206 responses so far ↓

• 1 cj // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:05 am

  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!

• 2 SilverAero // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:05 am

  Wow. This was unexpected, and saddening. However i understand and sympathize with your reasons. Its been fun

• 3 jchan2 // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:17 am

  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.

• 4 ck1x // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:22 am

  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!

• 5 Keith // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:23 am

  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

• 6 James // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:31 am

  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.

• 7 CWilson // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:35 am

  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.

• 8 G Roberts // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:43 am

  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

• 9 Brad Lauzze // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:51 am

  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

• 10 Hawkeye // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:51 am

  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!

• 11 Saabboy1 // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:53 am

  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…

• 12 Edonis // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:56 am

  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

• 13 alex // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:59 am

  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.

• 14 saab9x // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:01 am

  it’s been a great ride.

  thanks for everything! you did the brand and its community proud.

  and i applaud your staying smoke free.

• 15 rian // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:03 am

  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

• 16 Tedjs // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:12 am

  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!

• 17 saabyurk // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:21 am

  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!

• 18 Crispy // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:22 am

  “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.

• 19 Scott Bachmeier // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:23 am

  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!

• 20 zippy // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:24 am

  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

• 21 greenmatt // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:29 am

  Sad to hear, this site will be missed but I understand with no support how hard this must be to run. thanks again.

• 22 Steve 97 9K Aero // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:35 am

  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.

• 23 MarkS // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:37 am

  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!

• 24 Simply SAAB, Morgantown, WV // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:41 am

  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

• 25 LP // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:42 am

  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,

• 26 aeronaut // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:43 am

  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??

• 27 GWC // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:45 am

  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

• 28 Kroum // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:46 am

  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.

• 29 Tiago do Vale // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:48 am

  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!

• 30 Ryan McLean // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:49 am

  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.

• 31 Tiago do Vale // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:54 am

  [...and now, I have nowhere else to go... :(]

• 32 jeff k // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:59 am

  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

• 33 Nahum Cook // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:04 pm

  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.

• 34 blix // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:11 pm

  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.

• 35 Rob // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:18 pm

  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

• 36 eggsngrits // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:18 pm

  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.

• 37 spazzz2002 // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:19 pm

  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!!!!

• 38 Andy // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:28 pm

  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.

• 39 rogan2915 // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:35 pm

  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?

• 40 Scot@SOH // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:42 pm

  Swade: A class act right to “The End”. Thank you!

• 41 Blackacre // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:44 pm

  Sorry to hear you’re not going to continue this blog. This blog will be missed. Best wishes to you and your family.

• 42 Wulf // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:45 pm

  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.

• 43 Joe Lobo // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:47 pm

  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.

• 44 SaabBob // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:49 pm

  Thanks Swade, for all your hard work & dedication. You will be missed.

• 45 Burbs // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:50 pm

  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…

• 46 Topher // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:51 pm

  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.

• 47 regnisfon // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:56 pm

  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–

• 48 SAAB007 // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:58 pm

  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!

• 49 mo // Jun 3, 2008 at 12:58 pm

  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.

• 50 metrognome // Jun 3, 2008 at 1:07 pm

  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’.

• 51 Pär Brandt // Jun 3, 2008 at 1:10 pm

  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

• 52 john // Jun 3, 2008 at 1:30 pm

  Hopefully at least Sprit of Saab can stay, i cant be left with nothing. Where will I get my SAAB Musing?

• 53 Mike Becker // Jun 3, 2008 at 1:33 pm

  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?

• 54 grohlinator // Jun 3, 2008 at 1:41 pm

  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….

• 55 sab // Jun 3, 2008 at 1:41 pm

  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

• 56 Troll96 // Jun 3, 2008 at 1:45 pm

  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.

• 57 BrianL // Jun 3, 2008 at 1:46 pm

  Thanks for all the years of hard work and dedication, Swade. I’ve enjoyed every post.

  -Brian L

• 58 Sven van Dijkman // Jun 3, 2008 at 1:51 pm

  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!

• 59 NineTwoX // Jun 3, 2008 at 2:11 pm

  I’ve enjoyed this site for as long as I’ve been reading. Thanks for all your hard work and dedication Swade.

• 60 /john // Jun 3, 2008 at 2:13 pm

  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.

• 61 Bruce // Jun 3, 2008 at 2:28 pm

  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!

• 62 MiH // Jun 3, 2008 at 2:33 pm

  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.

• 63 MitchbSC // Jun 3, 2008 at 2:37 pm

  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.

• 64 Andy Rupert // Jun 3, 2008 at 2:38 pm

  Well, friend, I’ll miss reading your blog. But I’m glad you’ve made the decision best for you and your family.

• 65 Greg Abbott // Jun 3, 2008 at 2:38 pm

  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.

• 66 ChrisCam84 // Jun 3, 2008 at 2:50 pm

  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

• 67 Nevitz // Jun 3, 2008 at 2:51 pm

  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)

• 68 Tript // Jun 3, 2008 at 2:53 pm

  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

• 69 Markac // Jun 3, 2008 at 3:09 pm

  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?

• 70 Joel // Jun 3, 2008 at 3:13 pm

  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.

• 71 Paul Humpage // Jun 3, 2008 at 3:15 pm

  Sensible decision Swade. Goodonya.

• 72 1985 Gripen // Jun 3, 2008 at 3:23 pm

  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.

• 73 saaboy // Jun 3, 2008 at 3:35 pm

  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

• 74 Fasttrader // Jun 3, 2008 at 3:41 pm

  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

• 75 Bjorn // Jun 3, 2008 at 3:41 pm

  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!

• 76 Mats // Jun 3, 2008 at 3:55 pm

  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

• 77 SaabKen // Jun 3, 2008 at 3:59 pm

  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

• 78 Alexandra // Jun 3, 2008 at 4:04 pm

  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

• 79 mk // Jun 3, 2008 at 4:26 pm

  Thanks swade for the best Saabblog ever and good luck to you

• 80 GripenAustria // Jun 3, 2008 at 4:28 pm

  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)

• 81 jwlanky // Jun 3, 2008 at 4:40 pm

  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.

• 82 Richo // Jun 3, 2008 at 4:45 pm

  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.

• 83 Burt Blancher // Jun 3, 2008 at 4:47 pm

  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

• 84 Kristian // Jun 3, 2008 at 4:50 pm

  Richo: I agree…

  Someone should back this blog up!

  Swade: Damn shame! Thank you for hours of great reading…

• 85 OL // Jun 3, 2008 at 4:52 pm

  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

• 86 Vector-SS // Jun 3, 2008 at 5:07 pm

  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

• 87 Olav // Jun 3, 2008 at 5:18 pm

  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……….

• 88 Ken T. // Jun 3, 2008 at 5:23 pm

  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.

• 89 Simon A // Jun 3, 2008 at 5:29 pm

  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

• 90 Dan9-1 // Jun 3, 2008 at 5:30 pm

  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….

• 91 Jürg // Jun 3, 2008 at 5:31 pm

  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

• 92 Martin N // Jun 3, 2008 at 5:37 pm

  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.
  

• 93 PT // Jun 3, 2008 at 5:43 pm

  Thanks for the whole thing swade, its been terrific fun & an enormous achievement on your part.

  Will keep in touch.

  Pete.

• 94 Erunas // Jun 3, 2008 at 6:22 pm

  NooooOOOooo, THE’ best ever Saab news site gone? Well well life goes on… I will miss you Swade <3

• 95 Crooij // Jun 3, 2008 at 6:23 pm

  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.

• 96 lance // Jun 3, 2008 at 6:35 pm

  A massive loss of a hugely respected resource, but clearly for the right reasons- self and family must come first.

  You are going to leave a huge gap and I cannot understand why GM have not supported you more.

  TS is the NO1 Saab resource and also a top industry resource.

  Anyway, dont’ be ‘going forwards’ as the current jargon has it, be going sideways -lateral thinking. It’s much healthier.

  Huge respect to you sir.

  Lance Cole

• 97 saabaudi // Jun 3, 2008 at 6:42 pm

  Swade, you are and have been a great writer with a special passion not only concerning the brand Saab. In all your sentences of the blogg you expressed the feeling of style and competence on the matter you have been speaking of. Thanks to you.
  Of course I regret your decison but it is right.

• 98 eriknystrom // Jun 3, 2008 at 6:59 pm

  Swade,

  I will miss your honest, passionate and involving way of writing about Saab and all the things around Saab.

  In my mind, your decision is very sound.
  Nevertheless, I will miss my daily routine to logon TrollhattanSaab to see what you have come up with each time.

  Godd luck in your life! Live well!

  //Erik Nyström

• 99 Jacco // Jun 3, 2008 at 7:33 pm

  Goodbye and keep of the cigarettes and never stop driving saab [ alfa,s aren,t good lookin cars:)]

  wfrrg Jacco

• 100 Bill P // Jun 3, 2008 at 7:43 pm

  Swade
  Thank you so much for a wonderful web blog
  To bring people from all over world ,different languages to one sight is simply amazing.Your passion for Saab is endless .Good luck for the future.You and Trollhattan Saab will be sadly missed.
  Take care mate
  Bill P

• 101 Jacco // Jun 3, 2008 at 7:43 pm

  message nr 99 hmmm it,s a sign, good luck Swade

• 102 Robin Capper // Jun 3, 2008 at 7:44 pm

  I don’t even like Saab, it’s Italian cars that are my weakness, but read this site for it’s passionate writing about a brand that GM seem destined to destroy. I thank GM for getting out of Fiat, pity Saab didn’t get a similar break. I understand your decision but will miss your writing. If i ever get to Tassie will keep an eye out for the 900, or that new old Alfa. So long, thanks for all the fish.

• 103 Konsta // Jun 3, 2008 at 7:51 pm

  Than you Swade for all that you´ve done. I thoruoghly understand your decision but I´m very saddened that my No 1 Saab bookmark won´t be “alive” anymore.

• 104 Vector220 // Jun 3, 2008 at 8:24 pm

  This site have given me plenty and I’ve always check this site 5-6 time a week.
  I’m grateful for all the information you have provided and I’m stunned over the effort you put down into this very tasteful and great place. I really hope that someone at GM or SAAB understand that this site have given more sales per invested $ than any advertising seen the last 10 years.

  If not anything else, SAAB should finance the return of your viggen!

  Best of luck and thanks a lot for everything you done!

  And know this, you don’t need SAAB or TS, they need you!

• 105 MarkS // Jun 3, 2008 at 8:48 pm

  Wow, so it wasn’t just a bad dream after all……..better make some extra coffee!

• 106 bizhaoqi // Jun 3, 2008 at 9:13 pm

  I almost feel as if I’ve just lost my job–or at least I know I’ll suddenly need to find something else to do with a big chunk of my day!

  Swade, you’ve created a brilliant site, community, and masterpiece here, and while I’m totally supportive of your personal priorities taking precedence over TS, you will be wholeheartedly missed, my friend. I’ve never met you nor anyone else on this site, but almost daily we’ve enjoyed a great association with Saab and your top-notch writing as the common threads. Thank you for sharing your unique talents and knowledge with us, and for roping so many of us into this daily routine that we too are now seeing as the end of our “addiction”, albeit a very good one. Congrats on quitting smoking, and best wishes in all you choose to pursue! TS will always be near and dear to our Saabish hearts.

• 107 Marc // Jun 3, 2008 at 9:15 pm

  Swade, i’ll truly thank you for providing us with the freshest infos about our loved brand.

  I will miss this site

  Marc

• 108 detroitsaab93 // Jun 3, 2008 at 9:28 pm

  Wow! It’s bad enough the Detroit Red Wings lost last night, but I wake up to read this? I can only take so much. As a daily visitor to the site since I purchased my Saab around a year ago I will definitely miss the news and quality of information presented here. I am sad to see you go, but family and health should always have first priority. Thank you Swade, for all your hard work and dedication. You will be missed. Best of luck!

• 109 Ken H // Jun 3, 2008 at 9:37 pm

  I’ll keep it short, in Sweeedish way.

  “Fy fan, de va inte bra!”

  Good luck with the rest, swade!

  You are a wery good writer, make sure you don’t give that up completely.

• 110 Joe // Jun 3, 2008 at 9:49 pm

  Swade - thanks for all the effort you’ve put into this site. It’s been a great source of Saab news and I really don’t where I’ll turn now!
  Good luck - I understand your reasons for winding things up, but still hope you’ll be back soon!

• 111 J // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:25 pm

  It’s understandable (family and health should come first) why you’re making your decision. I hope you’ll find the energy and balance to return to this blog (after you get your arse back into a Viggen ).
  I appreciate what you did for me, which was
  make me a SAAB fan. I still plan on obtaining a 5-door/5spd ‘99-’02 9-3SE (or Viggen, if i’m lucky) one of these days.
  Best of luck, Swade. I’ll continue to check in here when i’m not over at The Saab Link.
  J

• 112 David // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:28 pm

  Thank you for all your hard work. TS is the first site I read every morning, so it will be greatly missed. I can only imagine how difficult it would be for me to have duplicated what you have accomplished here. I am just glad you did it as long as you have.
  Take care Mate!

• 113 CPCF250 // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:42 pm

  As a former Saab owner who is looking for the right Saab to bring me back into the Saab fold I have enjoyed this site for quite some time (and visited the site almost daily). My current experience with Audi has been mediocore and I have rarely visited any Audi sites. Not sure what my next car will be, the next version of the 95 is a possibility, but there’s a lot of competition and Saab needs to go back to thier roots of fun/performance with above average MPG, but include XWD (how about a turbo/electric combination !). Anyway you did great work here - stay healthy - you’ve made the right choice.

• 114 John in Bismarck // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:45 pm

  Swade, thanks for a tremendous effort and an outstanding site. I wish Saab/GM had someone with your talent and passion doing something like this. Take care of yourself and your family.

  God bless.

• 115 James (in DC) // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:48 pm

  Not just the best Saab blog, not just the best car blog, but simply the best topic-specific blog available. I was a daily reader, despite being only a recent arrival to the Saab world.

  Your location, halfway around the world from me, just added to the global feel of this commnunity you built. And it’s not just you, I feel like I know your stable of well-informed and (generally) courteous commenters better than I know some of my friends. That’s a testament to the power of the site you have built.

  Thank you. My wife and I wouldn’t be taking our 2007 9-3 (Anniversary Ed) on Sunday drives for hours on end if it wasn’t for this site. That’s all there is to it.

  And I’d also like to throw out an additional thanks to Eggs N Grits, I’ve greatly enjoyed his additions of late.

  Thanks to all.

• 116 chaaalie // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:52 pm

  Swade,

  Your hard work was appreciated and will certainly be missed. I thank you for helping foster my understanding of SAAB and cultivating my excitement about the brand.

  You will be missed more than you know.

  Any thought of converting part of the site to a message board for rumors and reviews? something that would take less of your time, but allow the community you have built to live on — at least for a while?

  … and you were so close to getting me over my distrust of Australians for foisting “The Wiggles” on the rest of us.

  Thanks again Swade. (Put the donation button up again so I can buy you a pint or three.)

• 117 Mike C. // Jun 3, 2008 at 10:55 pm

  Swade: Thank you for all of your help and information.
  Yes… this site will be greatly missed. You raised my mood many a days when thinking of Saab. Good luck and good health to you and your family.

• 118 etuaz // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:25 pm

  Swade,

  Your hard work and passion is appreciated. This blog has been one of the definitive Saab resources for me and will be missed. I think I only posted only one other time (recall the photo of my 9-3SC at The Gorge), but I’ve followed the blog intently since you first started it. Congrats on the huge achievement this blog has been to the Saab community and putting personal priorities in order. I would be making the same decision if I were in your shoes.

• 119 dan // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:28 pm

  Swade,

  Many thanks for keeping the saab enthusiasts informed on a daily basis. this has been the best saab site by far, everything else pails in compairison…and truth be told, very addicting. i won’t confess here how many times i visit the site.
  best of luck.

  Dan Lehr
  Marketing Manager
  Lehman Saab

• 120 RayJ // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:38 pm

  Devastating news. Swade: as one door closes another opens. May God bless your future endeavors. This reminds me to appreciate all the things that make me happy each day - you never know how long they will last.

• 121 Bernard // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:49 pm

  Swade,

  You are a damn good writer.

  I understand your decision, but I will miss your posts just the same.

  All the best to you and your family.

• 122 David S. // Jun 4, 2008 at 12:11 am

  What the hell?

  One of the tippy-top automotive commentary sites is shutting down? Taking its ball and going home?

  I’d very much like to be understanding and say nice things, and I’m sure there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that I don’t know about, but I call foul. I feel nothing but disappointment. In you, in us, in GM, in other sites.

  Couldn’t something have been done, even if GM wasn’t willing to fold TS into its hairy bosom (which I think was a long-shot anyway)?

  Couldn’t more contributors step up to take the mantle alongside EnG, and leave (the overworked and underappreciated) SW to act as “editor emeritus”?

  This should not have been the end. It should have been another chapter maybe, or a sabbatical (SAABatical, ha), or a re-organization, or a new beginning. Not a time to burn bridges. Not The End.

  I’m afraid TS’s closing is a reflection, not on SAAB or GM or even Swade, but on us.

• 123 David N. // Jun 4, 2008 at 12:43 am

  Swade,
  Thanks for all the hard work. As the other 120+ comments attest to, what this site has become will be sorely missed.

  I wish you well in the future, and hope to see you around the ‘net still.

  Take care,
  David

  PS Now what am I going to read with my morning coffee?!

• 124 Rodmylon // Jun 4, 2008 at 12:57 am

  What a sad day =/ The end of an era…
  I’ve enjoyed reading TS for the last 2 years, and I’m only 22 and don’t even own a Saab yet, though my parents allways have.

  It’s been a truly amazing site (and still is!), and all thanks to you Swade! Good luck in the future!

  Best wishes from Finland

• 125 Zsenya // Jun 4, 2008 at 1:01 am

  Dear Swade,
  I think Public Relation people of SAAB & GM will miss this approximately 100k..200k+ USD yearly advertisement value which derived from this blog. Even they do not think of it now! As a source of reliable informations and words of a true fan it had the real power to change or manipulate (in a meaning of positive) peoples decision to a more SAABish way.
  Do you get more as salary? Did you offer SAAB decision makers to continue this blog for money? I am personally sad and disappointed that one good thing gone wrong again. But that is tendency for SAAB anyway…
  Best to your health and family! Save a dog and take it daily for a walk

• 126 Paul Guinnessy // Jun 4, 2008 at 1:07 am

  Running a web site is hard work, and those who think Swade could pass the writing onto other contributors and step back a bit, have not run a web site.

  Even if Swade had two or three dedicated contributors it would still burn up almost as much time (or more) than if he was writing himself. Plus its not easy coming up with topic ideas.

  I think in some ways you could consider Swade an ideal role model in learning to say no. I know I spend way too much time at my computer and learning to turn it off and not be in contact all the time, is something we should all learn.

  Congrats on a three year run and congrats again on learning to say “No more.” Life is too short, and as much as I love my 9-3, a car is still at the end of it all, just a car. Family is more important.

  Best of luck

  PS. That’s not to say you shouldn’t consider writing one or two posts when the new models finally come out I know that I will still keep you in my RSS reader, just in case

• 127 Tudon Martinez // Jun 4, 2008 at 1:08 am

  I’ll miss you Swade, Good Luck and Good Health.

• 128 Pokey // Jun 4, 2008 at 1:10 am

  Good Luck and Thank You for all the time you have put into this silte. I’m another who currently does not own a Saab but will soon I hope in the next year. My interest in Saab is a direct result of this site. You should get a commision!

  Take Care..

• 129 No.9 // Jun 4, 2008 at 1:12 am

  At a go Swade! Health and family first. I am sure your internet widow agrees wholeheartedly. Nevertheless, it must have been an excruciating decision to take. More power to you mate
  Too bad it has to be this way though Just when GM is pondering, in front of it’s shareholders, what the hell they should do with Hummer… and didn’t talk about dumping Saab. So there is still some hope left. Maybe when you regain some strength and get some distance between you and TS, you will find a new formula. Of course this is wishful thinking because you obviously seem like the kind of guy that cannot do something without going all out. Just in case, may I suggest you contact Andy and see what he has to say about making a site profitable. As an editor, I was on the verge of suggesting that you hire somebody to sell the advertizing. That’s how I kept my business alive because I got to damn tired because I did everything myself and wasn’t the best salesman anymore. IAC, here’s hoping that TS lives on somehow, «with a little help from your (Saab) friends».

  Cheers from up over

• 130 Ken // Jun 4, 2008 at 1:14 am

  Steven,

  Realy sad i think. I like youre blog a lot. Thanks for all youre support and digging concerning Black Turbo X (i love my new car!)

  Live well and take care! //Kenneth

• 131 No.9 // Jun 4, 2008 at 1:16 am

  I think Paul Guinnessy found the best words.

• 132 albert // Jun 4, 2008 at 1:21 am

  It is very very very sad to read that you are going to stop the blog.
  It seems to be that every blogger reaches the point where he has to decide which way to go. Go on full steam ahead or stop. And alas, you made the decision to stop.
  You will be missed (and that is definitely an understatement).
  Thank you for all the good stuff you brought to us. Thanks also to all the other contributers, commenters and especially the Djup Strupes.

• 133 PGAero // Jun 4, 2008 at 1:43 am

  Swade,
  Thanks for all the hard work you’ve put into this site. After I check my email, I check this fantastic site. The best news and commentary on Saab on the web (and therefore in the world).

  Your writing and always well-spoken take on all things Saab has made this website one of the most professional around.

  I’ll miss it. And I congratulate you on your decision for your family and your health.

  Thanks a million…. no, thanks 99, or 900, or 9000 times!

  ~Peter

• 134 Jacek Walasek // Jun 4, 2008 at 1:56 am

  what in the hell Im going to do Steve? I just lost my job at SAAB in december and now you???
  Last three years i started my day with you!!!!!!!!!
  Get your sh….t together and come back we need you!!!!!

• 135 Cutsick // Jun 4, 2008 at 1:59 am

  I just want to say “Thank you so much for your hard work”
  It was great to get all that information and even better to see a picture of my own car here on these pages.
  Good Luck, Thank you, I wish you all the best!

• 136 ctm // Jun 4, 2008 at 2:05 am

  Swade,

  you won.

  From Leftlane News:
  “We’ve heard this rumor before. But this time it isn’t rumor. Today GM officially announced it is re-evaluating the future of the Hummer brand. In a statement to the press, GM said it is “undertaking a strategic review of the Hummer brand to determine its fit within the GM portfolio. At this point, the company is considering all options, from a complete revamp of the product lineup to a partial or complete sale of the brand.”

  Your resignation as a Saab blogger is hereby denied.

  Sincerely,
  The sorry bunch of TS addicts worldwide

• 137 cybo // Jun 4, 2008 at 2:11 am

  Swade,

  For all that you’ve done, for Saab, for the enthusiest, and for all the hundreds of hours you’ve put here, thank you. May you enjoy the extra time with your family, and of course, happy motoring.

• 138 99GL // Jun 4, 2008 at 2:34 am

  Many thanks Swade for such a great read, and for putting into such well-honed words the excitement which these great cars create in so many people. I’ve been living in a country of a billion people and no Saabs for a while now, but I should be home in a few months and a new Saab will be top of my car shopping list. An Aero TTiD probably, but maybe if there is a Turbo X left… So I think you can that one to the list of Saabs you’ve sold.

  You’re right of course that an online community of customers and enthusiasts is a vital marketing tool now, and some manufacturers are already on the case - http://www.alfamitoblog.com , for example. A big part of the buying decision for a premium car is the question of what your car says about you, and a site like this can only be a reminder that buying a Saab puts you in a very special community. I’m sure your site will feature in a few Business School marketing case studies before very long! I just hope that Saab’s own efforts don’t feature as an example of how to waste an opportunity.

  Many thanks for such an unpretentious and well-written piece of work that’s provided constant enjoyment to me while I’ve been in a Saabless country, and thanks too to Eggs as well as the regular commenters.

  Best wishes to you and to your family.

  Gareth
  Mumbai, India

• 139 Jim F. // Jun 4, 2008 at 2:40 am

  SWade,

  Bummer, dude. You’ve made Scott Paterson’s week, for sure. (Is his site still even around?)

  I run a web site that was around before all these ‘blogs’, and I would have canned it a long time ago if not for my wife who demands I keep it running. I have put all of the daily operations into her hands and those of others. All I do anymore is pay the (extraordinarily large) dedicated server bill every month and keep the domain names registered.

  That being said, I understand your dilemma, and wish you well in your future endeavors.

  Thank you so much for all of your coverage of the Saab brand.

  Big shoes to fill, for sure.

  -Jim Frasch

• 140 JohnnyBravo // Jun 4, 2008 at 2:42 am

  Hi swade,

  being a reader from day one (nearly) I really feel sorry to hear that! My compliments for your effort and excellence you put in “your baby”!

  I fully understand your decision. Wish you and the ones you love all the best!

  Rgds,
  Martin

• 141 Ying // Jun 4, 2008 at 2:52 am

  Thank you and all the best.

• 142 Stef G // Jun 4, 2008 at 2:52 am

  Swade,
  I’m sorry to see you leave. Your site has been one of the (if not the) best Saab news related sites on the net. I’ve enjoyed it a lot. Heck, sometimes it was the only reason for me to go online…

  I’m very honored that you featured my Saab on your site a little time back.

  I respect your decision and wish you, and your family all the best for the future.

  Stef G
  Maasmechelen, Belgium

• 143 Bjoern // Jun 4, 2008 at 3:00 am

  Oh wait a moment…. I’m missing something here… NOoooo….

  Man I’m totaly down and somehow have some teardrops in my eyes. But I can understand your decision and respect it.

  Swade… It has been an honor for me to read your news, watch your videos and see the photots. Your site is the best Saab Blog there is. Not only because there are not so many. But the style, the content and especially the flair and soul you gave it made it special.

  I thank you from my deep downest (oh man… sorry if spelling is wrong. bottom of my heart for your effort. Thank you very much.

  I will be missing TS but still I will visit from time to time to see what’s going on. If there should be someone doing some posting here to keep the heart beat a bit I will be happy to send news and stuff I gather to support.

  It has been an absolut honor (and stress test to my webserver) to be able to send you the few informations and pictures (like the pictures from the Aero-X last year) I had to share it with you and the rest of the world.

  Oh man… I need a beer right now! I salut you and wish you and your family all the best.

  Greetings from germany… and if you ever should be around in germany/rhein-main area… say a word and I will be happy to show you around and to invite you on a glass of beer or more. And a nice highspeed trip on the autobahn… 250km/h no problem. I pay the gas bill. hahahaha…

  Thanks and all the best! *bow*

• 144 Dan9-1 // Jun 4, 2008 at 3:02 am

  swade is there nothing which the wider community of TS could do to help ease the burden of work on the site?

  all the best if not… hope it all works out in the end..

  Dan

• 145 Sport Mode // Jun 4, 2008 at 3:15 am

  Say it ain’t so.

  *SNIFF* *SNIFF*

  Thank you so much, Swade. You are an incredible person, really. My deepest respect for kicking the cigs and putting family first. I will miss TS and secretly hope you’ll return to a small extent once time passes and you realize you miss this baby. Gotta hold out hope, I suppose, but I do understand your reasoning and wholeheartedly agree with it.

  Thank you Eggs, for your insights- everything I’ve ever read from you has been thoughtful and precisely expressed.

  Thank you, Gripen, for your work. Don’t get too disenfranchised, will ya?

  Thank you, Djup Strupes, for providing us the details we’ve craved, and creating excitement for the brand.

  And thank you to all you other readers out there, for the respect, kindness, and excellent comments.

  This truly has been a special place to visit.

• 146 jc_atl // Jun 4, 2008 at 4:04 am

  Wow. Just wow. Thanks for all the hard work over the past few years, and I can understand running a site of this magnitude is yet another full time job. I can barely stand having one at a time.

  I guess my only thought would be to hand it off to a willing participant (not me) but that might just continue your headaches to some extent.

• 147 drapa // Jun 4, 2008 at 4:17 am

  Swade,

  First time leaving a comment on your site and I couldn’t believe it would be with such as a heavy heart I’m writing this.

  Been, as many of us here, a regular reader for many years. Reading your blog has become a daily part of my routine, an addiction to which I had no interest of being cured from.

  I will miss your writing dearly and it will be hard for me to stop checking in from time to time in hopes that I new post will be here.

  I wish you and your family all the best!

  Sincerly,
  drapa

• 148 rpg // Jun 4, 2008 at 4:27 am

  Thanks a million for your efforts over the years, Swade. I will certainly miss my daily visits - I guess I’ll actually have to do some work now! From one bean counter to another, best of luck to you and your family!

• 149 Marcus // Jun 4, 2008 at 4:40 am

  Swade: This was the best blog ever and I will truly miss peeking in whenever I wanted to. I found so much information here that I never would have had the time to find on my own. Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into this site and bravo for making the decision to take care of you, the family and the home. All around a great job! Best of luck.

• 150 Konstantin // Jun 4, 2008 at 4:44 am

  Swade, please consider letting others contribute to the site. Saab’s community is huge and there will be tons of people capable of bringing the site forward. It should become more like an open-source platform for sharing ideas and news about SAAB. You’ve created a great site - job well done! But as soon as it’s already become part of its readers, you can’t just say “hey, I’m done, it’s all over”. I understand your personal reasons, but will not shed tears about that. You’ve got 2 options - Yes or No. You are choosing No. But lots of people urge you to choose Yes. Just let it grow with the help of others, and be a supreme supervisor of the site’s future success. If needed, we can chat about the way to proceed. You’ve got my e-mail. It’s not over, until it’s over, man.

• 151 Bengt P // Jun 4, 2008 at 5:02 am

  Thanx Swade for an excellent job done and good luck in the future!
  I hope to hear from you soon in one or other way.

• 152 Agglo // Jun 4, 2008 at 5:08 am

  Without being a drama queen - your site may be what kept me attached to the saab brand over the past 2 years. Instead of replacing my ‘01 Aero Convertible with a German making I kept checking in to see what the future will bring to my beloved brand. I would never have been so patient without your blog.

  Now, feeling kind of hopeless, I just scheduled an appointment at my local BMW dealership for this friday. I hope I won’t overreact… I would really prefer to wait a bit longer, maybe the next 9-3.

  But without a reliable source for Saab inside knowledge or release schedules (my dealer is a fine guy but he knows crap regarding upcoming models) it will be hard to look forward.

  However - never mind. Best of luck to you… and thanks for all the fish.

• 153 Marcus // Jun 4, 2008 at 5:54 am

  I´ve been visiting everyday for ever (it seem like). This is one of my daily routines. It has been great fun and I´ve always been impressed by the quality and the topics.

• 154 Dan S. // Jun 4, 2008 at 5:57 am

  Swade - sorry to hear this outcome of your smoking cessation - but its for a good cause: your family & your health. I’m sure you will miss this blogging activity, like we all will in reading it. It has been fun sending you PINK pix & other sundry Saab content for your perusal. It was a great feeling to be a part of something fun, interesting & on the other side of the world! I’ll surely miss that.

  Take care & all my best to your family. Hopefully you’ll find some way to keep in some sort of minimal touch with your TrollhattanSaab.net family.

  Although we’ve not met - I remain your friend, Dan S.

  P.S. - I will be sure to notify you of my new blog (still in the pre-lauch phase) when its out!

• 155 JohnK // Jun 4, 2008 at 7:08 am

  I am very sorry to hear you are closing up shop Swade. Its been my daily ritual to pop in and see what interesting articles were up on Trollhattan Saab. No site comes close to the detail and devotion to the brand. Saab needs you and this blog and if the coporate heroes up on Mohogany row read this they need to think twic about seeing it shut down and support it’s existence 100%.
  This is a great site and very well written by Steven and I have never seen a man more pationate about a car make than him. I am very sad to see this go and I wish you well my friend from this side of the pond in New Jersey.

  Its time to wake up GM/Saab…or your days are numbered I am afraid especially here in the states where dealers are closing left and right.

  Good Luck Swade I will miss you!

  John K

• 156 No.9 // Jun 4, 2008 at 7:22 am

  Ironically, today I received the decals to fill the empty logos on my car. I got them from Chris Kruzel on ebay, but where do you think I heard about them. TS of course.
  Now, do you think a company that is not even proud enough to produce logos that last more than a few years, yet alone replace them when they vanish into thin air, will give a damn about the disappearance of a quality web site concerning them… what do you all think ?

• 157 Tompa // Jun 4, 2008 at 7:42 am

  Thank you for all the laughs, thrills and incredible writing. I have often pointed out that you should be a motorjournalist Steven.
  I will so miss my doze of TS each day.

  We all understand that what is happening has to happen. We will all miss your writing and that includes both GM staff and journalists I would suspect. Does your friends at Auto Motor and Sport know about this? They should give you a well paid job I say…

  Cheers to our mate Swade!

• 158 aeronaut // Jun 4, 2008 at 7:49 am

  Wow lots of wellwishers, this was such a popular spot to visit and will truly be missed.

  So what do people think were some of the highlights of the TS run??

  I think the middle finger for Hummer was especially note-worthy!

  Ps. Conspiracy theories have BMW money involved in this premature end of TS.

• 159 wilfried // Jun 4, 2008 at 7:59 am

  Swade,

  The effects of (non) smoking have strange impacts on (digital) life. Hope you succeed in strengthening your health and continu a happy family-life under a nice roof down there.

  Your TS-blog will be missed, though. Never seen something similar like it.
  Good atmosphere even in the most delicate comments. Great covering of the Aero-X, the festival, the other hopefully future saabs etc..

  What about your Alfa-virus ? You starting a parallel Alfa-blog next to your TS-one, I must admit, I dreamed about it. Of course it won’t happen. One should have more time to do lots of things, but it is all a question of priorities.

  Good luck Swade and happy saabing.

• 160 Richo // Jun 4, 2008 at 10:13 am

  2 last things from me.

  1. Note to GM and Saab - it was partially due to Swade and everyone else here that I decided to stick with Saab and have the Viggen repaired rather than swap to Subaru.

  2. 159 comments…. says something about the man, his efforts, and the way he writes.

  ok last one…

  3. GM, you’re a pack of dicks if you don’t seize this final opportunity.

  ok one more….

  For you last post on the site you should repost the first ever post. just a thought.

• 161 Nico // Jun 4, 2008 at 10:28 am

  Swade, A New England greeting to you and your family. I will miss reading your blog dearly, eventhough your archive will remain a resource to me.

  Oh, and the Saab “Butt”Wagon from New England says hi as well (Pride of Ownership).

• 162 Paul Harden // Jun 4, 2008 at 11:00 am

  Shortly before I bought my 3rd Saab two years ago,I started reading TS almost daily. It was always amazing to me the amount of effort you put into it and how much valuable information was on the site. I’ll be very sorry to see it go. Thank you very much for all your work. I’m sure everyone understands your priorities.

• 163 1985 Gripen // Jun 4, 2008 at 11:23 am

  I think I should take the time to thank paying sponsors such as Saab of Hunterdon and Saab of Nidd Vale for allowing this site to continue as long as it did. If there were more like you perhaps this great thing could have continued.

  As for the potential for GM/Saab official sponsorship in hindsight I don’t think it would have had to have negatively impacted on the brand’s coverage on this site. As someone else mentioned auto magazines accept money for advertising from many car companies and it doesn’t (ideally) necessarily bias their stories.

  Saab: you should offer Swade $100K per-year to quit his day job and run the Spirit of Saab site under your sponsorship but with free editorial reign. It’s a win-win. People buy more Saab cars (it’s been proven) due to Swade’s site so it’s money well-spent as the sales returns will more than pay for it. Slot it into your marketing budget. Run a few less “Born From Jets” print ads to afford it…

• 164 Nate // Jun 4, 2008 at 2:03 pm

  I’ve been somewhat of a “lurker” hear for that last few months. During that time I’ve learned more about Saab here than I could have anywhere else. I’ve since placed a deposit on a Turbo X and this site has been instrumental in giving me updates about the progress of said car (info that I couldn’t get from my local dealer). The daily stream of information will clearly be missed by many.

• 165 Nate // Jun 4, 2008 at 2:06 pm

  crap. “here”, not “hear”.

• 166 Mats // Jun 4, 2008 at 3:41 pm

  To Swade. A blog like this, for me, is not about quantity of posts. It’s about the quality, and of that there’s alot. I think I speak for more than myself when I say that I’d be totally happy with one post per week or even less. Your writing should come from your desire to write, not pressure of producing several 10-20 posts per week. I’ve been amazed by the number of posts that you’ve put up here for all of us to enjoy and discuss. I really hope this is not -The End-, but in someway hopefully, a new beginning….

  Cheers / Mats

• 167 oscar // Jun 4, 2008 at 4:42 pm

  Gracias por todos estos años de emociones diarias.
  Un abrazo desde Galicia, Spain.

• 168 Olaf // Jun 4, 2008 at 6:59 pm

  The End means a Start of something NEW.

  I can’t help myself reading this lines with tears in my eyes, so strong is the power and over all the FAMILY FEELING that TS gave me every day. It was a good feeling having »somebody« on your side that understands SAAB the way you do yourself. Where to go now? I feel alone in a way and on the other hand I thank you Swade and appreciate it to focus on elemental things in Life (which is not cars in my eyes).

  I know that something NEW will come. I live directly in Frankfurt/Ruesselsheim in Germany and have some Contacts to Marketing People at Saab. Why not rethink the Blog and come up with something new and improved some time. I will think on that and we all will be there again.

  Enjoy and look back to the Power and Value you have created Steven for all of us. THANK YOU!

  Olaf

• 169 CBD // Jun 4, 2008 at 9:14 pm

  Not good way to remember my birthday!

• 170 900_S // Jun 4, 2008 at 9:16 pm

  Just wanted to leave my respects up on the wall with the rest. I thoroughly enjoyed and will continue to enjoy archives of this masterwork. I can’t imagine any website, magazine, book–or any other medium that boasts itself as a dedication to the Saab brand–will ever rival this elegant and intelligent body of work. I apologize for not being as involved as I should have been… Best of luck and care in the future for you and your family.

  And PS – Don’t be afraid to come back, :).

• 171 Tad X // Jun 4, 2008 at 9:23 pm

  I think everyone’s already said it all, but just want to add my thanks for what you’ve done here. This site kept my spirits up whilst waiting for my X to arrive, and the information I gained here was amazing - from you and all the posters.

  Good luck for the future Swade, whatever it brings.

• 172 washaero // Jun 4, 2008 at 9:31 pm

  So sorry to hear this, but your priorities to family and yourself are too important.

  You have kept the torch alive in me for the Saab brand. After reading some of your posts, I’ve literally looked forward to jumping in both my ‘06 9-3 Aero SC and ‘92 900 Turbo vert. They never disappoint. I’ve clearly got the Saab bug — and I AM their demographic! — and will continue to support the brand over others. Let’s hope GM continues to invest…and invest big. They have a star on their hands, but only if they harness it.

  Swade, your love of the brand is infectious, intelligent, informed and even humorous — my hope for you is that you lead your life with equal aplomb. All the best to you!

• 173 R. (in the Fed City) // Jun 4, 2008 at 10:35 pm

  Hi Swade,

  Sorry you have to call it quits. Thanks for your excellent work.

  Here’s hoping that those deadbeats at GM sell SAAB to people who will invest in its development.

  And, while I’m hoping that those deadbeats at GM sell SAAB to people who will invest in its development, I’ll hope that you’ll be able to return to the Trollhättan Saab project in the future.

  All the best,
  Rem

• 174 Alexandre // Jun 4, 2008 at 11:56 pm

  I only recently came to this site this year. As a longtime Saab owner it was heartening to find a place where people cared so much about Saabs past, present, and future.

  I was constantly amazed at just how much there was to say about my favorite car on a daily basis. Due to this site (and my personal hopes) I actually got more excited from the 9-x launch than anything I can remember so kudos for that.

  I’m sorry to see you go but family comes first. Good luck and I hope things go the other way some day.

• 175 Daniel // Jun 5, 2008 at 3:53 am

  Thank you for the work you´ve put in this Project! I´ll miss TS for the everyday news in Saab.

  Dan

• 176 Michael Törnros // Jun 5, 2008 at 4:55 am

  Thank you Swade for this incredible Saabtime you have informed us with! And thank you for coming to Sweden last year when Saab celebrated it’s 60th year as a Automobil producer. Thanks for letting us se your Saab energi! Best Regards and stay tune for new very interesting Saab models to come in future. Michael Törnros. Saab Turbo Club of Sweden. #4827

• 177 robin m // Jun 5, 2008 at 7:03 am

  Hi Swade,
  I’m so going to miss your new entries each and every day. This site has been my number one visit for nearly all of the three years it has been around. I’ve realy enjoyed it. But like everyone else says your family come first and i totally agree. I’m glad you have given up smoking and what goes with it will go away soon. I’m so glad and happy to have met you this time last year (well on Friday!!) and if it was not for you I would not have met a few others. Brendan, Tim & Johanna, Rikard, Joe & Claire to name but a few. Hope to see you again in 12 months time.

• 178 kerry m // Jun 5, 2008 at 7:05 am

  Swade,
  you take care. I’ll still wear your t-shirt with pride and you and Mrs Swade are always welcome to our little abode at any time.

• 179 Jeff // Jun 5, 2008 at 7:19 am

  HOW THE HELL DID I MISS THIS POST

  I don’t even know what to say…so I won’t say anything.

• 180 Joe // Jun 5, 2008 at 7:32 am

  Swade - that’ll teach me to go on vacation. I just got back and saw a few references on newer posts to TS closing down - just thought everyone was smoking something funny.

  I’ve been a daily visitor for years and will greatly miss this site. Best wishes! I believe that GM is so far off-course right now with the brand that I too am leaving the fold in the near future for a VAG product. Maybe one day, someone will reignite Saab’s flame of yore.

• 181 billy_b // Jun 5, 2008 at 8:20 am

  Swade, is that your real name for sure I don’t know? I do know that since first checking in at Trolhattan you have definitely helped me to buy two new cars (second and third 93SWs) and you are also certainly responsible for tuning me in to BSR for my current TTiD. Like many of your readers out there I have taken immense pleasure catching up with your postings, often wondering how you could support such a massive input of your time for no obvious financial gain. I will miss my frequent TS hits in the future, and I will feel guilty that I never posted my TTiD BSR story . . . but perhaps also relieved, because, like you I’ve also got a life to live and family time and work that take priority. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors, journalistic or otherwise (?) Your investment in TS is a fantastic resource for Saab nuts everywhere and it is so great that you will continue to keep the information live. Maybe from time to odd time you can let us know what you’re driving?

• 182 WooDz // Jun 5, 2008 at 8:37 am

  Swade, When I needed the right Saab Info to help my customers it wasn’t Saab I went to in the end, it was here. The following link is the very first post I read and I was hooked.

  http://www.trollhattansaab.net/archives/2005/04/an_open_letter.html

  With upbeat and cheeky posts like that how on earth could anyone not keep coming back?

  Only last week you told us you wanted change.
  The majority asked you not to.
  Looks like it is time?

  Thank you for a great 3 years of reading and thanks to everyone who has supported Swade’s work over that time.

  but…
  She might be out the back warming up but the bitch ain’t started singing yet pal.

  Swade get some good earned rest, however long it takes but let’s see where the next chapter could lead. Email me.

  All the best to you and your family
  You’re one great guy.

  Anthony

• 183 Rick_T // Jun 5, 2008 at 8:49 am

  Well, let me add my best. Swade- thanks for all the great writing. Your passion for Saab kept all of our passion for the brand alive, as well. Without your website, I know that a portion of my passion for the brand has died. I will miss not reading your writing, miss the community on the site, and miss the passion that this site inspired about a great string of cars from a (once) great company.

  Cheers to you, and your family for putting up with this enterprise for as long as they have. All the best, and all our hearty thanks!

• 184 aeronaut // Jun 5, 2008 at 10:59 am

  WooDz, that was a great post wasn’t it.

  Swade had fire is his belly that day. Hard to believe that was three years ago.

  I always thought that TS was part of a SAAB rejuvenation process maybe pushing things along just a little bit faster. Certainly symbolic of the hope that SAAB would rise again.

  The success of new 9-5 is all important to ensure SAABs future.

  This week, the arse is gone out of ‘er. TS is gone.

  Who is going to hold GM accountable now?

  Ps. Swade, why not stick around until that new 9-5 is unveiled. It would be a blast.

• 185 PT // Jun 5, 2008 at 11:23 am

  A footnote to some of the comments on the previous post which unfortunately lead to the comments section being closed.

  1) For all those who wrote debut comments with some fairly personal vitriol - you should take personal responsibility for the first post ever to have comments closed ( in my memory and I’ve been here since the beginning)oin this blog. Don’t point the finger at Steve and say he started it.

  2) For those who need a little help with semantics of English : sober has more than one meaning. Yes, it means intoxicated or under the influence. It also means considered, serious and self-reflecting. Perhaps this puts Steve’s edit in a different light? Note that he did not change his sentiment. Rather, the publication of it.

  SW - apologies if I re-open closed wounds here but I feel strongly about clarifying this on your blog rather than in private. I considered writing you an email but having been around for a couple of years I feel a degree of transgression from whats gone done over the last few days as well.

  Again - well played sir. A delightful knock.

• 186 John So CAL // Jun 5, 2008 at 2:48 pm

  Swade - thank you - I will be very sorry to see the site go.

• 187 DamoG // Jun 5, 2008 at 6:41 pm

  I guess I am just echoing what everyone above is saying, but thank you for your hard work and dedication to this blog/site. I’ll miss it.

  From a fellow Taswegian, all the best

• 188 Sethsev7n // Jun 5, 2008 at 6:53 pm

  Swade, I am very sorry to hear about your decision, but I have a feeling you won’t be going very far.

  You have too much love for the brand of Saab, and have too much love of writing about it to quit. Hell, you write up more than a few articles a day for the site. Like others have said, its quality, not quantity, and while they are all quality posts, treat this hobby as something you do in your spare time, not as a second job. I can imagine how much TS has taken over so much of your time for quite awhile. Don’t do it for GM. Do it for yourself. You have a wealth of information on TS and its obvious you have plans in your mind for SOS.. but take it all in stride… You have too much talent as a writer to stop cold.

  I wish you the best of luck with everything, it has been a real pleasure to read about your passion for Saab and your acute understanding of the brand culture… this is a very valued asset Steve… not to go unnoticed.

• 189 Tompa // Jun 5, 2008 at 8:07 pm

  I agre fully with Pär Brandt.

• 190 Tom // Jun 5, 2008 at 8:49 pm

  I can say my employer will be happy when my productivity goes up becuase of all the extra time I will have now:) But I like every one else will miss you and your daily thoughts on every thing Saab.

  Thank you for the ride.

• 191 Psycho Dave // Jun 5, 2008 at 9:52 pm

  Thank you so much for the time you have put in to this blog, it has been fun and interesting to follow it.

• 192 cdp88 // Jun 5, 2008 at 10:18 pm

  Swade, like many others here I’d like to place my appreciation for your commitment to TS on the record. As far as I’m concerned this is THE saab resource on the web. I don’t think anything else will be able to replace it for me.

  I enjoyed reading about the future of SAAB, new models and all the other issues you wrote about. As an Australian I also enjoyed the fact that you wrote in my language as it were, and incorporated a local perspective. I can’t see any other SAAB sites doing that.

  All the best in the future for whatever you do. I hope you can do something with your passion for SAAB and your writing skills. I know everyone will miss your daily insights.

  Much as I appreciate your work I can understand your need to focus on family and work. You gave so much for us, with the only return being the satisfaction you derived from writing about SAAB.

  Chris

• 193 Beren Erchamion // Jun 6, 2008 at 9:53 pm

  I’ve really liked reading your blog - its the one site I try to check every day.

  Glad to hear you dropped the death-sticks.

  Best of luck - I’ll miss the site.

• 194 Gunnar // Jun 6, 2008 at 11:49 pm

  A sad. Sad day for the blogosphere. And particular blow to the Saab Party Faithful. Who will carry on their banner?

• 195 X3SoB // Jun 7, 2008 at 12:08 am

  Wow. I’ve never seen a blog with 195 posts. Swade, are you sure this site can’t be continued somehow?

• 196 Dave T. // Jun 7, 2008 at 12:22 am

  Swade,
  Great work over the years. It was great working with you from time to time with MPH and Autoblog. Wish you the best.

• 197 aizzo // Jun 7, 2008 at 12:52 am

  Swade -
  Bummer. I understand your position and truly appreciate all the hard work you’ve put into this site. I’ll miss reading the entries and replies. But, here’s to the future, to both you and Saab. I have a feeling this really isn’t the end for either

  Alan

• 198 sad // Jun 7, 2008 at 12:55 am

  sad to see you go!

• 199 jc7222 // Jun 7, 2008 at 4:06 am

  Swade,

  Hate to see that this is the end however, I am glad that you made the right choice (your health and family).
  This truly was the authoritative Saab site and the best ever.
  May God continue to bless you and your family.

• 200 Anthony Crawford // Jun 7, 2008 at 1:28 pm

  Congratulations on what you have done with TS, we at Car Advice, know how hard it is to kick off blogs with very little money behind you, but we battle on.

  You will be missed by the Saab community and then some.

• 201 Nigel Park // Jun 7, 2008 at 5:04 pm

  Swade,

  Thanks for respondng promptly to emails and the effort put in to the site.

  All the best.

• 202 Goran Aničić // Jun 8, 2008 at 5:26 am

  Sorry to hear about quit blogging
  Best regards from Serbia…

• 203 Saabrobz // Jun 9, 2008 at 5:31 am

  Thanks for time, you have really done a great work, thanks for everything.

• 204 Jörgen Trued // Jun 10, 2008 at 2:03 am

  Thanks for the time You kept up the page. Hope that You in the future will muster the energy needed for running the webpage again.

• 205 Jordan Zimmerman // Jun 11, 2008 at 2:49 pm

  Wow - I’m sorry to hear this. Thanks for this great site. It somehow seems appropriate, though, as it seems that my beloved Saab is ending as well. Good luck.

• 206 Abarth // Jun 20, 2008 at 3:25 pm

  Swade,
  Your decision is bittersweet, but for your health, mental & physical, I think you made the best one. Will we miss your insightfulness, but of course. I’m hoping that on a future day you delight with more TrollhattenSAAB insights, as they will creap foward from the dark recess’s of your ‘SAAB Mind, and spill out as an blip every once and while. GOOD LUCK!!