A couple of our mad Dutchies SU regulars, Jos and Stephan, took a trip down to Brussels a few days ago and checked out the Saab stand.
Jos’ notes……
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Jos discovered some new TX badging on the Saab 9-3 display car there.
The TX edition is a version of the Saab 9-3 that’s been available in selected markets at different times over the last couple of years. It’s currently an option for the Vector line of the Saab 9-3 in Belgium and offers:
- Front bumper with gray insert
- Front Grille – Titanium look
- front fog light surrounds – Titanium look
- Sports leather steering wheel
- carbon fibre effect decor – center console and glove box
- carpet floor mats with grey edge piping
Basically, what you’re looking at is a number of trim pieces from the Turbo X to dress up the 9-3 Vector in a cost-effective manner.
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We saw the 9-4x, which looked quite nice. Not my type of car, but still a nice car.
There was quite some interest in the 9-4x, we saw lots of people getting in and out the car, going straight to the private rooms, I guess for making price quotes. Funny thing, there were a lot of elderly (like 60+, retired) people looking at the 9-4x. Maybe there’s a market there for this car in Europe after all, one that no-one even though of: These retired baby boomers that don’t do the miles to be needing Diesels. They do however have cash to spend, and want a practial car, which is easy to get into and out of. The 9-4x fits that gap perfectly.
Well, it might just be my optimism, but there was a lot of action arount the car, that’s for sure.
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Reps at the show also said that the preview image of the Saab 9-5 SportCombi has already led to plenty of enquiry and some pre-orders.
Fantastic stuff.
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My thanks Jos for the info, and to Stephan for a big donut 🙂
New 9-5 does not start and the journalist gets no answer from Saab
http://www.vibilagare.se/opinion/ledare/nya-saab-95-fick-puttas-av-farjan-29718
Google-trans:
http://translate.google.se/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=sv&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=sv&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vibilagare.se%2Fopinion%2Fledare%2Fnya-saab-95-fick-puttas-av-farjan-29718
This does not look to good, hope Saab can sort it out. The Paper, Vi Bilägare, is serious and their claims should be taken serious.
Thanks for dropping that link here. I’ve passed it on to Saab in Sweden, who I really, really hope have already seen it – SW
I am an Subscriber and read this to. Was sad and upset by the poor quality on their car. This is a test during almost a year (40000 km) and Saab must take that seriously and solv it. What ever it takes, it´s that important. Wonder if those problem is common or not?
Pretty annoying considering that VB has been pretty harsh against ng9-5 in their previous reviews. I refuse to read that paper but also recognize that this has to be fixed, quick!
I’ve emailed Saab and they were aware of the article. I believe from the brief response I got that they were already in the process of responding. It’s a problem, of course, that it seems they weren’t responding early enough to prevent the need for it to be written.
Good to hear Swade! Hope it isn’t a model related problem, but only some error on that particular Saab. Will be interesting to see the response from Saab.
It says in the comments of the article that SAAB has answered and that the response will be published in the next issue of the magazine, and on the internet. They were annoyed that it took SAAB five days to even respond.
Was this the 2.0TiD engine? My 9-5 has also refused to start. I pushed the start button and nothing happened. After a few minutes the car shut off all systems and I made a new attempt to start the car and it started. It has only happened on one occasion so far. I hope a software update will fix it.
NO, it is the Turbo 4 petrol engine
Maybe it is related to the automatic transmission? The advice posted on your blog said to release the brake, turn off the power, then press the brake pedal and start as normal.
With manual transmission, it is the clutch pedal that must be pressed. It is probably the lack of a clutch pedal that annoys the car. 🙂
We have already delivered more then 30 9-5 and no car had a problem for the moment;
The 9-4x being popular despite petrol engines with older people with low mileages is exactly what my local dealer in Luxembourg indicated to me recently. The absence of a diesel option makes the market smaller, but does not eliminate it completely.
It’s not that small a market. Baby boomers are getting old, many of them are retired, and they have a much harder time getting into low cars than when they were younger. They also may not be as tolerant of the harsh ride that most German competitors provide.
Fuel prices are not a big issue for those that can afford a car in this segment, and for those that do not drive much.
Exactly my thoughts, and it got confirmed by my observations on the salon. Let’s hope it works that way.
Here is the resonse
http://translate.google.se/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=sv&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=sv&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vibilagare.se%2Fnyheter%2Fdarfor-startar-inte-nya-saab-95-29728
In short it says:
It is model related, but only affects 9-5s with certain trim levels and equipment. Saab works on a software updrage soon to be ready and sent out to Saab service stations.
My view: Good and short answer, but maybe a bit late.
It came 2 hours after the issue was brought up here at Saabsunited. Coincidence? 🙂
Oh, now I understand why it took Saab five days to respond.
The letter Saab received starts up enumerating many electronic gremlins followed by a paragraph about this rather small issue. They do not make it clear that it is the start-issue they actually want a comment on.
By tricking the recipient into researching x other problems, they subsequently fail to receive a timely answer.
PEBCAK.
Beside the point, but boy does that 9-5 look hot in red…
+1
It pi**** me off that SAAB are so slow with media and get bad press! It happens all the time and its the management fault! Not fun!! 🙁
It could also be that the question was asked at the wrong desk (wrong emailaddress).
We don’t have all the intel. 😉
Swade, please clear with local management (i.e. your wife) if donut’s are allowed in your diet 😉
I think it’s safe to assume that as long as he sticks to the middle, there won’t be a problem.
yep, he can eat the hole thing !