Experience with Aeros (9000 and 9-5) as a skiing/backpacking/towing vehicle

I own a '96 9000 Aero, and it is a wonderful highway cruiser. However, when I get to gravel roads, I wish a had my Subaru Outback instead; the Saab does not want to go bumping around the rocks in the gravel. However, the Subaru is a real bore on the highway. This made me wonder - can anyone share their experience with using an Aero as a skiing/backpacking/towing vehicle? Has anyone used the Aero in such multi-tasking capacity? Here is the information I have and the questions I am looking to have answers for:

  1. Clearly, an 9000 Aero - or the 9-5 Aero - should have no problem negotiating the snow with the proper snow tires. However, is the low clearance due to ground effects going to create a problem in the fresh snow?
  2. Related question: a friend of mine drove in an 9-5 Aero through 10cm of water and ended up with an engine replacement - apparently, the air intake is low enough that some water was sucked into the engine. Where is air intake on the 9000? Is it going to have a similar problem? Has the 9-5 issue been alleviated on the later model 9-5s?
  3. Gravel - I suspect that my 9000 was not happy in the gravel because the vehicle has close to 100kMiles, and probably needs new shocks. Any other comments on its gravel drivability?
  4. Towing - there is some info on towing in the manual, but has anyone actually attempted to tow with an Aero (either an 9000 or a 9-5)?

Thanks,

-Dima

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Dima
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