It does not work without Saab ...

Stefan is with my previous one Saab 9-5 BioPower on the way, and I'm glad that the station wagon from Trollhättan has come into such good hands. For he too will remain true to Saab. He tells us:

The Saab passion started with 16, that was early 80 years. We had a neighbor with a Porsche. Suddenly a new car was standing in the yard with him, which I had never registered as a car brand before.

It was a Saab 900 he had swapped for the Porsche. I was always fascinated by the idiosyncratic shape and sound of the 900er when he left early in the morning. Two years later, I got my driver's license and bought an old Opel Ascona B with a powerful two-liter engine for the time. One day I drove on the highway and our neighbor with his Saab was behind me. In my youthful recklessness, I stepped on the gas and thought the neighbors I'm hanging off nicely now (I thought, because I did not know what such a Saab on it has ...). The neighbor overtook me and left me standing as if I were walking. I took a closer look at the car and Turbo was on it.

That was the time when I needed to have such a part. But then came only military service, the study, my wedding, various purchases and home purchase and so I never had money for such a vehicle. So it stayed with Opel, Ford and VW over the years.
1996 it was time, now I really wanted to have a Saab. In the work, three colleagues had one (one 900 I and two 9000ers). There had to be a fourth Saab on the company car park. I bought in Munich a used red 900II without turbo, first year of construction with only 30.000 km. We did a lot of touring (including to Sweden) and I was really happy with the car, despite the bad reputation as "Opelsaab".

Then I changed my job and had a dangerous track to work. Winding roads with many gradients, lots of snow and snowdrifts in winter, black ice etc .. So sold the Saab, as I had to fight again and again with the snow drifts and lack of traction and put me a Toyota 4WD SUV. Top vehicle, absolutely reliable, really great, never had any problems with it. But my thoughts always stayed with Saab. Many rumors that Saab sold to Chinese people made me insecure and so I stayed with Toyota.

2008 however, the Saab-Drang was so big again that I absolutely wanted one. Bankruptcy rumors, possible sale to the Chinese, I did not care. My budget was not very big, as we first bought an old house and put every euro in the renovation. In Frankenland I found then, after a long search and several test drives, at a Ford dealer a passable 9-5 Arc SC 2.3 t, YOM 2001, MJ 2002 with 82.000 km at a reasonable price (I think the dealer just wanted him from the farm have since he has been there for a while). Have then invested some money for timing chain replacement, various repairs and deer. The car was a super long-haul and travel car with the automatic transmission.

Saab in South Africa

Saab in Dubai

Saab 9-5 BioPower “Ex-Blogger Saab”

Saab in the snow

Saab 9 5 Arc

2012 I thought now it would be time for something else Saabiges. It was just after Christmas and I really just wanted to visit my father in Franconia. At that time, the saab of Blogger Tom was advertised at the Saab dealer near my father. Hmm, I thought, because I drive fast before I visit my father and just look at the vehicle. Said, test drive, talked for a while, and so I bought the squandered 9-5 Biopower SC, which I drive until today. He is always maintained but of course also moved in an appropriate way.

I have to listen again and again lurking over my "Saabszeug". But that's just the way it is in my region (just a few miles away from the Audi plant). Because felt every second drives something from the VW Group shelf. I ignore the derogatory remarks and will drive Saab as long as there are still reasonable vehicles to buy in the car market. It just does not work without Saab.

Right now I am looking for an 900I Turbo (still my dream since 30 years) or an 9000 CSE to trade it for my motorbike. But it is difficult to get a well-maintained vehicle for reasonable money. Have experienced many disappointments during the visits. Had already bought a 900I, but picking up then inconsistencies regarding mileage and other things have come up. Since then I resigned from the purchase contract. Many vehicles are poorly maintained or far overpriced. My colleagues in our Swedish branch want to support me to possibly buy a Saab in Sweden. But I am already close to giving up.

As a sales engineer, I'm traveling around the world on business, so of course I always look abroad for Saab. A former business partner in Bahrain drives a Saab 9-5 Aero. An absolute exote there and the only Saab in this region. All over the world, Saab always come and goes, which I think is great. I remain true to Saab ...