It’s reporting time again!

November 2008 was a good month for Trollhattan Saab. I’d have to back through the archives and check, but it may well have been the best month ever in terms of traffic to this site.

Trollhattan Saab served 266,851 pages during November 2008. The average number of pageviews served per day was 8,895.

Click to enlarge….

That spike at the end of the month was, of course, due to the 9-3x images that were presented here. But it was a good month all round with lots of discussion as you’ll see below.

These pages were served to 45,250 unique persons for the month.

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There were 135 new articles published at Trollhattan Saab during November.

If you enjoyed them, then please consider making a donation. There’s absolutely no obligation and the suggestion donation amount is $5, which equates to 3.7 cents per entry.

You don’t need a Paypal account to donate, just a valid credit card will do. No details are passed on to me, only the $5.

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The most popular discussion points this month were as follows:

Saab rumours abound – 25 comments

Pollhattan Saab – Old vs New – 35 comments

Thursday Snippets (Obama, GM crisis) – 25 Comments

Old Saab 9-5 vs New 9-5 – 25 comments

9-4x delayed…other news from GM – 28 comments

Bring the Saab 9-3x – stat! – 38 comments

Saturday Night Snippets (PT’s choice, Lance Cole) – 22 comments

Could GM sell Saab, even if they wanted to? – 70 comments

Saab 9-5 and 9-4x delays: a dealer speaks – 24 comments

No Saab 9-5 in Geneva 2009 – 26 comments

New ALU81 wheels now available – 26 comments

SaabUSA BYO website – what have they done??? – 25 comments

Sweden: ban gasoline fossil fuel-driven vehicles by 2025 – 27 comments

New vehicle patent, old vehicle – Saab 9-6x – 24 comments

Talking Saab with Eric Geers of Saab Sweden – 21 comments

Chatting with Eric Geers from Sab – part 2 – 22 comments

What’s so wrong with bankruptcy for the big three? – 42 comments

Porsche Panamera design – hot or not? – 38 comments

Don’t call me, Dude – 42 comments

Spyshots: the Saab 9-3x appears – 43 comments

Saab = ? – 63 comments

Bloomberg: GM mulling Saab sale – 23 comments

Have you bought a Saab in 2008? – 67 comments

What side is my gas tank on? – 32 comments

To hell in a handbasket: why the Swedish government should not assume ownership of Saab – 38 comments

Metallic paint or metallic pain in the wallet? – 27 comments

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Greetings to the folks from the RenCen who are tuning in…

….and howdy to all the BMW boys tring to learn some secrets…..

….and to our Saab friends in Tehran, you’ll be pleased to know that you can look at this site without preconditions….

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You don’t have to look too far and wide to find cheerleaders for the idea that GM should cut Saab loose, either within Saab circles or outside.

Those on the inside say it for the right reasons, because they want a Saab that’s free of the molasses-like progress that Saab has made under GM’s watch. Those on the outside tend to say it because they think GM’s continued ownership of an entity like Saab is pointless and just a drain on the General’s limited finances.

I’m on the record here as hoping for a GM recovery AND hoping that they’ll invest in Saab and allow it to become the company it has the potential to be. Saab’s design ethos is a big pointer to the way of the future for motoring and GM could definitely benefit from promoting them in the pecking order.

Edward Lapham is an executive editor with Automotive News and has just penned a short editorial that places him well and truly as one of those “outsiders” calling for Saab to be culled from the GM lineup.

It starts off smug…..

In these unsettling times, when giant automakers face bankruptcy and the automotive world seems to be turned inside out, it’s nice to have at least one benchmark that doesn’t move.

That’s why it’s reassuring when Saab Managing Director Jan-Ake Jonsson proclaims that the Swedish automaker is on the verge of profitability. Heck, it seems as if at least the last half-dozen Saab managing directors have made the same prediction.

…..and gets worse from there, to the point where he’s just plain incorrect.

The road to sustainable profitability has been long, winding and tricky to negotiate.

At first it was thought that all Saab needed to do was lower its costs by leveraging GM’s European vehicle architectures. That led to the 9-5 and a new 9-3. Saab tried to keep the brand’s innate quirkiness with unique design cues and features such as a floor-mounted ignition key, but everyone knew the cars were Opels — even if they were assembled by trolls somewhere near the Arctic Circle.

Lapham’s comments describing the 9-5 and 9-3 as ‘just Opels’ are typical of the same lazy journalism that permeates the industry when it comes to Saab. This typically plays out as follows: the writer quite likely just doesn’t really know the facts, so they resort to some glib comment denigrating their target.

Note that Lapham conveniently neglects to mention the contributions that Saab have made to GM’s repertoire by way of safety, flexfuel, turbocharging and soon, XWD expertise. I guess if it doesn’t fit your argument, it doesn’t matter.

The next thing Saab needed was an SUV. So GM gave Saab a version of the GMC Envoy and called it the 9-7x.

Ta-da!

But somehow Saab still couldn’t get enough traction.

Then came what was sure to be the game-changer: Since GM had an alliance with Subaru, Saab ought to have a version of the Subaru Impreza WRX. And sure enough, the 9-2x was created.

Time for a fact-check, Edward.

The 9-2x was actually added to Saab’s North American range before the 9-7x. The 9-7x joined Saab’s range in June 2005. The 9-2x had been on sale for over a year by that time.

But why let the facts get in the way of a good story?

Lapham’s a Detroit fan-boy and with one of his meal tickets at risk of extinction, he’s happy and more than willing to choose his side and be done with it all, accuracy be damned.

Let’s not criticise GM for the lack of investment in Saab. Let’s not criticise GM for the lack of vision when it comes to Saab prior to 2005. Let’s not bother looking at the fact that Saab have slashed their costs and earned the decision for continued operation of the Trollhattan plant into the future.

Just kill ‘em off and make more sugar-daddy Caddys, eh?

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More interesting little tidbits on my current sources of 9-5 frustration — I promise that it’s getting better!! Additionally, some challenges facing the 900 Convertible.

First, a big shout out to new sponsor Saab USA Parts for some needed small accessories for the 9-5 and the 900. I clicked through and ordered from them just prior to learning that they were actually a full-time TS sponsor — their Google ads show up here on virtually every visit I make to TS. Saab USA Parts were quick to deliver the lower shock bushings despirately needed on the 900 and some great-looking lug covers for the 9-5. For those of you with a 9-5 or 9-3 built in the late 1990′s and early 2000′s, you may have noticed that the lugs on your car tend to dull and even corrode a little. This is strictly a cosmetic issue that doesn’t compromise the lug bolts, but it is an annoying reality. The set of Saab lug covers covers them nicely. I’ll photograph the before and after once the rain lets up long enough to wash the car and do it properly.

After a quick trip to my Saab indy shop, I’ve tracked down 95% of the issues outstanding on the 9-5. I’ve gotten the blend door repair done (thank goodness) and I’ve installed a new cabin fan motor because my original repair (I extended the motor brushes about one-half inch [12 cm]) failed after nearly a year of service. My check engine light is now off thanks to a quick reseat and epoxy of the raised mount for the evaporative pressure sensor on the top of the gas tank. If you have a 9-5 that consistently shows a “Tighten Fuel Filler Cap” error on the SID, you may have a similar breach of pressure on your car — it’s most common in warmer climes. The sensor is on the upper ridge of the circular opening for the fuel pump. Not the most convenient place, but not bad. Finally, I’ve also purchased a set of front brake rotors simply because mine need replacing as could be the case with any 88,000-mile (140,000 km) vehicle. They will go on very shortly.

Once the brake rotors are on (next weekend, perhaps?), the 9-5 should be ready for some upgrades. Window tint is a must, and I think that I’ll repaint some more of the trim (the black belt-line and lower body extensions have been refinished). The console needs some attention as does the headliner covering the sunroof. Very minor things. I’ve also been studying the ECU upgrades for the 1999 9-5 SE (2.3 lpt) that boost engine output 70 hp or so. Of course, if I get the ECU reprogram/mod, I’ll need new tires. These mods are a little pricey, so I’m not sure that I’ll go that far with this particular car.

For the 1988 900 Convertible, things are a little up in the air at the moment. Since the 9-5 was in the shop, I drove the ‘vert to the aiport last week and had to call for a tow to make it back home. The electricals simply shut down about 1/4 of the way home. I’ve not been able to fully diagnose it yet, but I believe that I’ve either got a failed alternator diode assembly or I need to rebuild/replace the alternator completely. Additionally, I think that I’ve got a power steering leak that created a little puddle on the concrete. Add these things to the growing list of other repairs needed on the convertible and I’m not sure that it’s worth plowing much more work into, I’m afraid. Believe me, a twenty-year-old car has a lot of things ready to fail at a moment’s notice.

Don’t get me wrong — I’ll have a 900 of some type, but it may be time to find another one that’s in better condition and use the parts from mine to fix it rather than the other way around. I’ll write another post on that in the near future.

In the meantime, anybody have a 900 to spare? I need to go for a drive!!

My thanks to everyone for your comments on the Have you bought a Saab in 2008 post from last week. As I write this, there are 63 comments there, which tells me there’s a lot of you rolling in either new or new-to-you Saabs this year, which is great news. If TS has been of help to some of you in achieving that, then I’ve had a pretty good year.

Through our local email ring here in Australia, we recently caught up with Turbin, who might just have the most recent addition to the TS-related Saab list. He picked this beauty up only around 10 days ago, taking advantage of the rather massive loyalty discount being offered by Saab Australia at the moment. If you’re in Australia and have a Saab under seven years old, it really is worth a look (if you can still get it).

The car is a 2008 Saab 9-3 SportCombi TiD and it replaces Turbin’s 2006 SportCombi, which was a 2.0t and featured in the Saab Pride competition late last year (yeah, Turbin, I know….the pics don’t enlarge – sorry).

Anyway, here are Turbin’s initial thoughts on what is one sharp looking car (especially for a diesel!). Congratulations, mate!!!

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Pass:

About the drive, very happy.

Even with 17″s instead of 16″s the ride is better if a bit more noisy from the tyres. The heavy nose of the diesel (along with appropriate suspension) probably helps on the highway, as it feels less nervous than the 06. Looking to get 900kms out of the first tank with a lot of run-in still to do.

The rolling acceleration is great and not vastly different from my old 2.0t. On top of which the economy doesn’t take the same hit when you get happy with the pedal. There is alot of diesel clatter at idle and low speeds but that’s what I paid for, if I bought a diesel I want to hear a diesel (many would feel differently, I know).

Fit and finish is great, no problems with the new dash layout either. Doors close with a good thunk and the tailgate closes properly more often. The 06 would often take 2 or 3 goes to latch. Bluetooth is great and very clear. Sunroof is beautifully integrated and nicely tinted so you can leave the shade open more of the time. Seats feel better, maybe just less tired than the old ones. Parchment interior looks really good and is off-white enough to not look dirty so easily. Lights are great and the light pipes look fantastic at night.

Also really great on-road stance, even with the roof-rails.

Fail:

Gearbox combined with narrow torque band takes some getting used to. At 100km/h it’s 2000rpm in 5th. I am presuming better efficiency at 1500rpm in 6th but that doesn’t shift in til min. 105km/h. Whether the extra speed cancels out the efficiency I don’t know (?). 2000/5th is a bit noisier but in 6th it tends to (smoothly) kick down at the slightest hill.

Turbo lag is a monster. Really have to plan ahead. I don’t do much stop-start anyway but you don’t want to take risks turning into fast approaching traffic.

Those two things I was aware of from reviews and driver stories. The skimpng on leather was a surprise. The 06 had leather across all seat facings except rear outer bolsters. Now the only leather is the middle inserts of the 4 main seating positions. The middle of the backseat (where we put one of the boys seats) used to be leather as well, is now vinyl. Not that I could justify it but the premium leather is not even an option for Linear.

Final whine is that after taking delivery 1 week before the end of the Saab Exchange program, they have extended it through to Dec 31st. I maybe could have gotten a better deal later in the piece?? I don’t care too much anyway as this car was dealer stock and had a rare combination of factory sunroof and parchment interior as well as factory 5th headrest and CD stacker (not standard at this level). If I had have held on might have lost it and at less than $40k on the road I won’t complain.

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The wheels were the biggest surprise in all of this, Frank @ Mentone (who was a real gentleman to deal with) had agreed on ALU 45s which are the nice clean 17″x&7″ 5-spokes that are optional on the Linear and standard on the Linear Sport. When I arrived to pick-up he wanted to sign all the papers first. I asked to see the goods before signing anything.

Off we went and he’s saying, “looks really good, looks like a Vector”. Then I saw why, these wheels are, as Ferd said, ex Aero, standard Vector 17″x7.5″. Not considered a factory option on the Linear. I’d say that because they were ordered from accessories they went the cheaper option which is these at $40 less per wheel than the ALU45s. I’m pretty happy as it is also apparently pretty costly getting the 17/45/225 tyres whereas 17/45/235s are much more common here in Oz.

Three things are missing from the car as you see it, white on black plates (or should I go white on red ??? thoughts please), super dark tint and of course ….. something I’m not allowed to mention here – SW

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I had a little fun today

The car at the top of my list to replace my Alfa and be car #2 that I fulfill from my “Cars I’d Like To Own At Some Time In My Life” list is a Porsche 944. One came up for sale here in Hobart this week and fortunately for me, the owner was kind enough to let me come around to his house, ask a few questions and…..go for a spin!

This is the car:

It’s a 1983 Porsche 944.

This model year, the 944 had a 2.5 litre, four cylinder engine in the front of the car with an output of around 150hp matched to a 5-speed gearbox. The 944 has a transaxle gearbox so the weight distribution is within a bee’s gennies of being dead on 50/50.

What I love about the Porsche 944.

First of all, I love the fact that it’s the second most affordable Porsche (the 924 being the most afforadble). I don’t think I could dream of ever getting into a decent 911, but even the best of the 944s is probably within my reach.

Second, I absolutely adore the styling of the car. Many of the cars I’ll drive in the next 10 years or so will be things that I loved as I grew up in the 1980s. You don’t get much more 1980s than pop-up headlights and in my view, there’s no prettier car with pop-us than the 944. In fact, despite the pop-ups, the 944 still manages to look quite contemporary.

Does the car in the photos above/below look like a 25 year old car to you?

Things I learned from driving this car today

The main thing that I learned is that there’s no way I’m going to buy a pre-1986 Porsche 944. This car, and all the 944s up to around mid 1985, had the 924 interior. Some time in 1985, Porsche gave the 944 a new interior that looks a whole lot better and is most likely quite a bit easier to live with.

This car, for instance, had no tilt adjustment for the steering wheel. Given that the wheel is so low and virtually sat right on my legs, this could be a problem (one that I hope will be remedied in a 1986-on car).

Just as it doesn’t look 25 years old, the car didn’t really feel 25 years old, either. The gearbox was still really tight and snappy. The steering wheel had a minimal amount of play when you first move the wheel, but after it had taken up the tiniest bit of slack it was really precise with superb feel and you could tell the car was really well balanced. It just hunkered down and stuck to the road.

This car had that 150hp engine I mentioned before and whilst it does have a bit of zip when you stick in the persuaders, I’d definitely need a bit more grunt to feel like I’m driving a Porsche and getting my money’s worth.

Today’s drive pretty much confirmed in my mind that I’ll most likely try and track down a good 944 Turbo. It seems logical and appropriate for a Saab guy, really. I just need to find one in good condition. The early Turbos (i.e. the ones I’ll be able to afford) had a 220hp engine, giving the 944 Viggen-like numbers but with a bit less torque.

It’s still going to take a while to save the money I’ll need to get one of these, but having got a taste of it today, I’m really looking forward to the day it happens.

Time to fix the clutch in my 900 and prep the Alfa for sale, I think

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Old 924 style interior with aftermarket steering wheel:

Newer generation interior from 1986 onwards, with original steering wheel that’s a pain in the butt to use, hence the large number of aftermarket wheels out there:

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It’s going to be difficult to cover this article without coming across as being …..well….. not vindictive, but at the very least, negative towards the source, with whom I’ve had issues for some time. I’ve battled with myself over how to cover this, and am really trying hard to address it from an objective point of view. I’m covering this because recent news has the sale or closing of Saab as being a very real possibility, though I’m not inclined to believe it just yet.

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Ryan Emge, publisher of Saab History, has sent an editorial to The Local, a Swedish newspaper published in English. The basic premise of the article is that the Swedish government should nationalise Saab Automobile if it’s jettisoned by its corporate parent, General Motors.

The article starts with a generalised history of Saab’s beginning as the offshoot of an aircraft company, a company that was formed in response to the government’s vision for national security.

Since 1947, Saab Automobile has been inextricably linked with its Swedish roots as an innovative and progressive automobile company. The heritage of Saab Automobile originally began in 1937 as an aircraft company.

The formation of Saab came in response to the immediate requirements of the Swedish Government during the War, so its foundations began as a byproduct of the government’s needs.

From there, Ryan discusses what he sees to be the after-effects of GM either selling or just plain shutting down the Saab brand:

Across Sweden, industry, academia and government will all be affected if Saab were to be relegated to the backburner of the GM portfolio. It is clear that reversing this trend is the best way for Saab to maintain its unique Swedish design, engineering, innovation and identity. While there have been rumours that GM is thinking about potentially selling Saab to another car manufacturer, I believe that nationalizing the brand is the proper and most suitable method in order to continue Saab Automobile.

So let’s have a look at the reasoning behind the suggestion:

Having lived in Sweden, I have seen first hand the nationalized public transportation system which is as a critical infrastructure for the Swedish economy to thrive. In this respect, I do not see why a car company like Saab could not be nationalized as well.

Recent history has taught us that both pure capitalism and pure socialism are both bound for ultimate failure.

The current credit crisis in the US is largely due to a massive lack of regulation in the financial sector and is proving the point that free markets won’t always create conditions where people will act for the common good. Whilst the market will reward people who do so, it’ll give real short term riches to those who don’t give a crap and wring every last penny from the consumer, whether the consumer can afford it or not. If the Gordon Gekkos responsible for it all manage to get out of the market before the fit hits the shan, then all well and good.

The fall of the Soviet Union should have taught us all that a purely socialist economic system doesn’t work too well, either. Having embraced what sort of looks like a capitalist market in the last 15 years, many of those former Soviet countries have seen some degree of growth and prosperity, though in many cases it’s probably relative.

The point of all this?

For society to work, there has to be a balance between government and the private sector. The government should take control of some of the essentials that effect us all, things that citizens in any decent modern country should have access to: basic healthcare, law and order, energy regulation, education, defence. The government should also have a hand in large scale infrastructure that the private sector won’t meet adequately, which is where transportation comes in.

There’s a place for the private sector in all the aforementioned areas, but it’s at the pointy end, the space that encourages excellence and innovation.

Shortly, we’ll take all this a step further and see why a government shouldn’t run a car company.

Back to Ryan’s reasonings as per The Local:

The infrastructure in which the vehicles travel has already been paid for by the Swedish government and comprises some of the best roads in the world. In addition, the academic institutions, through governmentally funded programmes, have also been subsidized by the Swedish Government when collaborating with Saab Automobile’s future product development.

I’m not sure what that first sentence has to do with anything. The roads are paid for by the people for the people. Ryan’s correctly named it as infrastructure and it ties in perfectly with my argument, above. The government does major infrustructure from which a direct profit is not expected to be realised. The roads provide a common service to the whole country, which makes trade a whole lot easier, which gives people an income and therefore the government a return through taxation of that income.

Government funded academia is one of those areas that illustrate how government and industry can work in partnership to provide a good outcome. It doesn’t always work, but most of the time it produces a good outcome. Again, though, projects like this are generally for research into things that will produce a community outcome, even if it benefits a private sector firm as well. The Swedish government helps out with hybrid research, for example, but I’d be surprised if they’re helping a firm produce a more addictive fast food. The common good.

Finally, the Swedish government will be at a significant advantage by owning Saab as it will have the full autonomy to design, build, and regulate the next generation of private transportation which will meet their goals of ending fossil fuel driven vehicles by 2020.

No. No no no.

It’s the government’s job to set the goals and the regulations to meet those goals. It’s the private sector’s job to comply and produce vehicles (in this case) that will meet whatever targets are set and be attractive to consumers.

The key here is partnership – to some extent – between govermnent and industry. Government can help with fuel cell research as the results may have applications across a number of scenarios. It’s not government’s place, though, to build and market the vehicles, and there’s very good reasons for that.

What was the last government mandated or sponsored vehicle to set the world on fire? Probably the Volkswagen Beetle. There’s been a number of other government-run vehicle manufacturers over the years, mostly in Eastern Europe and Asia and if you can think of a single one that produced something other than a basic rattler for the common man then all credit to you.

See, this is what government does, and it’s the whole point of why a state-owned Saab would be wrong.

Government produces the basics only. It doesn’t strive for excellence. It doesn’t push the envelope or innovate. It takes the innovations of others and regulates them.

Who would decide the strategic direction of a government owned Saab? How many people would be involved in the decision as to steering feel in a future government owned Saab? And of those people, how many would be kissing the butt of the next person up the food chain in the hope of being viewed favourably? (This is not a state-only problem by the way. I believe there’s plenty of that going on at GM right now)

How many would be scared to take a chance?

How many would be motivated to take a chance, given that the reward incentive base of the private sector has been removed?

How many of the best designers and engineers would stay at a State owned Saab and how many would accept more lucrative offers from private carmakers elsewhere in Europe?

The history books and many cities of the world are littered with the mediocrity of state owned enterprises. The Saab that I know and love to drive should never be allowed to sink to such a level. A state-owned Saab is most likely going to result in cars designed by committee, lacking the edge that’s going to draw people in and convince them to spend their money (much like what we’ve got right now, actually, only worse).

The truth is that Saab may well be sold or shuttered in the coming months, or they may continue as a division within GM. We just don’t know. But if they’re sold or shuttered it will be for a number of reasons. The first and obvious one is that they never grew big enough in the last 60 years to stand on their own two feet. More recently, they haven’t received enough investment from General Motors to really make a go of things. And some of the investment they did receive was squandered.

If Saab stay within the GM fold then GM have to invest in Saab. They’ve got the right formula for the future of motoring and great heritage to sell to people. In an article titled Saab may be GM’s best hope for the future, one writer states….

That leaves Saab. The accountants might conclude that it is a dying brand by its eroding sales and only 105 dealers. But Saab spells the automotive future, high quality small and midsized cars. Saab cars are nicely sculpted, or at least uniquely shaped. They have smaller engines with good handling and performance. Even though they share GM platforms, they retained differentiation. Saab is the perfect complement to Cadillac and should be built up rather than destroyed.

…which are my thoughts exactly.

If Saab is sold or shuttered, then I’ll join the rest of you in condemning GM for their lack of decent stewardship and I’ll hope like heck that any new owners can truly “get it”.

But a state-owned Saab?

Unless it’s a very, VERY short term arrangement to transfer ownership to a proper owner in the private sector, I could barely think of anything worse.

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As mentioned in the intro, I’ve had issues in the past with Ryan. However, I’ve made every effort here to address the argument and not the person.

If you’re going to comment on either article, please take the same care.

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The cars in my own driveway would suggest that this might be a bit of an urban myth, but I thought it might be interesting to see just how much of a myth.

I got an email from Robin M, one of those emails that does the rounds getting passed on from person to person. When I read it, it actually sounded quite plausible….

WHO KNEW THIS???

I have been driving for over 50years. I would think I should have noticed the little secret on my dashboard that was staring me in the face the whole time…I didn’t…and I bet you didn’t either…

Have you ever rented or borrowed a car and when arriving at the petrol station wondered…mmm, which side is the petrol filler cap?

My normal solution was to stick my head out the window, strain my neck and look, try to see in the side mirrors or even get out of the car!!!! Well ladies and gentlemen, I’m going to share with you my little secret so you will no longer look like Ace Ventura on your way to the petrol station or put your neck at risk of uncomfort or injury.

If you look at your petrol gauge, you will see a small icon of a petrol pump?

The handle of the petrol pump will extend out on either the left or right side of the petrol pump? If your tank is on the left, the handle will be on the left? If your tank is on the right, the handle will be on the right (see photo). It is that simple!

So of course, I jumped up and went outside to check our cars.

The Saabs were in concert with the advice above, both the 900 and 9000 pumps on the right hand side, which is where the fuel fillers are:

But the Alfa, made by those goofy Italians who have no regard for the accuracy of chain emails, bucked the trend with the pump on the right whilst the fuel filler is on the left.

Now, you might think this is silly, but don’t try and tell me you’re not going to check this out the next time you jump in a car

I’m pretty sure all Saabs will conform with this, but if you have something other than the 900 and 9000 then have alook and let us know.

And if you get into something other than a Saab, take note there, too. The Alfa’s proved this email to be wrong, but maybe it’s a rule of thumb we can rely on to a large degree. Handy for the regular rental car drivers out there.

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As we enter the final month of what’s been, let’s face it, a pretty ordinary year for Saab sales, I’d like to know how many of you have purchased a Saab this year.

Did you buy a new one?

Did you buy CPO?

Or did you buy one privately in the last 12 months?

I’ve featured a number of Saab purchase stories already this year and I have a few more coming, too. There’s no need to tell your entire story here if you don’t want to, but it’d be good to know how many new cars we added to the collective TS stable this year.

I’d also like to know if information presented here at Trollhattan Saab helped you in making that decision. Was it just plain model news, or car review coverage, or just the sense of community that helped you out. And of course, is there anything we could do better, like market specific model data or anything like that.

If you’ve got a story to tell, please tell it here. It’d be helpful to know who you are, your general location and what you bought so I can continue to point out to Saab the value of a site like TS.

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