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Everyone is always saying that Saab should spread the word about how good they are.
They're safe, efficient, powerful, smooth, comfortable, well thought out and unique. Unfortunately, IMO anyhow, selling things isn't about coming out with the best product, its about coming out with the best selling product. Good marketing is cheaper than good engineering, especially when your competitors do most of the work- all you have to do is put the same things on your car as the competitor is pushing on their's.
This is what you need to be successful in the car biz these days:
1. V6 or V8 with 10 more hp than your desired competition. Torque figures are irrelevant. Engine configuration and displacement should be identified in at least 4 locations on the exterior of the vehicle, and some interior identification wouldn't hurt.
2. AWD. If everyone had AWD then we wouldn't need snow plows. That's a much more efficient system. And we could get a tax cut if we didn't need to pay for snow plows or road maintenance.
3. DVD navigation. If you can't work out the DVD nav then at least plop a big ugly LCD screen on the dash to control the stereo.
4. Cup holders. Lots of cupholders. But make sure they don't block the view of your DVD screen.
5. low or no interest financing. or "don't pay for a year" deals. Nothing like starting your payments after your car has been depreciating for a year- that way its always worth less than what you owe. Low lease payments are good too- that way people can buy a car they can't afford right away, and worry about things like the fact their lease only allows 2000 miles a year or their residual is twice the market value of their car at the end of the term.
6. Reliability. Not a consideration. Start a web site, publish a magazine, sponsor a club. You're the only one with a problem. Everyone else loves theirs- look how happy they are in the ads. I'd buy another one. I just had bad luck on the first.
7. Make it in Silver.
I had a guy ask me about my Aero wagon the other day at the gas station. He had a V6 Jetta he wasn't too impressed with (said it left him stranded several times.) Apparently he was on his way to one of the local Saab stores to check them out. I gave him the good recommendation. Left out the DI stories (its never happened to me anyhow) Told him I used to own a Jetta (I did) and that the Saab was a much better car (and was about twice the cost of the Jetta- left that part out) He seemed interested though. I wonder if he ended up with one...
bRAD
posted by 64.229....
, Fri, 8 Aug 2003 22:07:30
, Fri, 8 Aug 2003 19:32:03
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