[Scout10]

How many years ago did they stop making the Trailblazer ? ? ?
Isn't that an SUV ? ? ?

[Never_Enough]

There's a '01 Town car w/108k miles on it at a local small dealer for $3,500. Maybe I should go look at it.

I can also lease an Elantra for $150 a month hmm

[Marmugmotleocay]

I bought a 2011 Honda Fit Sport. It works very well as a DD. It is great for carrying a 135 and a 147 pound Rottweilers.

[1MOREMOD]

I like my mazda 3 I bought as a commuter, decently engaging and gets me 35mpg

[N52UNED]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

We call it a bastard child nobody wants
No one is waiting for GM parts in a saab, let alone a bad handling GM car with just a saab body (bumper that is, rest of the body is just an Oldsmobile Bravada).
The saab 9-7 is so much what saab wasnt about. Its a wet dream from some stupid american gm manager that obviously sold really badly.
Thats the difference between ford and gm.
GM bought saab and thought they knew whats best for saab. Saab went bankrupt for that.
Ford bought volvo and let them do their own thing. They could go through ford's parts bin if they wanted too but had the freedom to make their own parts. Volvo flourished (they've shown steady groth in all recession years), and ford even got to make the insane focus RS-400 with that crazy 5cyl volvo engine...

Saab never showed any growth since gm bought it in 2000.
In fact, 1999, the year before the buy out, saab probably had its top year both in europe and the US. Thats how bad GM was for saab.
And now that gm sold Opel (another fail story regarding the last 2 decades), they're gone out of europe. good riddance. GM are one of the biggest bunglers of the car industry if you regard their global policy.

A little know reason why Saab failed ... they simply ran out of architects to buy their cars.

Actually, I had a '98 9-3 for a few years ... it was kinda fun, once you got past the horrific turbo lag. It did great in the snow and icy weather. I liked the car, but wasn't sad to see it go.
Not being an architect (ha ha) ... the main reason I got a Saab, besides being a bit of a fan of the 900's ... it was due to being in an accident in my buddy's dad's 9000. It was pretty bad, we were doing about 80 going around a long corner when my buddy lost the rear end and took out a long line of mailboxes, bounced off the guardrail on the other side of the road, back across the road we hit a cement abutment and the car car went airborne. ... rear end totally destroyed ... the rear axle broke loose and lodged under the bumper. When the police officer got the the scene, he stated that if we weren't in a Saab ... my friend in the back seat would likely had been dead, and perhaps the driver and I ... we all walked away without a scratch.

The good thing about the accident ... it was a lease car and his father was well over the milage ... so his father didn't have to worry about trading it or dealing with paying the extra milage. His dad didn't even punish him for it. Got another 9000 too.


It's too bad that GM screwed up Saab, same as they did to the beloved brand and muscle car powerhouse Pontiac. (I'm not counting Saturn ... never liked the company concept, figured it would fail eventually anyway. Kinda surprised it lasted as long as it did)

[Never_Enough]

Ideally, I want a cheap & reliable SUV

[damnitBobby]

if you're going to be towing any old model 4runner, land cruiser, tacoma, tundra

if you won't be towing CRV, CX-5, basically any crossover

[David70]

Originally Posted by nick3753

Yes, the chances of losing that money are small, but putting the money down doesn't help you. You're still paying the same amount over the length of the lease. If the money factor (interest rate) is low, than you're better off investing that down payment and paying a higher monthly. If the money factor is high, then you shouldn't be leasing it. Just an FYI (and you may already know this), never negotiate the cost of a car based on monthly payments, ever. True even when leasing.

I don't believe every lease deal is the same regardless of putting money down or not, that's why I said I would have to look at the whole deal before saying I would never put money down. If the total money is the same (or close) I agree with you. If one has me paying less over the term by putting some amount of money down I would consider it.

With a lease, if I am decide I want a BMW 3 series and I am shopping three dealers, all with the same spec'd car, why can't I shop the lease payment/money down only (factoring in time value of money for the down payment)? If one has a lower price and the other a lower money factor (or some other variable different), not seeing why I care, my goal is to get the car I want for the lowest monthly payment / down payment.

Two people, same spec car, same term, same down payment, one is paying $500 a month and the the other is paying $475 a month, I would say the $475 a month was the better deal without knowing the MSRP or money factor or any other variable?

For a purchase I need to know the selling price because I have the option to finance somewhere else or buy it outright, I don't see either of these options for the lease.

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

We call it a bastard child nobody wants
No one is waiting for GM parts in a saab, let alone a bad handling GM car with just a saab body (bumper that is, rest of the body is just an Oldsmobile Bravada).
The saab 9-7 is so much what saab wasnt about. Its a wet dream from some stupid american gm manager that obviously sold really badly.
Thats the difference between ford and gm.
GM bought saab and thought they knew whats best for saab. Saab went bankrupt for that.
Ford bought volvo and let them do their own thing. They could go through ford's parts bin if they wanted too but had the freedom to make their own parts. Volvo flourished (they've shown steady groth in all recession years), and ford even got to make the insane focus RS-400 with that crazy 5cyl volvo engine...

Saab never showed any growth since gm bought it in 2000.
In fact, 1999, the year before the buy out, saab probably had its top year both in europe and the US. Thats how bad GM was for saab.
And now that gm sold Opel (another fail story regarding the last 2 decades), they're gone out of europe. good riddance. GM are one of the biggest bunglers of the car industry if you regard their global policy.

Having owned a pre-GM Saab, the only positive I can muster is that the cars were attractive and quirky. Don't get me wrong, they were neat cars and I loved the design of them but they were unreliable and expensive to fix.

I once asked the owner of the Saab indy shop I used to [frequently] fix my car when I was in college why he didn't drive a Saab. He told me "repairing Saabs is good business, driving them is not." I've never owned such a piece of junk in my life.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

but they were unreliable and expensive to fix.

Enthousiasts call that character

Only the 99 and 900 really appealed to me.
Especally the 99 turbo. Thats a beautiful little car. With those odd rims.

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Enthousiasts call that character

Only the 99 and 900 really appealed to me.
Especally the 99 turbo. Thats a beautiful little car. With those odd rims.

Ah yes, you must mean the aztec wheels. I always thought those were neat as well.

[Alfisti]

I have owned a 2008 9-3 wagon for 7 years and it has been excellent to me.

Considering I paid $17K for it with 18,000 miles and i have had very little trouble with it. I see no reason to part with it right now and can see myself getting 10 years from it.

[fbsm]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Enthousiasts call that character

Only the 99 and 900 really appealed to me.
Especally the 99 turbo. Thats a beautiful little car. With those odd rims.

99 turbo was/is still one of my favorite cars

Too bad GM purchased the company and killed it

[jmg]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

What's a tbss

The Tuberculosis branch of the Nazi SS. They were some sick bastards... literally.

[1MOREMOD]

Didn't the bear jew handle them

[KingOfJericho]

whoa, this escalated quickly..

[Never_Enough]

Drove an 06 Equinox today. I didn't mind it. Probably check out a 01 Town Car, 07 Escape & a new Elantra tomorrow.

[mrcheezle19]

I bought a 2015 Ford Fusion CPO with 8k miles for 13.8k plus tax. Perfect daily to keep the miles off the M2.

[Ali Shiralian]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

We call it a bastard child nobody wants
No one is waiting for GM parts in a saab, let alone a bad handling GM car with just a saab body (bumper that is, rest of the body is just an Oldsmobile Bravada).
The saab 9-7 is so much what saab wasnt about. Its a wet dream from some stupid american gm manager that obviously sold really badly.
Thats the difference between ford and gm.
GM bought saab and thought they knew whats best for saab. Saab went bankrupt for that.
Ford bought volvo and let them do their own thing. They could go through ford's parts bin if they wanted too but had the freedom to make their own parts. Volvo flourished (they've shown steady groth in all recession years), and ford even got to make the insane focus RS-400 with that crazy 5cyl volvo engine...

Saab never showed any growth since gm bought it in 2000.
In fact, 1999, the year before the buy out, saab probably had its top year both in europe and the US. Thats how bad GM was for saab.
And now that gm sold Opel (another fail story regarding the last 2 decades), they're gone out of europe. good riddance. GM are one of the biggest bunglers of the car industry if you regard their global policy.

Ford also almost killed Jag. Glad TATA saved it by pouring billions into it and letting British heritage stay with it ...

[Never_Enough]

What a wasted day. I checked out a few cars. 01 Town Car (not as advertised), 07 Escape (needed minor work, but dealer would not budge off bs $), Sonata that was suddenly sold when I got there & a 2003 CR-V w/126k miles that just needed a couple door lock actuators. These things apparently really hold their value. They came down to $5k OTD which was not outlanddish based on book values, but I couldn't pull the trigger for $5k on THAT.

Then I said F it & went & drove a new Cruze LT and a Elantra SE. I really like the Cruze. I was actually going to lease one tonight for $159 a mo & 0 down, but bait & switch so F them. The Elantra is a shit box. Back to square one!

[bucketfoot]

If you are looking at new things like the Cruze and Elantra, you should check out the Fit. My daughter bought one a couple of months ago and it is an amazing little car.

[rlmesq]

Originally Posted by Ali Shiralian

Ford also almost killed Jag. Glad TATA saved it by pouring billions into it and letting British heritage stay with it ...

Until they bought Jaguar, TATA made me think of one thing... "HORN, PLEASE!"