Saab offering free car to members of the Million Mile Club
You no doubt remember Peter Gilbert, the Wisconsin man who drove his 1989 Saab 900 SPG over 1,000,000 miles. His is the kind of story that PR folk pray for, or pay lots of money to artificially orchestrate. In Gilbert's case, however, it's fact that he did indeed drive over a million miles in his Saab. The magic moment happened back in September and Saab officials were there to celebrate with Gilbert, although at the time all he got was a lousy handshake.
Someone at Saab, however, thought this story still had legs, and convinced the company to reach out and reward any owner that has driven a million miles or more in his (or her) Saab with a brand-new Saab. Gilbert automatically qualifies and will be receiving a 2007 Saab 9-5 Aero early next year at the Saab Aero Academy at Road Atlanta, Georgia.
More info and full press release with details after the jump.
[Source: GM]
In order to qualify for the prize, an owner must proivde verifiable proof that he or she is the original owner of the Saab in question, that the vehicle's in running condition (Saab may want to be a bit more specific on that point), that the odometer hasn't been tampered with and that it has always been registered in the U.S. Once all those boxes are checked, said Saab owner will get his or her own brand new 2007 9-5 Aero. This offer, if that's what you want to call it, will run from now until the end of 2007, after which they'll go back to giving members of the Million Mile Club a hearty hand shake. If you're Saab is at 950,000 miles or so, we'd suggest a nice long road trip next summer.
PRESS RELEASE:
One Million Miles in a Saab? Get a New One from Saab - For Free
DETROIT - Convinced of the jet-like performance and endurance of its products, Saab Automobile USA is announcing that it will offer a free new Saab to any U.S. customer who covers the distance of one million miles (or more) in a Saab that he or she originally purchased new. The new Saab will come with the 100,000 mile/5 years GM Powertrain limited warranty and 3 years/36,000 miles no-charge scheduled maintenance, standard with every model in the 2007 Saab Automobile USA portfolio.
This announcement comes after Wisconsin resident and insurance salesman Peter Gilbert recently reached the one million milestone in a 1989 Edwardian Gray Saab 900 SPG, still with the original engine and turbo, at this year's North American Saab Owners Convention in Lake George, N.Y. Saab Automobile USA General Manager Jay Spenchian was the very first to congratulate Gilbert and his 900 SPG on the occasion.
"Saabs are made for people who love to drive, as proven by the many high-mileage examples in the Saab owners' community", Spenchian said. "Having personally been with Peter Gilbert in his 900 SPG as we crossed their magical finish line together, one cannot help but being impressed by the condition of car and driver after one million miles. Our offer of a new Saab to any U.S. customer who equals this achievement, should be seen as a token of appreciation for the enduring loyalty and confidence in Saab."
Mr. Gilbert will receive a brand new, 260 hp Saab 9-5 Aero (MSRP $ 38,735 ) as a worthy replacement for his tried-and-true 900 SPG. Delivery of the new car is to be scheduled in early 2007 at the Saab Aero Academy at Road Atlanta, Georgia. Saab is the only U.S. manufacturer offering this two-day enhanced driving course – a $1,350 value – at no cost to every U.S. customer who buys a new Saab 9-3 Aero or 9-5 Aero.
"I am obviously thrilled with the idea of being presented with a new Saab 9-5 Aero", Gilbert said. "It is not just fast and fuel efficient, but also extremely safe. A reassuring thought, keeping in mind that my faithful 900 SPG and I survived many a collision with Wisconsin deer. Who knows, I might take a run at another million miles in my new 9-5! "
The offer of a free, new 2007 Saab 9-5 Aero [not to exceed the Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price of $38,735 (certain features and options are subject to availability at time of delivery) and delivery to take place at an authorized Saab USA dealer] valid from the date of this release through calendar year 2007 (offer ends Dec. 31, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time), is available to any U.S. customer who can present verifiable proof to Saab Automobile USA that he or she is the original owner of the Saab vehicle that covered one million road miles or more, that the vehicle is in running condition, that the odometer hasn't been tampered with, and that the vehicle is currently and has always been registered in the United States. The customer is responsible for all applicable taxes, title fees, registration and destination charges. Visit www.saabusa.com for important details and limitations on this offer.
Saab is a division of General Motors Corp. Saab Automobile USA is the importer and/or distributor of Saab 9-3, 9-5 and 9-7X automobiles for Saab Automobile AB, Sweden. For the 2007 model year, Saab markets seven car-variants that have an estimated EPA-rated 30 mpg on the highway.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
John P. 5:10PM (12/18/2006)
This is a wonderful thing for a car company to do if the drivers did indeed drive 1M miles. It shows how well a car is built, as well as gives people incentive to maintain their car, keeping it in great working order.
I have a 1989 Ford Festiva that has 360,000 miles on it but I got so tired of driving the thing I couldn't stand another mile so it sits. Maybe I should start driving it again?
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Steve C 5:14PM (12/18/2006)
It is the least they could do for a valued customer. After all these car companies have spend milions on advertising their products. What is a measely $45G car as a gift
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Edsel 5:20PM (12/18/2006)
The IRS loves these give-aways.
Remember the Pontiac G6 fiasco - lot's of very surprised recipients got a very rude lesson in taxable gift regulations.
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retsel 6:08PM (12/18/2006)
dude.... i am going to buy a used saab with 90000 and put it on a treadmill... MUAHHHHAAAAHHAAAHAA
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ma dai! 5:28PM (12/18/2006)
Whatever. The 9-5 is U-G-L-Y you ain't got no aliby you UGLY!
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bepsf 5:56PM (12/18/2006)
"I am obviously thrilled with the idea of being presented with a new Saab 9-5 Aero", Gilbert said. "It is not just fast and fuel efficient, but also extremely safe. A reassuring thought, keeping in mind that my faithful 900 SPG and I survived many a collision with Wisconsin deer. Who knows, I might take a run at another million miles in my new 9-5! "
...Or a run at another deer???
Lookout Bambi!!!
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WhiteGrace 6:08PM (12/18/2006)
Mr. Gilbert's Saab was actually built by Saab in Sweden. It is a pre-GM takeover. The last really fine body style which actually looks like an airplane and has structural integrity and
strength derived from aircrast design. I still have a 1985 Saab 900 8V 5 spd.hatchback which I purchased new and she has over a quarter of a million miles on her now. She'll never see a million. I'm not a traveling salesman. But she is by far one of the finest mass
produced autos I have ever owned or driven. Bullet proof. Starts every time. I would drive it anywhere. My second choice in '85 was a Camry. Boy! Did I dodge a bullet.
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UH2L 6:19PM (12/18/2006)
#7. You have to have been the original owner to cash in on this offer. Otherwise, this announcement would have increased the resale value on all Saabs including my 1997 900 S which still looks and drives like new at 125,000 miles, (click on my name to link to my blog which has an album with pictures of it). My original target was 300,000 miles, but now I'm going to go for 1,000,000. It may take a while, perhaps by the time I turn 80!
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sammyd 6:24PM (12/18/2006)
Part of me applauds this idea, because it's great for marketing as more reach (try to reach) the million mile mark. However another part of me thinks this might be a bad idea.
Think about it...Car companies make money from people buying new cars. Now they've provided the incentive to keep people from trading in an old car to buy to a new one. I'm just curious how many poeple who currectly own saabs where thinking: "Well, my saab is really old, and I was thinking of trading it in for a new own, perhaps now I should hold out.."
Am I crazy for thinking people might actually shoot for the million mile mark?
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UH2L 7:02PM (12/18/2006)
I might be crazy enough to try for the million mile mark with my 1997 900, and I also bought a new Saab a year ago because I also need a newer car.
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PGAero 7:18PM (12/18/2006)
sammyd... I DO think you are crazy to think that this will affect the sales of new cars. How many original Saab owners have a car that is even close to turning over 1,000,000 in the next year? (My guess, 0,1,2, maybe 3?) And of those, how many were thinking they'd buy a new Saab this year? (My guess... 0.)
1,000,000 miles... at 60 mph... = 16.7K hours. At, say, 12 hours per day... = 1389 days = 3.8 years. Which means, you would have to have a very high mileage Saab in order to even entertain thoughts of putting off that new car purchase.
Let's see, I'll go with 6 hours a day, at 60 miles per hour, average... That's 6*60= 360miles/day * 365days/year = 131,400 miles/year. So, you'd have to have a Saab (which you are the original owner of) with 869,000 miles on the clock, and spend 6 hours of every day, for the next year, to get a new one.
My conclusion: Not a single person will be able to take Saab up on their offer.
WhiteGrace:
I hear where you're coming from on the GM comments, but the 9000 ('86-'98) had the lowest fatality rate of any car sold in Sweden, and the 9-5 held the same designation. (I think Folksam is the reference on this stat, sorry for not looking it up). Furthermore, the current 9-3 was just awarded a NIHS(?) best in class or "top pick" or whatever they call it for the third year in a row... even with the introduction of newer models from the competition. I think that Saab has done a stellar job with the resources they've been given. I do think that the 900 Aero/SPG is one of Saab's most timeless designs though. I'd love a '91 in Beryl Green... preferably with fewer than 1,000,000 miles!
I love Saabs, and truly hope that GM will allow the brand enough autonomy to make distinct cars in the future. I do think that this was a PR press release, and nothing more.
~P
Owner of a '93 9000 Aero, 5spd, w/ 80K.
Previous driver of:
'83 900S (Brother's)
'87 900S (Brother's)
'91 900S (Other Brother's)
'92 9000S (Parent's - 240K when it was sold)
'97 900SE (Other Brother's, not Daryl)
my dad's current '01 9-5 SE.
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Diede 9:00PM (12/18/2006)
Some further food for thought:
Say that you do have a car with 200,000 miles and have grand plans to make up the additional 800,000 on rollers the savings on guess online would kill the deal
800,000 miles / 30mpg = 26,666 gallons
1 gallon at ~$2 = $53,333
nice try
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Brian 9:41PM (12/18/2006)
If Saab really is serious and continues with this program, it will cost them about $50k every 5-10 years (no big deal) while providing them with a great marketing tool, especially if this gets them in the news every few years. The cost of such a promotion (in terms of free advertising) is most likely negative.
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Eric L. 9:46PM (12/18/2006)
I think to keep a Saab going for 1 million miles, you'd probably have paid the dealer enough in repairs for them to easily make up the equivalent of a new Saab.
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ricardo 2:25AM (12/19/2006)
My uncle has atm a Old Volvo 260, with 500'000 KM which runs like in its first day. It's his second one, his first with 450'000 was wrecked while he was at work... at volvo.
will he now get a volvo for free? ;P
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Greg 8:34AM (12/19/2006)
It's not the Million Mile Club but I became a member of the Mile High Club on a Saab aircraft. Does that count?
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matt 8:51AM (12/25/2006)
While the idea of a free automobile sounds great, I would like to ask Mr. Gilbert about how much money he spent maintaining the car. We hear so much about the reliablility and long life of Swedish automobiles like Volvos and Saabs. I find the upkeep enormously expensive. While entertaining the idea of buying a used Volvo three years ago, the owner showed me all the old invoices and service records. In the time span of five or six years they spent more money than what my old VW Jetta was even worth!!! I don't remember all the repairs in great detail but a great many were outside of brakes and tires, a must on every car. Is the million mile mystique a particular trait to Volvo or Saab or would any car last that long when you drop that kind of cash?
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Donnie g. Foster 1:11PM (12/25/2006)
Does anyone have any exp.(their performance and relability) with the new Saabs `06 &`07,S? I looked at them a couple weeks ago and like their look but not beinga general motors fan and seeing from firsthand exp. someof the poor quality automobiles that G.M. has produced,it makes me reluctant to buy one. I have worked as an auto mechanic for past 25 years and wroked on alot of Saab 900`s, great and reliable cars they are .I love those automobiles.I didnt like their look in the begining but the look grew on me. does anyone have any exp with the new generation saabs? Please email me at Dgfcr@aol.com Merry Christmas , Donnie
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John Basden 9:30AM (12/25/2006)
It is good to provide information about cars, but don't forget that there are people who drive Trucks.
AOL could address a Truck once in a while.
As for SAAB- they make a good product. I have had friends who have owned SAAB'S and liked the car. All were very satisfied.
Merry Christmas to all.
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Sandra Immerso 9:16AM (12/25/2006)
Too bad that does not include SAAB owners with S SAABS and a VOLVO!
I have 2 9-3 Turbo engine SAABS and love them. I think that is great of SAAB to award a new model to someone with that many miles.
I hope that SAAB comes back with the hatch back. It holds a lot in the back and has a special and different look. And when you put the clutch in third that turbo takes off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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