The End
I penned an appeal on this site last week to solicit your ideas for ways to make this site better and I thank all the people who made a contribution to that article. The whole idea was to build a site that was like this, but better - better for users, better for me as an operator, better for people searching the web for stuff about Saab and better for the Saab brand itself.
An underlying factor in the whole thing was whether or not I had the energy or the ability to pull it off. Unfortunately, after several angry days and one particularly sleepless night, I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t.
As a result it’s my very sad duty to inform you that Trollhattan Saab will cease as an ongoing weblog at the end of this week.
The site will still remain visible as an ongoing archive but there will be no new entries to it after Friday. Between now and then I’ll slot in the odd bit of news if it’s of significant interest, but mostly I’ll be preparing a series of open letters that will be primarily to GM, but will also clear the air on a few other sites and people as well.
Naturally, I’ve not taken this decision lightly. This is my baby. It’s been an extraordinary learning experience and has provided me with some of the highlights of my life; most notably this time last year when I was in Sweden for the Saab Festival - a time and a bunch of people that I’ll never forget.
The reason for the decision is primarily my own health. I’ve recently given up smoking and I’ve found that with that change came a shortening in my patience levels. That’s meant that I’ve found it much harder to balance the needs of family, this site, and a full-time job that’s become more demanding over the last 18 months. As the family is sacrosanct and the job’s what keeps this beautiful roof over our heads, the something-that’s-got-to-give is the blog. Either that or I take up smoking again, which isn’t going to happen.
Could this have all played out differently? Possibly. I’ll be covering that more in the open letter series, starting in a few hours from now.
My thanks to everyone for your patronage, your support, your encouragement and your shared stories. Your acceptance of this site and belief in its mission kept it going and made it grow. I can’t help but feel that I’m letting some of you down and I feel terrible for that, but as another guy with an albeit brief association to Saab used to say:
And so it goes…..
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Congratulations to the desition and good luck going forward.
Your blog will be missed but thanks for all the hard work you have put into it!
Wow. This was unexpected, and saddening. However i understand and sympathize with your reasons. Its been fun
Before the end, I just wanted to thank you, swade, for creating an excellent blog that I became hooked on quickly and enjoyed reading (despite having never driven or owned a Saab before). I started reading it when news of the ‘08 9-3 started to leak out, and kept coming back as more information was discovered.
All the best to you, swade, and congratulations on creating an excellent blog. I will continue reading to the very end.
Your blog will be missed, definitely. My only regret was that I didn’t find out about your blog sooner.
SilverAero: I second that notion… This indeed has to be the worst news I heard all week! Swade, you will be sorely missed. I hope that the passion and energy will come back to you someday soon. I have great admiration for the devotion you have for such a quirky brand like Saab. But it has made me come to realize the things that I love and cherish also about driving a Saab. Take care man, it was a hard decision to make I’m sure, but it is the right one. Family does come first, Good Luck!
Swade, thanks for all of your effort and sharing this blog with the saab family. It’s been difficult to keep interested in the saab brand since the GM take over but the Troll has given us that one last glimmering hope.
Thanks again and kudos to improving your health and realizing what needed to be done.
cheers,
K
Swade I really wish that someone else would take up the mantel… but I just doubt anyone can fill your shoes, mate! Even though I’ve never had a Saab (although to be honest my dad’s had 7 and mom’s had two or three) this was still my favorite site to read on a daily basis - even though I’m a VW driver! I will really, really miss it.
This is very disappointing but very understandable. Your posts will be very missed. I’m a bit of a latecomer to the party (both as a Saab owner and a site visitor) but have to say this is one of the sites that has really given me a much better appreciation for the brand and I thank you for that. It has truly enhanced my ownership experience. I’m confident a lot of people will miss this excellent Saab resource.
Swade,
I’m a latecomer to the site but have been a daily visitor for over one year. You will be missed by many!
Best wishes to you and your family.
G
Swade,
I’ve followed this site for quite some time now, and as a long time Saab owner/technician, it’s been a blast visiting and reading the articles on this sight. Thank you for the articles that you have done for my Saab club and I wish for you all of the best. You and your writing will be missed.
-Brad
Congratulations Swade!
You will be missed. Your health comes first mate.
I had a feeling there was a change in the air with you wanting to live another dream of buying a Alfa and there being no donation button in the last couple of days.
The sad news about the Vig would have weighed down on you also.
Thanks for all the joy you have given us, you have certainly brought a lot of people together around the world and made GM think about a few things I’m sure.
We will raise a glass for you on Friday night at the BBC.
Look forward to seeing you again soon in person mate
Best Regards
You know I wish I could be there at the BBC myself, Ferd. Will make it some time, I’m sure. And the Alfa purchase had nothing to do with it at all. It’s a complete side issue. Have a good night on Friday!
Oh Man, this is a devastating loss, not just for me but for Saab. I don’t know if they realize the importance of this blog? I don’t usually comment on many postings but I have read most of them, and tuned in regularly. Eggs n gritz what are you doing for the next 50 years? Or 1985Grippen, where are you at? Someone has got to take over and keep this going…
At first I had to check the date, although I should know this isn’t anywhere near April 1st. This was saddening, but I understand your priorities!
I just want to thank you so much for this great blog! I check in at least 3 or 4 times a day, and I don’t quite know what I will do now to get my hands on Saab news, but I wish you all the best, and perhaps you will pick up where you left off when you get to test the new 9-1, the 9-4X and the next 9-5
Damn it. Good luck with everything else and remember the door is always open. What a great site. I guess I just found an extra 20 minutes in my days from now on.
it’s been a great ride.
thanks for everything! you did the brand and its community proud.
and i applaud your staying smoke free.
Swade! Hard to believe I won’t be drinking my coffee in the mornings checking for all the latest on Saab here at TS. This is tough. You have done an amazing job of keeping us in the know all this time. I have had several conversations with my local dealers regarding Saab matters and they were amazed that I had more cutting edge Saab info before they did. It has been a pleasure to follow the brand through your eyes. You have done Saab a tremendous service and they owe you some gratitude…………I’d ask for a turbo X with some BBS wheels, but knowing GM you’d be lucky to get a keychain. Regardless, you’re the man. Thanks so much.
Sincerely,
rian
Well, as a daily visitor to the site since before I purchased my Saab over a year ago I will definitely miss the news and quality of information presented here. Saab will not only be losing a great resource, but a meeting place for the community of Saab owners that visits here every day to keep up with the brand. I cannot imagine any other site will ever be able to fill its shoes.
On the other hand, I can definitely understand your decision to do this. Working full time at your day job and devoting the time and energy you do to this site would take a toll on anyone.
At any rate – it has been a great run and you will be missed. A+ job!
Swade,
I don’t think there has ever been a blog comparable to this. It was a great accomplishment and I will be very sad to see it go. However, your health and family come first, and I don’t know how you did what you did—simply amazing. I would like to see the baton picked up by other(s), but I doubt anyone can duplicate your personality and spirit.
As saab9x put it, thanks for the great ride. I’ve never met you, but I’ll always think of you as a friend.
PS: I’m embarking on a project to prove the feasibility of my “Big Yump” which nobody but myself believes, but I can’t think of another blog where I’d be willing to post my findings. I’ll send you an email in a year or two.
Cheers!
“How now, my lord, why do you keep alone,
Of sorriest fancies your companions making,
Using those thoughts which should indeed have died
With them they think on? Things without all remedy
Should be without regard: what’s done, is done.”
Lady Macbeth - Macbeth Act 3, scene 2
You have done more for Saab in the last few years than Saab seems to have done for themselves. Something had to give and if you could not get the funding to make this a full-time job than it would eventually have to go. You have done an amazing job.
Count me as another who, despite never owning a Saab (yet), loved coming to this site to fuel my life-long (and recently renewed) interest in the brand. I still might end up with a 9-3 SportCombi as my next car — and if I do, much of the “blame” will rest solely on Swade and this here excellent blog. Thanks for your countless hours of devotion to all that is Saab…they were much appreciated, and they will be sorely missed!
Swade, firstly there is no man on this planet as dedicated to Saab as you and for that reason I will miss reading your blog, it was the first thing I read very day without fail!
Saab should have done the smart thing and offered you a PR job as nobody out there does it better. I thank you for your insight, your enthusiasm and dedication to the Saab name. All the very best to you and your family.
Thanks again!
zippy aka Paul
Sad to hear, this site will be missed but I understand with no support how hard this must be to run. thanks again.
Very sad to say the least…..but I totally understand. To tell you the truth, I don’t know how you managed to pull off this web site in such fine fashion while maintaining a full time job and a family. Wow. You have my deepest admiration.
I frequent all known Saab blogs and this has been my favorite. It will be missed. Good Luck Swade. Hope to see you back some day.
Swade, TS has been the best resource for Saab nuts like myself since GM killed off Saab Soundings! Thanks for giving so much to all of us, and also, thanks for making this such a quality site. I do understand your decision, and your family comes first my friend, so don’t second guess your decision. But man, am I going to miss Trollhattan Saab!! The last several years have been pretty tough for Saabers and TS has been our last refuge! I’m sure the momentum created by your excellent work here will last for quite some time, but morning coffee will never be the same!
Swade,
My name is Chad Lowers, I own Simply SAAB in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. We’re a small repair shop which services the Pittsburgh area.
I met you briefly at the Saab convention last year I do believe, we talked about something on the saabvideos monitor in the lobby of the hotel.
Your site has been great reading and we have told many clients about your site. They have commented to us about your work and how much they enjoy reading, and we do too. It was a great place to get Saab info and keep up with brand news, and everyone enjoyed that.
Anyway, best of luck with everything, just wanted to let you know that we have all enjoyed your writing! It is very sad to see you go, but it sounds like your decision is in your best interest, and nobody can argue with that.
Take care and best regards,
-Chad Lowers
Simply SAAB, LLC
Swade,
Thank you for everything you’ve been to the Saab community. You and your blog will be missed.
It’s been a pleasure getting to know you through this blog and by having the chance to meet you at the Auto Show in Detroit this year. Hopefully, our paths will cross again.
Best of luck with everything else on your plate these years.
Cheers,
This is very sad news. Maybe GM will make you an offer you ‘cannot refuse’ before the end of the week. If they are smart they will.
It is a shame that your blog is ending.
Take care.
Ps. Maybe, just maybe you will reconsider??
It has been farily evident for a while now that you were getting more and more frustrated with the demands of this site. It’s odd to read the previous post about TurboX Academy and then flip the switch on the same day to “The End”
Maybe, just maybe the bean counters at GM will see what they are missing and give you a ring. Many of us said it would be terrible for you to work for GM or take GM on as a main sponser … but I think ALL of us would agree that we would much rather have a GM sponsored TS then no TS at all.
Here’s to your telephone ringing …
Thanks for moving me to purchase the car you’ve always wanted … ‘06 9-3 SC Aero
Wow, shocking and truly sad news just a few days after I picked up my X. Words cannot describe your contribution to the Saab community, and as a news source your blog is a personal favourite of mine.
Swade, I respect your decision, and wish you and your family all the best in all future endeavors.
This is a sad sad day….
But I care more for you than for the blog, so:
Cheers, Swade!!!
I wish you the best, as always!
Certainly a sad day for us, but do what you need to do man! If you ever want to come on by and keep posting, I don’t think any of us would object either…my RSS reader will keep on - a checking.
Thanks for all you’ve done. This site was the one that I never skipped over an article on, and I’ve learned a ton just sitting on the sidelines I guess. Again, we’ll miss the updates but we’re glad for you.
[...and now, I have nowhere else to go... :(]
Exactly what Kroum said. Shocking and truly sad. Your passion and zeal for the marque have been inspiring.
I would put the over/under on cars you indirectly contributed to selling at 500. I know I can account for 2 of those.
Will the Spirit of Saab be your muse from now on? We can only hope!
Cheers,
Jeff
Actually, there was a fire over the weekend at the server room where SOS is hosted so that was off the air as well. Seems to be back up now, so I’ll think about what to do with that in the next few weeks. - SW
It is said to see this wonderful blog come to an end. Hopefully a memeber of the saab community with the available free time might come foward with a proposal to continue in helping run this site so as to lighten the load on you and your family.
I understand your feeling of stress. Full time college student, full time employee, dad, full time saab mechanic………..oh wait thats my hobby ;).
Good luck with whatever the future brings.
thank you for providing this for all of us. i know it was a ton of work - the quality of this site attests to your tremendous efforts - and the saab community has been made all the better for your contribution.
Sorry to hear this sit is going under - This as by far been my favorite site over the last couple of years. Every morning i drink my coffee and read up on the new news. I’ve grown to love the saab brand and heritage of the brand as a direct result of this site. GM is losing a great resource for prospective buyers and also for owners who want to see the brand succeed - Thanks for all your hard work over the years - Good luck and hopefully somebody can step up and try to fill your very big shoes - Thanks again
We will be lost without the news and discussion.
If I may suggest that if the site is here, then you (or I) could occasionally post.
Truly the end of an era. One day, we’ll be telling our grandkids about the rigors of the early internet, when you actually had to type things out and arrange pictures that took 20 seconds to upload and that you could only get advertising to pay for it if this thing known as Google didn’t map your pages correctly and yadda yadda yadda.
And I just bought my first SAAB last week, and was really beginning to feel like part of the TS family… I only wish i discovered this site a lot sooner. Thanks for everything!!!!
Swade, thanks for the great coverage. As a fellow Web site publisher, I know what a grind it can be. Ultimately, the end of this site is a metaphor for Saab. When they canceled ED, I bought a BMW. And, just as the Saab brand is fading into the sunset, I understand why you, too, are hanging it up. I’ve run my Internet business for 10 years and built it up to a $1.5 million business — so if you ever want to talk, just let me know.
To swade, thanks for everything and good luck in your future endevors.
To everyone else, I’m thinking that I can’t live without a Saab blog. Anyone else in my boat? Would people be interested in getting together and creating a new blog where the posting workload is shared between several people and the posting is a little slower?
Swade: A class act right to “The End”. Thank you!
Sorry to hear you’re not going to continue this blog. This blog will be missed. Best wishes to you and your family.
That is very sad to hear but I think we all understand why. A blog of this magnitude really seemed impossible to be just a one man show with the occasional help from others.
I think the key would be to make this kind of blog a group effort so it won’t come down to just one person with a family and full-time job.
Good luck and thanks for many years of bringing us the latest Saab news.
What an artist and a brilliant man you are. Whatever the reasons are these are yours to decide on and we all have to accept these and give you the right space to move forward. No one else in the world would have come up with this idea, let alone sustain it for the time you did. You’ve given us all endless enjoyment and the opportunity to meet other Saabatiests. I hope there is room for the site to continue through others and we’ll miss you Swade, you’ve been an incredible Ambassador.
Thanks Swade, for all your hard work & dedication. You will be missed.
Swade, I was very late to the party, probably within the last six-seven months, and have made it a part of my daily routine. I wake up, check emails, and read your posts before breakfast. I will definitely miss the updates and the great breadth of information that I learned here. I only wish, like many other late comers, that I had found the site earlier. This site has resparked my interest in Saabs, and I can only hope they pull through their tough times, as do you with whatever lays ahead. All the best in the years ahead, and hopefully we’ll be hearing from you again sooner rather than later…
I keep telling people I won’t quit smoking because it is a stupid decision that will change me…and now I have proof. This is the worst possible news for all of us, as well as for Saab. Where will we go now? I hope it’s worth it for you, buddy.
This is sad, but you have to do what you have to do.. so good luck with everything! I have enjoyed this site for quite a while.. it will be missed. Thanks for everything you’ve done with it Swade! I will be keeping an eye on the RSS thing in hopes that someday there will be more posting again!
–Rick–
Although I am shocked and saddened to learn of this latest news, I do understand.
Life goes on….
Can’t say enough about this site and the hard work you’ve put into it. Online SAABisti everywhere owe you a debt of gratitude for your SAAB news blogging.
All I can say is thank you-and good luck!
yes this all in one saab website will be greatly missed and so will the great entries you posted many times a day. thanks swade for making this site as this website really contributed to the purchase of my 9-3 as i was able to learn many things about saab and the 9-3 that no one else covered. i really fell for the brand and contribute it to you and this blog.
this website will be greatly missed, your actually caring about your audience and responding to emails, but i believe the saying “everything happens for a reason” seems like a good end to this journey you took.
thanks swade for everything and good luck to you in the future.
Wow, what a huge bummer and total surprise, Swade! I’m probably the newest reader here and a relatively new Saab enthusiast, but I have really enjoyed reading this blog as I start my day at work each morning for the last couple of months.
As someone who once ran a music review website, I have often been impressed with what an amazing amount of work you put into this site, and I can completely understand how it can become overwhelming. Family and career are more important than car enthusiasm, and you have my profound respect for making this decision.
From a fellow Saab fan on the other side of the planet, good luck, God bless and keep Saabin’.
Steven,
Sad to hear, but I understand. Take good care of your health and your family.
As I said before, I think Saab should pay you for doing this job. The money is peanuts for them, and the value is… huge!
See you soon, hopefully!
Pär
Hopefully at least Sprit of Saab can stay, i cant be left with nothing. Where will I get my SAAB Musing?
Swade-
You’ll and TS will be missed! There are many of us who either start or end our days reading this site. If only there were some other resources out there for us to get the invaluable information you and this site provide - anyone have any suggestions?
Swade,
As many have already said, your health and family are more important than TS. I will really miss checking TS multiple times a day. This is indeed a sad day. Peace and happy SAABing….
Sorry to hear Swadey… but I know exactly what it is like not having the time… I am in the same boat designing SaabMisisons for our club. Just never seem to find the time (and I am a few editions behind) amongst work and other commitments. The GF has to come first!
Best of luck in the next endeavour… will have a smoke for ya!
steve aka sab
Swade:
When it comes to Saab, nothing online compares to TS. You created a fantastic site that offered invaluable insights into the brand and built a worldwide community that looked forward to coming back every day to see what your latest offerings were. We were never disappointed. Thanks for your hard work and dedication.
Thanks for all the years of hard work and dedication, Swade. I’ve enjoyed every post.
-Brian L
The success of the site is similar to the success of the brand. The site is quirky and superb in unusual harmony, it’s clean and fresh, just as Saab. May you, Steven, just as Saab, be bought by GM so all your effort was not just a temporary blimp of our lives. The real Saab soul inside you will not fade, of that I am sure. But its appearance through the site will be missed dearly by far too many. Thanks and good luck! I guess the last words from you are not written down yet. Cheers!
I’ve enjoyed this site for as long as I’ve been reading. Thanks for all your hard work and dedication Swade.
Swade, I was shocked but not surprised at this post. It is clear from this site the huge amount of effort that you have put into it. For that you can be proud.
Whatever you decide is the best way forward, for yourself, I hope that the site does remain here as a resource - it would be a shame for all of that effort to go down the dunny.
Isn’t it great how the internet has made the world smaller - I can not believe it is almost a year ago that we had the opportunity to meet in Sweden …especially as we are from opposite sides of the globe.
You have created a fantastic website in TS that is a rich mine of information for those interested in the marque. You have my support and respect.
Best wishes Swade! Family and health first. I hope you will send an email to your posting list if you have some good news in the future. I found TS by accident about 2 years ago and the information I found here and through TS links was central to buying my 07 9-5. Also got a model of it from Elkparts! Do call ahead if you will ever be in Quebec. You have paid your dues and owe nothing. Great work. Bon voyage!
You’re daily postings will be missed. The honesty and professionalism of your site has done much for the brand. I can attest to that statement as I bought my first Saab a month ago.
All the best.
Thanks and be well. Your blog helped sell 2 cars on to my driveway. GM’s nitwit marketing would not have reached me otherwise. Your hard work was truly above and beyond the call of supporting the enthusiast community.
BTW, I figured it was done once you discovered the only thing colder than Detroit in the winter is the people. The same people taking Saab on a controlled flight into terrain.
Well, friend, I’ll miss reading your blog. But I’m glad you’ve made the decision best for you and your family.
Wow, I step away from the internet for a few hours and look what happens.
Thanks for all the work, and the chance to chat in Detroit 6 months ago. Great work, great memories.
Swade, this is so sad :(.
TS is what I look forward to every evening when I get home. I am always so excited to hear about the goings on in the Saab world.
I hope the site will stay active, maybe open it up for fellow TS’ers to post Saab news?
In closing, thank you Swade for your countless hours of selfless work to make this site happen, it has truly been an honor to be one of your regulars!
-Chris
Swade,
I understand the feelings you are facing. As you know, I haven’t commented lately. Moreso due to wanting to keep my health as my wife had threatened to kill me since I spent more time on here than with the family. No doubt, the IP Tracker has kept tabs on my visits!
It is to you that I owe getting into the Saab culture. I used your site to research the 9-2x (before the bad publicity), notably quoting you several times about it being the “most reliable Saab ever!” I also used all of the feedback and entries to help me to decide to buy my 60th Anny 9-3 Combi and the wife’s 9-5. (We’ve been shopping lately and may trade one for a Lambda crossover (SAAB-HELP!))
Swade, I thank you whole-heartedly for the past several years. Your dedication has been overwhelming, and GM bean counters don’t know a good thing when they see it. I hope you won’t be gone long, for Saabisti sake.
But please, Swade, take care of yourself and your family. God bless!
-Nevitz (Jacksonville, FL)
I will miss you and this blog more than you might imagine. It is my hope that you find the balance you seek and the joy you deserve. Your fine efforts here made several of my days lighter . Please let us know what communities you will be visiting/participating in so that I may keep up with you and SAAB.
Good luck and best wishes
Sorry I came so late to the blog. I only visited sporadically before November. I’ll miss checking TS several times a day. Best of luck to you and your family. Remember with endings come new beginnings…..
Regards,
Mark.
P.S. Perhaps yourself and Eggs and Gripen95 could take it in turns and compile a weekly Saab round up and add it to the blog?
You will be greatly missed, Swade. You have no idea how many friends of mine have become interested in Saabs through your site and my personal experiences with them.
Where else will I go for the best coverage of Saab news? No site does it better than TS!
Thank you for all the years though, Swade. I guess all good things eventually come to an end.
Sensible decision Swade. Goodonya.
I don’t think there’s anything I can say that hasn’t already been said.
I have to agree with you and all the other commenters that your family, your health, and your job come first and I understand it was very difficult to run the site you wanted to run while balancing all these things. If something had to give I’m glad it was TS.
I’m typing this as I’m wearing one of my myriad of TS t-shirts!
Best of luck in all your future endeavors and I’m sure we’ll keep in touch. Due to this site you have friends all over the world you can call upon just about wherever you might find yourself.
I look forward to reading your open letters to GM this week. I think that while you and I don’t necessarily see eye-to-eye on all matters I’m going to read quite a bit I agree with in relation to Saab’s current state and its apparent direction.
Unfortunately, I became disenchanted with the brand a few months ago (when the latest Saab concepts were revealed) but your site is so great I found myself sneaking-in and lurking here despite that.
Thanks for all the opportunities you gave me through the site, such as allowing me to “report” for the site from the 60th Anniversary in San Diego.
Lastly, to the GM/Saab people reading this (and don’t think we don’t know you’re reading this): you’re completely blowing a great marketing tool by not supporting this site like you should have. I know it’ll be hard to notice a decline in Saab sales, but be aware that there will be at least a few in the fallout of the demise of TrollhattanSaab.
Keep in touch, Swade.
Dear Swade,
I don’t wanna believe it’s happening. I’ve been reading and commenting on this site for the the past few years. I still consider myself a youngin’. I feel like I, and my Saab passion has grown with the site.
Our household has grown from 1 Saab. To 4 Saabs. 3 of them being mine. I think I can ‘blame’ you for some of that :D:D:D
This website/blog, to me, is THE best Saab resource on the internet, by far. I remember many, many days in which i’d be on my computer, hitting refresh over and over. Sometimes multiple times in one minute. I truly enjoy your writing.
As much as I don’t want you to leave us “TS’ers”, I completely understand why it’s happening. I don’t want it to happen, but it’s happening
I’m very happy to hear you quit smoking. Congratulations!
The lowered levels of patience, loss of your Viggen ( which im very sorry to hear), and possibly some other occurrences would be more than enough to put the motivation level in the negative… I can get very discouraged when someone nasty happens to one or more of my Saabs. I cant begin to imagine what losing my baby-of-a-Saab would feel like. Especially after the intense battle for it with the insurance company
This site must take up just as much time as your job. Maybe even more with all those Saab trips, which must’ve been AWESOME, but time consuming nonetheless.
This situation reminds me of GM’s take over of Saab. I hope you dont find that insulting, I would hate to accociate your family with the ‘bean counters’
hehe. Maybe someone can fund you some to keep the site, and a little bit of Saab in each of us alive :).
Or maybe the son will fall in love as we all have, and continue the legacy????? I can’t help but think you will miss writing to us
I want to thank you Swade, for all your hard work, and dedication. Good luck to you and your job, and your family. I will be in touch.
Hope to meet you soon!
-Arman
All the best for you and your family, it is hard to take decisions like this but it is worth doing it consequently.
We will all miss your posts and many of us will have to change their daylife as the visit on TS is no longer on fix schedule…
Best wishes and thanks a lot for the past two years through which your site guided me as a Saab-owner and which encouraged me to purchase the X which I picked up last week.
Take care and I am looking forward to see the “open letters”…
Cheers
Phil
Swade, I understand and respect your decision. Thank you very much for the service you have offered us, your effort has meant a lot to many of us. Good luck!
Family and health first. Good decision.
You will however be missed as you have created alot of TS addicts around the world. I live 6 miles from the Trollhättan plant and work 400 meters from the Saab museum and I still go halfway around the world each morning for the latest Saab news…
We’ll be in touch, take care // Mats
Swade, this was very shocking news for me to hear, but I immediately understand your reasons (the ones I know of anyway). But I trust your instinct and judgement and while this may be a major turning point for the current Saab community, I know in some way, shape and form you will come back and present yourself sooner than later …. ya got too much on your mind about SAABs to merely keep quiet
I hate typing and am a bad typist, so if you don’t mind I’ll copy & paste what I already said on SaabCentral:
“Swade was pretty much our global gumshoes when it comes to any news and happenings ANYWHERE in the world pertaining to SAABs.
But not only that, not only did he single-handedly elevate the Saab community enthusiasm and pride all over, he soon became the unofficial (actually “official” in many cases) independent Saab community spokesperson (or is that champion ?) when dealing with SAAB management (and GM parent company) on the course and fate of the brand, its ethos, its pathos and future.
Swade’s discontinuation of TS will be dearly missed by myself and many of youl. But with that, we know he will continue to lurk around, sharing a beer, a few laughs, looking for a replacement 9-3 Viggen and anything Saab related to the locals in Tasmania, Ozzie and the rest of us.
Thanks Swade, for the good times and the good times ahead. HAPPY SAABING !”
Cheers,
SaabKen
Hi swade,
I will miss you and your very best Saabpage. But I understand, that this is a lot of work (as I am admin of a Saabforum).
But for all that, I hope to hear from you. Thanks for the years of perfect Saab-information and all the nice “events”. Let´s just remember “Saab pride of ownership”:
Have some nice days and all the best for you.
Greetings from “Swedcarforum Austria”
Alexandra and the Swedcar-team
Thanks swade for the best Saabblog ever and good luck to you
I´ve read this blog nearly every day and I´ll miss it. The SAAB-Owners all over the world are losing their “favourite pub” but I do understand your decision as it´s a lot of work, time….
Thanks for all your work and your passion Swade!!!!
Best regards from Austria
Peter (Swedcar Member)
Swade,
Don’t leave us - ill have to do more work
Seriously, when i read the title i thought GM were binning SAAB - but this is worse news.
All the best whatever happens.
Not often a blogger gets 80 posts … all supportive.
C’mon GM, give the guy a go and see what he can do with some backing. He’s one of the best writers going around. Such a waste of great talent.
Though I’m only 19 and have never driven a Saab I’ve become completely devoted to the brand and the Saab community, thanks to this fantastic blog.
I wish you all the best.
Greetings from Denmark,
Benjamin
Richo: I agree…
Someone should back this blog up!
Swade: Damn shame! Thank you for hours of great reading…
Swade,
I’ve not been a particularly active commenter or contributed to this site - but I can tell it has been an important part of my life. Been looking forward to peep in several times a day.. Excited over the news, the debates, the up coming models etc. etc. It’s been great and my life will be a little bit emptier now…
Good luck in the future and I really hope that you will continue posting occasionally…! /OL
Oh my goodness…
Saabcentral has lost a brother
I’m really shocked honestly.
Well, I’m sure we all respect your decision and we most definitely wish you all the luck with your work and family - and most importantly your health.
This site, as mentioned by others, will be deeply missed, but we still thank you.
Regards,
Haitham
Oh, no, this was indeed the worst news! On the other hand I understand what you are going through, Swade, and family and health should always have first priority. I’m gonna miss this site a lot, and this will also be a great loss for the SAAB Community and for SAAB itself. GM should have put you on their payroll list a long time ago, you are among the absolutely most important ambassadors SAAB ever had. Live well, Swade! You and your site will be truly missed.
Damn……….
This is the first time I am posting on this blog and hopefully it wont be my last time. Thank you very much for all the hard work and efforts you’ve put in. I fully understand and respect your decision. I share a 06 9-3 BSR with my family in China and the new X will arrive in the near future. This is not to show off, but to prove that the actual number of Saab enthusiats from around the globe visiting this blog is beyond imagination. Once again I thank you with my heart. Best wishes.
There’ll be a big hole in my morning browsing… We’ll all miss you and this wonderful site. It ha(d)s a wonderful community feel to it, and there are very few sites that can offer that.
Good luck moving forward.
SimonA
thanks for all swade- you will be sorely missed by all members of the saab and automotive industry… where are they going to get all their inside info on Saab?
Anyway hope it all goes well- and as EnG said, I think that an occasional post would be nice- to see how you are getting on.
The biggest achievement you have is that you’ve managed to keep up an interesting Saab-based blog during a product drought, meaning that you haven’t had much to write about new things, but somehow you’ve got information which noone else has and I have found brilliant.
As a new 17 year old member to this saab community I don’t the knowledge which most of the rest of you have, but I’ve been happy to learn and hopefully once i’ve got through university I can put something back into the saab community.
Thanks for everything….
Dear Swade
To be honest, I was wondering how you manage everything (job, family, blog), but somehow I accepted it as “normal”. Your site was a part of my morning ritual. It got my first coffee and started your site to see whats new in the Saab World. I’ll miss it!
But I understand your decision, just lately I read about bloggers who risk their life to be always first with the news (no sleep, always in action etc.), thats not worth it.
I know you’ve done a great job and helped Saab a lot. We will see what the future brings. Take my best wishes for you and your family.
Jürg, Zurich, Switzerland
Great news! This means one less site I have to visit each time I’m in front of a computer. Saves me some time…
I mean, I’m not even, and have never been, a Saab owner, so I should have no reason to visit a site like this anyway.
Order restored.
Thanks for the whole thing swade, its been terrific fun & an enormous achievement on your part.
Will keep in touch.
Pete.
NooooOOOooo, THE’ best ever Saab news site gone? Well well life goes on… I will miss you Swade <3
Swade, thanks for the great effort and energy you have put in this site. It is too bad that you have to stop, but it’s understandable.
All the best with you and your family. That’s what is most important.