Could use some advice on my Saab

[Cinn]

So here's the situation I'm in...

I recently had a pretty minor accident that left my '08 9-3 aero in need of a few parts that are, as of now, not possible to get. I know that the Saab Parts AB deal went down and some of the parts should be coming to the US by the end of this month. I'm also keeping in mind that they're supposedly going to be starting up production again but who knows how long that will last, if it even happens. My insurance company has offered to total my car if I want to go that route and it will take care of my loan.

The parts dealers I've been in touch with seem pretty confident that the stuff I need will be available for order in a few weeks. I love my car and would like to fix it but I have to wonder whether I'll be able to find the pieces the next time I need a new fender, some small engine component, etc. Is it worth sticking it out and hoping that Saab Parts AB gets the support network up and going to take us into the next 5+ years we'll be driving our cars when I have a chance to get away from it without losing anything?

I'm sure there are some of you out there that have been in a similar situation so I'd appreciate everyone's thoughts.

[Rarelibra]

I've had some issues with some parts being on backorder, but not for a super long time.

What parts are you trying to get?

[Cinn]

I need a bumper, headlamp, and fender, which are all backordered currently. It's likely that they'll be available at the end of the month once they get here from Sweden but my post is more about the big picture, i.e. when those parts quickly run out and something happens a year from now...then what do we do? Should I take the "out" that the insurance company is offering considering the future of Saab parts is so iffy?

[Rarelibra]

Once the kinks get worked out, the parts will flow again. It's a great car IMHO to have totaled out. Certainly not a fun time right now, but it's been this way for a couple of years with some shortages - now more than ever with going through receivership.

[saabhutter]

I'd say total it. The company is in shambles. We're always hearing of some kind of revival of some sort but it never seems to happen. Obviously it's entirely up to you.

[Rarelibra]

Originally Posted by saabhutter

I'd say total it. The company is in shambles. We're always hearing of some kind of revival of some sort but it never seems to happen. Obviously it's entirely up to you.

Coming from someone who is in liquidation of his own Saab, right?

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=235020

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=234729

The cars are very reliable, run solid, get great gas mileage, and are unmatched by anything else on the road. It's like when I was talking to someone about his Saab, and I asked him if he woke up tomorrow and he could no longer have his Saab, what would he buy - and he said "well, I would probably walk."

[saabhutter]

Originally Posted by Rarelibra

Coming from someone who is in liquidation of his own Saab, right?

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=235020

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=234729

The cars are very reliable, run solid, get great gas mileage, and are unmatched by anything else on the road. It's like when I was talking to someone about his Saab, and I asked him if he woke up tomorrow and he could no longer have his Saab, what would he buy - and he said "well, I would probably walk."

You're unbelievably confrontational, aren't you? I was just stating my opinion. You're about a hundred times more connected to your car than the average person so how is your reply any more biased than mine? I base my suggestion off of the fact that the company barely exists. My mechanic recently totaled two 08+ 9-3s with little more than cracked bumpers. The prices the cars are going for at auction is sad, Hyundais are keeping their value better. If the OP's car was paid off I'd say wait. Saabs are great for the price but unless you are OCD connected to your Saab, when you have the chance of paying your loan off, you do it. They are simply too high risk. Either way, good luck to the OP, I hope you're happy with whatever route you end up taking.

[Rarelibra]

Originally Posted by saabhutter

You're unbelievably confrontational, aren't you? I was just stating my opinion. You're about a hundred times more connected to your car than the average person so how is your reply any more biased than mine? I base my suggestion off of the fact that the company barely exists. My mechanic recently totaled two 08+ 9-3s with little more than cracked bumpers. The prices the cars are going for at auction is sad, Hyundais are keeping their value better. If the OP's car was paid off I'd say wait. Saabs are great for the price but unless you are OCD connected to your Saab, when you have the chance of paying your loan off, you do it. They are simply too high risk. Either way, good luck to the OP, I hope you're happy with whatever route you end up taking.

No, I don't see a confrontation in any of that. I see a statement, yes - and I see tons of opinions from a lot of owners. Many of us are connected to our cars, saabhutter (except those getting rid of them). My reply IS biased - I never said anything less. The OP is asking for opinion and I'm sure can definitely see the bias from us. Nothing new there. The company barely exists, yes - but it does exist. See any Oldsmobiles still on the road? That one doesn't exist, you know. Many others as the same example. It isn't the end of the world for our cars. If you are worried about value, you are in the wrong market. Cars are a negative investment from the beginning of ownership. To think otherwise is the same as those who thought the same in the real estate market.

To the OP - I told my wife to hang on to her 9-3 (a 2007 with 40k miles on it) for the next 4 to 5 years, and then to think about replacing it. Why? Because by that time it will have nearly 100k miles and she may not want to deal with the higher-end cost of higher-mileage part replacement. But the nice part is that the car can definitely last that long and be a very reliable car for her. And the funny thing? She would love to replace it in the future with something like the Volvo C30 T5. Who knows.

I would like to think that my own could last another 5 to 7 years, and that I could garage it before then and buy a daily driver. Yes, it's a roll of the dice - but one that I would like to take. A couple of parts is not a totaling. My wife's car had $10k damage to it two years ago - and it wasn't even a total then. At the time, we had to wait a short time for some parts, but it is all good now.

Saabhutter - chill out, dude. There's only one person being confrontational, and that is you.

[Cinn]

Originally Posted by Rarelibra

To the OP - I told my wife to hang on to her 9-3 (a 2007 with 40k miles on it) for the next 4 to 5 years, and then to think about replacing it. Why? Because by that time it will have nearly 100k miles and she may not want to deal with the higher-end cost of higher-mileage part replacement. But the nice part is that the car can definitely last that long and be a very reliable car for her. And the funny thing? She would love to replace it in the future with something like the Volvo C30 T5. Who knows.

I would like to think that my own could last another 5 to 7 years, and that I could garage it before then and buy a daily driver. Yes, it's a roll of the dice - but one that I would like to take. A couple of parts is not a totaling. My wife's car had $10k damage to it two years ago - and it wasn't even a total then. At the time, we had to wait a short time for some parts, but it is all good now.

I'm sure it could last to 100k miles(I have less than 25k on it) but my biggest concern is that I'm still paying on it and if Saab Parts AB doesn't actually get production going then we're all going to be feeling it down the line even worse than now. The environment two years ago was much better. People have been waiting for months for body parts and end up getting totaled because they're unavailable(as in my case).

Thanks for both of your opinions.

[kanundrum]

Call Hendrick Saab in NC. Ask for Shaun in Parts they will help you out