Comments on: Saab spotter spots strange Swedish-plated Saabs in San Joaquin Valley

By: Troll96

Troll96 — Thu, 29 May 2008 22:20:24 +0000

We in the States do not have Sweden’s tax code to nudge buyers toward E-85, so it’s important that Saab have something more economical to offer (i.e. diesel) next year and beyond.

Recent history in the US market shows that VW and MB diesel cars fetch much more on resale than gassers. If Saab sold TTiDs here, that would help reduce the depreciation and increase the perceived value of their vehicles. In turn, that would induce more folks to buy Saabs when new instead of leasing them or picking them up used at rock bottom prices. On average, owners here keep their cars about 6 years. That figure has been steadily increasing, which is good for prospective diesel buyers, given 1985 Gripen’s analysis above.

In any event, a choice of BioPower, TTiD, and XWD in 2009 would go a long way toward building more excitement around the Saab brand.

By: 1985 Gripen

1985 Gripen — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:13:43 +0000

rpg: I hope your dealer is right, but if history tells us anything it’s that the dealers only know as much (and sometimes less) than we Saab aficionados do. Also, Saab can’t make all U.S. spec 9-3s BioPower. For some reason they’re not able to make a BioPower version of the 9-3 Aero (I’ve read it’s because of the lack of direct ignition on the V6) and I don’t think there’s even a BioPower version of the 9-5′s 2.3T in Sweden. The 2.3t, yes. But I think in N.A. we only get the capital T.

As for diesel economics, maybe it makes sense to buy a diesel if you’re buying new and plan to own the car for many more years than the typical car owner owns a car in order to pay off the initial premium. That being said, most people don’t own a car more than five years, I’m guessing, at least in the U.S. The second-hand buyer is going to expect the car to depreciate enough that the car no longer includes the diesel premium, meaning the depreciation rate would be steeper than say a hybrid.

With the price of fuel rising in the U.S. there’s a tight market for second-hand hybrids (especially ones in California with the carpool lane sticker which I’ve read fetches as much as a $3000 premium on used hybrids). Therefore the depreciation rate of a hybrid would be far less steep than that of a non-hybrid.

I really wish Saab were finally coming out with a hybrid rather than a CUV. I think it’d sell better and I’d even look at buying one!

By: rpg

rpg — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:05:43 +0000

I have it on good authority from a Boston area dealer that XWD will be an option on the 2.0T 9-3s this fall when the MY09s arrive.

As for BioPower, why not make all US spec 9-3s BioPower like Mercedes did with the new C Class? All new C Class variants can run on E85.

By: Dan9-1

Dan9-1 — Thu, 29 May 2008 10:31:48 +0000

Swade Enough S’s in that title? Its like a tongue twister

By: eriknystrom

eriknystrom — Thu, 29 May 2008 07:10:05 +0000

Just for the heck of it, I compared the total weght of FYP916 that Gripen spotted with a 9-3 2.0t Vector Biopower at a dealer in Sweden ( MLF255).
FYP916 has a total weight of 2090 kg and MLF255 has 2030 kg.
I don’t know the weight of a Haldex system, but it should be more than 60 kg, right?
So, if that assumption is correct, there is no xwd on that spotted Saab.

By: Mats

Mats — Thu, 29 May 2008 07:00:15 +0000

I agree with you Marko, I also prefer the low down torque of the diesel over a revy petrol engine in a daily driver car…

By: WooDz

WooDz — Thu, 29 May 2008 06:58:54 +0000

Diesels will in general cost more that a gasoline equivalent up until a point. It’s well worth calculating cost and mileage over the period of time you expect to own the vehicle. The harder job will be factoring depreciation as although usually diesels have a higher residual value it’s quite hard getting hold of that information, especially when the engine is new.

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To get back on topic, some people are still questioning the two cars.
CJ has given us the answers.
They were 2.0t Bio-power vehicles with 129kw / 175hp or 200hp running e85.

The good news is the vehicles are now being tested on American soil but we have had a similar topic before concerning Bio-Power, where the question was raised whether 175hp / 200hp would be enough to please the US Market?

The further speculation could be that it was easier to obtain a 175hp version but for 2009 Saab could introduce a 210hp / 225hp Bio-Power variant.

By: MarkoA

MarkoA — Thu, 29 May 2008 06:54:09 +0000

I´d like to point out a detail in the diesel discussion. I bought 9-3 TTiD, but not only because of lower consumption. I have to pay additional diesel tax, and it´ll almost compensate the savings that I´ll get by driving diesel.
But there´s something more. Driving a good diesel engine is a pleasure to some. Count me one of them. When you are using sub 3500rpm new TTiD feels quicker and more powerfull than 2.8v6t (255hp), due to faster spool up of turbo (virtually no lag). That´s the rev-band where I usyally drive. After 4000rpm diesel get´s out of breath.

And talking about consumpion; it´s very comfortable to drive a longer trip where you can drive over 1000km by one fill up. It´s like having over 100liter tank on a petrol turbo.

2009 BioPower to US, 2.0T XWD. Sounds good. 9-3XC version too. I really hope they´ll make diesel version too.
Though I know I´d feel bad too because I already bought FWD TTID and simply cannot replace it with XWD version so soon.

By: Trent

Trent — Thu, 29 May 2008 06:00:05 +0000

When I bought my car a couple of months ago, I did the calcs, and found that using the avaerage combined milage as printed in the SAAB handbooks I would have to do 250,000Km before I would break even on diesel vs petrol engine. When I facted in interest into the equation on the extra money, it wen up to around 400,000km. It was not worth it especialy when the petrol engines are so much more enjoyable to drive. diesel only work if it is signifacantly cheaper then petrol or you are doing a lot of highway driving where diesel have the advantage in fuel economy. The cost of diesel is worse now in Australia, I filled up yesterday for $1.37 lt and diesel was $1.76lt.

By: Mats

Mats — Thu, 29 May 2008 05:56:37 +0000

Me and the wife is just in the process of selling her 99 Opel Astra, she will instead drive my 2003 Passat and I’ll get another car to drive. The options I’m looking at is either a 02-03 Golf TDI or similar year 9-5 that will be converted to run E85. Diesel fuel right now is US$2,3 per litre and regular 95 RON is $2,21 and E85 is 1,35.
The tax difference between the cars here in Sweden are quite big, the 9-5 would cost $366 per year and the TDI would cost 833 per year.

I drive about 25 000km per year, the TDI would average about 6 litres/100km (40 MPG) and the 9-5 about 11 litres/100km (22MPG).

Just looking at the fuel and tax costs the 9-5 is currently about $250 cheaper per year…