Trollhattan Saab has changed!
The site you're viewing now is the original Trollhattan Saab weblog, though it's now an archive only and no new material is posted here. As of February 2009, all new material is posted at our new site - Saabs United.
Please join us at Saabs United and get your daily Saab fix from Saab sources all around the world.
They know I’ve received this email, so I may as well just play it in full.
From John S to SaabUSA:
Whatever happened to European Delivery returning for the 2009 model year? I’ve been on hold for a year, having deferred purchasing a car pending the return of the progam. Please advise if/when SAAB will reintroduce the program, otherwise I’m heading over to the Volvo dealer.
….and SaabUSA back to John S:
Thank you for contacting the SAAB Customer Assistance Center. We appreciate you taking the time to write us in regards to the Saab European Delivery Program (EDP).
I recognize that this situation has caused you a great level of frustration, and I hope that you can accept my sincerest apology on behalf of General Motors and Saab.
At this time, the Saab European Delivery Program is no longer available and Saab has no future plans of re-establishing this program.
And then, just to rub a little acid into the wound and prove that they were skipping classes during Public Relations 101, specifically the How to customise a pre-formatted email session, our “relationship specialist” adds the following:
If the you would like to test drive a Saab vehicle, I would like to refer you to your their local area Saab dealership.
If you should need to contact us in the future, simply reply to this message or call our SAAB Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Customer Relationship Specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
An unwanted invitation and atrocious grammar as well.
——
Of course, the big news here is that Saab have irrevocably distanced themselves from the premium company they tell us they like to keep.
I’m not surprised that the EDP isn’t available for the 2009 model year given the current economic climate. These programs reduce profit margins and consume resources that Saab just don’t have right now. Heck, they’ve even turned the escalators and the voicemail off at the RenCen.
But to cancel the program completely? Forever? And this is how we find out?
And personally, I’m pretty disappointed that we’re finding out this way. I’ve been covering this issue since I first broke the news here at TS that the program was being suspended for 2008. At that time, we were told repeatedly that the program was suspended whilst they incorporated it into GM’s ordering systems (it had been run almost manually from Saab’s resources since day 1) and that it would return as an improved program, most likely for the 2009 model year.
The last time we covered the program was back in May. Eggs n Grits wrote the following:
Saab USA is pursuing a complete revision of the procedure and systems that touch the order of any Saab to create an option for European delivery right alongside all of the other options currently available. That is, Mr. Shannon and his staff are working to create a formal program that can deliver any Saab order to the Trollhattan vistor center, track overseas shipping in the same way that intra-US deliveries are tracked, automatically release the travel stipend to the buyer in a timely fashion, etc. In short, he’s looking for automation and consistency……
…..According to Steve Shannon, they are very close to the complete vision and scope of what they want, but now they have to implement the changes, which is a fairly lengthy process. When asked if the program would be back on track for next year, he explained, “Things are moving a lot slower than I thought they would. It probably won’t be available at the beginning of the model year, but maybe we could see it sometime in the next calendar year.”
Not to be, apparently.
Like I said before, I’m not totally suprised that it’s not back for 2009, but for such a momentus decision like the complete cancellation of the program to be taken with no notice given is just a total lack of respect for the brand’s customer base.
They KNEW that people were watching this. They KNEW that people were waiting for the program to be reinstated so that they could buy cars this way.
I’d suggest that given the current economic climate, people would have been quite understanding if a release had come from Saab informing everyone of the program’s demise. People would have been disappointed but known that it was a sign of tougher times. Now, it looks like times are tough and we’re being treated like mushrooms (i.e. keeping us in the dark and feeding us bullshit).
I wish I had better news to bring you today. The showing of the 9-X Air in Sweden had me on a real high because at least it felt like the Saab spirit was still alive. And it is. But this sure seems like a wet blanket not just because of the news, but also because of the way it’s been recieved.
–
22 responses so far ↓
1 zippy // Oct 28, 2008 at 9:31 am
It obviously was costing too much money for the few people who actually took advantage of the program. I look at it this way, GM is in a very very bad way at the moment and saving money any way possible is to Saab’s advantage.
2 Charles // Oct 28, 2008 at 10:12 am
Weak.
3 Greg Abbott // Oct 28, 2008 at 10:42 am
Wow. Just wow.
This reminds me of the episode of “Sex and the City” where the main character’s boyfriend wrote a “Dear Jane” letter on a Post-It note, breaking up with her.
Astonishingly bad public relations.
4 joemama // Oct 28, 2008 at 10:50 am
Pathetic, really.
However, not surprising at all. How many of you actually thought Saab would bring it back when current sales at local dealerships are horrendous?
5 Wulf // Oct 28, 2008 at 10:57 am
There was a 9% discount on the MSRP and a $2000 check with EDP. On a basic 9-3 of $30K, that comes to about $4,700. Wasn’t the average discount on 9-3s about $5,000-6,000 last year and dealers had cars in inventory for 6 months or more?
Discounts are nice but I wouldn’t mind having to pay a little bit more to take delivery of a new Saab in Trollhattan, tour de factory and Saab museum, drive your car all over Europe and have the experience of a lifetime. If it wasn’t for EDP, I never would have become a Saab customer a few years ago . . . Ah well, there is always Volvo.
6 Alex // Oct 28, 2008 at 11:25 am
Ahh yes, Volvo, especially if they bring back the R cars like the dealers say Volvo corporate’s telling them they will. Heck even the XC70 or S80 T6 AWD are a whole lot of car.
Realistically though, Saab doesn’t need European delivery as much as we all like to think it does. What Saab needs are cars that can hold their own against Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus and Mercedes on the basis of price, performance, and build quality enough to bring new blood to the brand. Cars that can do what the G35 did for Infiniti and what the A4 did for Audi.
Ideally Saab shouldn’t have to fall back on gimmicks like employee pricing and european delivery to attract buyers. The cars need to be able to stand on their own in a way that doesn’t just uphold Saab’s design acumen, but does so in a way that attracts first-time buyers by the tens of thousands.
7 Kik // Oct 28, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Well crap… thisis not encouraging. There goes my “Ya want to go back to Sweden?” vacation plan I was going to present to the wife in a few years.
8 Rob // Oct 28, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Ridiculous !!!! How could they possibly cut EDP, something that definitely attracted new buyers to the brand. I am sick and tired of all of Saab’s, no wait, GM’s cost cutting measures to fit the small unimportant Saab brand into their budget. Don’t they see the potential of Saab? This move just makes it harder for Saab to compete with European brands that do offer the EDP. BMW, Audi, Merc, and Volvo. In my opinion, good news can not come soon enough for Saab.
9 Snotfjold // Oct 28, 2008 at 5:29 pm
I totally agree with Wulf. To put all the money on the hood does not help, it is simplistic and very un-Saabish, at least from a brand perspective. Why not take some of the discount for paying an EDP. It will help move the metal as well. Add to that the the dollar is at a five year high against the Swedish Krona so the money would buy quite a lot more now than it did in May, when the Krona was at its peak.
No this is another short sighted, hare brained savings idea out of the Ren Cen aimed at ultimately killing the Saab brand through a thousand cuts.
10 J.W. Vester -- Saab Automobile USA // Oct 28, 2008 at 10:30 pm
While it is true that, given the current business climate and negative Krona vs. Dollar exchange rate, there is currently no defined plan to reestablish the European Delivery Program, Saab Automobile USA has never said nor confirmed that this program has been canceled indefinitely. Just for the record!
Like many of you, we at Saab USA all hope that the business will turn for the better in the foreseeable future – enabling us to offer our customers “the vacation of a lifetime” including picking up their Saab on the continent of origin. Thanks for bearing with us.
11 Razvan // Oct 28, 2008 at 11:10 pm
then instruct your employee to respond in such a way, not “Saab has no future plans of re-establishing this program.”
12 max // Oct 28, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Just another nail in the old coffin. Face facts GM is not (has not been) interested in SAAB. They don’t communicate to their dealers never mind the customers. They say one thing and do another……
13 John in Bismarck // Oct 28, 2008 at 11:24 pm
I agree with what most of the others have said. Since Mr. Vester is reading these comments (and thank you for doing so), I’ll offer mine. My wife and I were seriously considering a once in a lifetime trip to Sweden to take delivery of a new 9-3 convertible in 2008. The suspension of the program led me to consider other options, and we bought a 2005 Porsche Boxster instead (which we love, by the way, but it only holds two people, which is the main reason we were leaning toward the 9-3). I was hoping to take advantage of European delivery for a replacement for our 2005 9-5 Aero in a few years. I am very disappointed that that may not be an option for us. Saab needs to keep its good customers, not send them to other brands.
John.
14 eggsngrits // Oct 29, 2008 at 12:43 am
Well, JWV beat me to this, but I suspected as I read this post that the answer was from a low-level wonk that wasn’t completely in the know about the future of the program. Still, it is a tough one, particularly given the exchange rate at the moment.
GM is going throug some tough times. Let’s let them get back to us on the niceties like the EDP while they have bigger fish to fry.
15 Bill H. // Oct 29, 2008 at 12:59 am
I suppose the cynic in me says this is in line with other moves, such as diluting the new Saab warranty.
But when there’s a real question as to whether GM can escape filing for bankruptcy, all bets are off. As for me, I’m still holding my breath as to whether the new 9-5 actually gets introduced on time, is delayed, or cancelled along with a bunch of other nascent GM projects. If it does, then it’s time to head for the hills along with all the spare parts we can gather up for our cars.
16 eggsngrits // Oct 29, 2008 at 1:10 am
Bill: LOL!!
Instead of Y2K it’s Must eBay!
17 1985 Gripen // Oct 29, 2008 at 3:48 am
Unfortunately this is the kind of thing that has to be cut when a company’s bleeding money. Though a nice marketing and customer service plan, the European Delivery Program costs Saab money. In a time where advertising budgets have been cut to near zero (when was the last time you saw a Saab television commercial?) they need to spend their money wisely. I think cutting EDP and putting that money into advertising would have been a good use of what limited funds Saab is getting of late.
18 SaabLance // Oct 29, 2008 at 7:34 am
Based on14 years in Saab sales at 3 dealerships in the NorthEast region all of which did 280+ new Saabs per year let me give you a brief typical synopsis of 99% of the European delivery inquiries:”Can you explain to me the European delivery program.I understand I can save thousands of dollars vs going through the conventional dealer network and by the way you have virtually an identical 9-3 (9-5 etc.) on your lot.My Reply “Okay,lets go over a few details: first off, I need a required $1,000.00 deposit at the time we place the order,I need 100% payment at least 30 days prior to delivery.You MUST take delivery in Europe,you need to purchase minimum of two weeks insurance coverage from a Euro broker,you need to purchase short term Euro registration plates.Your payment 30 days prior to delivery cannot be any form of auto financing because the lien required to be placed by the bank can’t occur until the car is registered in your home state and the car won’t arrive in the U.S. for 4-6 weeks after it is shipped from Europe.You also cannot lease the car for similar reasons and you’ll have to pay State tax and registration fees after it arrives.client’s response 98% of the time “uh….nevermind”. This is not to imply the program was poorly conceived,however almost all of the inquiries we received were just potential clients looking to backdoor the dealer system.Net result: 3 deliveries in 15 years,all of whom picked up the car at the beginning of anywhere from a two week to a full month stay in Europe .The last I.D.S.delivery I delivered after shipping back to the dealership had over 4,000 miles on it.This is the true intent of the Euro delivery program and is used so seldomly as to make it’s demise of little consequence.
19 spazzz2002 // Oct 29, 2008 at 8:20 am
I am happy to say that i participated in the EDP with my mother in 06. I think we were probably one of the last ones… It was a great experience.. Saab USA def has two lifetime customers!
I have a suggestion… I hate to see this program go but maybe it can be changed a little…
They could offer the same $2000 to cover some of the travel and instead of using the customers’ car, they could have a small fleet of cars for this program. It could be called the SAAB European Experience. They could only offer the program out of Trollhattan vs the other cities that were offered. Something is better than nothing in my mind… There is no doubt that this program creates a special bond with the car and the company.
20 fred@dzlsabe.com // Oct 29, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Sad…the only new Saab Ive owned is still happily driven most everyday because of EDP. Back in Feb03, I ordered(no test-drive possible till London) a $27K, 40+mpg, 90+mph 93 turbodiesel. The trip to Europe and Trollhatten in June was unforgetable and the car has been a joy to own. It coulda/shoulda been the gateway to thousands more. Tough to watch a great car, great(albeit obselete) engine, and buying experience be so much “water past the bridge”. Hopefully the stars will realign someday.
21 Mike Becker // Oct 31, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I had plans on doing an EDP for my “Black Turbo” when I first learned of the car’s production. Unfortunately, the program was cancelled and I decided to buy my TurboX at a local dealer. The EDP was a great way to build loyal, lifelong customers. Hopefully the program will get re-established in the future, especially if Saab is sold to a new owner.
22 robert // Nov 3, 2008 at 8:16 am
Here is an email I received from Jay Trice IDS administrator on 10/3/2008:
Hello Robert,
GM has the program on hold until the first of 2009. Although nothing has been decided on the direction of the program, I won’t have any clue until then.
I hope our program is ready when you are ready for your purchase. I checked my waiting list and have you near the top. I know you have been waiting a while for us and apologize for the lengthy wait.
Kind Regards,
Jaye Trice
IDS Administrator
Saab Automobile USA