I'm not sure that the 9000 was worse, quality-wise, than Audis of that period. Audis had many, often severe, reliability problems in the 80s and 90s. I can remember ones I myself test-drove back then, having sloppy fit/finish, loose-assembly, and rattles/squeaks even as brand-new cars.

Yes, like many of the posters of this forum (CAR CHAT), you seem to be someone who knows cars and is competent. But that doesn't mean that we always will agree.



Here in America, Saab loyalty wasn't necessarily very wide, but it sure was deep....until GM stuck their nose in.


In what way? BMW, today, in many ways, has never been more successful.....they prospered even after Chris Bangle (IMO) screwed up their designs. Although it is now starting to change some, their vehicles swept the comparisions in auto-enthusiast magazines for years. But many of them simply cost too much for the average recession-plagued car-shopper today, who is out looking at cheaper American, Korean, and Japanese nameplates instead. .

 

Considering Volvo sells about the same number of cars as Lexus worldwide, I doubt they are in any sort of danger...

 

By mid-price European marques, I meant Saab, Audi, Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, and Rover. Basically the companies who only had FWD cars who were trying to compete with Mercedes and BMW with a cheaper but not as good offering.

Of that group only Audi really did well (by improving their product to international standards), Volvo has gotten by, and the others have struggled.

 

Won't say I'll really miss this brand. Saturn was much more of a loss to the automotive world, in my opinion.

My most recent experience was at a Saab dealer about 6 months ago in Orange County. A friend was in the market for a new car. We went to the Saab dealer since it was next to the Volvo dealer. Walked around the lot for 10 minutes and not a single soul came out greet us. The dealership was a ghost town. Anyone still working for Saab should have had the foresight to jump ship a long time ago.

 

In America maybe. In Rest of World, everyone thinks Saturn is a planet.

 

In America we think the rest of the world doesn't matter.

 

Totally agree. But, even worse, the real Saturn, with their innovative plastic-body compacts, A-1 customer-service, easy no-haggle deals, and unique features like the spin-off transmission filter, faded out after about 2000 or so. After that, it simply became another ho-hum GM division selling redone Opels and Chevies.

Unfortunately, with Saab, that also became the case, but Saab did not have as wide a base of customers as Saturn.

I had a 1999 Saturn plastic-bodied SL-2, and I thought it was one of the most interesting cars I ever bought. The Ion, which replaced the S-series, was a joke. Even the metal-bodied Saturn Astra, which replaced the Ion, was an improvement.

 

Watch for new 9-5 super deals now. That is a really good car and hopefully it gets firesale pricing.

 

Yesterday I passed a highway Saab dealership that was closed but don't know how long it has been,though.

 

unfortunate to hear, enjoyed their 93 an viggen

 

dammit I like their new 9-5

 

A post on another car forum...

"coworker has a 2010 Saab and he and I have have been talking about this since Saab filed bankruptcy.

He was wondering about warranties and if he should just bail out of his Saab now.

He went to a Volvo and an Audi dealer....his $32,000 Saab has a value of $9,500 on a trade-in.

Plus he heard that Saab's are now selling for 50 cents on the dollar at auctions."

 

Buy a Buick LaCrosse. It's more or less the same thing.

 

You should tell him that if he had spent $32k on a Lexus, it would be worth $25k now.

Fools and their money are easily parted.

 

Except uglier and way less cool.