Saab demise in Ireland approaching

johnos1984

I'm just wondering.

With Saab GB being liquidated does that effectively mean that Ireland is now too small a market to maintain RHD Saabs and therefore when the current unregistered stock sells that Saab shall pull out regardless of whether they survive or not?

unkel

If you look at the sales of new Saabs this year (appalling, even lower than Subaru ), you will know that the end is nigh for Saab dealers in this country

Your thread title is ambiguous at best though. The UK distributor of Saab is gone. Not Saab. Not for now anyway

johnos1984

unkel wrote: »

The UK distributor of Saab is gone. Not Saab. Not for now anyway

True enough. Could a mod change it to maybe "Saab demise in Ireland approaching" or something else befitting the thread.

What are Saab sales so far this year? I've seen a few 95's around Dublin but that's about it. You'd have to be mental to put your own money into a new one. Also all dealers now seem to have a second franchise. I'd imagine they are preparing for the inevitable

autoboi

I like saab, always have but engine size cuts out such a large segment of Irish drivers.

I'm sure if they put the time in they cud come up with something better the Volvos stab at a small car (c30).

Pity.

colm_mcm

autoboi wrote: »

I like saab, always have but engine size cuts out such a large segment of Irish drivers.

I'm sure if they put the time in they cud come up with something better the Volvos stab at a small car (c30).

Pity.

All Saab 93 models (130 and 180 bhp diesels in manual) are band A so I don't know why you think that

galwaytt

autoboi wrote: »

I like saab, always have but engine size cuts out such a large segment of Irish drivers.

Eh ?

The Irish-Preferred size of 1.9 diesel, or not-too-big 1.8 petrol 'cuts out such a large segment....' ??

Confused, I am.

Lex Luthor

colm_mcm wrote: »

All Saab 93 models (130 and 180 bhp diesels in manual) are band A so I don't know why you think that

Think the 180bhp is Band B (129)?

Still its impressive. Are they still using the Fiat engine?

alias no.9

autoboi wrote: »

I like saab, always have but engine size cuts out such a large segment of Irish drivers.

I'm sure if they put the time in they cud come up with something better the Volvos stab at a small car (c30).

Pity.

Something 'original' like this maybe

R.O.R

Lex Luthor wrote: »

Think the 180bhp is Band B (129)?

Still its impressive. Are they still using the Fiat engine?

The Aero 180 is 129g, but the Griffin 180 is 119g. Possibly to do with different sized wheels.

Still the same basic lump as far as I'm aware.

Nissan doctor

Its already very difficult to get main dealer parts from saab.

On a couple of occasions in the last few months I called about non stock parts and the answer is, we can put in and order but we can't tell you if its available, when it will arrive or how much it will be as their direct access to saabs parts system is already gone.:eek:

I had to get the parts from Opel and Fiat.

johnos1984

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Its already very difficult to get main dealer parts from saab.

I had been hearing the same from users in the UK a few weeks before they pulled the plug there.

How many SAABs have been sold this year in Ireland?

Nissan doctor

johnos1984 wrote: »

I had been hearing the same from users in the UK a few weeks before they pulled the plug there.

How many SAABs have been sold this year in Ireland?

138 until the end of November according to SIMI.

heate

Will the parts after sales etc go the way of rover - whatever happened there I'm not aware?
Are mechanical parts interchangeable with other GM cars or was it simply a platform sharing

johnos1984

heate wrote: »

Will the parts after sales etc go the way of rover - whatever happened there I'm not aware?
Are mechanical parts interchangeable with other GM cars or was it simply a platform sharing

Rover parts are easy enough to get in fairness and the vast majority are still available although some for the R75/ZT can be pricey.

Mechanical parts shouldn't be a problem as they are mostly shared. New body panels, bumpers and lights may become an issue however unless you are happy to buy salvaged parts

johnos1984

Nissan doctor wrote: »

138 until the end of November according to SIMI.

Although low it's hardly the worst performer but I can't see that being sustainable long term

unkel

Selling parts is a very high margin business. If a company goes under, someone will start selling parts. I wouldn't worry about that. Indeed look at Rover and parts are widely available and not expensive.

unkel

johnos1984 wrote: »

Although low it's hardly the worst performer but I can't see that being sustainable long term

Faichney Ringwood (most prominent Saab dealer in the country) have recently taken on Peugeot. Now if that is the best choice, I don't know.

johnos1984

unkel wrote: »

Faichney Ringwood (most prominent Saab dealer in the country) have recently taken on Peugeot. Now if that is the best choice, I don't know.

Been in there in the past and tempted but never put my hand in my pocket. I go to a clinic once a week in the Beacon and often go for a stroll around looking at whats in stock in the various garages in Sandyford.

FR have gone to Pug since the early part of the year. I'd say they are preparing for the inevitable.

Nissan doctor

johnos1984 wrote: »

Although low it's hardly the worst performer but I can't see that being sustainable long term

Practically all of those sales where in the first 3 months of 2011 though.

0 new saabs were sold in November!:eek:

johnos1984

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Practically all of those sales where in the first 3 months of 2011 though.

errrr I didn't realise that :eek:

A few were certainly dealership registered 95's also. They will make a rare and cheap bangernomics car soon so

colm_mcm

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Practically all of those sales where in the first 3 months of 2011 though.

0 new saabs were sold in November!:eek:

Who buys cars in November though?

PADRAIC.M

As someone who works in a Saab main dealer it's can be difficult to get genuine parts, espically saab control units like immobilizer etc which cant be got through opel or fiat, luckily enough we have " other" brand dealership too,

THE LINK WALSH

unkel wrote: »

Faichney Ringwood (most prominent Saab dealer in the country) have recently taken on Peugeot. Now if that is the best choice, I don't know.

Saab dealers Enniscorthy Motor Company have been appointed as Audi dealers apparently.

Casati

unkel wrote: »

Selling parts is a very high margin business. If a company goes under, someone will start selling parts. I wouldn't worry about that. Indeed look at Rover and parts are widely available and not expensive.

Might not work out like that, Saab sales globally would be a fraction of the sales that Rover would have seen. As Saab's are generally larger engined they tend not be kept on the road as long as more economical smaller/ cheaper to run cars so I think current owners will have some serious issues getting parts fairly shortly

Nforce

johnos1984 wrote: »

errrr I didn't realise that :eek:

A few were certainly dealership registered 95's also. They will make a rare and cheap bangernomics car soon so

Bridger12

Does anyone know if SAAB distributors brought in any of the new 9-5 Estate models (great looking car)?

Also, does anybody know why GM blocked the proposed Chinese investment in SAAB?

johnos1984

Bridger12 wrote: »

Does anyone know if SAAB distributors brought in any of the new 9-5 Estate models (great looking car)?

Also, does anybody know why GM blocked the proposed Chinese investment in SAAB?

The estate never made it down the production line and gm didn't want to give up ip rights and technology to the Chinese company attempting to take over Saab as it is already in use by another Chinese firm

Tragedy

Casati wrote: »

Might not work out like that, Saab sales globally would be a fraction of the sales that Rover would have seen. As Saab's are generally larger engined they tend not be kept on the road as long as more economical smaller/ cheaper to run cars so I think current owners will have some serious issues getting parts fairly shortly

I never even thought of that (I see enough 93/95s around that I figured there sales must have been pretty decent).

2010 Saab worldwide sales: 32,000
MG-Rover worldwide sales in 2004: 120,000
2006 sales of Ford Mondeo in the UK alone: 48,000


Ah, this is better:

L1011

MG-Rover have another benefit in their parts supply chain which is that many of the parts came from British firms, the cars sold disproportionately to the UK and Ireland compared to Saab and BMC-lineage cars have always had a slightly mad enthusiast following. I'd imagine it'll be easy to get Rover parts for far longer than it would be for another make going under.