R.I.P. Saab?

[bobspud]

One of my mates had one of those and got it cheap because his brother in law worked in the motor trade.

Had to flog it when it came to divorce and that upset him more than losing the house.

Yep. They have a very strange way of getting under your skin... There is a breakers by Enfield and the last time I was there they had a Viggen in bits. It actually made me quite sad...

My dog-wagon was filthy and battered by my family. But it would still leave most cars for dead on the m4 and was warm an comfortable to drive in the snow. My enduring memory of the car will be hooning around in the snow at the top of my clients car park in the 2009 snow while all the BMW and Mercedes drivers we stuck at the bottom of the hill unable to get into the car park. Many of the guys in my office lost a months cash because they could not get on site from fairly local places while I was able to drive for 100 miles and make it in...

[Sysman]

My enduring memory of the car will be hooning around in the snow at the top of my clients car park in the 2009 snow while all the BMW and Mercedes drivers we stuck at the bottom of the hill unable to get into the car park. Many of the guys in my office lost a months cash because they could not get on site from fairly local places while I was able to drive for 100 miles and make it in...

The 900i I had was showing the age of its design and wasn't so swift, but it really came into its own in snow and ice. My 40 mile each way commute up hill and down dale using country lanes was not a problem.

I surprised clientco more than once by phoning up to say I might be late due to snow (their response being sceptical), but proving it by having a few inches of snow on the roof. I was never all that late

[pacharan]

I always liked their early 70s model which was shaped similarly to the Citroën DS. Think it was the Saab 96?

[DimPrawn]

So you've never driven one?

I didn't pay Merc money for the one I had - one of your beloved German Cortinas of a similar age with concrete seats and a two foot diameter steering wheel and dangerous handling didn't really appeal - as you suggest, I'd have paid twice as much for something half as good.

They're so good they've gone bust. BMW are the most profitable car company in the world and the 3 series is one of the best selling cars of all time.

I laugh now when I see a Saab. Some idiot paid £30K for a Vectra which next week will fetch £1500.

[gingerjedi]

My enduring memory of the car will be hooning around in the snow at the top of my clients car park in the 2009 snow while all the BMW and Mercedes drivers we stuck at the bottom of the hill unable to get into the car park. Many of the guys in my office lost a months cash because they could not get on site from fairly local places while I was able to drive for 100 miles and make it in...

Along with everyone else in a FWD car shirley? It stands to reason that the wheels should be pulling in the direction you want to go in snow.

I often hear of people who love Saabs but whenever I read a review they say something along the lines of "Wooden steering, turbo lag, not up German rivals".

[Peoplesoft bloke]

They're so good they've gone bust. BMW are the most profitable car company in the world and the 3 series is one of the best selling cars of all time.

I laugh now when I see a Saab. Some idiot paid £30K for a Vectra which next week will fetch £1500.

Almost anyone who paid 30K for a daily car is an idiot.

BT are pretty profitable - doesn't make 'em any good.

Large numbers of people watch the X factor - and so on.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

whenever I read a review they say something along the lines of "Wooden steering, turbo lag, not up German rivals".

99% of motoring journos are lazy sheep who think they'd better copy off their mates and get to the pub/ free champagne reception laid on by BMW. In the real world BMWs true strengths are in marketing.

[DodgyAgent]

Car-maker Saab files for bankruptcy

The best car I ever had was the old 900 turbo. The hiss of the turbo and the cockpit like feel in the cabin, straight windscreen. Rubbish once that was gone

[DimPrawn]

The reality was they didn't steer or handle, were front wheel drive like any cheap runabout. They weren't quick (the fastest ever Saab couldn't hit sixty in under 6 seconds, BMW has diesel estates quicker than that), they weren't reliable and they weren't economical and they depreciated like a brick.

Which puts then on par with Rover in terms of desirability.


Saab.

[DodgyAgent]

The reality was they didn't steer or handle, were front wheel drive like any cheap runabout. They weren't quick (the fastest ever Saab couldn't hit sixty in under 6 seconds, BMW has diesel estates quicker than that), they weren't reliable and they weren't economical and they depreciated like a brick.

Which puts then on par with Rover in terms of desirability.


Saab.

Fillistine