The Saab workshops need our visit. Now!
Spring begins, and with it the season for enthusiast vehicles begins. Many Saab are leaving their winter quarters, and not so long ago there was mail from the workshops on the occasion. Special promotions were tempting and the hint that it was time for a review. That is past. I can't find a letter from my workshop in the mailbox. I kind of miss that.
The absence of the post is annoying in two ways. After 2011, the commercial was always an indication that Saab still existed and that the brand had not been completely wiped out. And right now, in times of the pandemic, such an indication would be particularly valuable. Because after more than a year, enriched with lockdown and contact restrictions, many companies are threatened with extinction.
In the beginning, the Saab workshops got through the crisis quite well. Because Saab drivers are loyal, they usually value what they have. Saab as a safe bank and as a revenue generator that went on for a long time. But now things are getting tight for many customers too. Self-employed, artists, smaller businesses, many are now feeling the effects. Not all, because there are also the profiteers who get rich in the pandemic. But a not so small group fights, mostly alone.
As a result, savings are made. The engine control light, which used to be a reason to drive to the workshop, is now left burning. As long as the car is driving, you save and see that you can somehow get through this time. These customers are currently missing from the workshops. The reluctance and the duration of the crisis make the situation for some companies more difficult from month to month.
The problem: If the air runs out, a restart is almost unlikely.
What is gone once stays away. In times of the mobility transition and the state propagated urge to use electric cars, every investment and a new start are carefully considered. In case of doubt, and the doubts will prevail, let it be.
Acting now is important
It is important to preserve what keeps our vehicles on the road. Saab workshops and their competence are indispensable for this. There is no alternative, as they say in politics. Right now, after the winter, which has traditionally been weak, they need our support.
What can you do?
Preferring planned investments would be a good way to go. A new soft top for the convertible, a new paint job for the station wagon, whatever is planned for this year, it might be possible to get it started now. Not just in summer, not maybe in autumn. Timing is important so that the workshops have full order books and more air to breathe.
Plan your visit now, not in May or June. Prefer an investment now if it is feasible. Put your planning for 2022 on this year, start a small, private economic stimulus program. Your Saab workshop will be happy and both sides will win as a result.
Because what you are doing today ensures the possibility that there will be a knowledgeable screwdriver for your Saab nearby even after the pandemic.
So I'm trying to support my regional Saab workshop, but obviously they don't need that at all. E-mails are not answered or only after weeks, orders are only half processed, questions not answered. The simplest appointments fail. And then drive 75 km there every time? I've been driving Saab for 22 years now, but I've never seen such strange behavior. Mainz was noticeably less motivated in the end and stopped, not surprisingly. It's much easier with the independent workshop around the corner from me. With all the euphoria just because it's Saab, service and interest in the customer should already be there.
A small regional “economic stimulus program” for my well-known workshops has already started.
Was at my Saab workshop this morning to discuss an order in the four-digit range. Had thought that my repair job was already quite substantial. But then I was shown two full restorations of 900 convertibles that were in the process of being in the middle of the five-digit range. And the yard is full too.
It looks similar with my VW bus specialist. Orders without end and corresponding waiting times for more extensive work. Mine is currently getting an engine conversion, which is certainly no longer four-digit.
Both are medium-sized family businesses without which I would probably have to drive an electric car. That's why every penny is well invested.
I would argue that things are still going quite well here, at least 🙂
@Saab 900 Turbo S,
Could it be that you didn't understand Tom's comment correctly?
It is addressed explicitly to you. I read from there that on the whole it works with the hygiene here. You are now even starting to scream and have apparently read an appeal to take more responsibility for content and comments as a reader ...
With Tom's definition of as apolitical as possible, I believe every reader fully agrees. Here Saab cups are produced locally, here tea and espresso are discussed in terms of social sustainability, here I found out about an online petition for E85 and here there was an article that highlighted the effects of driving bans on a Spanish Saab workshop.
And here you shout at me typographically because, in your opinion, I am too political and unworthy of a Saab driver?
The current article is headed accordingly: Support your local Saab-Service. Now!
You are welcome to quote and expose me. None of my comments below are political. Not a single one broke the bar here. Are you still sure that you are not going to overshot the target yourself - especially "screaming"?
Let's stay objective, please. Thank you.
@Volvaab Driver
“And since it should continue to be 'as apolitical as possible', as the blog operator has emphasized below, somehow the digression would not have been necessary, which is why I will no longer reply in a strange way” (see below).
Some (e.g. people who no longer answer the other person, but only reel off their own) need a third attempt (“visual screaming”):
“And since it should continue to be 'as apolitical as possible', as the blog operator has emphasized again below, the digression would somehow not have been necessary, WHY I WON'T REPLY ANY SAABFREMDE ANY MORE SAABFREMD” (see below).
I have made it my guideline, especially with adults, in the event of the failure of the third attempt in the interests of a good life, not to make a fourth attempt, but to leave everything else to Nemesis.
@ Saab 900 Turbo 16S,
Whether you think that's good or not, but politics talks about Saab drivers - talks and acts, removes E85 from the pumps and in return offers scrapping premiums for our Saab, discusses and issues driving bans for Saab diesel and offers subsidies for them in return a V.
Against this background (with moral superiority and a raised index finger) you are handing out muzzles to Saab drivers, I find a strong piece. That you know how to do this as a plea for courtesy and against the raised index finger, as a great feat. Chapeau.
And yet it's silly.
The chancellery, environment, transport, economy, finance and health ministries all feel responsible for you and your Saab under changing circumstances.
You should be aware of that.
When politics talks and makes decisions about Saab drivers, Saab drivers also talk about politics. There is no other way ...
@Stefan Tischler ´´Mr Carpenter You seem to have had a particularly great day !! I am pleased that my contribution spoke to you in such a way! But always stay cool´ ... not that you will have another heart attack´ nobody here wants to answer for that !! Have a nice rest of the week for EVERYONE here !!
Interesting discussion 🙂
Driving SAAB has always been a statement. But those who drive their SAAB (s) today not as a Sunday car next to the company leasing car, but as an everyday car, are somehow also making a political statement.
For me it has another point of view. The time of high quality items is largely over. In addition to the SAAB, I kept some things for myself that I had to work hard for and that I still appreciate very much, no matter how old they are.
Of course, this requires workshops that also have specialist knowledge and an interest in these things.
Due to leasing in all areas of life and short half-lives, the appreciation of most people in the mainstream has been lost - which the economy is happy about.
Selling Saab ... when there is no money
then you can invest that let the Saab live ... .. get it
@Volvaab Driver
No, I cannot and will not rule that out. On the other hand, I don't consider myself to be so important as one of a good 80 million people in Germany alone that I believe that I can ensure a measurable effect (unless I drop a bomb).
But even in this case, neither my behavior nor my comment would be political. Unless one understands this category in such a way that as a citizen one could not be apolitical at all (see below), which would reduce the category to the level of a commonplace word.
In addition, I think your attempt to turn the tables is not very innovative and rather unsuccessful, also because it presupposes a questionable revaluation of important values for which at least in my environment there is no consensus: You are not in a bubble if you don't raise your index finger - Bubble and diversity are, by the way, mutually exclusive: in the bubble you only meet people of the same kind. And it is also not the more convenient way if you do not raise this up against other people, but at most the more reserved, polite, less important to yourself, that is characterized by more self-reflection. The moral index finger should be superfluous for an adult, but others probably see it differently.
But actually, this is also directed at myself, this is supposed to be about cars, which is so important to me too (see below).
And since, as the blog operator has emphasized again below, it should continue to be “as non-political as possible”, the digression would somehow not have been necessary, which is why I will no longer return a non-saab reply.
@ Saab 900 16 Turbo S,
I am with you there. Nobody else understands this blog as “explicit” political.
No one at all wants to see it understood as partisan ...
But can you reliably rule out that your actions, your actions and your omissions have a socially relevant dimension, at least a certain and measurable effect?
That's silly. Your latest comment alone will have some effect. And be it only that 2 or 3 people see themselves confirmed in the fact that they are on the move without a raised index finger and the more comfortably and morally the more superior ...
I think that alone has a socially relevant and thus political component ...
The more comfortable you are on the go, the better. The fewer index fingers, the more superior. Perfect. That's exactly how I want to drive ...
However, I would then have the feeling that I was traveling in such a “bubble” that you pretend you want to avoid as much as possible. I can definitely listen to or read through other opinions. Where is the problem? And why does diversity create a bubble? I always thought it was the other way around ...
I think it would be nice and right if we could concentrate on the essentials in the blog. And, in my opinion, this is the fascination that the Saab brand and its products radiate in all their diversity. So far I have always found it pleasant that this blog has remained free from top teacher statements.
In his inimitably gripping way of writing, Tom has gathered a community of readers who are united by a passion that tries to move away from politics and that may be a bit "old school", but has always left enough space for everyone, to keep the Saab brand high in his opinion. And it should - damn it (!) - stay that way. We are car freaks, not a debating club!
And with that to today's central message - Support your Saab workshop. Unfortunately, there is no Saab branch in my area that deserves its name. The dealership near me, which said it offered a Saab service, has successfully disqualified itself through its own achievements, to my chagrin. In the meantime, I haven't received any mail from there either.
Fortunately, I found a mechanic (or an independent workshop specializing in young and oldtimers) with the proverbial “golden hands”, to whom I like to hand over the weal and woe of my saws. And - maybe that's also worth reporting - the work done for the 9-3 Coupe, which is to be brought out of hibernation this week, is already in the order book. Fortunately, it seems to be well filled, despite good persuasion, I only got an appointment at the beginning of May 🙂
Next week two of my Saab are going to the Saab garage in CH-Augst for little things. Even if I live in Germany now, I buy the route and the really expensive hourly rates in Switzerland. My Saab is worth it to me and I hope that I can continue to support a long-standing Saab workshop with this activity.
It is important for me to say that I have not yet understood this blog to be explicitly political and that I would be happy if it stayed that way in the future. If I got it right, this opinion also has the “statutes” of the blog behind it. Why? Also because, in my opinion, political opinions are increasingly stylized, both formally and in terms of content, into a generally valid and morally superior dogma, which at least implicitly has the function of placing the originator of these above other opinion leaders, i.e. they simply have an exclusive character.
Rather, as I personally think, we should primarily focus on the Saab brand (or other cars) with their integrative function. For the exchange of political opinions there are other echo chambers or filter bubbles on the Internet, but I want to characterize this statement as a purely personal impression.
In addition, it is important to me that my preference for old cars and many other old (and therefore analog) things has no political dimension, which - I'm sure - should also apply to one or the other of my fellow human beings. Because when I carry this incident, stylized as an attitude, possibly still as a monstrance in front of me, I am already raising my moral index finger towards others who follow the path of most of them. But maybe I'm too sensitive there.
Of course, analogous to P. Watzlawick's dictum “one cannot not communicate”, one can also take the view that one cannot not act politically outside one's own four walls, but at least in my understanding that is too broad a political term that The core of this field because of the emphasis on the view that “the layman is an expert everywhere”, a further fatal development of the present day, in my opinion, which is more likely to harm than good.
Should I have mistakenly used capital letters, underlining or accumulation of punctuation marks anywhere, it was an oversight, because I rely on the power of the pure word.
And now back to Saab: I'm looking forward to Friday and hope that my two classic cars will start up after hibernating without complaining after I flicked the battery switch.
@ Saab 900 Turbo 16S The blog is as apolitical as possible, and should remain so. So far this has worked very well, moderation is hardly necessary and the readers ensure the necessary blog hygiene.
@all thanks for the feedback. It's nice that the tradition of spring letters is being continued by a number of workshops and it is positive that there are waiting times in many places. That reads well.
@ Stefan Tischler,
I am too excited by Mr Redegold's comment - especially since I just feel yelled at by words or even entire sentences in capitals ...
On the other hand, it wasn't even worth a thumbs down to me. Why ? ? ?
Personally, I find diversity of opinion (also politically) an enrichment ...
Your commitment to this blog, its core topic and the hygiene of the comments in all honor, but I have long felt this blog to be political. Either way …
Anyone who still drives Saab, who has meanwhile refused the umpteenth scrapping bonus, new car bonus, a political or economically motivated bonus, is also acting politically per se.
Today you can no longer intentionally drive a car that is at least 10 years old (Saab or other) without also acting politically (thinking and perhaps commenting) ...
I think an increase rather than a decrease in such comments is to be expected ...
For me personally, it would be okay if they kept the shape & nice chain. Visual screaming with capital letters is not one of them ...
Hello dear SAAB community,
I don't know how it is with you in Germany, but here in Vienna I need an appointment at my SAAB workshop in Himberg. The waiting time for an appointment is currently around 3 weeks.
The workshop is always busy and our family with 5 SAAB at the moment and 6 is coming soon are regular guests at Mario.
Unfortunately, there are also very good used SAABs there. Offers that cannot be refused.
Best regards from Vienna.
@ Mr talking money:
This blog is not and has never been intended for political statements and we certainly do not want to read them in capital letters.
We Saab lovers concentrate on the SAAB brand and when Tom, whose tireless commitment deserves the greatest recognition, takes an opinion that - rarely enough - not everyone agrees, we discuss it objectively and without political references.
I would be really happy if it stayed that way ...
... and I was pleased to have received a very attractive spring offer for inspection and TÜV from my Saab / Volvo dealership on Goetheplatz (formerly Saab Bauer, Munich).
We followed the good advice two weeks ago and done it at Lamborghini Zurich, who continue the Saab service from Hirsch Ruckstuhl Kloten. The senior technician drives a Saab 9-5 SC Aero himself. The spring letter has also come, but of course not in favor of Saab, but for the latest Mercedes Benz models, which are now represented and touted by Hirsch Ruckstuhl ... The replacement car during the service is also not a Saab but a Mercedes GLA .... But the main thing is that they continue their work and do their job very well, so that the technical inspection on the following day went with flying colors and compliments and the son of the expert even recently bought a Saab 9-5 SC first generation for 1000 CHF himself and some of it is totally enthusiastic. That's good news, isn't it?
Then I am one of the privileged customers who continue to receive a friendly reminder that the review is due, and I am delighted about that too. After Easter I will make an appointment in the mobilforum and treat my convertible to something good. Lets go!
…once again:
A SAAB workshop is very important to me where the “SAAB master” is not much older than my son, so thinking about the future! And yes, everyone here has a lot to do and we always have to see that we get an appointment as soon as possible.
A SAAB workshop is very important to me where the “SAAB master” is not much older than he was as a son, so thought into the future! And yes, everyone here has a lot to do and we always have to see that we get an appointment as soon as possible.
A sensible suggestion, Tom.
In my opinion, the situation is completely different. One screwdriver has too much, the other needs a few more jobs. That is what I have observed over the past few weeks. It would actually be good if you could prefer something (if you have financial air). Because the next hard lockdown is already around the corner and the workshop has its fixed costs that are running.
Of course, everything you do in compliance with hygiene rules, protecting your own health and that of others has priority.
My Saab screwdriver - better Saab expert - is still suffocating at work and has many weeks of waiting, since there is practically no one else in the area who can or really wants to do it. Perhaps I will soon support the well-known Saab base in the Allgäu to treat my 900, which I want to wake from hibernation on Good Friday, to a few little things (?). What is done now does not need to be done later, when everyone wants to do it again. Basically, the key point is that there are, of course, continuously fewer Saabs that are moved in everyday life or serviced like a “young used one”. You (not me yet) use up and wait (under the surface) to see which track the world's mobility train will continue on. And the traders have to plan under such framework conditions at least in the medium term, ie to a certain extent “glass balls”.
´´SERVICE EUPHORIA OR DISASTER´´ ??
´´In all the spring workshop euphoria´ that should start again now´ that the same applies to the SAAB trailers as to all others in the country´… that they too have moved their vehicles less´ unnecessary trips often have avoided 'in order not to expose themselves to unnecessary dangers with regard to the Covid-19 crisis and have so much fewer kilometers on the clock, they should postpone the workshop visit for the time being' '!!
´´In addition, these groups of people on Saab drivers should NOT all consist of the well-off academics or self-employed (a certain proportion of course already privileged) ´ and so have felt certain income disadvantages whether because of short-time work or other reasons in their wallets´ why every unnecessary comfortable expenditure is probably not done at the moment because of the confusing situation´´ !!
´´ IT GETS BETTER - - GUARANTEED - - BUT THERE OUR REPRESENTATIVES
HAVE LOST THE OVERVIEW - - IT CAN STILL LONG WITH THE UNCERTAINTY!
I guess the trend will continue and maybe start a chain reaction. If the companies cease to exist, existing customers could also have problems getting their treasures repaired or serviced by knowledgeable workshops and interested “new customers” shy away from the step because they don't know anyone who can help them. I myself am lucky that my Saab confidante is broadly positioned and well booked. Unfortunately, kissing awake from hibernation is not enough for my convertible. If I'm lucky it's just the turbo, if I'm unlucky the whole engine will have to be overhauled, which would cost a considerable amount more. I will probably have to swallow the drops, as I have already invested a lot in the last year and that would have been completely in vain.
That makes sense. My workshop whines. People save where they can.