Comments on: Posting light tonight

By: Mark_Belfast

Mark_Belfast — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 09:11:02 +0000

Bob

I understand the issues you raise, and as I mentioned above, the avail of diesel was certainly a factor in the whole fleet market revivial for Saab in UK – naturally the downside is a glut of pre-owned models. I have taken on my 9-3 through a lease which protects me from residual risk, and because of Saab GB’s keeness to push up registrations was avail to me at a keen price – these tend to be 12 or 24 mnth deals and again serve only to dilute the residual worth for those like you invest in your metal.

There is no answer to this unless Saab embark upon one of those guaranteed value trade-in schemes that raised their heads in the 90s, but really the market drives these things and for anyone purchasing a car, it pays to consider whether you will be replacing it within a short or longer timeframe. Whilst the Saab depreciation may be partic heavy, equally the fact that cars are being sold to fleets at all is a mark of acceptatance and desirability to fleet users – I never thought I’d see the day when Hertz would have a fleet of 9-5 wagons lined up at Belfast airport – but it’s great to see.

Ultimately the brand does not command as strong residuals as BMW or Audi and it will be a long winding road before they do, requiring more favourable reports on reliability and quality for a sustained period – the inital barrier of desirability of the motors I think has been cracked by the current 9-3, Saab need to build swiftly on this with the new 9-5 and replacement 9-3.

By: englishbob

englishbob — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 22:36:08 +0000

I pretty much agree with the comments of Mark and Jon as to why people buy Saabs in the UK. However, I do not believe that these wise buyers are the reason why Saab GB have achieved their new car sales figures.
The major GM brand in the UK is Vauxhall (otherwise known as Opel in the rest of Europe) and their big sales volume is achieved by selling to the fleet user and daily rental companies at huge discounts.The end result is masses of less than year old cars on the market at bargain prices – something in the order of 50% of new list price. This is good for the private buyers of these used cars but bad if you were the person who bought a new one at list price!
Recently, Saab GB have caught the Vauxhall disease and have been heavily discounting to the fleet market resulting in plummetting residual values, so that a 3 year old 9-3 struggles to retain much more than 30% of new list price.
Mercedes, Audi and BMW ( C Class, A4 and 3 series) meanwhile are in the 50% – 55% area. This treatment by Saab GB of their faithful ‘user chooser’ customers is very disappointing to say the least.
Also, Saab GB are failing to retain their faithful customers by their model choice availability particularly for the new MY08 9-3. It is has been said many times that Saab buyers are ‘individuals’ and their desires in cars are eqally so. Let me illustrate my gripe with Saab GB, I have a 9-3 2.0T Wagon/Combi purchased new in 2005 (my fifth new Saab) and my wife has a 9-3 1.8t saloon/sedan also new in 2005. Whilst I love the power and torque of the 2.0T engine, I almost hate the hard ride of the (mandatory) sports chassis on the poor, bumpy roads we have to suffer, my wifes car is much better to ride in. For MY08, Saab GB has made the sports chassis mandatory on 2 out of 3 models, Aero and Vector, only Linear is available without (I don’t count the Airflow – this is a base model aimed at the fleet market) and Linear is only available with a very limited choice of engines. If I want the 2.0T or TTiD I have to have Aero specification, why can’t I have these engines with the non sports suspension like in other countries?
Yes, Swade I too would like an hour with Jonathan Nash to get him to explain why his actions are annoying such a loyal Saab addict!
Am I alone?

By: Mark_belfast

Mark_belfast — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 20:31:06 +0000

Jon, also spend time on the M50, pretty sure the remainder of the masses are on the M2 at Sandyknowles though;). Agnews defo need competition, mad that Ivan in Coleraine and Donaghys in Omagh can only service cars but have to go to Agnews as sole distributor, but guess that for 1.5m population in NI we’re no worse off than many guys on here from Usa and Oz?

By: logan

logan — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:20:35 +0000

A few of my friends have told me that riding in my 9-3SS was the first Saab they had ever ridden in. I’m 21, so that’s pretty lousy. 21 years and never in a Saab. I’ll admit, it took me 16 years to get there, but I was never interested and exposed to cars (until I wanted to get one, which was a ’94 900).

In the USA, BMW owns the image of a luxury, sporty car for all the daddy’s girls, and people who are looking for the status icon. I have nothing wrong with BMW (nice cars in fact), but I don’t buy into the fact that they are so much greater than the competition.

Enter Saab. I try to ‘sell’ (the idea) Saab to my friends every chance I get (which is most likely annoying to all of them). Most people look at Saab (who don’t know the brand) and see another Ovlov, not direct competition to Audi, BMW, Acura, Infiniti, etc… A big mistake from the general public.

I’m hoping with the release of MY08 9-3 and future 9-5, 9-4x, 9-1, a new image of Saab can be branded and shown to the ignorant motoring public of the USA.

I am lucky to have one of the best secrets on 4 wheels… A Saab.

end rant.

By: Jon

Jon — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:58:12 +0000

Greg I meant more form the presepctive of driving, rather than population. I am a UK citizen as well dont forget! Our roads are narrow and twisty b roads which make driving fun along with some fantastic high speed A roads.
I work in Dublin a bit too and I can assure you all off the 4.1m population are on the M50 toll road between 4:00 and 6:00pm!!

Mark, I saw a Vauxhall dealer advertising as a Saab dealer last week – not sure if they are an “offical” dealer. It will be nice to give Agnews some competition but I agree it miay not be a good move.

By: Mark_belfast

Mark_belfast — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:11:51 +0000

Jon, true the Porche link-up in the Bwlfast dealership is a big help in terms of glamour by association-as you say, sharing a floor with Vauxhall wouldn’t cut it at all.
I do also agree that Saabs have been seen as ‘classless’ and do not as often attract the vitriol and unwanted attention of the envious types (like the morons who added a coachstripe the length of my car last week
). This is an advantage for Saab vs the ‘look athow well I’m doing’ BMWs and Mercs and to a lesser extent Audi. Maybe Saab should make more of this in the way Audi highlighted it years before they in turn became arrogant?

By: Greg Abbott

Greg Abbott — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:24:41 +0000

“The UK and Ireland are tiny countries”

The UK has 60 million people in it, it is not a tiny country by any means. It may be cramped and crowded, but not tiny.

Ireland, OTOH, has a population of only 4.1 million. This is a million fewer people than my home state of Minnesota. *That’s* a tiny country.

By: Jon

Jon — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:17:37 +0000

Good question. In my case yes, the original BMW 3 Series and Saab 900 were the 2 cars I looked at in magazines when I was a kid and said – yes I want one someday. Enthusiasts look back at the rallies and the turbos and feel a warm glow and joe public see them parked outside expensive houses. In some respects they are quite close in image to the VW Golf in the UK – they have status but are not status symbols.

The UK and Ireland are tiny countries and the Saab range fits quite well. Medium sized cars that can demolish motorways but also have that great midrange for overtaking on B roads.

I also think the dealer network takes them seriously. In Belfast the fact that they share equal showroom space with Porsche helps. The cars are proudly on display not hidden away behind inferior GM product. I also know for a fact from friends that the wives and girlfriends of Porsche buyers then get a good look at the 9-3 ‘verts on display and sometimes pick one up while waiting for the deal to be done.

By: swade

swade — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:30:25 +0000

Mark B – brilliant contribution there. Thx.

Is all this historical appreciation the reason why Saabs are still accepted so well today, Jon?

I’d just like to figure out how other places could do it better. If there’s a magic trick Saab GB are using. Sounds like there isn’t though.

I’d love to get Jonathan Nash for an hour and get his thoughts.

By: Jon

Jon — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:12:00 +0000

The UK has long been into rallying and Saab had respect for the rally hertiage. In the 70s and 80s they simply had great product backed up with (for the time) great marketing. There was a strong image and the launch of the 9000 gave the more affluent buyer something to move into from the 900. The collapse of Alfa and Citroen also helped to boost Saab as the first choice of the thinking man. Architects and Doctors were seen as the natural customer, maybe people who liked the solidity of a Volvo but hated the image. A Saab was something that you aspired to own and could very possibly do it. It was never a car to impress the neighbours like a Merc but it stated quietly that you were doing well.