It's our pleasure to announce that the economic downturn is responsible for something you might actually want, other than cheap gas: Volvo is offering free maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles on all 2009 models. Volvo ran the program most recently until 2006. But with sales in the tank, Volvo dealers have been pleading with Volvo to bring it back in a bid to get more customers. Volvo higher ups finally agreed, and dealers think that this will help a potential customer choose Volvo over another make, especially a domestic, if she knows she won't be on the hook for creaks and leaks. BMW, Land Rover, MINI, and Saab also have free maintenance programs, and VW has started the program for its 2009 models. Now if only Volvo offered the S60 Concept with free maintenance...

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Volkswagen has been down this road before with the Jetta Trek back in the late '90s. This time, though, they're putting a green spin on it. Lime, to be exact. Chi-town Volkswagen dealers are giving buyers a bicycle and roof rack for the next month. The premise is that the dealer will encourage you to take your bike on quick, short-distance jaunts. Not driving a car at all by riding a bike is super effective at reducing fuel consumption, gridlock, and CO2 emissions. Biking is also way cheaper than exotic technological solutions; plus, you'll get some exercise, which is hard to come by in stop and go traffic. The cycle is still a Trek, dubbed the Lime, which is one of their newest models and has a three speed automatic transmission that automatically changes gears for you, in the hopes that you'll find it a more enjoyable way to ride. We'd probably hate it. It really is a great, simple solution that could work for a lot of folks. We know this is Autoblog, and this has turned into a bicycular love-fest, but we have to applaud the marketing stunt as an elegant (if gimmicky) way of focusing on our vast appetite for fuel.

[Source: VW via AutoblogGreen]

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]