Off-topic thread - talk about anything

[colombo]

I just came back from a round trip in Norway, with the trusted old 9-3SS from 2003. Car took all the challenges (and in Norway they are plenty) without missing a beat. Impressive.
Will try to share some pics and short summary from the trip. Them fjords and mountains are truly amazing.

[Dave T]

What's the future of Saab, not the company, but our cars? The last big year of sales seems to be 2007-2008. The economic downturn happened in 2008. Saab sales was poor in 2009 as GM was considering closure. There are, however, thousands of 2009-2011 Saabs around, though not hundreds of thousands.

Some people start selling their new cars at 3 years, but there are those that keep it 10 years. Still others keep it even longer.

What I see is that the number of original Saab owners will slowly decrease. Around 2017, this number will further decrease but the drop will probably be gradual, not sudden. Naturally, those Saabs will be sold to those interested in the brand, as well as those just looking for any car. The "any car" people will decrease with time. Eventually, Saabs will be a hobby for owners.

Peugeot stopped selling cars in the U.S. years ago. However, in Seattle, I see a few on extremely rare occasions. One, a 505, seems to be a daily driver because I've seen it driving around maybe 3 times over the past 5 years.

I've decided to not use my 1999 9-3 as a winter car but it's now a hobby car. I drive it on weekends. I didn't think it would be relegated to hobby status so soon. Everything has been fixed. Nothing is broken except for 2 minor items, one of them a rear ashtray. I am on the look out for one.

[rpiereck]

With the 9-5 temporarily out of commission, awaiting parts for the front bumper replacement due to collision, I've taken on a rental, one that is typical of the kind of car you cannot get in America: a BMW diesel wagon with manual transmission. My rental is a new 318d Touring, and I am enjoying so far. There have been very few things that I am not liking about the car (and one that would have kept me from buying the car if I was considering it), but none of them is the engine. The 1,8-liter turbo charged diesel puts out 160 hp but it is plenty enough for family motoring. It's not a speed demon but it will still do a 220 km/h top speed. I am looking forward to doing a "rental car review" soon. (as you can see from the picture below my son is already a gearhead at 13 months old. He gets all excited when he sits behind a steering wheel)

[Shazam]

So what's not to like about it?

On the note of getting to drive new cars, my twin brother visited for the weekend. About two weeks ago he picked up a Golf R that someone had owned for two months and decided they wanted more doors. Man, it is a fantastic little car. Room for adults in the rear, great manual transmission (the clutch pedal is lacking a bit of communication), great power and awesome steering. I'll admit, even though ~250 hp isn't great, it is plenty to get you into trouble. The AWD will help keep you on the road as well. The biggest let down is that it rides on all seasons. My guess is that he will probably pick up a set of summer tires come spring.


The weird thing is, is that it is a CPO, yet the dealer didn't want to follow up with a lot of VW's CPO requirements. Part of the CPO deal is that any standard equipment that was sold with the car originally is supposed to be included with the CPO purchase. The parcel shelf was missing. So he asked the dealer if they were going to put one in for him. They said no and were jerks about it, only willing to give him 10% off the >$300 part. My brother wrote VW of America, telling them the problem. I guess a new shelf is currently in the mail!

[Dave T]

I wonder how the 318d Touring compares with my 181 hp 320i?

Does the right side mirror have no words, not like the US spec "objects in mirror are closer than they appear"?

Find the amount of front seat storage a little small compares to a Saab?

Is the dashboard lightning not as good? I think it's lacking.

No spare tire?

Good sound proofing?

16" or 17" wheels? Model of tires?

[nordwulf]

No Saabs for the Netherlands... Dutch Pick F-35 Jets to Expand Aging Fleet: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/bu...r-of-them.html

The decision had been postponed for many years and Saab was in consideration as well. The Saab aircraft were less expensive and cheaper to maintain, according to the stories in the press. And it would have been nice they would have chosen a northern European manufacturer. Would have been cool to have the Dutch skies patrolled by Gripens..

But in other news, Switzerland is choosing Saab aircraft: Swiss upper house approves purchase of Saab fighter jets | Reuters

The JSF is still a good looking fighter.



Bye-bye to the F16. Home of the dutch F16 demo team RNLAF 2012 2013 - Main page

[Dave T]

I don't blame the Dutch. If I were them, I'd buy the F-35. They have more involvement in developing the F-35 and it also will be used by NATO countries.

The Brazilians, on the other hand, are considering the Dassault Rafale and Saab Gripen, among other planes. There, if a Brazilian government negotiator, I would try to drive a hard bargain and buy the Saab Gripen as well as try to partner with Saab and India to develop the aircraft carrier version of the Gripen, assuming that India also buys it. If India doesn't, the cost of development may be too high for Brazil.

Canada is debating whether they should buy the F-35. It's far more expensive than originally planned. Boeing's (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F/A-18E is very capable and cheaper. Besides, Canada has early version CF-18 which have a few common parts and looks similar, much as a Saab 99 and 900 share some parts. The Russians won't invade the Arctic but if they did, the U.S. could help Canada. Therefore, if I were a Canadian civil servant, I would push for a CF-18E. If I were an American civil servant, I'd try to convince Canada to buy the more expensive F-35 to have interoperability with the USAF. If I were the Russians, I'd want Canada to keep the CF-18's from the 1970's and encourage them to let them fall into disrepair!

Fighter jets are meant to be capable, not score points by looking good. However, an air force would have some nice looking planes if they had the SEPECAT Jaguar, Panavia Tornado, B-1 bomber and F-16's. Ugly planes include the B-52 bomber and Eurofighter Typhoon. The Boeing entry in the fighter competition where the F-35 won is really ugly.


JSF
Source: Boeing
That's a good angle that Boeing chose. Other photos of the plane look even worse.

[Dave T]

Gas mileage is really getting better.

From memory, my 1990 Saab 900 got approximately 22 mpg (surburbs), 25 mpg (highway), a much lighter car
1999 9-3 24 mpg (suburbs), 26 mpg (highway)
2005 9-3 26 mpg (suburbs), 30 mpg (highway), 35 mpg (record)
2013 BMW 320i 28 mpg (suburbs), 34 mpg? (highway)

[Shazam]

The 900 is posted for sale. Gonna miss it. I hope I can find someone (highschool kid) that understands it will need some work, and learn to work on it.

[prclukky7]

was wondering if there was a website I could sell my genuine garret gt17 turbo to? Just had to replace it on my 01 9-5 v6 and it doesn't work anymore. if anyone has the time to refurbish it it would be their gain!