Saab may be sold, closed or kept. You just don’t know with General Motors. For months we thought they had sold Opel, but then they suddenly U-turned, sticking two fingers up at the ‘successful bidders’ and German government.
Either way, Saab prices in the UK have been depressed for at least the last 18 months and will not be improving until a firm announcement is made on the company’s future. If that announcement is closure then prices are going to dip further, but frankly they don’t have that much further to go.
Think back to the collapse of Rover for a minute. Prices crashed only very briefly before people realised that the cars are reliable enough, the mechanics still know how to fix them and the parts are still being made. A very small number of people got in quick and took advantage, most people have just paid full price – prices on Rovers are still surprisingly close to better cars like the Ford Focus.
Saabs are BMW beaters. So now or very soon is the right time to buy a Saab – don’t wait for the dust to settle as prices will rise again no matter what happens.
When you compare the quality of the Saab with its competitors, it makes huge sense:
Saab 9-3
Distinctive and fashionable styling without being controversial. Like its predecessor the 9-3 has an excellent balance of performance refinement handling and comfort.
Most economical: 1.9 TiD – 50 mpg
Best used buy: 2.0t Vector
UsedCarExpert.com faults: 12
Used Car Expert magazine price guide: A year 2008 2.0t with average mileage of 12,000 can be yours for £11,000 - £14,000. A 2006 year model with 40,000 average miles can be as little as £7,000.
BMW 3-Series
Expensive and popular but probably worth it. Handling and performance are market-leading. Space and equipment are average. But the badge ensures admiring glances.
Most economical: 318 Td – 60 mpg
Best used buy: 320i
UsedCarExpert.com faults: 11
Used Car Expert magazine price guide: A £7,000 budget will only buy a year 2003 3-Series at best. A year 2006 320i ES with average mileage of 29,000 can be found for £11,500 but £14,000 is a more realistic price. You won’t get a 2008 year car for anything like the same budget as a Saab.