SAAB News: More Saab News: What Warranties? *UPDATED*

[William Maley]

William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

December 20, 2011

If you were thinking about stopping by your nearest Saab dealer to get a steal on a new 9-5, you might want to hear this.

Automotive News reports Saab Cars North America issued the following statement:

"Warranty coverage is suspended indefinitely for all new Saab vehicles sold. During this period, the warranty booklet must be removed from the owner information packet. For any vehicle sold or leased during this period, the customer should be affirmatively advised that the vehicle does not carry any warranty coverage and is sold 'as is.' "

Saab Cars North America also told Automotive News that they have suspended processing and payment of all claims, which include:

• New-car warranties
  
• Powertrain warranties
  
• Emission warranties
  
• Parts warranty
  
• Safety belts, airbags
  
• Towing
  
• Recalls and campaigns
  
• Certified pre-owned coverage
  
• Goodwill
  
• No charge maintenance
  

The question now being asked if this suspension is permanent or temporary. The answer will likely be decided when Saab goes through bankruptcy proceedings.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

UPDATE - GM announced they will extend warranty coverage for owners of Saab vehicle built before February 2010.

"In the event Saab cannot or will not fulfill its obligations to administer the warranty programs with its U.S. and Canadian dealers through Saab Cars North America or otherwise, GM will take necessary steps to ensure that remaining warranty obligations on Saab vehicles marketed by GM in the United States and Canada will be honored," said GM Spokesman Jim Cain.

Source: The Detroit News

View full article

[Robert Hall]

And thus the value of nearly new SAABs drops to zero...

[Drew Dowdell]

Hey, I'd drive a new 9-5 for $0. I'd even drive a new 9-3 for that...

[A Horse With No Name]

But for people that bought them...zero instant negative equity.

Glad to see them finally die, the older stuff was cool, but not sure I'm down with paying 50k for what they were currently offering...

[Robert Hall]

But for people that bought them...zero instant negative equity.

Glad to see them finally die, the older stuff was cool, but not sure I'm down with paying 50k for what they were currently offering...

I bet people that did pay that much for a new 9-5 have some serious buyer's remorse right about now....

[A Horse With No Name]

Agreed...

Or as someone on another forum put it...

You Saab guys are worse than the VW fans. All 3 of you.

[daves87rs]

Parts could get interesting...

[Intrepidation]

Parts won't be a problem, since all three vehicles were GM engineered using GM parts.

Too bad they never got to build the 9-5 SportCombi, that was a sharp looking wagon.

Really the whole Saab story seems to have come to an unfortunate end. They had the product, two of the three vehicles were brand new and were getting very good reviews, but the company didn't have the money to keep operations going. That combined with uncertainty over the company and lack of advertising kept buyers away no doubt. I'd love to own a 9-5 or a 9-4x. There's a 9-5 around town and its a very sharp looking car. R.I.P. Saab.

As far as warranty goes, the fire sale prices they'll be going for now would make up for the lack of warranty for me.

[hyperv6]

Anyone who bought a Saab since 2008 should have considered the risk. It is a shame they will pay the price.

But in the big picture these cars are not warranty problems for the most and generally are reliable cars. Parts are not going to be an issue and they should be able to drive them till they get the good out of them. The only ones I see at risk are anyone with a major failure which is rare or someone who does not keep a car for more than 5 years or better.

I hate to see any car company go but at least this one effects so few people.

[Robert Hall]

I'll have to ping one of my old bosses in Denver...4 years ago he and his wife were an all SAAB family...had late model 9-5, 9-3 Combi, 9-3 cabrio...

[A Horse With No Name]

Not sure my earlier posts came across right...I'm not bitter against Saab...but they kind of lost what made them unique.

Love old Saab rally cars, and I always thought a 9-3 convertible could be cool. I've even thought of finding an older model and building it up as an SCCA rallycross car.

I would like to have seen what would have been offered in 2017 had they been able to re-acquire their unique identity.

When my 18 year old son Joel took his drivers test, the woman giving the test was a huge Saab fan...they spent the hour after he took his test cruising around in the Miata and talking about vintage Saab rally cars.

[regfootball]

maybe i can get a new saab 9-5 for dirt, but the bank won't probably lend on it!!!

[GMTruckGuy74]

maybe i can get a new saab 9-5 for dirt, but the bank won't probably lend on it!!!

I wonder how true of a statement this is.

[Robert Hall]

There is a 2011 9-5 on ebay now BIN price 39500.

Edited December 21, 2011 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[William Maley]

Updated the story

[Z-06]

A good proactive approach from GM.

[G. David Felt]

For ten cents on the dollar I would be willing to buy a SAAB 9-4x AWD SUV. This way I can handle any component failures since there is no warranty.

If memory serves me right was the 9-4x based on the old trailblazer or another GM SUV?

[G. David Felt]

Answered my own question, it is based on the Cadillac SRX. Nice version in the Aero XWD. Based on my ten cents on the dollar that would make this $50,000 vehicle a bargain at $5000. I might be willing to go as high as $15,000

[G. David Felt]

Have to give BIG KUDO's to GM for releasing that they will honor all warranties on the vehicles made up till Feb 2010. At least they are willing to back those buyers and could regain some back into the GM fold.

Sad for SAAB buyers, but this car company should have been killed off a couple years ago. Just not enough room for this many auto companies.

Also this will add to the European Depression.

[Drew Dowdell]

SAABs have been out of production for long enough that any effect on the EU economy would have been felt already. They haven't paid salaries since June.