Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2003 22:20:03 GMT From: "someguy" <someguynopsamwhere.se> Subject: Re: Buying a used 9-5
"Nutmegger" <nutmegger_7717nopsamo.com> wrote in news:b5gq0u$2922e3$1nopsam38055.news.dfncis.de... > > "someguy" wrote::: > > > "David Cohen" wrote::: > > > I am looking to replace my 2.4 SE S80 in a few months with a used 9-5. > > > > > > > Good idea. However avoid the first generations of the model, > > I've been advised of the same exact thing. I think there is lots of truth > in this, regardless of the manufacturer. > > >if you for > instance > > want a wagon model start with year 2000 since the earlier years have a > rear > > suspension system that is too weak. Even if the quality of new car models > has > > increased there are still several problems discovered with each new model > > introduced. > > I think of it like new software, you sometimes don't encounter problems > until it's been used for a while. > > > > It is really a pity that motor journalists are so keen on requiring new > models > > regularly. Here in Sweden they are already complaining about the 9-5 > getting too > > old and needing a replacement model, while the car is now starting to > become > > well-known and infantile problems are no longer an issue for the owner. > > How much influence would you think the motor journalists have on a company > making a decision to retire a model? No direct influence, but I guess they affect the mind of the average consumers and thus create a climate that forces the car manufacturers to develop new models instead of improving the ones they have. They do of course improve, just consider the 9-5 from year 2002 where Saab claimed they introduced more than 1100 changes. Doing too much new development just mean that the consumers have to pay more for the cars, since the development costs must be shared on fewer cars. The development of a new car seems to be in the order of 1 - 2 BUSD. The 9-5 sales is around 50000 per year I would guess. If the model lives for 8 years that means at least 2500 - 5000 USD per car just in development cost downpayment (then the pricing to the consumer adds on top of this). To this adds a lot of other costs related to a new model that the consumer has to pay, like expensive introduction advertisment campaigns, recalling cars for repair because of infantile problems etc. -- someguy
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