Saab 9-2X

ateixeira

I wish I needed a small car, but we really don't.

The wife wants either a sedan (for her) or an SUV (to share as our 3rd car), I've showed her the 9-2x and a WRX wagon (plus a new Forester) and she felt they were all too small. She wants to move up in size at least slightly from my current ride, a Forester.

I guess I could get one to replace the Miata but then it would be sort of redundant in our fleet (3 compact AWD wagons?).

-juice

jchan2

A 9-2X added to my fleet would be highly redundant also...

ateixeira

Most do not give you the full replacement value, but instead the current value of the car. I think you can pay more to get that if you really wanted to.

-juice

ateixeira

If R feels stiff, go to 1st, then back to reverse.

On the gear box, physically, 1st and reverse are right next to each other, so it has less travel to get to R. Try it.

-juice

Kirstie_H

A reporter is hoping to talk with someone who purchased a European, Japanese or Korean crossover vehicle since January 2005. Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com before July 2, 2005 with your daytime contact info, the make and model of your crossover and a few words describing why you chose it.

verbmom

We are very interested in buying a Linear with premium and cold packages. As everyone knows, it is getting to be nearly impossible to find a vehicle due to the employee pricing and Saab rebates. We looked at a vehicle that we are ready to buy (preapproved financing, etc.) and were told that the manager had granted a hold on the vehicle to someone until yesterday. Today we learned that the party with the hold has not yet been able to get financing and that we will need to wait until Tuesday to find out whether we will be allowed to buy this vehicle or another one (with exactly the same color and options) that is currently in the Saab port. Since Tuesday is the last day of not only the GM employee discount program but also the $5,000 Linear rebate, we are very concerned that we will miss out on buying a Saab for a great price. A couple of other dealers (who don't have cars in stock) have told me that it is possible to get a purchase agreement dated on or before July 5 in order to qualify for the incentives. Does anyone know if this is possible only in cases in which cars are moved from one dealer to another, or can this also be done when a vehicle is still in port? Our salesperson (whose hands are tied in this situation) said that the dealership does not have a VIN number for the vehicle in port. Since there must be an inventory of the shipment somewhere in the Saab system, can't the information be forwarded to the dealer in time for us to complete a purchase agreement? :confuse:

scootertrash2

Your dealer is lying.

My dealer let me sit down with him in front of his computer and showed me the list of the vehicles at the port. It lists every car, all of it's options color and obviously, VIN.
What good would a list be without that info?

johnmellencamp

I test drove an aero last week the only thing that put me off was the way the salesman drove the car and also that it had 300 miles on it . I wonder why most dealers say there on no more left at port and they wont be getting anymore .
`Total deliveries to date (May 2004 to June 2005) of MY2005 Saab 9-2xs = 6,013.

In 2004, 1,788 were sold and in 2005, 4,225 were sold. 1788+4225=6,013.

8,500-6,013 = 2,487`
quote from BlkKat over at saab92x.com

According to this post over 2,000 of these are left and I would imagine only about 200 of these are at the dealers . Does this mean they have a bunch of these to be shipped and I wonder if the same deals can be had after the 5 th . I guess we will see .

jchan2

is saving the best deals (and what's left of the 2005 inventory) for last...

Do I hear $7500 cash back?

When's the next generation 9-2 coming anyways?

chills23

Good one ateixeira! Reverse goes in much easier this way.

Let me tell all of you...one of the best things about owning this car is that most people have no idea what it is since it is pretty rare in these parts. I've had more looks, questions, oohs, and ahhs in the last 3 weeks than in my 5yrs with my Audi A4. And by no means was the Audi ugly, it's just that the 9-2x Aero is that striking.

ateixeira

)

Really, though.

-juice

verbmom

Thank you, scootertrash2!

I called the dealership this morning and asked why I couldn't get the car in port written up in a purchase agreement dated today in order to take advantage of the employee pricing and the Linear rebate. I did not receive a satisfactory answer. Finally I received a call back saying that the other deal on the in-stock car fell through and it was mine.

amham

From now until August 1, 2005, enjoy the GM Employee Discount on almost all 2005 GM vehicles across all divisions.* For the first time in history, everyone in America gets the GM Employee Discount.

It's a great price. You pay what we pay. Not a cent more. At participating dealers only.

:P

ateixeira

They are doing it also now, but not for Mazda or the PAG divisions. Let's see how that works for them. Saab gets a boost from that news, IMO.

-juice

chills23

Chrsyler, too, minus MB. I'd hate to be that person who bought an American car last week before these deals went into effect.

ateixeira

I wonder if they'll change employee prices before offering them to the public.

Remember, a 9-2x Aero was 17.4k, and they raised the price by 2 grand before making the offer widespread.

So it's not the true employee price, not really.

-juice

wolftim

I just got my 7500 mile service completed and all went fine. There were some rumors that the service was free but the parts, oil, filter, wiper blades, etc., would be charged, but that wasn't the case this time. According to the owners manual all wear and tear items will be charged to the consumer, the cost to replace them is free. On the other hand, if anyone decides to have the dealership install the rear cupholders, buy the cupholders from the factory not the dealership, it should save you about 20 bucks.

jchan2

too bad the Employee Pricing program doesn't affect Volvo.

payam81

Isn't Volvo & Mazda both part of FORD ?

searcherboy

I'm looking into buying a 92-X in the US under the Employee Discount program, and importing it to Canada. GM has not introduced the discounts north of the border.

The US discount price for the 92-X is way less than Canadian WRX pricing, even after taxes, import fees and exchange rates.

My question: is the US 92-X warranty valid in Canada? And can I get the free routine service (oil changes,etc) for a US-bought car at a Canadian dealer? Can anybody out there take a look at the warranty to see if it is valid throughout North America? Any information would be very much appreciated.

wolftim

payam81 is correct, Ford owns Volvo. However, the local dealership where I live, near Seattle, is offering employee discounts for everyone too, taking a page from GM. I would recommend that you check with the dealer to see what you can get. I guarantee you will not find a better deal thatn the one you will get from Saab.

purduealum91

a steal at that price.

satingrey

Roger that! Better looking than any other Saab, I'd say.

bjazz

Need Advice...am about to purchase a 9-2X Linear, but pricing is confusing. How are the dealers making a profit? How much? Is there room to negotiate after the current discounts? Was your price "out the door", with tax, etc.? Did you get automatic and cold weather package? Thanks!!

ateixeira

Not sure, but GM must pay them a small fee seperately.

Profit margins are TINY, so don't expect further discounts. I heard the sales person makes just $100-150 or so, some argue that they could make more money flipping burgers. This is not a good time to work in a GM dealership.

You might insult them if you even ask.

-juice

johnmellencamp

`I heard the sales person makes just $100-150 or so, some argue that they could make more money flipping burgers.`

LoL thats a lot of burger flipping

ateixeira

Depends on how many cars you sell in a week, I guess. But the commission does seem low.

Great, now I'm hungry, craving a bacon cheeseburger!

Mirror - I believe they are tucked up in the headliner (at least in some models), see if you can find the wiring before you buy the accessory.

Arm rest? My concern would be the color even matching.

For snows, Tire Rack or Discount Tire Direct.

-juice

firedaugs

Luv my new 9-2X Aero. Only complaint is the lack of power from the "Premium" six speaker 6 CD sound system. Don't want to wake up the neighbors, but would like some more punch, specifically in the low range(Bass). I was looking at the Subaru Subwoofer/Amplifier with 120 watts that fits under the passenger seat of the WRX. Anyone have any experience of installing this in their 9-2X?

jchan2

Yes but it seems like Ford's program only includes "traditional" Ford, which would be:

Ford
Lincoln
Mercury

rsunico

I'm comparing a 92x Linear (16888) to a Subaru Outback Sport Special Ed (173XX).

Any thoughts from people familiar with both cars?

PROS 92X: Looks nicer! and 400 bucks cheaper. free maintenance which is prob just oil changes (my Sube dealer does oil changes for 22 bucks)
CONS: 92x: Interior seats fabric.. hmm. No fog lights.

PROS OBS SE: the SE has better stereo w/6 speakers, spoiler, auto dimming mirror w/ compass,the dealer has ne in light blue (which I like). Has rack and cross bar. Outback version has higher stiffer suspension. Subaru tends to cover more things within the 3 year initial warranty (brake pads, wipers) .. at least they did on my Forester.
CONS OBS SE: I like the stling of the Saab better.

Decisions decisions. This is going to be the commuting and winter car. My 05 Cooper S Convertible will be the garage queen.

I need to make a decision soon to take advantage of the GM discount thingy.

5greyhounds

Funny, I am doing just the opposite. Last month we purchased an OBS SE for my wife in the light blue and she really likes it. So do I so I am looking at selling my Suzuki XL-7 limited and getting an Aero. I like the idea of the sunroof (I always have one), AWD and the interior looks very nice. With the GM plan going on now I can get one for under 20k. Just have to drive it and see how it is. It would be nice to have the extra power without the boy racer look. One question: does the Aero require premium? We have a Probe GT that required it and we said never again. Thanks, PHF

kyfdx

Saab also has a longer warranty...

Yes.. turbos require premium..

5greyhounds

That is what I thought. However, I am retired so it is not like I will put a lot of miles on it. I average 500 to 600 a month on the XL-7 with regular gas at 20 MPG so if I have high test but get 25 or 26 MPG it would seem to be a wash. Have to see how it drives.

kyfdx

If you are under 10K miles/year... premium fuel is not going to be that big of a factor..

227 Horsepower... it is worth an extra $0.01 per mile....

ateixeira

Is the roof rack and the two-tone. Will you use the roof rack? Do you like the two-tone? If not, get the Saab.

-juice

rsunico

Thanks Juice. I don't mind the 2 tone. Personally I like the OBS light blue. In hindisght, I should have kept my old Forester as the second car...

rsholland

Also...

There are far more Subie dealers than Saab dealers if and when you need service.

If it were me I'd wait for the '06 OBS, as it will have more power, as well as some other upgrades. A recent report on the '06 Forester, which shares the same engine said it feels like far more than just an 8 HP bump. I would have to agree with that as I too have driven an '06 Forester, and it felt a lot more eager than our '01 Forester.

Bob

tonedebone

> If it were me I'd wait for the '06 OBS

It seems to me that the whole "employee discount" program is basically a year end clearance sale. Even though I could have got my Aero now for at least $3k less now than when I bought it, when I come to sell it it'll still be an '05 model and so worth the same as one bought today (barring mileage), just I got nine more months of use out of it.

So I'd steer clear of something (ie. an '05 OBS) that isn't deeply discounted at the end of its product year because in 3 or 4 years it'll be worth a lot less than a similar car that's only a month ot two younger.

hotch41

I just picked up my deep blue mica Linear with the premium package this past Monday. I think I made a bad decision b/c the front (sport) seats are killing my thighs. The thigh supports makes life behind the wheel very, very uncomfortable. I realize the seats are supposed to hold you in place during hard cornering, but now I can definitely do without them. Anyone experience any similar discomfort? Any suggestions to correct it and does anyone know if leather seats are just hard to break in versus the cloth? I think I'm regretting buying the car even though the employee discount price along with the $5000 incentive made it hard to pass up. The options I have are automatic, premium package and cold weather. Purchase price was $20,732 after all discounts and incentives.

If I decide to get rid of it, what do you all think is a fair price to get selling it on my own or trading it. I definitely realize I'll be taking a hit, but since the car is in such demand, I suspect I should have no problem selling or trading. ANY ADVICE PLEASE. It would be sincerely appreciated.

purduealum91

were tight at first. Im 6'2", 190 lb. Now, 4700 miles later, its no problem. I just went stage 2. APS uppipe and APS TBE w/Cobb Accessport. Man, now this is how the car should be.

ateixeira

I'd suggest a very simple solution - get a seat pad. Even consider having an upholstery shop shape some foam to custom fit and then cover it in a matching color cloth.

Fill in the void so that the seat is flat. Then just leave it in its lowest position.

I bet they can do that for next to nothing.

In MD I know of Adler & Mandell, they do auto upholstery. Just check your Yellow Pages. Good luck.

-juice

kyfdx

This reminds me of when I bought my wife's BMW with the sport package (which I insisted on)..

I had to drive it home from Chicago (5 hours), and by the time I got there, it was killing me.. She was already in bed, so I didn't say anything.. But, I was ready for the complaints...

She never had any problems with it... and, once I started driving the car more, and got the power seats in a comfortable position, I didn't have any further problems, either...

Play around with the seating position and give it some time..

regards
kyfdx

hotch41

Thanks for your feedback. Could be more specific on what you mean by stage 2, APS uppipe, etc.? Thank you again.

purduealum91

go to cobbtuning.com and buy yourself an accessport. Thats stage 1. For stage 2, replace your stock uppipe and complete exhaust system with a turbo back exhaust system. 2 catalytic converters are removed leaving one hi-flow one in the downpipe. The car is now amazing. She sounds sexy.

Every new 92x owner should join saab92x.com

jchan2

Did you even take the car out on a test drive before buying?

If you do decide to sell, somewhere around $15,000-$16,000 sounds reasonable to me.

I don't know what KBB's blue book on this is, but if I were shopping for a barely used 9-2X, thats about how much I'd pay.

Then again, I wouldn't even consider a used 9-2X. The allure of a brand new car always gets me in the end. (I've only bought 1 used car ever)

crikey

...but the rebates have decreased -- $5K on Aero (likely to be automatics only) and $4K for Linears.

On another note, it seems that there WILL be a 2006 9-2X Aero as claimed by a Saab dealership employee to have been stated in an internal memo. No specifics as to engine size, prices, etc. Stay tuned, if interested.

freemahc

Just wanted to get the general thoughts about the two trim levels with Automatic transmissions. Anyone here have any compelling thoughts one way or the other? The turbo tempts me but I have heared that it's not that much better than the Linear once you add the automatic.

crikey

There are 2 videos on a popular 9-2X forum that will give a general idea about how an Auto Aero would perform. After viewing the videos, it seems OK to me as I will not be dragracing the 9-2X, if I had bought an automatic one (which is likely the only ones left). It would be a matter of personal preference as to whether an auto Aero is worth buying over the Linear. On a side note, it really does seem like that there will be NO 2006 9-2X Aero. So, the Aero will be a rare ride, indeed.

ateixeira

IMO the 2.5l is a better match for an automatic.

The 2.0T has less displacement and off-boost is has a lower compression ratio, so until it spools up the 2.5l will feel torquier and quicker. Since you have less control over gear selection, the 2.5l is more flexible IMO.

-juice

crikey

From Saab 9-2X gets More Horsepower for 2006, Pricing Unchanged:

...The 2006 9-2X Aero pays tribute to Saab's signature torque heritage with a new 2.5L turbo 4-cylinder boxer engine that makes 230 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm and 235 lb. ft of torque @ 3,600 rpm (up from 227-hp/217 lb. ft. last year).

...An available Leather Package includes leather appointed seats and door inserts on the Aero.

The 9-2X Aero's Sport Package is revised to include 17-inch wheels with all-season performance tread and xenon headlamps. The power moonroof on the Aero becomes a stand-alone option.

The 2006 9-2X Aero will be available in Midnight Black Mica, Arctic Silver Metallic and Brilliant Red.