[Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Perhaps you should consider that Steyr Puch makes the Pinzgauer and I believe the Unimog. Both of these are AWESOME off road vehicles. As BillD said, perhaps it was a matter of capacities. While I tend to dislike GM as much as anyone, they ARE successful in Europe.
In spite of all their mistakes, I have to admit that GM has done some good things. The small block Chevy V8, automotive climate control, automatic transmissions (THM 200 series excepted), the MacPhearson strut, etc.
Personally I can't think of a single car in the US GM line that I would own. There are times here in Dallas that a Chevy Suburban would be nice to have to fight back at the soccer moms.....
I don't have a problem with GM trunk latches and the like. Perhaps it will help reduce some of the totally absurd SAAB parts prices like $175 SAAB unique headlamp control relays, or $300 headlamp wiper motors. BTW both of those parts which have failed on my 95 9000CS were made by respected European manufacturers. My point is that their parts fail too.
If GM ties to make SAAB like Chevrolet, they WILL loose their existing customer base. But from what I have read, they at least publicly state that they understand the value of customers with the kind of demographics SAAB owners represent. GM acquired SAAB as a "luxury" brand. Do they mean like Cadillac? I don't think so because it was in reference to a "luxury EUROPEAN" brand.
Instead of berating GM as so many of us (myself included) perhaps we should hope that the billions GM is investing in SAAB will make things better. Let's face it, SAAB was not in the best of financial health. They certainly could not have had the current incentives without GM. Do they need the incentives because SAABs are inferior? (Let's just say I own 2 SAABs.9k and 9-3 conv) No, they need them to give SAAB the exposure it so justly deserves.
As far as service goes, when the SAAB dealer in Dallas was associated with another make, SAAB was a sideline and service sucked. Now they are at the Caddy dealership and I like them so much I get my oil changed there. And this from a man who ALWAYS did his own work. And I might also add that Sewell (the dealership) is building a SECOND SAAB/Caddy dealership in the metro area.
So not everything is bad about the GM deal. Yes we should speak up about the bad things, but let's not forget the good.
hr
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
