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Car Forum / Saab Cars / August 2005

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Most UNreliable luxury cars

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Tex - 10 Aug 2005 15:30 GMT
Sadly, the 9-3 made the list...

 http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8489200/

Notably all the major European manufacturers made the list, with one
American and no Japanese.

- tex
Paul Halliday - 10 Aug 2005 21:14 GMT
> Sadly, the 9-3 made the list...
>
> http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8489200/
>
> Notably all the major European manufacturers made the list, with one
> American and no Japanese.

I suppose that's the price you pay for style and flair :)

I've owned all kinds of cars and must say, our "British" cars (MG & Austin)
were the worst! I found both our FIATs to have had no problems whatsoever,
always fired up whatever the weather and always sailed the MOT. The SAABs
(okay, they're older 18-22 year old cars) always fired up first time,
whatever the weather, but have had some work done on them. Our Hyundai was
awesome! Really ... It was ... But nicked once and broken into twice. Mind
you, so was the Metro (more than once) ... Good ram-raid cars, I suppose :(

Well ... Spirito di Punto ... I like European cars! Scandinavian cars
totally rule, though! I'm surprised to see the 9-3 in a list of unreliable
cars.
Tex - 11 Aug 2005 00:20 GMT
> on 10/08/2005 15:30:
>
> I suppose that's the price you pay for style and flair :)

Maybe...but does it have to eb that way?  There are some slick Japanese cars
which also are very reliable and of good overall quality.

> Well ... Spirito di Punto ... I like European cars! Scandinavian cars
> totally rule, though! I'm surprised to see the 9-3 in a list of unreliable
> cars.

I agree...euro cars are a lot of fun in their own way, but just wish they'd
improve their quality.  It's particularly unfortunate for the 9-3 in regards
to this quality ranking however.  It's a brilliant car but is assuredly
marred by lots of little quality & reliability issues.  Little things
throughout the car are very much version 1.0.  Worse yet, I don't see Saab
addressing any of these issues with any concerted effort.  It's going into
it's 4th model year and from what I have seen most of the fundamental
quality/reliability issues have not been dealt with adequately.  There
indeed seems to be a basic lack of direction/vision at Saab, which is
probably now worse given Peter Augusstons departure last February.

- tex
Pooh Bear - 11 Aug 2005 00:55 GMT
> > on 10/08/2005 15:30:
> >
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> indeed seems to be a basic lack of direction/vision at Saab, which is
> probably now worse given Peter Augusstons departure last February.

I suspect the underlying problem is GM management rather than Saab engineering.
GM has seriously trashed the Saab brand sadly.

Graham
Tex - 11 Aug 2005 02:04 GMT
> I suspect the underlying problem is GM management rather than Saab
> engineering.
> GM has seriously trashed the Saab brand sadly.

Of course, it's hard to say not working there, but in all likely GM has
shifted Saab's creative direction.  I've seen it happen in other industries
where the pressure from the sales/marketing department is to add more or
more features as opposed to improving the existing ones.

- tex
Pooh Bear - 11 Aug 2005 03:11 GMT
> > I suspect the underlying problem is GM management rather than Saab
> > engineering.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> where the pressure from the sales/marketing department is to add more or
> more features as opposed to improving the existing ones.

Or fix them too ?

Microsoft ?

Graham
Tex - 11 Aug 2005 15:25 GMT
>> shifted Saab's creative direction.  I've seen it happen in other
>> industries
>> where the pressure from the sales/marketing department is to add more or
>> more features as opposed to improving the existing ones.
>
> Or fix them too ?

Yep...improving/fixing/refining.  This had been a forte of Saab in the past.
Unfortunately, it looks like they're going to change the basic Saab car
platform again by 2008 (AWD/epsilon v2.0).  Whether this is
improvement/refinement only time will tell.

> Microsoft ?

Heehehee!  at least M$ is working steadily to improving its existing product
lineup perhaps at the expense of leaving off some new features.

- tex
Paul Halliday - 11 Aug 2005 10:43 GMT
>> on 10/08/2005 15:30:
>>
>> I suppose that's the price you pay for style and flair :)
>
> Maybe...but does it have to eb that way?  There are some slick Japanese cars
> which also are very reliable and of good overall quality.

I'm a little hard pushed to think of one, though ...

> It's particularly unfortunate for the 9-3 in regards
> to this quality ranking however.  It's a brilliant car but is assuredly
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> indeed seems to be a basic lack of direction/vision at Saab, which is
> probably now worse given Peter Augusstons departure last February.

Absolutely! It feels like 10 years ago ... Again :(
The basic SAAB is a *much* better car this time around, though.

Paul

1989 900 Turbo S
http://saab.go.dyndns.org/
Tex - 11 Aug 2005 15:46 GMT
"Paul Halliday" <pjgh@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:BF20DC39.157AB%
>> Maybe...but does it have to eb that way?  There are some slick Japanese
>> cars
>> which also are very reliable and of good overall quality.
>
> I'm a little hard pushed to think of one, though ...

The Nissan Maxima, the Z and Infiniti G35 come to mind.  Though the Maximas
of late have lost a bit of their lustre.

>> quality/reliability issues have not been dealt with adequately.  There
>> indeed seems to be a basic lack of direction/vision at Saab, which is
>> probably now worse given Peter Augusstons departure last February.
>
> Absolutely! It feels like 10 years ago ... Again :(
> The basic SAAB is a *much* better car this time around, though.

Agreed...just wish they'd fix the little annoyances/quality issues in the
car.

- tex
Paul Halliday - 11 Aug 2005 17:27 GMT
> "Paul Halliday" <pjgh@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:BF20DC39.157AB%
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> The Nissan Maxima, the Z and Infiniti G35 come to mind.  Though the Maximas
> of late have lost a bit of their lustre.

Hmmm ... I'm of the opinion that they look like bad copies of Audi, Mercedes
and Porsche; the Z, especially with a little FIAT thrown in just in case.
Cheap looking. I kind of get what you're saying, but I really don't think
they're at all "good looking". Reliable, yes ... Build quality, maybe.

>>> quality/reliability issues have not been dealt with adequately.  There
>>> indeed seems to be a basic lack of direction/vision at Saab, which is
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Agreed...just wish they'd fix the little annoyances/quality issues in the
> car.

Or leave it 10-15 years and when they're called "classics", those annoyances
will cherished and explained with a slight tear in the eye to newcomers :)

Paul

1989 900 Turbo S
http://saab.go.dyndns.org/
john - 13 Aug 2005 18:26 GMT
> on 11/08/2005 00:20:
>> Maybe...but does it have to eb that way?  There are some slick Japanese
>> cars
>> which also are very reliable and of good overall quality.
>
> I'm a little hard pushed to think of one, though ...

Toyota's never seem to break, I had a carina auto with 300000 miles - dull
as dishwater (it just wouln't die)  but very well built cars. The Mr2 and
celica are pretty fun to drive though...

>> It's particularly unfortunate for the 9-3 in regards
>> to this quality ranking however.  It's a brilliant car but is assuredly
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> Absolutely! It feels like 10 years ago ... Again :(
> The basic SAAB is a *much* better car this time around, though.

I think the problem is people who shell out for saabs expect more - I have
to say the interior plastics on the latest saabs aren't that brilliant.....
Tex - 14 Aug 2005 13:32 GMT
> I think the problem is people who shell out for saabs expect more - I have
> to say the interior plastics on the latest saabs aren't that
> brilliant.....

I think this point is debatable.  The larger issues are related to all the
annoying squeaks, creaks and rattles found in the car.  It's plagued by
them.  It makes the car sound cheaply built (whereas it was more likely to
be cheaply engineered).  Plus there are a number of other annoying known
issues: from randomly displayed incorrect seatbelt warning messages to a
multitude of random SID errors to problematic struts.

- tex
Pooh Bear - 14 Aug 2005 19:30 GMT
> > I think the problem is people who shell out for saabs expect more - I have
> > to say the interior plastics on the latest saabs aren't that
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> issues: from randomly displayed incorrect seatbelt warning messages to a
> multitude of random SID errors to problematic struts.

No squeaks or rattles in either 9000 I've owned ! And they're not exactly new
cars either ! It shows that a sqeak and rattle free car is perfectly possible.

Graham
Johannes - 14 Aug 2005 19:36 GMT
> > > I think the problem is people who shell out for saabs expect more - I have
> > > to say the interior plastics on the latest saabs aren't that
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Graham

Quite. Same with my 1993 9000 CSE. Totally solid, made to last.
Tex - 14 Aug 2005 21:59 GMT
> No squeaks or rattles in either 9000 I've owned ! And they're not exactly
> new
> cars either ! It shows that a sqeak and rattle free car is perfectly
> possible.

Agreed...defl'y possible.  I've driven some newer 9-5's which have been
utterly silent as well.

I drove one 5 yo 9-3 convertible...wow, now that car was _loaded_ w/squeaks
and creaks everywhere.  Admittedly, convertibles will tend to be less sturdy
over time.

- tex
taltos - 11 Aug 2005 18:37 GMT
> Sadly, the 9-3 made the list...
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> Saab also did well. Choose which rating service to believe, but drive what
> you like. Own a Jag S-type, X-type and a base 9-5. Paul
Tex - 12 Aug 2005 03:33 GMT
> "Tex" <tex@aspam101.org> wrote in message
>> Keep in mind that this was a "Consumer Reports" listing. They are a
>> magazine based in CT, USA that proclaims their independence because they
>> buy all of the cars that they tested.

...and accept no advertisements.

>> Historically, they love Lexus, Toyota, and Mazda. Their methods are
>> somewhat unusual and not supported by other tests.

Please feel free to expound on this.  In particular, which methods are
unusual?

>> By the way, JD Powers gave Jaguar a #2 world-wide rating and Saab also
>> did well.

Saab did well???  I suppose if you consider bottom quarter of manufacturers
to be "doing well", then yes.

>> Choose which rating service to believe, but drive what you like. Own a
>> Jag S-type, X-type and a base 9-5. Paul

even from back in 2001...

 http://www.jdpower.com/news/releases/pressrelease.asp?ID=2002067

As the article states it takes time for the old perceptions to fade.

Keep in mind however, the #2 Jaguar ranking only tells what's going on
today, not what to expect in 3 years...that's where the VDS rankings come
into play.  Those tell a much different story, though it will be interesting
to see if Jaguars 3 year VDS rankings increase commensurately, down the
line.

JDPA manufacturer rankings

VDS Mfr Ranking:
 - Vehicle Dependability Survey (problems per 100 vehicles after 3 yrs of
ownership)

 2002: http://tinyurl.com/8hlaq  (Saab: 28 / Jaguar: 23    ...of 37
manufacturers)
 2003: http://tinyurl.com/8aw9n  (Saab: 12 / Jaguar: 11    ...of 37)
 2004: http://tinyurl.com/8rmaf  (Saab: 14 / Jaguar: 25    ...of 37)
 2005: http://tinyurl.com/bpyev (Saab: 28 of / Jaguar 23   ...of 36)

IQS Mfr Rankings:
 - Initial Quality Survey (problems per 100 vehicles w/in first 90 days of
ownership)

 2002: ??? (Saab: ? / Jaguar: ?    ...of 37 manufacturers)
 2003: ???  (Saab: ? / Jaguar: ?    ...of 37)
 2004: http://tinyurl.com/7ldzn  (Saab: 24 / Jaguar: 3    ...of 37)
 2005: http://tinyurl.com/cd8yg (Saab: 27 of / Jaguar 2   ...of 36)

Sorry, I couldnt find the IQS for 2002 and 2003.  If someone finds them,
please post.

These figures do not bode well for Saab as it, _at best_, puts them only
slightly above average amongst manufacturers.  At worst, in the bottom tier.

- tex
 
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