Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2002 13:43:15 -0500 From: "Kenneth S." <nimrodnopsams.com> Subject: Re: Parts source for NG900 front fog lamp lens
When I wrote this originally, I anticipated that either someone would tell me that a Saab wasn't the car for someone like me, or that Saabs were distinctive cars for special people, who should be happy to pay large amounts of money to have them fixed. I hope I can have such luck in predicting the results of horse races! I've owned my 900SE for about a year now, having thought about buying a Saab for years. I like the concept of a four-door hatchback, and there are few other such cars on the U.S. market, but I doubt if I'll buy another Saab. However, I'm not going to sell my present Saab for some time, because changing cars is an expensive business, and I have other things that I prefer to spend money on. I'm afraid I'm not susceptible to the "Saabs -- love them or leave them" mentality that seems to afflict some participants in this news group. What puzzles me is why some keep talking about how well-designed Saabs are, when there so many indications to the contrary. It's not just the front fog lights. There's the driver's side mirror, which on cars sold in the U.S. doesn't have enough adjustment to reflect the fact that U.S. regulations require flat glass in driver's side mirrors. This apparently is a recognized problem, and I'm told by the Saab dealer that they can fix it for $140 (parts and labor). Then there are all the problems that anyone who reads this news group for long will know about -- instrument lights blacking out, a stereo system that requires you to go to the Saab dealer to have a CD player installed, and so on and so on. I've never heard of such problems on other cars. Then there's the famous key between the seats, which seems to serve no purpose other than to maintain tradition and serve to distinguish Saabs from all other cars. Meantime, it's subject to obvious risks like having things spilled into the ignition slot. Yes, of course, every car has its design deficiencies. But why keep talking about how well-designed Saabs are, when there are quite a few Saab design deficiencies that other manufacturers have managed to avoid? Of course, my Saab's a 1996, and for all I know later models don't have these problems. I certainly hope so. Bob wrote: > > On Sat, 02 Feb 2002 16:11:19 -0500, "Kenneth S." <nimrodnopsams.com> > wrote: > > > It's this kind of thing that leaves me wondering why some people think > >Saabs are well-designed cars. > > Not *every* aspect of any car is well designed. My Nissan requires you > to drop the fuel tank to replace the fuel pump. If they had put an > access cover in the floor (like my Toyota) it would be a 10 minute > job. Instead it took a couple of hours and a lot more finesse and > tools. The same car had foolish washer nozzles that stand up high > to fire over the wipers. I've broken at least 4 of them clearing > snow from the car. I now keep a supply in stock. > > Most of my recent cars have had the oil filter mounted horizontally. > You can't remove them without dripping oil all over the engine. > My friend's Ford Windstar has a removable center seat - but it > weighs so much you need two people (men or very large women) to > remove it. > > The list goes on. There are bad designs in one area or another of > all cars. However, I *really* think you should sell your Saab. If > you don't believe in your car you will generate bad Karma and you > are sure to have trouble. > > Bob
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