GM Failed to sell SAAB, Brand discontiune
12-19-2009, 04:16 PM
#26
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GM as usual bit off more than it could chew by adding yet another division it did not have time or resources to dedicate to. It was hard to say what Saab really was or who it competed against.
The only half ways competitive model it had was the 9-3. The 9-5 has long been outdated and the half *** products GM added such as the rebadged trail blazer 9-7x and rebadged subaru 9-2x did more to hurt the brand than anything in my opinion.
I don't think Volvo will fall into this category. Their products are actually good and well designed thanks to Ford dumping a ton of money into them. They are actually considered a somewhat higher end brand unlike Saab.
The only half ways competitive model it had was the 9-3. The 9-5 has long been outdated and the half *** products GM added such as the rebadged trail blazer 9-7x and rebadged subaru 9-2x did more to hurt the brand than anything in my opinion.
I don't think Volvo will fall into this category. Their products are actually good and well designed thanks to Ford dumping a ton of money into them. They are actually considered a somewhat higher end brand unlike Saab.
12-19-2009, 10:08 PM
#27
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Two of my buddies with 9-5s had nothing but problems with them. Both had an experience when the car would just die in the middle of traffic and had to be towed.
My 9-3 actually drove OK. It was peppy and fun to drive because of the turbo. It was cheap to buy and maintain. I sold it because it did not feel like a quality car: the doors were misaligned, the exterior plastics were peeling off at 4 years old, big gaps between body panels, funky clutch/shifter. The weird thing about the fold down back seats was to fold them flat you had to move the front seats all the way forward. Almost like the engineers messed up the car dimensions.
Sad to see them go. They are a unique brand with loyal followers. With some investment and a few improvements SAAB could have been a good option in the entry level luxury segment. I actually preferred either 9-3 or 9-5 to a Volvo XC70 which to me handled like a boat.
My 9-3 actually drove OK. It was peppy and fun to drive because of the turbo. It was cheap to buy and maintain. I sold it because it did not feel like a quality car: the doors were misaligned, the exterior plastics were peeling off at 4 years old, big gaps between body panels, funky clutch/shifter. The weird thing about the fold down back seats was to fold them flat you had to move the front seats all the way forward. Almost like the engineers messed up the car dimensions.
Sad to see them go. They are a unique brand with loyal followers. With some investment and a few improvements SAAB could have been a good option in the entry level luxury segment. I actually preferred either 9-3 or 9-5 to a Volvo XC70 which to me handled like a boat.
12-19-2009, 10:46 PM
#28
Well, Ill agree with you. It seems to me that GM thinks the Volt will be their savior but at near 40k 97% of the US population cant afford one anyway. I know they plan on exporting a huge number of these and Id be willing to bet they will sell more of these overseas than they will here. I dont think this is the kind of car america wants. I wish these companies would stop being so stubborn and bring over diesel engines to the US market. They would surely sell better than the hybrid/electric crap.
I mean how many "great" promises has GM made for the past 15-20 years? sure everything sounds great. but nothing worked and they got fucked.
But they never learned and never will, why?
Cuz our "smart" government bailed their *** out.
or
"Great Mismanagement"
+1 on the diesel. but it just seems like the average american refuses to buy into diesels. they do really like hybrids, largely 'cuz of marketing, publicity, and the fact that it's new and pretty *green* high tech. i really wish they'd bring over more modern diesels. bmw and mbz are doing it but while they're excellent, they're also very expensive. vw seems to be the only one willing to do it affordably, and i'd get a golf tdi over a hybrid anyway. as for the volt, it's just a ridiculous car. it's a pretty decent idea, but the price is outrageous and it just doesn't seem like a product that makes economic sense for anyone. after this saab thing, i really truly realized how broken the corporate gm is and has been, how utterly utterly entrenched and broken. companies like this should be studied in schools
"OMG Diesel ? Thats only for trucks ! ITS VERY DIRTY ! ARGH ! HYBRID FTW !"
*sigh*
Volt ... someday, we can laugh about it like we always do to da Crossfire
12-19-2009, 11:37 PM
#29
zoom fuckin zoom
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oh well it should make picking up a used 9-3 Vector a bit cheaper now. I think its one of the best looking 4 doors out there, better than a bmw 3 sedan. Now Id love to have a Charger RT or Pontiac G8 instead but the snow here says no as long as I have the 8 for weekend fun. Its either a 9-3 H.O. or a Legacy GT for commuting when my dodge dies, it just turned 170k miles but runs like new and its been paid off for 2 yrs now so its cheaper to keep her.
12-20-2009, 06:26 PM
#31
I like this comment
Saab has never been a big-selling car brand, but the recent global recession and news of the brand's possible demise have driven sales down to crisis levels. Saab's U.S. sales have fallen by more than half so far this year.
12-20-2009, 11:15 PM
#32
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Saab may be coming back there was a little ticker tape on it today (Sunday 20th - Fox News).
The volt and the electric wheel chair were promises made back in the convention, which I covered in the Granny Blog, but most of it got edited out as too political - but I covered those because they said exactly what they planned to do to the automotive industry and so far the promises have been kept!
The volt and the electric wheel chair were promises made back in the convention, which I covered in the Granny Blog, but most of it got edited out as too political - but I covered those because they said exactly what they planned to do to the automotive industry and so far the promises have been kept!
12-20-2009, 11:52 PM
#33
I always considered Saab a quasi-luxury car because overseas they were cheap decades ago but once GM got their hands on it they took it out of that market and tried to fool consumers in the US.
12-21-2009, 03:17 PM
#34
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GM is gay.
The Corvette ZR1 only puts down 500whp out of the 631bhp it's supposed to have. So that's wat? a 20+ % drivetrain loss.fail.
Idk, I always liked Saabs. They are "dentists" car as Jeremy Clarkson calls it.
The Corvette ZR1 only puts down 500whp out of the 631bhp it's supposed to have. So that's wat? a 20+ % drivetrain loss.fail.
Idk, I always liked Saabs. They are "dentists" car as Jeremy Clarkson calls it.
01-01-2010, 08:45 PM
#36
You Dumbass!!!
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We will do nothing to stop SAAB from closing down, Our government is too smart to spend our taxmoney on a dead project.
It's a shame for the workers and the region (I live where SAAB is) but SAAB wasen't suppose to live.
in the end if you don't produce a product people wants to buy then you have no Business.
It's a shame for the workers and the region (I live where SAAB is) but SAAB wasen't suppose to live.
in the end if you don't produce a product people wants to buy then you have no Business.
01-27-2010, 07:03 PM
#39
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Well Saab lives another day. Saab was sold to Spyker with financing help from Sweden & the EU. Hopefully they do something good with the brand. GM just trashed it.
I think there is definitely a niche for an entry-level Euro brand.
I think there is definitely a niche for an entry-level Euro brand.
Last edited by CarAndDriver; 01-27-2010 at 07:05 PM.
01-27-2010, 09:28 PM
#41
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More Corporate Welfare!
01-27-2010, 10:18 PM
#43
You Dumbass!!!
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but its made by ppl who make Jets. Jets are just like faster cars
JUST LIKE.
P.S. The Genesis looks promising.
Can we just ask G.M. for our money back and tell them to go F themselves? This is seriously getting ridiculous.
JUST LIKE.
P.S. The Genesis looks promising.
Can we just ask G.M. for our money back and tell them to go F themselves? This is seriously getting ridiculous.
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