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Hey Swade,

Just wanted to drop you a line with my observations. I was at the Chicago Auto show yesterday - at the First Look for Charity black tie event.
I talked with couple Saab people at the exhibit there. All of them were were "Saab" people, not GM or 3rd party marketing people. One guy was with Saab for 9 years, another since 1974!
They were both really open about discussing things and mentioned that major news will be on Tuesday...that Saab 95 is probably moving to Sweden, that 94x production is not yet set, althought Mexico plant is being tooled for Cadillac only right now.
One guy mentioned your site under the new name, which was pretty cool. They did not know about Griffin being goine form the international site.
I asked them if they are dying to get out from under GM wing and the answer was that some people are, and some are not. I wished them luck, but oeverall, they were in the good mood.
They said they had more people come sit in a 12 year old 9-5, comment that those the most comofortable seats and going out and buying one.
Sergey

Swade,

I applaud your efforts with Saabs United. I've been a Saab lover since the mid-80's but I was just a kid then and could no way afford one. But loved them nonetheless. Your passion is completely familiar to me because I am also deeply passionate about Apple and the Mac -- and when that company was on the brink of collapse in '97-'98 I decided to wildly follow my passion and see where it would go.

Throughout '98 I schemed and created a site for Mac lovers who were architects like me (architosh.com). That passion was well received -- just like yours has been -- and that site became popular, then a community, and then a publication and business. Today I am successful with it and each years gets more exciting.

It has been deeply rewarding on a personal level and something I would never give back.

I am sure you can relate to this with your efforts. And as a Saab lover myself I am hopeful again, much like in '97 and '98, that a company and brand that I love can make it through the darkest of times, come out the other side and -- and I believe this is possible -- like Apple become a mega-hit-of-a-company again.

In an effort to help Saab out during this challenging and uncertain time, l recall that us Mac users during these lonely wilderness years salvaged hope out of the smallest of rays of light. A publicly traded SAAB stock offering is just such a ray.

As Saab works to go the way of independence from their GM parent, I would love for you to make a dedicated section or page on your site where us Saab lovers can make our mark as those who would back up a public offering by buying shares in the company they love.

Thanks,

Anthony Frausto-Robledo
www.architosh.com

Hi Swade,

Thanks for your good work and congrats with your new www.saabsunited.com

I am a Norwegian who has lived in Tokyo, Japan for the past 30 years. I bought my first brand new Saab 9000 CS in 1992 trading in my 10 months old Mazda RX-7 FD3S (latest generation). I tuned up my 9000 CS with various Abbott parts including engine, suspension etc., and I also acquired the original Aero body panels. In 2004 I bought a real first gen (used) 9000 Aero and again I tuned it fully up with Abbottt Racing bits and pieces including sending the cylinder head round trip Japan - England for polished big valve treatment.

However through 2007 the car needed more and more repairs, and at the very end it only would fire on 3 cylinders, so I decided enough was enough. I donated the car to my favorite Saab mechanic, and I believe pieces of it lives on in other Saabs driving Japanese roads.

Unfortunately I have been watching in horror as GM has badged Subaru and Chevrolet cars as being Saabs, and I have also felt that the GM influence have watered out the Saab identity also on the remaining cars made in Trollhattan.

Entering 2009 with the financial crisis virtually destroying GM, and Saab being officially dropped by GM and the attempt to drop the financial responsibility onto the Swedish government, I can't help viewing this as a great opportunity a return to independence for Saab.

However, the frantic search for a new owner is mentioning possible Chinese car manufacturers as investors, so you really wonder if the hope for independence (again) by Saab is but a dream.

The fact remains that Saab has hardly turned any profit at all since GM first invested in Saab ca. 1990, and bought it completely in ca. 2000. Even though Saab is relatively minor car manufacturer in the greater auto world, the only way it can justify its existence is to become able to turn a profit.

I must admit that after discarding my 9000 Aero, I had to go look for an equivalent replacement and the choice fell on a 2 year old BMW 530i Touring with M-Sport package and only 9000 km on the clock.

I have now driven the BMW for a year, and honestly this also has given me the perspective on the competition Saab has to be able to face. A friend owns a 9-5 Aero station wagon which is extremely nice, but in my opinion looses out to the superior BMW Touring. I have hopes for the next-gen 9-5, but the Opel conection puts me off (I also owned an Opel Vita Sport some time in the 1990s, and the monetary loss when I sold it after a year, left me with a num sensation, and I somehow do not think I will ever buy an Opel ever again, and also probably not any other car associated with GM.

So, this is exactly why I now hope that Saab will find capital and capable management in Europe that is able to bring Saab back to profitability through concentrating on products with true Saab identity.

Unfortunately I am skeptical to the saab-rescue operation which is well-meant, but quite naive. I simply do not think it bis a matter of coming up with capital to buy Saab from GM, but rather it is to come up with a much more considerable cash-flow to run Saab through the most severe recession in modern history, and also to manage to raise Saab again from the ashes (like the Phoenix bird). Somehow I think this will not be possible from a simple rescue action by German (and other) Saab dealers and individuals.

Still I think such an action has psychological merit, and that it may show some genuine investor how much retailers as well as individuals around the world really feel about Saab.

I personally think that the day I see a new Saab model that is conceived outside the GM context and really purely created by Saab engineers and employees in Trollhattan Sweden, I will consider buying a Saab again.

If I see signs that things go in this direction, I may even join the saab-rescue operation and throw in my 5 cents (or rather $500).

However, the first thing we all are waiting for now is for some agreeable partner arriving on the scene, and also a sign from the Swedish government that they seriously will consider saving Saab Automobiles as a premium Swedish car company.

Jambo Swade.

SOME LIGHT ON THE HORIZON.

I live in Perth, WA6009 BUT i am from paddyland!

I'm not sure if i'm a saab nut?

I do have a 900i with 350,058 k's!

we now have our second authorised saab dealership:

NORSE PRESTIGE, [norsemotors.com.au]

so SAAB AUSTRALIA have some guts in these economic times.

SO IF ONE FOLLOWS THE THEORY IF THEY BUILD IT THEY WILL COME THEN THERE IS HOPE.

ps

the above mentioned dealer is trying to sell me a MY2001 VIGGEN,

DECENT HISTORY BUT I HAVE no idea of how much to offer?

it in very good shape with 2YR DRIVE/ENGINE WARRANTY.

ANY IDEA?

take care

greg

After having a Saab in 2002 (9.3 Sport Sedan, 2.2 TiD Linear), 2 weeks ago, I could only buy again new a Saab (9.3 Sport Sedan, 1.9 TiD Linear) despite the restructuring in Sweden. My choice was probably not very rational, but I could only see myself in a Saab, which is a symbol of distinguish good european taste. Comparing the older and the newer versions, despite that fact the car looks almost the same for the outside. First the car looks more compact and the materials are a lot better. The 1.9 TiD engine with 120 Hp was my choice, because I'm more concerned in security than speed itself, but no obvious gaps in power with the older 2.2 TiD (125 Hp). The 6 speed exchange need some adaption, but once you are adapted, this car it is a pleasure to drive and probably one of the most silence turbo diesels in the market. The car consumes less 20-25% diesel then the former car, and it can drives reasonable fast when you need to be in a certain place at a certain time. Have been in Italian cars with the similar 1.9 Diesel engine and it is absolutely fabulous what these Swedish engineers did it to extract more driving performance and pleasure from this engine. Have all stories around Saab restructuring makes my sick, because Saab have high quality engineering and this company should prevail and keep doing quality products... this probably one of reasons why Saab owns are such a loyal costumers....

Hello Swade,

We have just wrapped up a very nice month of April; we delivered 9 SAAB's this month! We could of delivered alot more but there are very few cars left in Canada to sell.

I will try to get you the Cdn #'s when I get the e-mail.

I would like to thank you for this website; our sales team is on it every day!!!

Regards,

Pierre Laberge
Sales Team Leader
Turpin Saturn Saab Limited
613-591-0889
pierre.laberge@turpin.ca

Nice going Pierre and your team!

Hello Swade,

It's Pierre writing again from Canada. Is it alright if I get your e-mail so that I can forward the sales # for April to you? If that is not appropriate I ubderstand.

Regards,

Pierre

FYI, there's a gorgeous 1987 900 convertible on ebay with 9872 miles! It probably still smells new!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Saab-Turbo-900-Convertible_W0QQitemZ170337228384QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item27a8e3d660&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A3%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

hi Swade -

excellent site you have here, frater.

? - Hirsch isn't available in US. Why not?

FYI, sent an email to Hirsch folks, no response fm them yet (about 10 days ago...)

thanks in advance,

J

Hi,

Well done for creating this (and your previous) site! I live in Ireland and although, I've yet to own a Saab, I love them! I keep trying to buy a 9-5 only to get cold feet at the end when my brain mentions things like oil sludge and indifferent experiences with some old Triumphs. But someday...

Keep up the good work!

ps. Good use of the term 'metro-ponce' in May archive! Couldn't think of a better word to describe that weiner...

Hi Swade,

Euronews, a TV channel, posted this report on Saab and the future of European car industry, see link below.

http://www.euronews.net/2009/06/18/sweden-s-saab-story/

Regards,

Frelon

Fantastic site!
I try to drop in daily... but when I do, there's always something great to read!
The first question I learned to answer was: What's the best car in the world?
And I'd go: SAAB!
The first car that was mine to do with as i wished, was a 1981 Saab 99 GL (owned by my father in-law). A car far superior to the 1986 BMW 520i, that my mother drove at the time.
I then went on to a 1996 Saab 900i. Standard equipped, but no less loved.
Now I am the happy owner of a 2004 9-5 2.0t vector.
I've just bought it...
Can't wait to get working on it:)

Keep going!
Best regards from Norway
Gudmund

Hi Swade!

Thanks for a great site, fun to see that people in other countries love this car as much as we in trollhattan do :D

I´ve read that you´ve been visiting trollhattan and if you do it again, dont hesitate to mail me :D

I promise to give you a ride in my car :D
http://www.garaget.org/?car=139855

G_lund_20000@hotmail.com

Hi swade

Great site!

Keep up the good work!

Hi Swade!

I love your website. It has been a home away from home for me the past 2 weeks. I just have one comment:

You noted on a blog yesterday that we should all type in lower case lest we be yelling at one another. While that is true, it's also true that folks who have vision problems can't see this small stuff (I host an online chatroom for people with disabilities and we type all in caps for that reason).

Just wanted to let you know ~ keep up the good work!

Colorado, USA

Hi Swade!

Thanks for doing a great job trying to save Saab!

I went to Trollhättan last Wednesday to buy a (almost) new Saab. I got hold of a very nice 9-5 Vector Griffin Sport, less than a year old. The best part is that I saw the new 9-5 when we arrived at Trollhättan. Gave me goose bumps! We also saw it when we went home. I didn’t have a chance to take a picture since I was driving, but it sure looked cool. It was probably the same car both times and it had the same color as the ones in your blog. The first time we saw it came up and drove past us and we had the possibility to follow it for a while.

Keep up the good work!

/Johan, Gothenburg, Sweden

Hi Swade,

I've been following SU for about a year with increasing interest. The cars are cool and the business story fascinates me. As the situation has decended from bad to worse to total crisis, I've started to have dark suspicions about GM's real intentions. I now even wonder if the Chinese are somehow behind this turn of events. On seeing the worldwide human support through factory demonstrations, convoys, etc I could no longer stand silent and wrote this note to GM's "feedback" page, even though I expect it may never even be seen by anybody at the company, much less have any effect at all.

Mr. Whitacre,

Considering the business record, it is understandable that GM has concluded that it does not make sense for Saab to be retained. Thankfully, as I understand it, there are now high quality bids from several potential successor owners. In your deliberations please keep in mind that this small, tough automobile company is very well regarded by, and economically important to many friends both in the US and abroad. A negative outcome in this matter would reflect very poorly on GM and the prime shareholder. Anything gained by transfers to Chinese operations would be far more than offset by reputational losses.

As a satisfied owner of both GM and Saab cars, and as a fellow Texan with some Swedish ancestry, I urge you to do the right thing now and allow Saab the chance for life that it deserves.

Swade, Thanks for your ceaseless efforts to this very worthy cause. BTW, I own an 05 9-3 Aero sedan.

Swade,
Great job at keeping the Saab spirits up in these lousy times. If the US goverment is a major shareholder of GM and has provided a lot of loans to the company, why aren't Saab enthusiasts pressing congress to pressure GM to make a sale? The 2 main bidders now have the money apparently, why the additional questions about whether they can provide long term support for Saab, etc.? If the money is there, it is in the interest of all the US (as shareholders) to make a sale!

Hi Swade,

I first found your blog about eight weeks ago, and I've been following it virtually every day since.

I fell in love with Saabs in the 70's and have owned five Saabs since 1985. I currently have a 2008 9-3 convertible, which I bought in April, 2009, at a great discount after the bankruptcy was announced. I felt certain that Saab would find a new owner, and that the company would continue. I was nearly proven wrong.

I live on Long Island, New York, and was one of many out of state attendees at the Brookline, Massachusetts, rally on the 17th. I would not have heard about the event if it wasn't for Saabs United.

While GM's ownership of Saab was far from perfect, it did keep the company in business, and seems to have improved the quality in the past few years. I can truly say that my 2008 is the best Saab I've owned.

I'm delighted with the news of a deal between GM and Spyker, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of the news that I've been able to get from your site.

I'd like to make one remark about the future of Saab that I think most of your readers would agree with. Saab appeals to Saab owners because it is the Swiss Army Knife of cars. It is supremely safe, fun to drive, great in bad weather, fuel efficient, and versatile. It can carry sports equipment or plywood on roof racks in the morning, take the dogs to the vet in the afternoon, and fit right in at a fancy party in the evening. It is not a full on luxury car though, and should not try to be one. There's a lot of competition in that arena. Also, while all of the technological bells and whistles are great, they get dated long before the car wears out. I'd rather have a fun driving car with a Garmin navigation system stuck to my windshield, than have a $2,000 in dash system that is obsolete before my payments are done.

I am concerned that if Saab tries to go too upscale, they'll chase away their loyalists. How to accomplish profitability without spiking prices will be a major challenge for the new company.

Thanks again for all of the great work!

Paul

Hej Swade,

I just wanted to say "Thank You" for your work and building up this website. The last month my days always began with a quick view on this website to see, if there are any news.
You did a great job and helped Saab to survive. You can be proud of yourself and everyone who helped you.

Thank you very much and let's hope for a better future of Saab under new ownership.

All the best wishes from Germany,

Felix

Dear Swade,

Thank you so much to keep us updated by SU!!! You did a fantastic job. Great thanks from Belgium.

Swade, i just want to express my thaks to you for all your remarkable efforts of keeping us informed and positive.
indeed, saabsunited united all the saab enthusiasts during the tough time.
Griffin up!

Hi Swade! Just one small thing that has slightly puzzeled me here - and at Trollhattansaab before - is the lack of a favicon on the website. Is there some form of a technicality that prevents the use of a customized favicon on this publishing platform or is a concious choice to go without one? It's nothing big, it would just be a nice addition to the near-perfection of the site as it is today.

With a huge amount of respect for the work you have put in these websites and Saab during these years,
- a Saab enthusiast from Finland

Hi Swade! Just one small thing that has slightly puzzeled me here - and at Trollhattansaab before - is the lack of a favicon on the website. Is there some form of a technicality that prevents the use of a customized favicon on this publishing platform or is a concious choice to go without one? It's nothing big, it would just be a nice addition to the near-perfection of the site as it is today.

With a huge amount of respect for the work you have put in these websites and Saab during these years,
- a Saab enthusiast from Finland