If you’re in the US then you might be interested in this Turbo X SportCombi that Wulf found on Ebay:
The good news – it’s only got 25 miles on the clock and it’s selling for $29,000!!!
The not-so-good news – it’s an auto. Not ideal, but I’ve been in an auto at 170k/h – on dirt – in a Turbo-X so they’re still quite capable.
The story – apparently a few cars suffered some ‘minor’ hail damage while they were sitting at the port. They were all fully repaired by Saab and auctioned off to dealers by SaabUSA. This is one of those cars. it doesn’t say “hail damage” on the title, it’s all clear, and it comes with the full warranty, etc.
Not a bad opportunity, that. The car’s physical location is in New York. The online location is on Ebay.
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There’s two ways to look at Saab Australia’s sales for November.
The glass half empty: they only sold 80 cars this month, despite offering huge loyalty discounts to current Saab owners and a great sub-$50,000 deal on Vector Sport models (extended to Dec 31).
The glass half full: they sold twice as many in November as what they did in October!!
Woohoo!!
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I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry at this one. Scanned from his local newspaper and sent it by Saabob in Canada:
Only 38 left……..
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In the month we bought our 9-5 wagon back in 2005 Saab Oz only sold 85 cars so flogging 80 when everything appears to be rather crook is not bad.
By the way. This last weekend i visited a mate in the ACT and with some others we went for a great drive and bbq in the country. Here i’m in the wagon chasing down a 9-3 Aero and an ’86 635, life doesn’t get much better.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u281/Hergest/3-9.jpg
For that amount of money you ‘ll find in our country (NL) only a used 9-3 from beginning 2006 with nearly 70.000 km!!!
You lucky yanks.
BTW: how many is the tax on a car in the USA? So, if any of you would buy this car, how much are you back before it is on your driveway?
On the sales figures:
In the Netherlands Saab is suffering the whole year. Part of it due to new tax rules that put cars in different classes (A to F) depending on the fuel consumption. The competition brought cars with A labels (more than 10% better than average), while the standard Saab has a C-label (average) ar an E (auto, more than 10% worse than average).
It is not so much that the sticker price rises, but people who drive a company car have to pay income tax on a part of the value of the car (price when new). With an a label that means 14%, but on a C it is 22%. So the wife notices it every month and they tell their guy to take something that is cheaper.
This led to a drop in sales in the jan to nov period from 2.962 to 1.920 units (market share from 0,60% to 0,40%). A steep decline. Normally the market share is between 0,70% and 0,80%. The last time market share was this low was in 1993.
albert: No tax relief for flexfuel (E85) cars?
There is no car tax in the US beyond your state sales tax (whatever the rate may be in your state) and registration, which varies from county to county, but typically is less than $100/year. (assuming that you pick out regular tags and not specialty or custom ones)
so assuming $29,000 for the TurboX, add in a 7.5% sales tax (what some states charge; rates vary by state)and you get $31,175; toss in another $149 for a “dealer processing fee” that many dealers charge and of course, $100 for tags, and you’re at about $31,450, out the door.
Not a bad deal, if you ask me.
They should have kept the Turbo X manual shift only. My dealer still has a slushbox sitting on the lot.
A small correct to what jchan2 said–there is a rare federal tax on cars with bad fuel mileage.
The “gas guzzler” tax is rare–only two or three dozen cars have it, and most of them are high level Mercedes Benzes, and exotic cars like Ferraris, Aston Martins, Bentleys and Lamborghinis, etc. The tax ranges from $1000 to $7000. So it’s not terribly expensive if you’re buying a Ferrari. (The gas guzzler tax doesn’t affect SUVs, which are considered trucks.)
There was once a tax on luxury vehicles, but it was eliminated in 2003.
My county sales tax is 6.5% and vehicle registration is about $50/year. Plus about $30 for titling and license plates, I’d pay about $1900 in taxes and registration.
I agree with you Paul. 80 is a good result in the circumstances for Saab Aus. A 100% month on month increase shows that the current sales tactics are working. It might not be pretty when compared to the good ol’days but its not to be dismissed too lightly either.
Selling cars is a tough game right now and there is plenty of fall-out in the Aussie market, particularly in Sydney (our biggest city) where the dealer presence is now getting quite thin. Overall, it must be said that the GM Premium Brands strategy looks to be in tatters now with Hummers just taking up valuable floorspace. Possibly one of the more-illconceived sales disasters in recent times.
For those Saab staff still giving it a shot – hang in there guys. The marque needs you and if you can survive this there should be some better times ahead.
That Turbo-X is priced right around where a new Turbo-X should be selling for, IMHO. If I were in the market for a new car (which I’m not) I’d look seriously at that Turbo-X for “only” $29K. At the price they asked for them new there’s no way I’d even consider it. The 25 miles on the clock is a non-issue. Someone who picks this car up has got himself/herself a good deal. I would just hope when they took-in that car to repair the hail damage they also ensured that the door sill plates say “Turbo-X” on both the driver’s and passenger’s side and that it has SatNav if it was supposed to be so equipped.
As for the deal in Canada, I’m impressed they can offer any kind of financing, let alone 0%. The problem here in the States has been that financing is very hard to come by. I also notice that of the 38 2008 Saabs left on the lot only 6 are 9-3 Sport Sedans (I find it strange that they call it a “9.3″). I would imagine a very large percentage of those 38 are 9-5s and 9-7Xs. Good luck moving those, guys…
@albert: tax is very hard to calculate in the States as it varies from state-to-state (remember, we revolted over the issue of taxes). Because that Turbo-X is physically located in New York State the sales tax on it would be higher than just about any other state. Tax also varies by county. I’m guessing the sales tax on that Turbo-X will come to around 8%, depending on what county it’s in. Then most states tack-on “fees” for registration of the car in addition to sales tax. But all-in-all it’s much cheaper than in Europe and you’ll be jealous if you find-out.
@ 1985 Gripen
The current location of the vehicle is irrelevant to the tax paid on it. The only people who would pay New York tax on it is a New York resident. (Vehicle sales tax is paid upon titling, and the title would be issued by the state the car would end up in.)
And the cheapest outcome would be Oregon. No sales tax and $15 registration.
I think I’m more surprised that Saab has actually placed an ad in a newspaper, than by the low prices listed. Here in Edmonton (300 km north of Calgary), I can’t recall seeing an ad from our local Saab dealer in the past year or two.
@ 1985 Gripen – I think that “9.3″ is just a typo. We do call them 9-3′s here as well.
Gripen: It’s either a typo or written by someone rather clueless; probably the latter.
The rest of the ad (not shown) offered: 11 9-3 Aeros, 4 9-3 SCs, 5 9-3 convertibles, 3 Turbo Xs (reg: $54,945 now: $41,945), 2 9-5s and 3 9-7Xs. Yeah, I know it only adds up to 34. And two of those were labelled as 2007 models.
The economy here too is softening but our banks are in pretty good shape (so far). During the Great Depression, reportedly 500 American banks went under while 0 Canadian banks suffered the same fate.
Looking at the break down of Sales looks like the convertible has seen the biggest decrease in sales. Interesting to see the 9-5 sold more than last year
Australian Saab Sales
Saab 93
November 2008 – 64
November 2007 – 78
Saab 93 Convertible
November 2008 – 11
November 2007 – 28
Saab 95
November 2008 – 5
November 2007 – 3
Saab Total
November 2008 – 80
November 2007 – 109
Brendan, thanks for that, just as I thought, with the slew of neat new convertibles out there the 9-3 is a tough-sell. The 9-X Air on the other hand would be a knockout. It looks better and better every time I see it.
More 9-5′s this year than last! The old girls still got legs.
Hard to believe that the Vert is not growing as 7 out 10 of the current 08s I’ve seen on the road are Verts. They just look awesome as 08s, they are the best looking of all the current range options.
Advertised deal(s) too good to pass up — and then some! Had set my sights on a ‘humble’ 9-3 Aero but lo and behold walked into my Midtown Toronto dealership Friday and was ‘up-sold’ a Turbo X at a price I thought unimaginable even 6 months ago (granted a ‘slush-box’…concession to my Lady).
No sat-nav . But an extra year ‘bumper to bumper’– to 5. [Test drive note: Boy, is that exhaust Loud. Sweet to my ears...but my Mercedes lovin' brother said he couldn't live with it.]
It was close-fought between C300 4matic and new A4 (and both those able to be attactively leased now). 3 series saturation and interior turned me off (something for another post…).
But good sense prevailed and I have now joined the ‘Tribe’:).
I should add that one of the reasons for this decision was the obvious passion felt by Swade, Kroum,E&G, JLobo and the many others for the Brand. I happened on to this blog about a year ago and have visited (twice) daily ever since. If ever a virtual Community.
Viva Saab! Viva Trollhattansaab!
Great to hear NTP. Congratulations on the new wheels.
Gripen et al.–Canadian banks are heavily regulated and so far still well capitalized. And loan rates are down. How long it lasts partly depended on how quickly the US starts to recover. Poeple are losing jobs or getting laid off in manufacturing, and that isnot a good environment for moving new wheels.
B
Sh*t, we’re looking for an auto sportcombi…lemme check this out.