Koenigsegg backs out of Saab deal (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=avs0VjhRlX7w)
Worst car I ever owned was my 74 Saab 99. Still I hate to see the brand go by the wayside, and that looks like a real possibility.
Saab is a worthy brand - this is not good news. I was hoping they'd make it!
SAAB voted worst car sold in Australia 4 years straight in the late 80's by the pre-eminent consumer magazine Choice. I had a mate who owned one. He said it was very comfortable but underpowered and very unreliable. Generalconsensus here is that they are a bad choice of car for a country with our heat.
I'll miss the "black panel" function!
Back in the 80's they were the choice of Yuppies in the city, along side BMW's. They lost that whole "young professional" crowd along the way.
Does GM own the aviation division...? can't see the Swedish Govt letting that go down... (no pun)
No, Saab Automobile has been completely separate from Saab AB for years.
Love the Viggens & Drakens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqiDEcfSnXs&feature=fvw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fye_2AipFTA
I liked the Viggen auto that came out a few years ago - great shade of blue, too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Saab-9-3-coupe-viggen.jpg
The latest: Spyker To Buy Saab? (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aP5fXTW_6xSw)
Seems like an unlikely match, even moreso than Koenigsegg.
Quote from: Barklessdog on November 25, 2009, 08:05:03 PM
Love the Viggens & Drakens
You really need to check out the Griffen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-3MACYJ5AI
BTW, if you like the Draken, check out
Firebirds from a few years back. It's a silly Nicolas Cage/Sean Young "war" movie that was a bad attempted promo for the AH-64 Apache to do for it what
Top Gun did for the much (unfairly I might add) maligned F-14 Tomcat. The good parts are that the "bad" guys fly Drakens and Tommy Lee Jones gets to spend a whole movie being an ironically good actor in a crappy movie.
I could never work out why Saabs have that extra mud flap on each side halfway between the front and rear wheels.
Saab and Saturn. I guess it was time. I don't think I will miss either as much as Pontiac and Oldsmobubbles.
Quote from: eb2 on December 13, 2009, 09:08:12 PM
Saab and Saturn. I guess it was time. I don't think I will miss either as much as Pontiac and Oldsmobubbles.
Amen. To me, Saturns became the VW Microbus of the 90's - they always drove slowly so I automatically passed them. The drivers just didn't care about getting down the road.
I will miss Saturn. I've had 4 of them now. My Vue is pretty peppy for a six-cylinder automatic. It's been one of the best cars I've ever had. And I've been through about 50 in my life so far.
My family has 4 of them now...all have been good cars, economical and dependable--if not exciting. I will miss Saturn--since they're all plastic, they never rust.
Last week, we experienced some fine GM engineering with a loaner car ('08 Pontiac Grand Prix). You would think a car company located in a snow state would design windshield wipers that can stand up for clearing snow. Nope. The hood traps the windshield wipers so they only lift out 2 inches - not enough to get a snow brush underneath. Grrrr. I doubt that GM did Saab any favors.
Quote from: Dave W on November 24, 2009, 06:48:21 PM
Koenigsegg backs out of Saab deal (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=avs0VjhRlX7w)
Worst car I ever owned was my 74 Saab 99. Still I hate to see the brand go by the wayside, and that looks like a real possibility.
http://classicmotorsports.net/project-cars/1974-saab-99-le/
This is a good read.
Quote from: Hörnisse on December 14, 2009, 09:27:33 AM
http://classicmotorsports.net/project-cars/1974-saab-99-le/
This is a good read.
Lucky they sold it before everything else went bad.
I pity the fool that bought it.
Quote from: gweimer on December 14, 2009, 05:27:09 AM
I will miss Saturn. I've had 4 of them now. My Vue is pretty peppy for a six-cylinder automatic. It's been one of the best cars I've ever had. And I've been through about 50 in my life so far.
You are one of the good ones, gweimer!! :mrgreen:
I've had 3 Saabs. Love em. GM decimated their swedish design staff and destroyed their market.Turned them into pimped out Opels. The"new" model is a friggin Opel w/ a Saab medallion...
I'm being paid back for my kind words...
As of yesterday, my Vue is doing some very weird things. If my headlights are ON, my right turn signal is also constantly on. If they are OFF, the odometer blinks alternately when I use the right turn signal. The electronic door locks also stopped working. Looks like I'm headed for more service. One more time, and I may start thinking about a new vehicle. Maybe a new HHR Panel truck.
Quote from: gweimer on December 17, 2009, 12:48:00 PM
I'm being paid back for my kind words...
As of yesterday, my Vue is doing some very weird things. If my headlights are ON, my right turn signal is also constantly on. If they are OFF, the odometer blinks alternately when I use the right turn signal. The electronic door locks also stopped working. Looks like I'm headed for more service. One more time, and I may start thinking about a new vehicle. Maybe a new HHR Panel truck.
I just picked up a 2007 Nissan Murano with the CVT - I'm liking it a LOT. Responsive, roomy, reclining back seats, super driver. Check 'em out!
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Cars/2007Murano.jpg)
Quote from: gweimer on December 17, 2009, 12:48:00 PM
I'm being paid back for my kind words...
As of yesterday, my Vue is doing some very weird things. If my headlights are ON, my right turn signal is also constantly on. If they are OFF, the odometer blinks alternately when I use the right turn signal. The electronic door locks also stopped working. Looks like I'm headed for more service. One more time, and I may start thinking about a new vehicle. Maybe a new HHR Panel truck.
The HHR caught my eye. I want to A/B the HHR with the Jeep Patriot...affordable and the right size for when I work in the city.
Quote from: Pilgrim on December 17, 2009, 02:39:53 PM
I just picked up a 2007 Nissan Murano with the CVT
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Cars/2007Murano.jpg)
Shiney... 8)
The latest: Goodbye Saab (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6777157.html)
The potential deal with Spyker fell through.
Quote from: Pilgrim on December 17, 2009, 02:39:53 PM
I just picked up a 2007 Nissan Murano with the CVT - I'm liking it a LOT. Responsive, roomy, reclining back seats, super driver. Check 'em out!
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Cars/2007Murano.jpg)
Don't you have a bedroom? ???
Uwe, there's an old 'Murrican saying: Variety is the spice of life.
In fact, you can even buy a tent that snaps on to the back end of these:
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Cars/06_muraHatchTent.jpg)
This tells you something about how car-obsessed we are.....
Get a Subaru Gary! ;D
But isn't that a car for lesbians? Pull up to the doughnut bumper, baby!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVa1T9N62hQ&feature=related
He learned from lesbians.
They don't call 'em a Lesbaru for nothin' ya know!
I think I'm a lipstick lesbo ;)
Quote from: Dave W on December 22, 2009, 09:27:41 AM
He learned from lesbians.
Undoubtedly acquiring thus a mouthful of knowledge.
I remember mentioning an old 70s novelty record called Making Love In a Subaru. You can listen to it here: http://musicnotmusic.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/an-old-favorite-from-dr-demento/
I also remember when Subarus really were small, but they haven't made a real subcompact since they discontinued the Justy.
Quote from: TBird1958 on December 22, 2009, 09:16:17 AM
Get a Subaru Gary! ;D
I may have to. On the way home today (and I keep thinking I smell something electrical), the battery light came on. Right after that, the radiator light came on, and the gauge pegged. I got the Vue home, but I know this won't be pretty or cheap.
I think there's a Forester in your future ;D
There was a news report here that Spyker are back in the picture...?
Half of Colorado drives Subarus (the rest drive SUVs) and I'm sure they're not all of that persuasion!
Quote from: Kenny Five-O on December 22, 2009, 04:53:57 PM
There was a news report here that Spyker are back in the picture...?
I heard that too, maybe the deal isn't quite dead yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwsKg6LwAuY
I'd like to see that happen. Saab built great, quirky cars - but GM didn't "habla" quirky. They only understood general-think.
Amen, Pilgrim..
I have heard the same thing concerning Spyker being back in talks. I had 2 Saabs' that I really enjoyed.
Quote from: TBird1958 on December 22, 2009, 03:26:14 PM
I think there's a Forester in your future ;D
Go for it Gary! Let your alternative flag fly :P Seriously, these are great vehicles - bought an 05 for our teenage daughter a couple Christmases ago and it is just joy to drive and dependable as all get out! I've yet to get the thing to loose traction on wet roads or paking lots - and I've really tried.
I swear that my daughter has never caught on to the lesbian angle on them though - she would have a litter of kittens if she found out! :o
We were set to replace the Jeep here in a couple of years with a new Forestor and they shut down the Subaru dealership that's just 4 miles from the house :sad: The next closest one is 30 miles away!
The Vue may be sitting in the drive until after the New Year. I looked under the front end, and the serpentine belt looks like string cheese. If that's the only problem, it will cost me about $150 to replace it. I suspect there may be more problems.
I found a 1 yo HHR Panel nearby that I'm going to look at tomorrow. It's got all the features I'd like, with the exception of the 6 cyl engine.
Most serpentine belts are about a 15-minute job to replace....but not all fall into this category.
What about yours?
I'm past the point of working on my own cars. It sucks getting old.
Quote from: gweimer on December 23, 2009, 09:29:55 PM
I'm past the point of working on my own cars. It sucks getting old.
I get that feeling sometimes. Used to be I had no money but lots of time to work on cars. Now sometimes I find to my dismay that I have more money than I do time...at least when it comes to working under cars.
(Says the guy who just bought a complete set of polyurethane suspension bushings for his 280ZX but will wait for good weather to install them.)
I won't do any work that involves me sliding under the car.
Gary, serpentine belt idler pulleys seem to show up frquently as a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) items, so if you check online or with a dealer you're more likely to get the latest redesign, if applicable.
I did most of the mods and service on our Mustang Cobra track car and an '85 Toyota MR2, but the daily drivers are mostly serviced at the dealer. Road grime doesn't inspire me, plus my 50+ year old knees now have a problem with concrete floors.
I hear you guys. I just find it hard to break the habits of 40 years.
My drummer knows a couple guys that can come to the house, and do the work a lot cheaper than the shop I usually take it to. I'm going that route after the New Year. I checked out the HHR Panel today. Not a bad little truck, but it's a big change from the bigger Vue with the 6 cyl. engine. We'll see how this goes after I get the Vue looked at.
...the stockings were hung by the chimney with care
the car in the drive, it needs some repair...
Have a Merry Christmas
Hey Gweimer, the more I drive that 2007 Murano the more impressed I am. Nissan even put a 120K mile warranty on the CV transmission. If the Saturn is terminal, check around and look at one if it's available.
Looks like the Spyker deal is definitely off the table.
Curtains for Saab (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gfwPOaP_VNJx2pX2j54QzvTCvRxw)
So, GM in it's brilliance would rather shut Saab down than take money for it. Well, GM has a phenomenal record of terrible decisions, so I guess that should be expected.
I cannot imagine how it's to GM's advantage to shut it down rather than get something for it. This whole thing is an extended example of mismanagement on GM's part.
I should get one of those vanity plates for mine- DETH BY GM ;D
Quote from: chromium on December 24, 2009, 11:02:13 PM
I should get one of those vanity plates for mine- DETH BY GM ;D
Too true. OTOH Saab-Scania chose to let itself be acquired by GM.
Saab, the auto-making part never made money, full-stop. Before or after the GE takeover. The cars had abetter image than they were, lots of myth even as regards crash security. Saab never sold enough cars to be able to afford the development of new models from scratch, so the whole fleet was always outdated in comparison to what large s(c)ale brands were producing at the same time. Buying a Saab meant buying ten year old technology at twice the price of its modern counterpart. Without GM subsidizing them, they would have gone broke already long ago.
I'll miss the black panel function though. And am wondering what will happen to Volvo now the Chinese are buying it.
Quote from: uwe on December 27, 2009, 04:05:35 PM
.. And am wondering what will happen to Volvo now the Chinese are buying it.
It will become Vorvo.
Quote from: Dave W on December 27, 2009, 09:13:01 PM
It will become Vorvo.
;D
When I lived in London there was a small Chinese shop just down the road from my house. I used to go in there and buy cans of Lilt just because it gave me a chuckle to hear the bustling happy little old Chinese lady yell "Reewt! you want Reewt!". We dont have Lilt here in Oz not sure about the US.
If you mean Lilt home perm, it's still on the market but not easy to find.
From the ending of A Christmas Story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46WcFObgYhI
Lilt
Pineapple and Grapefruit flavoured soft drink (soda) made by the Coca Cola company. According to Wiki (so it must be true) only sold in the UK and Ireland.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2475/4030548059_889ef968bd.jpg)
For that "typically tropical taste"... :P
Quote from: Kenny Five-O on January 01, 2010, 09:08:47 AM
For that "typically tropical taste"... :P
Typicrry topicar? 8)
Anyone remember The Craw (Claw) on Get Smart?
"Not The Craw, The Craw!"
I can't hear you. I'm on my shoe phone. :P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftgAG3Vnif8
Dang. Missed it by THAT much!
Dang... another broken nose... ;D
Craw = classic stuff ;D
Quote from: Freuds_Cat on January 03, 2010, 05:58:47 AM
Craw = classic stuff ;D
Solly... You mean "crassic", Mistah...?