Date: Tue, 02 Jun 1998 11:42:11 -0700 From: RED <davharnopsamnet.net> Subject: Re: SAAB depreciation? / Reliability of late models
gdave wrote: > > I can only tell you that the residual values suck. My 1996 900s will fetch > around 16k from a dealer or the public and it was purchased fro $29k...good > thing it's a lease and will go back for a 9.5(maybe). I agree wholeheartedly with you about the residual values. I have to disagree with the last statement about the lease. I have a lease on a 96 900SE hatch. You're paying for every cent of the loss in the car's value in the price of the lease. It just seems less painful. I've leased 3 SAABs now and have concluded that there is just too much depreciation in the SAAB for me to consider leasing another. When I posted this same opinion several days ago, someone claimed that the SAAB lease is a better deal than one on a BMW. While I'd agree that the SAAB is a better value in terms of the features you get for the price, on cars of equal sticker price, I'd be willing to bet that the BMW lease is almost always cheaper because the car retains a larger percentage of its original price. I have little desire for a BMW, but that's the way it is. I think that if SAAB is going to be more successful in the US market, they'll HAVE to do something to make leases more attractive. Those on the NG who take pride in their 84 900s with 250 000 miles probably don't understand people like me who just want to lease a new car that's technologically interesting and fun to drive, but don't want to keep it for years, and who prefer to drive cars that are under warranty. Still, there won't be any of those old SAABs in the future if the company can't move new ones today. Seems as if SAAB could produce a neverewnding supply of 15- year-old cars, they'd be a sales success. PS: No animosity is meant to those who like to tinker and get lots of miles out of old cars, I've been there too. PPS: I read in the Sunday paper that SAAB executives have a profile of the typical SAAB customers as "east-coast liberals" (their words, not mine) who buy cars with the expectation of keeping them for years tyo get everything possible out of them. Boy, does that miss me by several miles! Bob Davisson
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