Saab USA lease offers
March 10, 2011 in Saabology
I’m hearing a lot of talk about the need for Saab to fix leasing in the United States.
I’ve just taken a look at Saab’s latest leasing offers in the US, and I’m struggling a little bit to see what’s so lacking. In saying that, I fully acknowledge that I live in a market where leasing is not commonplace for private buyers. I’m therefore a little unfamiliar with the options available to customers outside of what’s on the manufacturer’s pages.
The numbers I’ve reproduced below are all from the websites of the manufacturers mentioned, except for the Audi A6. As I couldn’t find lease offers for the Audi A6 on their website, I used LeaseCompare (3.2l FWD model, 15K miles p.a., 780 credit score, $2,600 downpayment).
The Saab 9-5 lease is based on a Turbo4 Sport Sedan, so it’s not as well equipped as some of the higher end Teutonic competition. It’s still a cracking drive, though, and if you opted for a Hirsch upgrade (when they come online) then it’d be even moreso. I think the price differences noted here are pretty compelling.
| Vehicle | Lease term | Initial payment | Monthly lease |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saab 9-5 Turbo4 | 39 | $3,558 | $399 |
| Volvo S80 3.2 FWD | 36 | $3,029 | $399 |
| MB E350 (1) | 33 | $3,184 | $639 |
| Infiniti G37 | 39 | $2,499 | $359 |
| BMW 528i | 36 | $3,204 | $579 |
| BMW 335i Xdrive Sedan | 27 | $4,154 | $429 |
| Audi A6 3.2 FWD Premium (2) | 36 | $2,600 | $578 |
(1) I couldn’t find a Mercedes E Class offer on any model less than the E350 (if in fact they offer a model smaller than the 350 in the US).
(2) The base model A6 seems to be called ‘Premium’. Maybe I should have used a higher downpayment (upping the downpayment to $3500 lowered the monthly cost to $551).
As mentioned, these figures are from the manufacturer’s own websites and I haven’t gone to the trouble of comparing all equipment levels, etc. I’ve chosen the most basic models I could get a lease figure for and threw in the BMW 3-series for the benefit of those who might have doubted the validity of including a 5-series.
The G37 comes up smelling like roses in this comparo, but bear in mind the loss of rear leg room (some four inches) and a significant loss of cargo space in the trunk as well. The G37 is a bit bigger than the 9-3, but it’s more expensive as well (see 9-3 leases, below).
It might just be me, but if these lease offers are correct, then the 9-5 should be seen as competitively priced. If there’s something I’m missing, please let me know in comments.
IF the 9-5 is indeed competitively priced, as it seems, then maybe there’s something else that needs to be fixed – customer trust, dealership experience, marketing, equipment levels, etc.
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The Saab 9-3 is going for $299 a month for the 2011 models and there’s 0% finance available on both 2011 and 2010 Saab 9-3 models.
That is unbelievably good value, if you ask me. If I could get a 9-3 for $299 a month, I’d be all over the sucker.
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Remember, there are heaps of items at State of Nine, including many of the offers here, that attract Free Shipping within the continental US.
