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Comments
2. The old 9-3 was kept around too long and sales and interest dwindled. That means no pent up demand for a "new model" from tons of existing owners. There aren't that many existing owners of the old 9-3's! So sales will have to build over a longer time as word gets out about them. The Saab "base" was allowed to get too small. It will take time to change that.
3. Word of mouth has to get around about how much better the new 9-3 is. Most people are not car nuts like us and don't know it even exists. I've seen exactly TWO other 9-3's in the 4 months they've been out(both silver, btw), and I live in an area chock full of luxury and near lux cars. The first one I saw is what made me want to check them out and later buy one, so see, it works. But you can't admire the Saab if you never see one. So momentum will build slowly but surely as people see the looks and like it.
4. The dead of winter during a slow economy weeks before we may go to war isn't exactly a blistering time of the year in terms of car sales. Any sales increase at all in these conditions is great news.
5. As far as discounting goes...dealers were charging premiums on PT cruisers for a long time after it came out, and that car is a P.O.S. compared to the 9-3, mostly a styling fad, whereas the 9-3 has real substance. Check the resale value on those now, BTW. It stinks. If you're getting heavy discounts now and demand then increases in coming months and years, you win big. It's the reverse of the PT cruiser/VW bug phenomenon, where strong intitial interest and reputation faded with time.
6. BMW prices continue to skyrocket faster than inflation. This makes Audi and Saab more attractive to buyers who previously went with lower equipment level 323i's. If you want a nice looking european sport sedan, the 9-3 is looking pretty attractive and towards the low end of the price range for this type of vehicle.
Make it clear you will only buy the touring package at the price and that otherwise you want to stay with the original set up. Salespeople will often try to mix the set ups in an effort to get you unsure about what exactly you are getting for the money.
I came back from the Chicago auto show. The rep there told me around one and a half year later, there will be a new 9-2 coming to US. It is a turbo-charged (Subaru turbo) and AWD coupe. It will be price around mid-$20s.
Unfortunately I couldn't drive away with it today, my cosignee (my aunt) wasn't home to sign the forms.
There is no doubt I will get anxiety attacks, awaiting the delivery. It's due on Wednesday or Thursday.
At the dealership: Test drove a merlot with parchment- wasn't for me. I went crazy debating over the laser red(sporty but does no good to show off the classy lines) and steel gray(looks GOOD). The red was my emotional side calling, and the steel the rational and logical side. ended up with "Hey, it's my first car and I have plenty of chances later in life to get a sleek lookin steel/black/silver colored car. I'm too young to be rational." :P I got the charcoal interior: felt the parchment made the fabric trim less noticeable but the charcoal will probably hold better.
Gartner Saab, Rod Strozier: Not what I had expected. I got the feeling they were a bit on the snobby side when I initially corresponded. They were in fact, very down to earth and relaxed. They sell hyundais, buicks, and saabs so the inventory is not HUge but it's decent, and they shore seem to love their SAABs.
$27,200 for linear, launch, auto, touring, heated seats.
(and...FYI, I would have gotten the same price even with a metallic color choice).
Had I purchased the above options minus touring: $26,400.
(I called The Exchange to see if they would contest it. Initially they said no, then called back 15 minutes later with a " we can't beat it but we'll meet it". I went with gartner, the exchange sounded too much like they were doing me a favor.
So there's the line-up. I'll post pictures soon.
Hopefully joking: I'm praying that I don't wake up tomorrow morning, post a sleepless night of debate, and call in for an exchange to the gray steel from the red. (haha, hey you gotta remember, I'm a "girl", we're indecisive beings)...no i don't think i will.
The Touring is well worth what you paid for it. Getting the bi-xenons alone is is about what you'd pay for them on an MB C-Class.
i'll be heading out to the auto show myself on wednesday(ladies get half off haha).
wmquan: I was not able to use any other rebates except the launch $1000. It would have been nice to have all the money upfront for the $1500 in lieu of 0-0-0 but i didn't so
Thanks for reminding me you get half off at the auto-show. Not! I went yesterday. The displays and promotions are quite good. As usual, Chrysler puts on the best show. Too bad I am not really interested in their product. (Crossfire looks nice though -- still no price and you can guarantee the dealers will gouge).
The Linear, Arc and Vector were all there and all looked nice.
hahaha! and yes do check out gartner when u shop for you arc
needashave: Yep, I went with 0% financing. Are you going to buy with Patricks? You said dolphin gray right? I wanted to see how it looked but gartner didn't have any out and I forgot to ask. Heard it looks fabulous though.
I was looking at the Mazda 6, VW Passat, Audi A4 and BMW 325. Once I drove the Saab and saw the aggressive lease rates, the game was over.
I leased from Lund Cadillac/Hummer/Saab in North Phoenix. Very professional and offered me a rock-bottom price from the get-go.
Here's what I got: '03 Saab 9-3 Linear with Launch and Touring packages, plus heated seats, tinted windows, steel gray metallic paint.
Here's what I paid: $1,200 out of pocket total (will also get ~$200 back on a plate credit), $360/month (tax included) for 36 months, 12K miles per year. Compared to any other car in its class, this is a smoking deal. For the life of me, I can't figure out how they're doing it, but I'm not complaining. Of course, all maintenance is included in the lease.
Likes: This is a great car. It's quick, tight, quiet and comfortable. The transmission is very tight and the brakes are good. I feel safe in the car and found it extremely easy to get a comfortable driving position (I'm 6'2"). That's something I can't say about the A4 or the Mazda 6. Even with the moonroof, I have plenty of headroom. The 9-3 is beautiful to look at. The color is excellent, my second choice only to the Dolphin Gray, which they didn't have in stock. Fit and finish are top-notch and the 9-3 isn't a dime-a-dozen lux car like the Beemer (not knocking the 3 Series, which is a great car). The interior is exceptional and I'm having fun learning all the bells and whistles and reading the manual.
Dislikes: Note, these are mostly quibbles. The console/armrest seems a bit far back in relation to resting your elbow on it while driving. Plus, yes, it's covered in cloth, which seems lame. The clutch action is a little different than a typical sports sedan, but I got used to it in a couple of hours. And, yes, the stereo isn't the greatest. It isn't horrible, in my estimation, but an average aftermarket system would be a world of improvement.
Overall, I'm extremely pleased with the car and the deal. Thanks for letting me share.
Dion
Saab told me a leather arm-rest top is now available, now sure what the cost is.
As for the stereo, we've all bitched about that here more than once. Maybe they'll get the message.
Overall, it is a great car. No car is perfect. Not even the perfect car Homer made on "The Simpsons" -- heh (if you ever saw that episode).
I've never owned a turbo before. Is that "normal" for Saab turbo engines, or do you think this is indicative of a problem - large or small?
Said another way, are there other owners of this same car that don't hear a whine/buzzing noise?
Of course, I took it to the dealership, and they indicated they couldn't reproduce the noise, but I can certainly hear it!
Your assistance and advice is greatly appreciated...
Yes, the 9-3 is a very underrated vehicle, and a very pleasant surprise. I'm one of those non-Saab-devotees who is new to Saab and probably never thought I'd get one. But the 9-3 became impossible to ignore vs. the Passat I had been considering.
I've not been a big fan of GM either, but this GM-umbrella product, complete with Opel parts bodes well for GM's future. That is, if GM doesn't mess it up. Now, if only I could use a GM MasterCard on a Saab within the U.S.!!!
I think I saw you at Lund on Saturday. You had one of the four 9-3s the had on the lot.
I have been looking at purchasing a 2003 9-3 SS but I have decided to wait for the Arc and Vector. I'll probably get the Arc.
How is Lund Saab to deal with? I have been talking to Mr. Ensler and he seems nice enough. Since you leased and I am planning to buy, you might not be able to answer this, but I'd like to know how negotiable the prices are, especially the dealer options of paint sealant, etc. which I have no intention of buying.
They said the Arc will be available in April so I am trying to be patient and wait. I drove a Linear and really liked it, but I want to check out the other trim levels before making a final decision.
What color interior did you get?
I made a mistake: The Ladies' Day is Tuesday, not Wednesday. Unfortunately I can't make it until Wed, but!! if you take three canned items and donate it for shelters you can get half off. I got some canned tuna from last week's groceries to take (39cents each) so I'm still happy. Funny how a $5 dollar d/c can make me so happy.
Desertfox: Could've been me. I was there around noonish on Saturday; I'm tall with a shaved head. Overall I was pleased with Lund. We did have some miscommunication, though. I originally test-drove on Friday and the salesman came back with a lease offer that was close, but higher than I wanted to pay. We haggled for maybe 2 minutes and agreed on a price. He verbally committed he could push that through the finance department.
I needed to think, so I split to go back to work. After contemplating how good a deal it actually was, I called him back to accept his offer and made arrangements to pick the car up Saturday morning.
Saturday morning rolls around, I get my g/f to take me all the way up there (I live in the East Valley) and the salesman isn't there. I end up with the GM, he looks at the numbers and says they can't make that deal work. (jaw drops)
Long story short, I made a couple statements about expecting them to keep their word, blah, blah and I ended up paying $5/month more than the initial quote.
Despite the mixup, I was pleased with how the handled the situation professionally. I get the idea they really take customer satisfaction seriously.
I got the gray leather interior. Prices seemed pretty negotiable.
Dion
but... I have noticed that at certain times I hear a slight rattle. Someone posted before about rattling- is there any way to fix it? It doesn't bother me too much yet because it's pretty unnoticeable. Question: Where the side break lever is located, but that place on the passenger's side, the top part of the plastic pops off- what is that for?? the icepick i heard about is the only plausible answer in my mind...
...Some changes, since my post about purchase, for Chicago shoppers to note: To make the long and boring story short, I ended up paying with cash at 27200+fees. There were some misunderstandings and I was furious at first (because I thought I would get the 1500 rebate on top of the 27200 if I didn't use 000) but after the dealership explained their reasons I came back disappointed but not unhappy. It sounds shady on their part but all in all I don't think they were trying to gyp me- I should have made sure before running out with a smile last saturday...my fault as much theirs. I'm still pretty happy with the price, afterall it's still $2500 plus hundreds under invoice, but my ecstatic satisfaction has left me. They were all very polite and friendly up to the last minute I was there, so I won't hold any grudges. That check was the biggest one I've ever written and it scared me to hand it over. Man, how quickly all your savings can just fly away...
If any of you do end up buying with them at all, Rod's a really nice guy who won't pressure you.
And as a favor for me, when you talk to them~tell them RedSaabIrene said good things, because this now-veryvery-dead-broke college student will get 50 bucks for referals: woohoo! 50 boxes of mac n cheese!
Oh and LOL they wrote : $s "payed" instead of "paid" on my receipt hahaha! I was going to be polite and keep quiet but one of the managers noticed it and apologized.
Here's what I got...
2003 9-3ss (Linear) with Auto, Touring, Launch, and heated seats. Graphite Green metallic and Parchment leather.
Here''s the deal....
Leased for 36 mo. 15K, $2000 out of pocket, and the payments came to $367. I used the GM supplier discount and also got the Launch pkg incentive on top of that. So I am very pleased, especially considering that other $32k cars were all over $400 to lease with the same equipment.
Now a couple questions...
1. is there any way to adjust what lights remain on when the "night" button is pushed? I want the radio bottons to turn off if possible.
2. Did anyone have either the wood trim or the spoiler added? I'm wondering how these look.
3. Anyone else have graphite green? I didn't see any other posts mentioning it.
You are pretty smart at your age to recognize the often problematic combination of excitement about a new purchase and profit motivated sales people. Believe me, many of my home buying clients run into many of the same issues. When you go looking for a house or condo, remember what you learned.
And when I go to Gartner, I will remember to tell them Irene sent me. An extra $50.00 in college is like manna from heaven.
I also have a minor rattle in the drivers door. It's very slight, but I'm gonna ask the dealer to take a look at it when take I take the car for the 1,000/30 days service. Other than that, the car seems to be put together very solid. Regarding the hand brake lever on the passenger side: IIRC I think I saw in an accessories catalog that there's going to be a CD case that will fit neatly in that spot. It looked pretty nice. Not sure about pricing, though.
Have fun with your car!!
Having the new Saab must be so exciting for you! Don't worry about the misunderstanding about the $1,500. When you had posted your price up I figured it actually did include the $1,500 non-financing incentive, plus the $1,000 Launch Package incentive. So your price means you really got both, and it's a good deal!
What kind of fees do you have to pay in Illinois? I know there's a legitimate Saab advertising fee of $250 in invoices in Washington state, plus the $130 PDI fee.
Anyway, you're fortunate to be driving a very smart looking, good-performing, unique, and safe vehicle as a college student vehicle! It'll serve you well after you finish your current studies too!
freemahc --
Congratulations on your new Saab! Your lease deal is awesome, wish I could have gotten a GM supplier discount!
I haven't seen the wood trim kit myself. I'm impressed that it's real wood. That said, because I'm leasing the vehicle I'm not going to add it on unless lack of it drives me crazy.
If renee is in Chicago as I am, she paid almost 8% sales tax. Illinois residents who do not live in Chicago still pay over 6%.
No matter how hard we bargain, we still get hit with a big old ouch! at the end.
One confusion I had when negotiating were the differences in invoice as stated on Edmunds vs. the actual invoice. Edmunds was not reflecting a $250 Saab advertising charge that is actually a line item on the real Saab invoice in Washington State (I was skeptical because ad fees are an easy way for dealers to pad their profit, but the invoice was legit). I think that at first Edmunds didn't reflect a $150 PDI that was also a line item on the invoice.
Otherwise Edmunds was only off by $10, but the $400 difference was definitely there.
I have a very similar car to yours, though I have a manual transmission, the other options are the same. I also bought, not leased, and got a GM supplier discount along with the launch discount and the $1k, all in all a pretty good deal. My dealer had a bit of trouble finding the options I wanted with a standard transmission. I actually ordered the car in July; but did not take delivery until December 31. My armrest is not cloth, so this change was made at some point (I have seen some other comments about this).
The parchment interior is a lot closer to the color of my yellow lab than my old charcoal gray, so the fur doesn't show as much!
Anyone know anything about changing the nightpanel settings? Can it be done? My dealer thought there was a way to change what lights stayed on, but he wasn't positive.
As for the daytime running lights, my dealer said that they have the software to reset the Bi-Xenon lights back to a normal setting, so that shouldn't be an issue anymore.
*oh~ that was the CD case insert! icic.
Documentary sales fee: $52.57
The sales tax was 8.25% (of$27,252.57=$2248)
license+registraton fee+title transfer= $143
No advertising fees of any sort.
The total I "payed"(LOL): $29643.57
I will ask them to change the speed radar when I reprogram my lights tomorrow
Anyone have a good trunk mat for the vehicle, and the Saab all-season mats? I guess an aftermarket trunk mat might work but I'd want it to fit well.
Don;t know if other place will do the same. And I found Diane is the only one who give the coupon.
http://www.saabusa.com/main/US/en/pressreleases.xml?id=1
And I was reading also about the armrest? Does anyone know are they replacing this or does the owner have to?
Also I was concerned about my lease? I have lease many cars before from a good friend of the family, but for the saab I had to find a new salesman. But here is a quick run down on what I paid.
Sticker was 34K (fully loaded) I get GMS discount
final price was 29K.
I am paying about 440/month, 48mn lease, 15K miles, O down, except for first month. Can anyone tell me if this sounds like a good deal? I went through Saab Financial, and rate was 5%, and I am assuming residual was 52%? Can anyone help.
thxs
I've really enjoyed perusing all these 900-odd posts (whew!). You've posted lots of good info. Hopefully, as we get familiar with our cars, the posts will include more of the "how to" stuff, e.g., about installing some better (or more) rear speakers. As a bit of a gearhead, I hope to add to it. But now, I'm anxious to get the car! The only alternative that I've liked as well, maybe better, is the A4 1.8T Quattro, but it's just not nearly the car for the $, and I agree, the 325i is even worse in this regard. If you're a value buyer, you'd have to find a steal on a used car in this market segment to beat the deals on the 9-3s.
I'm about to (I think) make an offer to purchase or possibly lease a base 9-3.
As one of you said, it's a really complicated mess of information, especially when you consider leasing. But, could you please check my math and my numbers to see if I'm on the right track?
And here's my understanding, gleaned from two dealers, about the dealer incentives: If you accept either the cheap Saab Financial lease or purchase money, your dealer still gets $1,000 from Saab. OTOH, if you find money elsewhere, not only does your dealer get that same $1,000, but s/he also gets an additional $1,500. Total Saab to dealer if Saab financing is declined = $2,500. And here's my point of confusion: My impression from these dealers is that the $1,000 is *independent* of the Launch Package that most of your posts have connected it to. Can anyone else confirm this? Has Saab loosened up the program? Is there even more now available? It's really hard to get a complete picture, but at least this group tries to paint one! And, at least the deals are good, no matter how you slice it.
To the numbers:
Dealer Invoice 24,443 (includes holdback of $570 calculated as 2.2% of msrp of 25,900).
Discounting, Saab to dealer 2,500.
Add destination of 675.
Doing the arithmetic leaves a purchase figure of 22,618 on a non-optioned car. This would leave the dealer with a gross margin equal to the holdback that is apparently 570.
For a lease, I'd have to add back to the price the $1,500 to obtain the Saab lease deal promotion.
So is the following right? Using Saab's lease calculator on it's USA web site, 25900 is locked as the purchase price, so subtract 1000 for the remaining Saab-dealer cash, subtract another 1,457 (this is 25,900-24,443, i.e., the msrp without destination less the "apparent" invoice). Add the 675 destination. Total = 24,118. To lease at this price, with the 25,900 locked into their program, treat the difference between 25.9k and 24.118k, or 1,782, as a down payment (that the dealer would "provide", still leaving the dealer the $570 holdback). At 36 mos and 10k miles, this yields a payment of $261.15. But the problem is that you can forget the $999 down! The model forces up the amount due at inception to $3013.15 because of the model's lock of the 25.9k purchase price! So, to get the discount I'm after (one that leaves the dealer with only the holdback, or less), then that 3 grand has to be changed to 999 (as advertised). So the deal winds up at the 261/mo payment, but the model's money down drops to the 999 Saab advertises. Right?
I've yet to put all these numbers into a non-Saab calculator (where I could control the selling price and plug in the target price of $24,118, but my understanding is that when I do so, the lease factor/rate is now .00022% per month (makes it .53% per annum). I can only hope that if you've stayed with me so far, you're not as confused as I am!
Think I can go lower? I have located 3 or 4 base cars, but unfortunately, they're at least 100 miles away! I missed the one here in Greenville, SC by one day (after it had sat since October!). I want to buy armed with as much (accurate), complete information as possible, so if i'm missing something here, please advise. I like the approach a couple of you took of simply making a specific "no-haggle" $ offer, making it very easy to do a deal, and simultaneously alerting the dealer that you're a serious, no-BS buyer and are shopping based solely on price (I am, anyway). If I opt to lease, I'd propose the $261,to which any *non-dealer* fees, taxes, etc. would have to be added. Purchase offer would be $22,618 plus tax, title/registration, tag.
One more question: Is the OnStar deal--free for 2 years and including 200 minutes free, still in effect? Do I need to mention this, or any other "perk" specifically to get it/them? One dealer told me that the 16" wheels are all that are on any of the cars that are already in the USA-- even those still at port. ??
Thanks and enjoy those nine-threes! Tim
I really like the graphite green; but I live in upstate NY, so having the car clean and the sun shining is a rare thing this time of year. I did see the blue at my dealer, and thought it looked great. My 95 900 was LeMans Blue which had some purple in it - a very interesting color.
Mjmorrow
My car came with the leather armrest. I haven't seen anything about them going back and retrofitting earlier builds, you should bother your dealer
F650racer
My dealer said that the only stipped 9-3's were in black - I don't know if this is true or not, at least that way you don't notice that the lower body panels don't match the paint color
The money factor on the leases seems to vary, based on either dealer discretion, or perhaps some scale that Saab Finance is using.
I have always read here that the $1,000 dealer incentive is based on the Launch Package. So I'm not sure if you can get it without buying the Launch Package. I wish Edmunds would be able to provide better information about these incentives.
Good luck!
15k miles/ 36 months/ Launch Package/ Automatic for $379 down with only first month and registration due at signing.
Zumbach Saab told me that the 9-3's are now shipping with leather armrests. I also saw in their 9-3 brochure that is says that cd-holder is standard (did it come with your cars)?
Has anyone tried using the glove compartment to cool drinks, how does that work?
Thank you for all the informative posts.