Archives: cars
- Saab Troubles Continue
What can I say? Last month, I had to get a new short block put into my 9-3, which is basically most of the engine. $6200 worth of parts and labor, gleefully covered under my extended warranty. But, this Tuesday, I decided to venture out of the office for lunch, (this is suburbia, impossible to get anywhere by foot)… and on the way back, my car just quit on me in the middle of an on-ramp. So, there I am, blocking traffic, waving cars along, and attempting to push the car out of the way, simultaneously steering the wheel. I... - Saabs Don't Age Well
One of the smartest things I’ve ever done, was to pay a little extra for Certified Pre-Owned status on my used 9-3, which more or less just extends the warranty. For an extra $1500 or so, I’ve received more than double that amount in parts and labor over the past 2 years. So, on thursday, I dropped the 9-3 off in Framingham so they could replace the Water Pump, which was going bad. Look at the piece of crap they gave me as a loaner: Later that afternoon, I received a call from the service department, saying that I also... - Another Quality Afternoon at Saab City
I spent the morning and a good part of the afternoon today sitting in the dealership, watching the snow come down in buckets, waiting for my car to get it’s new wheels. 2 new rims, and 4 new tires… But watching all of this snow got me daydreaming about nicer weather, and all that it entails… grilling, scooting, the beach. And, as long as we’re daydreaming, how about this $40,000 convertible?... - Saab 9-2X
The 9-3 is again in the shop, (needed a new thermostat), but this time my loaner story is a bit more interesting that the "Kia Rio":http://ned.suckahs.org/archives/002686.php of last week. You see, I was given a 2004 "9-2X":http://www.saabusa.com/saabjsp/92x loaner -- albeit, the base model. What's funny, however, is that I came away from the experience feeling once again that "Saab":http://saabusa.com is _harming its brand_. Why you ask? First, this is _not_ a _Saab_. I don't care if it has a 9-3 front-end, and "griffin logo":http://home.swipnet.se/danny/saablogos.htm slapped on the wheel... the overall character of the car _screams_ Japanese. Based on the "Subaru... - Saab City
I dropped my "2000 9-3":http://ned.suckahs.org/archives/001787.php off at the "Framingham Saab":http://saabcityusa.com today for its 30,000 mile major service, and was promised a "loaner" car. Great!, I thought... what a perfect opportunity to check out the new "2005 model":http://www.saabusa.com/saabjsp/93s/, or maybe the new "9-2X":http://www.saabusa.com/saabjsp/92x/, which is basically a fancied up "Subaru":http://www.subaru.com/servlet/showroom?track=topnav_s&command=overview&webModelName=IMPREZA&modelYear=2005&webTrimName=WRX_SPORT_WAGON? Right? Wrong. I was handed the keys to a Purple "Kia":http://www.kia.com/rio/ by an "Enterprise":http://www.enterprise.com/ Rep -- automatic transmission, no CD player... (I wouldn't have chosen this car, were I actually _paying_ to rent it) Swedish car owners are a specialty niche group, (and a very loyal one), much like _Apple_ computer... - Car Swap
I can't even believe that I drove into Saab City today in my beaten and bruised '93 Subaru, and drove out with a near-mint 2000 Saab 9-3... It should be a crime. Go see Krissy if you need a car -- she is the Internet Sales person. That was the sweetest 10-minute drive of my life. 70 degrees outside, sunroof open, and my first CD was... Blur's Leisure.... - Saab Story
I started out looking for a used Golf, but I've realized they are really crappy cars-- especially if you're not buying a new one. After test driving a honda, and deciding I wasn't ready to give up all fun in my life, I drove a used Saab 9-3. Wow. This is your basic entry-level Saab -- but with leather seats, sunroof, and a 180hp turbo engine to all but ensure that I won't become an ardent environmentalist -- although it is a 4-cylinder. My only problem is that I'm worried that I'm going to look like a toolbox in this... - Approved
I bought my current car, a green '93 Subaru Impreza wagon, in the winter of 1998, after I received an inheritance from my grandfather. Since then, I've grown attached to it, not least because of my grandfather, but also because it was my first manual transmission, and it was my first foreign car. I hate cars -- I hate what they've done to our cities and our country in the past 60 years... but, they are sometimes a necessary evil. Presley and I have hauled our lives from Buffalo to Boston, Boston to Cambridge, and back again over the years,... - Car Repair
I got the tail gate fixed on the Subaru today by Mike, so I thought I'd give him a shout out.... - whoa. My Car Needs this.
whoa. My car needs this.... - Cars
I spend uncounted amounts of my time, mostly when I'm walking or driving around town, looking at and thinking about car designs... admittedly, when I'm not behind my computer, you've got to look for other things to obsess about-- that's the problem with being a designer. Slate has an interesting article about the state of car design (I might say, it's quite cynical). I've always liked Volkswagen styling, for its simplicity and 'sporty-ness'. I don't like the new Passat though (2001). I think they're trying to look more like the new Volvos... which attempt, (at least the big ones), something...
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