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Re: Just being nosey.....
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Posted by Stan [Email] (more from Stan) on Sat, 26 Mar 2005 08:59:29 Share Post by Email
In Reply to: Just being nosey....., Mike Lynch [Profile/Gallery] , Fri, 25 Mar 2005 16:39:57
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Mike,

IMHO, you contribute tremendously to this board (and have for a long time) so I'll spend some time to answer your questions as openly and honestly as I can:

Those are my same fears about the A6 (which I haven't driven yet so I cannot say for sure). I was actually leaning toward the A4. The 06 A4 is quite a bit bigger (and has the new nose). In the old A4 (my brother had one), my head hit the roof and there was 0 leg room behind me. This is no longer true. Yes, it is smaller than the 9-5, but not as much smaller as before. Also, maybe I'm just getting old (turned 40 last year), but luxury is getting more attractive than performance. You can still enjoy luxury in rush hour traffic... Can I sacrifice some power and performance to get a smooth idle? I'm not sure. However, after 3 years with my '99, I wasn't even thinking about other brands (especially since the 02 had the 5 speed auto, enhanced front suspension and more power - score a big one for GM - made me forgive them for eliminating the safety triangles and adding the cheapy visors).

As for the styling of the Audis, I don't particularly like it, but I don't dislike it too much either. I'm sure I could live with it. I'm also attracted to the 4 wheel drive for driving through the constant winter blizzard that we know as NW Indiana/SW Michigan.

I don't live in So Cal, but the Chicago area and travel to Michigan to visit family and the washers do the trick on winter road salt. Is your point that making them an option makes sense because they're not valuable in So Cal? I guess that stands the test of logic, but it still doesn't make me happy that something I like that was standard is now an option (which also makes me buy things I don't want like rain sensing wipers and park assist).

I have a Nav system in our mini-van and, surprise to me, I really like it. On the other hand, my geographic skills have seriously atrophied (I used to know how to get places, now I just let the nav system tell me). Probably an odd reason not to get one, but that's where I'm at today. Similar with park assist. It's useful in my mini-van (especially since I don't drive it all the time), but I don't have a problem parking the 9-5 (and since I've been driving one for 6 years, I have a good feel for it).

With respect to the 04 front and rear facias, I hadn't noticed. I'd rather have the weather band, but I realize I'm probably a tiny minority in that opinion... but I'd take this over OnStar any day of the week... but there's no potential future revenue stream in a weather band radio so I can also see the logic of this, as well.

To net it out. I still love my Saab, and felt like I was "cheating" when I was in the Audi showroom (and guilty when I found I liked the A4 and A6 - at least when they're standing still). As good as the 9-5 is, it is getting a bit long in tooth relative to the competition. I do not see much reason to sign on for another 3 year lease, when, to me, the 02 is essentially the same car which also has a feature I like (weather band) that I cannot get in the 05. I'll probably just buy my 02 which is in fine condition with low miles so the lease buyout is reasonable... but this doesn't help GM's market share... which get me back to the original thread.

Why is GM losing market share? In this one case, it's most likely (no final decision on my part just yet) because they haven't refreshed one of their best cars enough to make it an "upgrade"... even worse, in my twisted consumer mind (customers, don't you hate them - I know I do (when I'm not one) :), it is a downgrade. Then again, if I can get some obscene incentives, I might go for an 05 just so I don't have to worry about the 02 eventually coming out from under warrenty. Exactly what the mother ship (GM) is trying to get away from.

We all need the mother ship to be healthy to keep our Saabs alive (and up to date). I really hope the 9-2 and SUV (or whatever they're calling it) work out as they, IMHO, took the resources they could have put into updating the 9-5 (and if they had more substantially updated the 9-5, I wouldn't be writing this long winded rant). Unfortunately, I think I've only seen 1 9-2 out there, and it might have had a dealer plate... and Saabs are fairly common in my part of town... so are the Subarus on which the 9-2 is based.

So, I guess, in this case, GM has an accurate assessment of some of their problems (their bean counters have taken too much out of the cars to justify the price). Too bad they only now realize this...

No, I didn't buy a GM mini-van, they are really not competitive.

Stan

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