If I wanted a chevy I'd buy a chevy....

[JFK-USAF]

My 03 SS may be my first and last SAAB if SAAB is not allowed to continue to design their OWN cars/suvs. Same reason I wouldn't buy a Cadillac -- it's just a Chevy with more buttons and leather and a higher price tag. My opinions are the same for the 9-2.

I'm not looking for an debate I'm just expressing a view.

I know I've posted this before but if we (Saab) had to merge with a company --- imagine iv VW bought Saab. A 9-7 based on the Cheyanne and a 9-2 based on the R-32 Golf. It just seems like a better reality then the one we face today.

jfk

[Lodro]

My 03 SS may be my first and last SAAB if SAAB is not allowed to continue to design their OWN cars/suvs. Same reason I wouldn't buy a Cadillac -- it's just a Chevy with more buttons and leather and a higher price tag. My opinions are the same for the 9-2.

Except that isn't even true of Cadillac anymore -- both the CTS and SRX have platforms unique (for now) to caddy. And their powertrains (Northstar) have also been quite independent.

[CleveSaab]

Saab needs to prove they can make money before they will be given the green light to produce thier own cars. Bet on it.
That's how GM is treating GMC. GMC sales are going up up up. So GM decided to scrap Pontiacs' little sport wagon, and GMC is designing thier own from scratch and will be out in 2007.

[fabric]

My 03 SS may be my first and last SAAB if SAAB is not allowed to continue to design their OWN cars/suvs. Same reason I wouldn't buy a Cadillac -- it's just a Chevy with more buttons and leather and a higher price tag. My opinions are the same for the 9-2.

Except that isn't even true of Cadillac anymore -- both the CTS and SRX have platforms unique (for now) to caddy. And their powertrains (Northstar) have also been quite independent.

Lodro is exactly right. And if your outlook is to not buy cars that have any type of platform sharing, you are going to quickly run out of options. Very few cars today have a unique chassis, and even fewer are totally unique in their own rights (shared engine, suspension compements, interior bits).

If you didn't know which vehicles the 9-3SS shares it's platform, you would not be able tell by looking. I can understand your point on the 9-2x and 9-7x, but let's not write Saab off until we see where they go from here. Both of those models only have about 2-3 years left in all their forms, so something new will have to be coming out. It will likely be platform shared, but will be unique in the way the 9-3 is to the Epsilon platform.


based on VW's quality issues, wanting Saab to be bought by VW sounds like out of the frying pan, into the fire. GM looks like it's actually taking a keen interest in Saab. Saab will have 6 models in the next few years. It took GM some time, but things look like they are moving in a positive direction.

[sethsev7n]

well, all it takes for me to write off a car is cheap parts, and a boring drive, which is exactly what i experienced in my 9-2x test drive yesterday. Not only did the factory alarm go off which is the most annoying noise EVER, but the doors feel cheap and very loose/loud when they shut, the whole interior feels cheap to me, and it even though it drives ok, it doesnt feel like anything special. In short it felt very detached from what i expected from saab. If that sort of quality and workmanship keeps up with the 9-7x, ill be very happy to write off saab and go to another brand that makes cars that i enjoy to sit in and drive. Until then ill love my car until it dies :)

[valbowski1980]

well, all it takes for me to write off a car is cheap parts, and a boring drive, which is exactly what i experienced in my 9-2x test drive yesterday. Not only did the factory alarm go off which is the most annoying noise EVER, but the doors feel cheap and very loose/loud when they shut, the whole interior feels cheap to me, and it even though it drives ok, it doesnt feel like anything special. In short it felt very detached from what i expected from saab. If that sort of quality and workmanship keeps up with the 9-7x, ill be very happy to write off saab and go to another brand that makes cars that i enjoy to sit in and drive. Until then ill love my car until it dies :)

ditto

[F911]

The subaru/saab connection makes some sense, given they are in many respects, similar niche brands (not to mention the wrx is a fine car before the swap). But a chevy suv? I think there is a limit to the sharing. GM still doesn't quite get the idea of allowing some parts sharing but with the brand defining/designing the car. I think Ford did a little better with Volvo and Jaguar. I only hope GM doesn't increase its share in Subaru, the last of a dying breed of quirky independents...

[valbowski1980]

The 9-2X doesn't make sence to me since it is not much more than a WRX wagon. Had Saab used the engine and tranny of the STi it would have been a different story. If Saab wanted an SUV this badly, why not something based on an Outback? Those sell like cup cakes and make more sence with gas prices where they are.

[sethsev7n]

If Saab wanted an SUV this badly, why not something based on an Outback?



I dont think SAAB ever wanted an SUV... or a WRX either

:wink:

[valbowski1980]

If Saab wanted an SUV this badly, why not something based on an Outback?



I dont think SAAB ever wanted an SUV... or a WRX either

:wink:

Hehe, right.

What I meant was that since Saab (now a tool of GM) didn't think that it's cars were good enough and another SUV was the answer to it's **** ty market share should have IMO gone with something Outback like.

[Stefano]

Isn't the upcoming 9-6 based on the Outback (or is it the Forester)? Or am I totally wrong....?

[finklejag]

Isn't the upcoming 9-6 based on the Outback (or is it the Forester)? Or am I totally wrong....?

I believe its based on a new crossover SUV platform. :-?

[jimbob]

Call me a mad pessamist, but seeing these new Saab models based on GM vehicles makes me appreciate the three OLD Saabs I've got all the more. Saab and off roaders just don't mix. Off roaders are (were) just not in Saabs philosophy.
That off roader model is probably based on somthing like a GM Vauxhall Frontera which was an total abomination and awful to drive.
The very reason I bought Saabs was because they were DIFFERENT and the build quality was high. I am absolutely determined to keep my existing cars on the road until I'm too old to drive!!!!!
Talking of Subaru Foresters, I've got a customers in my workshop at the moment which needs 2 new rear shock absorbers. They cost over £400 EACH from my local Subaru dealers and there is no alternative or pattern part available. They make Saab parts prices sound quite reasonable.

(sorry, rant over)

[Buddhabman]

My word, we must be in Napa Valley, all the whinning around here. :cheesy:

No one likes the 9-2X, They think it is cheap and flimsy. Nothing special to drive. :roll: Well I bet you haven't driven it fast. Do that and then see. :x
I shouldn't even waste my keystrokes. It's the same car the WRX is no worse, so what's the problem. It's an entry level premium car. If you think the A3 or 1 Series are gonna be so much better you are on vapors. I agree it is a tad pricey.

Now for the one who thinks Saab should have merged with VW. If I could have a dollar for every VW I see with blown tail light or head light. The muffled thunk sound of a car door closing does not the car make. Those cars freaking suck to drive fast. Period point blank. Plus after you do run them hard be prepared to be without them for a week. The R32 is the exception. You can take a VW I will take a Subaru any freaking day.

Look Saab needs AWD, they have to get it from somewhere. What do you suggest? VW, Toyota, Honda's new SH-AWD, Volvo Haldex? Yea Right! Oh alright, simple Subaru, that will work for now until we can find a system more complex. :-?

Now to the crying about the the pitiful 9-7 / Trailblazer/Envoy/Ranier. Look even Porsche has a damn SUV, what are you gonna do. Well Saab doesn't have Porsche money so no there will be no Cayanne rip off. Why GM didn't let them have the SRX? So we have the Ranier, I say Ranier because I suspect they will at least have the Ranier level of interior and sound proofing. The Buick has a tad better interior. Now to their credit they are concentrating on one model with a V8. They have also bolted on a independent suspenion subframe. This might work if they make a good suspension tune, engine tune and get good build quality from the Ohio plant.

The future is brighter than it was before GM. I feel like an apologist for Saab/GM, kinda Like Dub-ya for Iraq. :)

The 9-6 Saaburu should be nice, based on a upgraded Legacy frame. Hell if Saab/GM were smart they would drop the ecotec 2.3 4cyl or ecotec V6 or whatever and just drop the turbo Subaru boxer engines in. I said in another post the Subaru Airplane boxer engine is more in line with Aero theme. They have some awesome turbo motors waiting for vehicles. There is also this cool independent Revtec engine being shopped by GM for China.

Saab needs a larger more luxury car though. Maybe they an get the sigma STS platform for 2007/8.

This forum is getting pathetic with all the doom-sayers.

End of Rant. :x

[jimbob]

Ah, so the 9-2X IS cheap and flimsey, but it's saving grace is that it's fast? At least you're honest Buddhabman :D
All the brands owned by Volkswagen are even more similar to each other than most. A Skoda Octavia for example is nothing more than a rebadged Passat. Yes, they are better than the old Skodas which is good. Saab on the other hand IMO have gone in the other direction and they have become worse cars for it. This is what I resent, consumer choice these days is only skin deep. We are being deceived by the manufacturers who claim they are selling you a particular car only for you to find out later that your pride and joy which you paid a fortune for is based on a run-of-the-mill rep mobile. I think I have a right to be a moaning old git, maybe even a doom sayer, but I think that's being a bit harsh. :D
I suppose this is one of the downsides of globalisation. It's coming full circle where in the communist countries, everyone used to drive around in Trabants and Zills and we in the west laughed because we had a choice of countless different products. Well now the manufacturers are laughing at us because they have standardised all the products to make them cheaper to produce. Then they'll stick what ever badge you want on your new car.
God I like a good moan. :D

[valbowski1980]

My word, we must be in Napa Valley, all the whinning around here. :cheesy:

No one likes the 9-2X, They think it is cheap and flimsy. Nothing special to drive. :roll: Well I bet you haven't driven it fast. Do that and then see. :x
I shouldn't even waste my keystrokes. It's the same car the WRX is no worse, so what's the problem. It's an entry level premium car. If you think the A3 or 1 Series are gonna be so much better you are on vapors. I agree it is a tad pricey.

That's the point isn't it? It's the same car! Calling it a Saab would be the same as sticking feathers up your dog's *** and saying you made a chicken.

Now for the one who thinks Saab should have merged with VW. If I could have a dollar for every VW I see with blown tail light or head light. The muffled thunk sound of a car door closing does not the car make. Those cars freaking suck to drive fast. Period point blank. Plus after you do run them hard be prepared to be without them for a week. The R32 is the exception. You can take a VW I will take a Subaru any freaking day.

Here I agree with you, VW wouldn't have been any better of a choice. Their quality does leave a lot to be desired for the prices they ask.

Look Saab needs AWD, they have to get it from somewhere. What do you suggest? VW, Toyota, Honda's new SH-AWD, Volvo Haldex? Yea Right! Oh alright, simple Subaru, that will work for now until we can find a system more complex. :-?

Sure they do. Why not take Subaru's kick *** AWD and make a Saab?

Now to the crying about the the pitiful 9-7 / Trailblazer/Envoy/Ranier. Look even Porsche has a damn SUV, what are you gonna do. Point and laugh Well Saab doesn't have Porsche money so no there will be no Cayanne rip off. Why GM didn't let them have the SRX?Because Saab isn't first priority, Cad is.So we have the Ranier, I say Ranier because I suspect they will at least have the Ranier level of interior and sound proofing. The Buick has a tad better interior. Now to their credit they are concentrating on one model with a V8. They have also bolted on a independent suspenion subframe. This might work if they make a good suspension tune, engine tune and get good build quality from the Ohio plant.

Yay :roll: , so Saab will build Buicks now. As I said before, Saab is too late in the SUV game and building yet another TB/Envoy incarnation is dumb, they could have taken the Legacy platform and done something with it now instead of waiting for the next time. SUVs are for the sheep anyhow. :cheesy:


The 9-6 Saaburu should be nice, based on a upgraded Legacy frame. Hell if Saab/GM were smart they would drop the ecotec 2.3 4cyl or ecotec V6 or whatever and just drop the turbo Subaru boxer engines in. I said in another post the Subaru Airplane boxer engine is more in line with Aero theme. They have some awesome turbo motors waiting for vehicles. There is also this cool independent Revtec engine being shopped by GM for China.

Saab needs a larger more luxury car though. Maybe they an get the sigma STS platform for 2007/8.

This forum is getting pathetic with all the doom-sayers.

End of Rant. :x
Can't argue with you here. It would be cool to see what you say above work.

When a car company tosses around catch phrases like "State of independence" and starts putting body kits and their own logos on Subarus maybe it is doomed. What sane person would take a car maker like that seriously?

[STI4theSlowGuy]

well, all it takes for me to write off a car is cheap parts, and a boring drive, which is exactly what i experienced in my 9-2x test drive yesterday. Not only did the factory alarm go off which is the most annoying noise EVER, but the doors feel cheap and very loose/loud when they shut, the whole interior feels cheap to me, and it even though it drives ok, it doesnt feel like anything special. In short it felt very detached from what i expected from saab. If that sort of quality and workmanship keeps up with the 9-7x, ill be very happy to write off saab and go to another brand that makes cars that i enjoy to sit in and drive. Until then ill love my car until it dies :)

normally i would let another 9-2x rant go by the waysides... but you hit a sore spot for me in this one.

The doors on the 9-2x are nice. And i say that as both an owner and a car lover.

My last car was no "**** subaru" I had a top of the line maxima and my parents have always owned top of the line luxury automobiles.

I will talk no trash about saab, just that if you picked the doors out as the problem you are grasping for something to be mad about. Theres something like 30 pounds of sound deadening in the 9-2x.

Anyways... you are way off. You picked on one of my favorite parts of the car.

E

[Lodro]

The doors on the 9-2x are nice. And i say that as both an owner and a car lover.

The doors suck and I say that as a WRX owner. Sill-less is not the way to go for a nice stiff door. THere are other things to like about the 9-2x but the doord ain't one of them.

[apzer09]

The doors suck and I say that as a WRX owner. Sill-less is not the way to go for a nice stiff door. THere are other things to like about the 9-2x but the doord ain't one of them.
I drove a 9-2x yesterday and everytime I closed the doors, I had to turn around and double check the door was closed because it didn't give a solid sound or feel. It gets annoying after a while, but to me it's more of an oddity than a nuisance.

[STI4theSlowGuy]

Then I must have lucked out and gotten some free upgrade super saab crazy lucky door thing. My doors are nice. They sound nice. They hold the sound out. They close nice.

[valbowski1980]

We are on our 2nd Subaru. The first was a 97 Legacy wagon (I loved that car) and current is an 00 Forester (I hate that car). Their doors do suck, however they have a good reason for making them the way they do (stronger A-pillars).

[Lodro]

We are on our 2nd Subaru. The first was a 97 Legacy wagon (I loved that car) and current is an 00 Forester (I hate that car). Their doors do suck, however they have a good reason for making them the way they do (stronger A-pillars).

Yep good ol' Subbie. Practicality always trumps shizzle, gotta give props for that.

[valbowski1980]

Yep good ol' Subbie. Practicality always trumps shizzle, gotta give props for that.

Used to be good ol'SAAB as well. Not anymore though :(.

[kickass210]

guys saab needs sales, u know what porsche bread and butter is now its not any sport car. at volvo its biggest contributer is xc-90. saab needs an suv, and hopefully all the crap from gm is fixed. it might be ok. i know there will be saab people buying it. they want a thing that big, so give it a break. the more saabs on the road the better.

[mg_td]

seriously, i want this brand to stick around, and if these thigns will help, so be it. i dont give a rat's *** how crappy SOME of the vehicles are in some peoples opinions as long as they continue to make a saab that IS like a saab. we're still hanging on to the 9-5 and the 9-3 SS is sure nice.

[Buddhabman]

GM just craps over itself all the time. ;oops: The 9-7X is really gonna be a tough sell. Especially in light of the two new cousin models coming out in the summer, the Envoy Denali and also I read about the Trailblazer SS. You know both of those are going to have the 5.3L V8 for 300+ HP. They can't help but screw their cousins. :o

[apzer09]

The Denali and SS still share their lesser siblings' crappy interiors and only the SS has any performance improvements. I believe it shares its suspension settings with the 9-7x but doesn't get the improved quality or sound deadening. Unlike the 9-2x, the 9-7x has some very noticeable improvements over its siblings and not at a huge price increase.

By the way, has anyone actually driven a 9-7x? Has anyone besides me sat in one even?

[earthworm]

Doors contribute NOT to the stiffness of a vehicles body; so the manufacturer may as well place the strength in the body itself. The doors and lids should be light, but strong enough to give a solid feel - much as the old Saab 90 series was able to do fairly well for its time..

I do not know what to make of Subaru's frameless doors. GM and others have tried this years ago; evidently it simply does not work well in the long run...
Remember the old Rover 2000 being road tested sans doors and lids..I'll bet the same could be done with the newer designs...

[Buddhabman]

The Denali and SS still share their lesser siblings' crappy interiors and only the SS has any performance improvements. I believe it shares its suspension settings with the 9-7x but doesn't get the improved quality or sound deadening. Unlike the 9-2x, the 9-7x has some very noticeable improvements over its siblings and not at a huge price increase.

By the way, has anyone actually driven a 9-7x? Has anyone besides me sat in one even?

I was having my Aero serviced and they had a 9-7X there after the LA Auto show. Sat in it and I like the interior, its' a tad better than the Ranier which was better than the Trailblazer. I hope the frame & suspension mods will really help the drive. But why not add the big engine and have an Aero model. I do think a ARC is a bit of a price increase over a fully topped out Trailblazer. I think the SS Trailblazer will be close though. http://i.tnpv.us/2005/WKA200503/WKA2005031837295_pv.jpg

[apzer09]

It's unfair to compare the 9-7x to the Trailblazer, since the Chevy doesn't have the suspension tuning, the V8 of the Arc, or the interior mods that the 9-7x does. A fully loaded 2005 9-7x Arc will be $40,990. Simmilar Buick Rainier and GMC Envoy Denali models are between $600 and $2000 more. And neither of those get the Saab's suspension tuning which should really make it a better car. Plus Saab's dealers are better and they come with free scheduled maintainance and a longer warranty. The pluses keep adding up.

[Jet 9-3]

It's unfair to compare the 9-7x to the Trailblazer, since the Chevy doesn't have the suspension tuning, the V8 of the Arc, or the interior mods that the 9-7x does. A fully loaded 2005 9-7x Arc will be $40,990. Simmilar Buick Rainier and GMC Envoy Denali models are between $600 and $2000 more. And neither of those get the Saab's suspension tuning which should really make it a better car. Plus Saab's dealers are better and they come with free scheduled maintainance and a longer warranty. The pluses keep adding up.

The big question is how fast and how big will the rebates be?

The Raniers & Denalis are getting $4-5K rebates all the time. Then we'll see how the prices line up with each other

[apzer09]

If you were in the market for an $40,000 V8 powered truck-based SUV, wouldn't you rather go to a Saab dealer where they actually sell $40,000 cars or a Buick dealer where they sell everything from $20,000 LaCrosse sedans to $45,000 Park Avenues?

[mike saunders]

Call me a mad pessamist, but seeing these new Saab models based on GM vehicles makes me appreciate the three OLD Saabs I've got all the more. Saab and off roaders just don't mix. Off roaders are (were) just not in Saabs philosophy.


Offroading used to be a big selling point for Saab. The company used to sell race-spec rally parts in its factory catalog.

Of course, that's a very different kind of offroading than the what most 9-7 drivers will do, which is mainly driving one wheel up on a curb while trying to pull into a tight parking space at the mall....

I know, I know....I'm a bad person. :p

[Buddhabman]

It's unfair to compare the 9-7x to the Trailblazer, since the Chevy doesn't have the suspension tuning, the V8 of the Arc, or the interior mods that the 9-7x does. A fully loaded 2005 9-7x Arc will be $40,990. Simmilar Buick Rainier and GMC Envoy Denali models are between $600 and $2000 more. And neither of those get the Saab's suspension tuning which should really make it a better car. Plus Saab's dealers are better and they come with free scheduled maintainance and a longer warranty. The pluses keep adding up.

Check out the Chevy site and look up the SS offerings. The Trailblazer is noted as having new suspension tuning, lowered, re-valved shocks, anti-roll bars and rear air suspsension, plus 20" wheels. Sounds familiar to me. Plus check Edmunds, a fully loaded Trailblazer/ Ranier is in the 36-38K MSRP range tops. Plus, you can get one for alot less that out here in So. Cali. I have hopes for the 9-7x but the Trailblazer is going to bite into the sales, hell the magazines are gonna take note and compare them. It's not the greatest thing for the 9-7X to have the SS model come out on it's heels.

[apzer09]

The same people who would buy the Saab aren't going to buy the SS because it doesn't have the same refinements. And the people who would buy the SS won't consider the Saab because it's more for the Starbucks crowd than the NASCAR crowd.

I don't really get the SS to begin with. What's with all of these performance SUVs when gas prices are reaching $3.00 a gallon. Big SUV plus big engine: that's adding insult to injury. :confused:

[sethsev7n]

we've already killed the 9-7x.. here we are comparing it to rainers and trailblazers.. not the X-5, XC-90, or any other premium brand SUV.

[Buddhabman]

We have'nt killed the 9-7X. It just hasn't yet proved it's true difference as of yet. Don't get me wrong, I am hoping the 9-7 is a success. Hopefully the real effect of the changes will be apparent during the initial magazine drive tests.

The Trailblazer SS is interesting because of it's performance leaning. Isn't that what they have been marketing the 9-7x as, a European performance handling SUV. If the SS is gonna have all this grunt performance and handling, why am I gonna buy a 9-7X. I can live with the SS leather and interior, cause most of the money has gone into the mech hardware. It will have better functional capability but will be louder, so what!

On a side note, I have doubts that this 9-7X is going to impress the lady Saab buyers all that much. The ladies that could afford a Saab wagon could afford a SUV, but they chose the wagon for it's safety, gas mileage and size. I think the buyer demographic for the 9-7X will be male, thus the Trailblazer SS makes a nice alternative. For that matter those that can afford an Aero, might be likely to afford to step up to a SRX.

[therealturbofan]

ooook everybody... first off...

that 9-7x is absolutely gorgeous. by far the best looking trailblazer based vehicle. you know, that makes (at least) 5 iterations of trailblazer: the original, envoy, rainier, isuzu ascender, 9-7x...

as far as the 9-2x goes, saab needed something to fill the gap. being that the saab looks completely different (and about a billion times better) than the subaru, along with the increased quality and smoothness, it's a different car. just read what car and driver had to say about it in their article entitled "Sushi rolled in a Swedish pancake tastes twice as good." and car and driver is a huge fan of the WRX line. they didn't have the time or the money to design an all-new car, so they modded the subie. yes, it should have a viggen or something with the STi drivetrain, but it won't.

back to the 9-7. dang it looks sooo good!!! hehe my second choice for SUV looks, the Touareg, finally has some competition!!

you guys should know by now that premium names mean something. saab, while its reputation is not to the level of bmw or anything (thank goodness), has a good name in the luxury business. even if it's not all that much nicer than the Rainier, it's worth the extra dough because of the suspension tuning and the NAME, not to mention the styling.

for those of you pissed off because of all the rebadges, quit whining. think about it. if we didn't have so much platform sharing, cars would be much more expensive than they already are. also, say you are looking at a pickup. you like the chevrolet, but you don't like the pulled-back, sharp angle headlights. problem solved, go buy the GMC! same truck, but better looking! brilliant!!

same with the subie and the saabaru. i sure don't know of a cheaper way to make a WRX that attractive.

ahh yes, and it is so with the 9-7x. no, it's not REALLY a saab. maybe someday it'll evolve into one. keep in mind the state of saab when GM took it over. no wonder it's getting babied. but for now, be happy with your 9-3ss. that's still one of the best looking cars on the road, and the 9-5 is still very much a saab (and i just heard about that nordic package.... HOLY "FROZEN POOP!!!!" AMAZING!!! :cheesy: )

think about how high you have to go to avoid platform sharing. even ferrari's doing it. (Enzo & Maserati MC12), and they're going to put the Scag motor in the Quattroporte.

all aboard!

[mike saunders]

ooook everybody... first off...

that 9-7x is absolutely gorgeous. by far the best looking trailblazer based vehicle. you know, that makes (at least) 5 iterations of trailblazer: the original, envoy, rainier, isuzu ascender, 9-7x...

This is like rounding up 10 of the world ugliest people, inviting them all to dinner, and picking the least ugly among the beasts to marry. You're still hitched to something hideous.

back to the 9-7. dang it looks sooo good!!! hehe my second choice for SUV looks, the Touareg, finally has some competition!!

I want two of whatever you're having because it has obviously worked wonders!

you guys should know by now that premium names mean something. saab, while its reputation is not to the level of bmw or anything (thank goodness), has a good name in the luxury business. even if it's not all that much nicer than the Rainier, it's worth the extra dough because of the suspension tuning and the NAME, not to mention the styling.

C'mon. You should know by now that Euro luxury marques are hit or miss in the US. Maserati? Lotus (pre-2005)? Alfa Romeo? Citroen? Names mean nothing.

ahh yes, and it is so with the 9-7x. no, it's not REALLY a saab. maybe someday it'll evolve into one. keep in mind the state of saab when GM took it over.

good point....

[therealturbofan]

lol!!!

in my opinion, the 9-7x is the best loking SUV on the market... closely followed by the touareg. and you gotta admit that touareg is a NICE vehicle if you've ever checked one out. VW really hit a home run with that one. every magazine says it has a nicer interior than the cayenne!!

as far as the names go, i'd say saab has some serious clout here in the U.S. i tell people i have a saab and they take note... it's pretty cool! they have some influence, at least... and you know saab has a more upmarket name than, say, buick;)

[Raven18940]

I tell people I drive a saab and they go "those are expensive." "Yeah, but they depircate like a stone and I got it used." It's funny that my car cost less than a fully loaded Honda Civic Si.

[SaabKen]

X5 ..... best looking SUV IMHO ;oops:

We were out with some friends of my wife's for dinner last night, at new kewl lounge place downtown (ie: mostly 20-somethings with way too much $$). One of her friend's boyfriend is a writer. The other gal's husband is a web designer/graphic artist. When I mentioned I drive a Saab and that I have my own local club, the writer guy said: "Yeah, Saabs are COOL !" The web designer/graphic artist guy just nodded in unison, I can just see the envy dripping down his face ......

'Nuff said :cool:




as far as the names go, i'd say saab has some serious clout here in the U.S. i tell people i have a saab and they take note... it's pretty cool! they have some influence, at least... and you know saab has a more upmarket name than, say, buick;)

[therealturbofan]

that X5 is a pretty good looking SUV... the new 4.8IS is at least. but i think their butts are ugly. at least the 9-7x's rear is unoffensive, if not especially attractive. the touareg's rear end is not very attractive to me either, but the front end looks soooo good. hehe i think the cayenne turbo is extremely good looking.... there are just so many choices!!! the mercedes ML55 AMG looks amazing with those huge steamroller wheels, and the g55 AMG is pretty sweet looking too.

yes, people notice when you drive a saab. everybody knows they're sporty, expensive, and unique. and i know peope who think of saab higher than BMW's.

you see people on the roads doing really stupid/mean/inconsiderate things on the road. the worst things, like using an empty on-ramp to get ahead in stop-and go freeway traffic, are usually done by bmw drivers. not cool.

mmm... saab...

[pznuttz]

Isn't the upcoming 9-6 based on the Outback (or is it the Forester)? Or am I totally wrong....?
I wouldn't be surprised if it was at the rate they're going!!:cry:

[WopOnTour]

Spent some time this week driving the new 9-7X

I liked it a lot! Very civilized!! (hope the rumors of future "boost" are true)



I understand how these recent models might offend Saab "purists" who would have rather seen the company perish in a ball of flames than witness it's current abominable resurrection...



To those I say "put a sock in it!"

(aka STFU)

Sincerely
WopOnTour

[WopOnTour]

Isn't the upcoming 9-6 based on the Outback (or is it the Forester)? Or am I totally wrong....?

Actually NEITHER!!
Try a GOOGLE on "Subaru Tribeca" :cheesy:

*However it appears the 9-6X MAY have been recently moved to the "back burner"- We shall see...

Regards
WopOnTour

[WopOnTour]

I should have finished my post...

The 9-6X just may have been "displaced" by another platform currently dubbed the 9-5x and based on the GM Theta platform that currently underpins the Saturn Vue and Chevrolet Equinox (and Pontiac's upcoming Torrent, due this fall)

Just a rumor:cool:

WopOnTour

[Krg05-9-3]

I should have finished my post...

The 9-6X just may have been "displaced" by another platform currently dubbed the 9-5x and based on the GM Theta platform that currently underpins the Saturn Vue and Chevrolet Equinox (and Pontiac's upcoming Torrent, due this fall)

Just a rumor:cool:

WopOnTour

People may turn their noses up at this, but it's really not that bad of news.

The Subaru B9 Tribeca is on a GM platform as well. One that will underpin future mid-size crossover suvs for many of the brands, as well as a new line of minivans for GM. Plus, it's a new platform that hasn't proven itself yet.

The Theta platform has been out for a while, first seen in the Saturn Vue. It's not any more "GM" than the platform the Subie is riding on.

Also, if any of you have driven either the Vue or Equinox...you'd probably agree with me that they're probably two of the best suvs GM currently offers.

As long as we don't see a Chevy Equinox with a Saab front end grafted on (a la 9-7X) then I think we're fine. I also think it could potentially become one of Saab's best selling models. The "SUV-happy" American public isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

[duck_man]

To all the SnAABs that keep insisting that the 92x is a piece of crap - wake up - it's not a $55000 car, it's a $36000 car. The savings have to come from somewhere - and being based on a WRX, well, they could have done a lot worse! I have a 92x Aero and it is about a thousand steps up from the car I had before it, and it's my entry-level stepping stone into the SAAB world. You have to get young people interested in your product somehow. All the current SAAB enthusiasts are going to slowly be exiting the world. Then what? There'll be a whole bunch of grown-up ricers driving Hondas because that's what they've always done. Now if only they'd had the chance to own a SAAB while they were young and seen how sweet they are.....

If it weren't for the 92x I would NEVER have even considered SAAB. EVER. There was no SAAB that fit my needs. Who wants to drive the car of a pipe smoking 65 year old university professor? Not me. It's right up there with Buick for it's youthful reputation. The WRX is a fantastic, proven, fun platform to drive and I love the 92x and its improvements over the WRX.

I'm 28. In ten years I'll probably still have some SAAB or another, but only because as a young buyer the 92x caught my eye and I got into the SAAB community and culture.

Trust me, the 92x is a good thing. Right now I can't afford a 93, 95 or any other more expensive car. This will change in the future with any luck, and thanks to the 92x, I'll consider SAAB for my next, more expensive vehicle purchase.

So like someone else already said, STFU. I like my car. Sorry I'm not as wealthy as the rest of you and my SAAB isn't a real SAAB and isn't as expensive as yours was.

[ApolloBoy]

It's right up there with Buick for it's youthful reputation.

Buick and the phrase "youthful reputation" don't really go together...

[Jezzadee]

Think he was being ironic.

If it weren't for the 92x I would NEVER have even considered SAAB. EVER

I can see there is a market for the 9-2X for exactly this reason, and I am glad that so many new owners seem to be enjoying the car. I got worried with the 9-3SS because of so many build quality issues at first but it doesn't seem to be as prevalent in the 9-2X.

Who wants to drive the car of a pipe smoking 65 year old university professor?

I hope you were being ironic here as well. ;) That might be the popular stereotype in the media (which they've been regurgitating for 30 years), but I don't think many people who know about cars still hold on to it. In fact Jeremy Clarkson was getting close on Top Gear when he said Graphic Designers and Architects. People with a bit of a brain. Any model - C900 up to 9-3SS, it doesn't matter which. At the moment, I have to admit I find it very hard to see where the 9-7 fits into this, not so much because I am a self-avowed Saab purist, but because I'm British, and 4x4s and suchlike over here are nearly always driven by horsey-faced women in headscarves with 5 dogs in the back.

[duck_man]

Yes don't worry I strive for irony above all else. Sarcasm is right up there as well.

/going to go smoke my pipe

:cheesy:

Mod emailed me to edit my post - said it was offensive - was it the last one? I guess you're not allowed to say 'pipe' on this site?

[Jezzadee]

I don't know anything about that I'm afraid. The main thing that causes issues is swearing - we do get children using the site (although many swear like troopers anyway) - so if people post acronyms that are short for swearing, like W T F, it will often be removed. I find it helpful sometimes to imagine I'm having tea with my Grandma, so I say things on here like 'what on earth', or even 'My goodness!', when obviously I'd never use such language in public :cheesy:

[scottgf]

Ill jump in here...

I work for a Saab dealer and have only owned 1 Saab (87 SPG) until I bought a 9-2x last week.
I liked my SPG ok but have never been a big front wheel drive guy. Also my SPG had over 200,000 miles on it when I got it and was pretty tired.

Let me ask how many of you have even seen a 9-7x in person?

I think if you arent totally into cars and follow all the platform sharing and so on...you would be hard pressed to tell its a "trailblazer"....
Its lower, has a "Saab" nose, "Saab" wheels, a "Saab" dash and the ignition cylinder is even in the "Saab" place.
Do you realize Saab sold more cars last year than they ever have??
I understand the loyalty to the "classic" Saabs and its hard to deal with all the changes, but with the alternative possibly being the end of the brand...I think we should be a little easier on old Saab...

BTW: After owning my 92x aero for 5 days, I love it so far......Good power, and handles GREAT.
Cheers,

[apzer09]

I saw a 9-7x in Santa Ana a couple months ago, and if you weren't looking that closely, it looked nothing like the Envoys and Ascenders that were parked at the dealership across the street. The interior was easy to mistake for a 9-5, however some of the switchgear looked like it was from another GMT360 member. Then again, the 9-5 has the same mirror switch as some Saturns, so it's not that uncommon for GM not to spread its parts around. In any case, the 9-7x is not just a GM SUV with "SAAB" stamped on it, and I can't believe we're still having this debate.

BTW, scottgf, since you work at a Saab dealer, when are you expecting to get your first 9-7Xs?

[scottgf]

I saw a 9-7x in Santa Ana a couple months ago, and if you weren't looking that closely, it looked nothing like the Envoys and Ascenders that were parked at the dealership across the street. The interior was easy to mistake for a 9-5, however some of the switchgear looked like it was from another GMT360 member. Then again, the 9-5 has the same mirror switch as some Saturns, so it's not that uncommon for GM not to spread its parts around. In any case, the 9-7x is not just a GM SUV with "SAAB" stamped on it, and I can't believe we're still having this debate.

BTW, scottgf, since you work at a Saab dealer, when are you expecting to get your first 9-7Xs?

We expected them here yesterday, but havent received any yet...

Cheers,