just driving habits and psi change.

[sheepdog 44]

1997 Saab 900 s 2.3 litre 4 cylinder automatic: Per the EPA 17 city 25 highway 20 combined. 3,000 lbs flying brick.

My combined driving is 28.6mpg.

No modding, engine always on, never shifting into neutral. Just putting psi to max sidewall. Driving with load, accelerating down hills and bleeding speed going up. I live in Berkshire county in Massachusetts. Probably one of the hilliest places with a 20 mile one way commute.

Well thats how far changing the nut behind the wheel gets you. I use to get a 23.8mpg low during the winter, but haven't gotten below 28mpg all this year.

I think Saabs are terrible! Who in their right minds would design something so heavy with bad handling and mediocre acceleration, for architects? No wonder they went bankrupt! Just my 2 cents, hate the car and getting rid of it this year.

[euromodder]

Even though you hate the car, 40% over EPA in an automatic is good work

[Ford Man]

8 MPG above highway rating for combined city/highway driving is great. Keep up the good work.

[straight5]

Originally Posted by sheepdog 44

1997 Saab 900 s 2.3 litre 4 cylinder automatic: I think Saabs are terrible! Who in their right minds would design something so heavy with bad handling and mediocre acceleration, for architects? No wonder they went bankrupt! Just my 2 cents, hate the car and getting rid of it this year.

I've been so impressed with my first Saab (1999 9-5t wagon), that I just bought my second Saab! (1999 9-5t sedan 5 speed)
Even my wagon handles better than a lot of cars. Was a 900 that much different?
and weight?
Your car weighs the same as a new sentra. What do you plan to buy?

[cleanspeed1]

Had a GM Saab (1994 900S / 5 spd ). I liked that car, killed it for work ( courier at the time ), yet I know if I didn't use it the way I did it would still be here. Traded it in on a minivan. I would do another one, just never with an automatic.

[sheepdog 44]

1997 Saab 900 curb weight 2,940 lbs.
1999 Saab 9-5 curb weight 3,350 to 3,560 lbs! About a 100 or so less for a MT.

A 2011 nissan sentra is about 100-150lbs less than my car.

In my car when you try to lighten it by kicking out the spare and jack, you become very front heavy. Its 60 front 40 rear weight distribution to begin with. When i try to preserve momentum and kick it around a corner you can really feel it.

Maybe 3,000 lbs doesn't seem a lot to most people. I think an ideal car should weigh a lot less. I know that every hundred pounds lighter a car is makes a big difference.

[8307c4]

I think these modifications are safe and sound in terms of both safety and alternate costs, perhaps you are ready to try another nut mod: Stop anticipation which is in ways similar to driving without brakes but it's NOT about taking high speed turns, stop anticipation focuses on letting off the gas early enough to take a turn at normal speed and such.

Much like bleeding off speed going uphill, stop anticipation lets speed bleed off in advance of a traffic signal (even when the light is green, stop anticipation focuses on slowing just in case it turns red rather than trying to beat the light).

I have used this technique to get off highway ramps as well but again without taking it too fast, just have to put on the turn signal and let off the gas a ways early.

Saves quite a bit of fuel.


Anyhow, thought I'd mention it.

[sheepdog 44]

Thanks! 28.7mpg now. I thought 28.3 was my wall but the warmer weather shot it up fast.

[straight5]

Yea, I can't say that I disagree with you about the weight of car, but the manufacturers want very badly to save weight, and look at their numbers:

2012 BMW 1 series 3250lbs
2012 ford focus 2857
2012 VW golf 2967

2012 chevy cruze 3011
We just rented a Cruze. Chevy got it right this time. We averaged 34.1mpg at an average speed that I can't talk about online. Let's just say I am impressed.