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Detroit, 7:38 PM
Fri Dec 11
29 posts in the last 24 hours
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02:00 PM
12:31 PM
12:13 PM
In the fifties and sixties, the airplane manufacture was used to underwrite car production. Later, Scania's profitable trucks paid for the cars. By 1989 the situation had become untenable, but GM was convinced to shoulder the burden - not really a good idea for anyone involved.
Saab would have been dead for twenty years if it wasn't for GM, but I think that might have been better than Saab's zombie existence as of late. The 9-7X is better not mentioned at all.
I think that in a world where everyone who spends premium money demands nineteen-inch wheels, racing suspension, racing heritage, 500 horsepower and a slushbox and pretend off-road capability, Saab (just like Lancia) loses its raison d'être. You cannot make a Saab to compete with the 3-series without removing what made it a Saab to begin with, Koenigsegg or no Koenigsegg. The world made itself to stupid to appreciate Saab, and thus, Saab has to cease to be.
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02:45 PM
Well, Saab was losing money in the fifties, sixties, seventies and most of the eighties too. It was essentially just the pride of the Wallenberg family that kept Saab running as long as it did, and the Wallenbergs' willingness to plunder the profitable bits of the Saab-Scania corporation. Saab managed a (very) few profitable years early in the eighties but were unable to afford the continuous development necessary to the luxury buyer. V6, 4WD and a new Sonett would have made things different, but there wasn't any money. By the time GM arrived, it was already too late, and GM went on to make bad things worse.
Another problem was that Saab was always meant to be an everyday car in Sweden but marketed as luxury abroad. The size of the Swedish market helped make this an impossible situation. Today perhaps a classy and smart compact Saab might have a chance, aiming for Mini or VW buyers in the US, but as a prestige brand I think they're well and truly done.
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10:47 AM
As far quirky goes, my 2001 9-3 is about as quirky as they come. GM didn't quite get rid of the individuality. But they did get rid of the quality.
Saab's not the only one. Both Lancia and Citroen are basically dead to me, even though their brands live on (they can thank their home market brands for that). Saab's brand will probably live on, but those who have driven the original won't recognize the Saab-ness.
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12:08 PM
And it's not half bad looking either.
10:46 AM
* - I know it has been revised quite a bit but still...
10:43 AM
The problem with these things, was that the CVCC would still fire the main charge even when the timing/mixture was WAAAAY off. They would even get pretty good performance that far off mark too. In fact, the only way you knew you were messing up, was when the valves burned, and the internals in the head started going to pieces. I think it was this model Honda that actually taught me to use the book, and use the tools the right way.
For that alone, I salute you, Little Honda! Long may you run!
10:42 AM
I bet it even gets pretty good mileage. Those little Civics were surprisingly thrifty even when stuff was broken.
I'd like to point out that DC also requires annual inspections, so even though it looks like oxidized buffalo exhaust, it's mechanically okay.
11:32 AM
02:05 PM
I read about the passing of the inspection era, and I want my cumulative total of ~$120 in inspection fees back. I want to be retroactively grandfathered, bastards.
04:31 PM
I think you need to take your time machine to Fleshbot.com for that.
10:26 AM
Also a 1986 Dodge Caravan (my wife: "Hahaha...you took your driver's test in that? Hahahaha!)
The 1st-gen Civic spits on your CAFE standards. But even if you survive a wreck in this, you're probably going to have tetanus.
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10:18 AM
a) only been driven to and from car shows.
b) been rebuilt so many times that it no longer qualifies as being the original car
10:19 AM
Really. I see a hell of alot more 40 (even 50) year old GM and Ford products on the road than just about any imported models. The only exceptions are probably air coold VWs.
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12:12 PM
Trailblazer! 2 Points
Envoy! 1 Point
Envoy Denali! 2 Pointss
Trailblazer SS! 5 Point
Bravada! 8 Points
Ascender! 6 Points
9-7x! 10 Points
Rainier! 7 Points
It can be tough riding somewhere with the two of us.
12:48 PM
Maybe we should look at sales numbers...
01:41 PM
02:29 PM
12/10/09
12/10/09
I probably would have done the same. Who the hell knows what's going on at GM right now. It might be for the better, but given the past few decades I'm not particularly confident. They've got a few great cars but they just seem unable to set things right, for a ton of reasons.