing car, at least buy one that will make noticeable saving on fuel, rather than swapping for something that might save you enough to buy a couple of pints a week.

If you're looking at prices close on £2k, then it opens up a whole world of French and Kraut diesels to you.

Been looking at the official figues.

Not bad, not great but not bad. Was your CSE a turbo?

That's s**te.

Get a diesel, ffs.

Further to mr Sherunckle's comments:

My next door neighbour has a P reg 9000 2.0t Ecopower auto. I dunno if that's the LPT one or if 2.0t is different again, I expect you prolly will. (c:

I've driven it once and been in it a few times. Quite gutsy, and I didn't cane it, but it never feels like its accelerating very hard. Perhaps thats the barge factor.

He does a lot of relatively long distance motorway/dual carrigeway toing and froing. Reckons if he's being sedate he can get the computer to tell him he's doing 30mpg. That plummets if he spends much time pottering around the city.

Mother's 9-5 Diesel is at least as comfy and at least as fast in the real world as that 9000. You don't get the same cringe as the fuel gauge drops when you boot it in the Diesel either.

The 9-5 will be a lot newer but I'll go out on a limb and wager that the Toyota is still better screwed together.

The panel doesn't have to approve : you have to ( and the missus of course, almost forgot the big boss). Out of memory: the reasoning of the panel never had much of influence on you :-)

Looks tidy, no indication of mileage though but that's not omni- important for a car its age (unless we are speaking 200 kmiles plus). Very silvery as about 80% of all cars now. Some waxing and elbow grease will make it look new.

Germans call it SwedishStalh: steel from Sweden, that referring to Saab and Volvo. Volvo's a bit odd, since some of them being built in Ghent using steel from ... 5 km further up the road.

Will he take your Celsior in exchange?

Tom De Moor

Yep, ecopower is the small t model (low pressure turbo).

175BHP. Better on fuel than a full pressure, but the tradeoff is no kick in the back just a gentle prod.

Yes indeed, it was.

It eventually had a Jak Stoll ECU, and didn't really burn much more. They're big heavy cars though - if you want a bit of grunt and economy you really need a decntly large turbodiesel. A 9-5 with the Isuzu 3.0 or an Audi A6 2.5 would be my areas of interest.

Don't worry, a lot of Saabs come from Russelheim germany now, with=20 Trollhatten reserved for building Cadillac BLS models. Cars that cost=20 =A320k+ new, and sell for =A37k at 1 year old. Makes Alfas seem a solid=20 investment.

That I need to ask, but I might have another avenue to consider if he=20 doesn't.

--=20 Carl Robson Audio stream:

Hate to say it, but the only way to really save money is to buy a diesel. Or if a lot of urban driving a hybrid.

Nope dont like it, keep the V8 and stop being a pansy ;)

spend the cash LPG'ing the celsior money better spent i think!

What he said. I reckon you just get itchy feet and have to change every 6 months. I used to be the worst person ever for it but since getting the Subaru I am pretty happy with my car. It does everything a car needs to do. Bikes on the other hand....... *logs on to bikesales.com.au*

Fraser