What killed this group?

And who are you? You don't seem to be a regular member. Maybe a troll?

Non-binary usenet in general appears to be being used less and less.

My guess is that it's a combination of faster and faster connections combined with readily available, "pretty" forums.

Maybe that's the case. But I like the simplicity and elegance of ng. Far easier to follow and to search in the groups.google archive. Also the fact that it is slightly offbeat in the public conscience. I.e. news reporters always refer to it as "chat-rooms" or "forums", perhaps to keep the secret of usenet to themselves.

It seems to be. Take a look at the Barry Boys forum to see that anybody with a keyboard, mouse and no brain cells can get on t'internet forums these days.

I also like the fact that you can view stuff offline.

Yes. It's that slight geekiness, isn't it... :)

It's not dead. Nope. Quite lively.

Do you have a question about SAABs or do you just want to stir up some debate?

Personally, I find forums a lot more useful ... people actually post informative replies and genuinely want to help with problem. That, and a general chatty feel. Usenet seems sooooooo bogged down with keeping on topic, signal/noise ratio, blah blah blah ... so much so that the original post is somewhat lost by the third or fourth reply.

I still use a.a.s. when researching something, but if I want to ask a question that I do want an answer to, I use

an international forum, as my nationalforum and for something APC/performancerelated. I frequent other forums for other reasons, but will rarelypost anything on a.a.s. nowadays - no point in my opinion. That said, others may have a reason and point to post here, so I do continue to read this newsgroup and contribute where I feel I can be pertinent and useful. Shame, really, we had a reasonable "community" here not so long back. It might well come back ... the internet does swing back and forth ...

We're all supposed to be 'blogging' nowadays. Blogs are annoying to use because you have to troll through so much content to find things of interest. At least with newsgroups and forums it's fairly trivial to skip over things that are not interesting and go straight for the 'meaty' bits.

8-)

Probably part of it, but the forums need to be good quality without the overbearing 'steering' of content for a certain purpose like what happens with the forums at a certain saabnet website. At least here in this free and open newsgroup all discussion is welcomed no matter if someone else happens to agree or disagree with a point of view. That's the true value of newsgroups, and it's what forum sites should do to but unfortunately at least one has commercial interests as a higher priority than allow free, open access and discussions.

Regards,

Craig.

But they are not being introduced to real Saabs, only to the ghost of the "brand". Long time GM customers are used to a diet of multi hued shit and would only expect more of the same, so they will inadvertently aid and abet the loss of Saab DNA.

Says who? What makes a real Saab a real Saab? Why is a current Saab a lesser Saab than a 1980 Saab?

Drive any modern and it's very different from something in the 1970s. Modern stuff with a Saab badge is a modern interpretation of what you may consider to be a proper Saab.

DervMan ( snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

See also: Wolseley/MG/Riley c. 1965...?

Sorry, but that's just Tommy Rot. It's not an interpretation, it's a Vauxhall with a blue badge. (I like Vauxhalls BTW!)

Real Saabs died with the 9000, the last Saab with any true Saab bloodline.

That said, the 9-3 is an excellent motorcar, and the most reliable car (of any brand) we've ever owned was a NG 900s.

This newsgroup died when the likes of Saab Druids such as Grunf disappeared, and Dave Hinz isn't here anymore to point and laugh at when he gets all uptight about top posting and netiquette...

Al (awaiting the flame fest!)

Al ( snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

The Alfa 164/Fiat Croma/Lancia Thema, y'mean?

I s'pose that had a hint of Saab heritage - after all, there was the Saab

600/Lancia Delta...

It was their death knell. Well... MG escaped after a fashion but only because there were genuinely unique MG models.

Graham

It didn't look like any of those did it ? Nor did it share engines or running gear or interiors. It was after all only a shared bodyshell and the later CS model radically changed that (for the better) anyway.

Graham

People still want the MG ZR, ZS, ZT derived from the Rover 25, 45, 75. More so the ZR. It isn't a unique product, merely something that is perceived as being "British" and "sporty."

Just like Saab. It's perceived as being "Swedish" and "comfortable."

Aie but who designed it?

My heart wanted a classic Saab 900 Turbo with air conditioning.

My budget said 9-3. My head said Mondeo TDCi.

In the end I bought the diesel 9-3, knowing its faults* but also its strengths. It has the understeery Saab-esque handling, it has those seats and that interior, but it also has a Japanese engine and GM running gear.

Heh, I can believe that.

In two words - badge engineering.

Well, maybe if you are talking American autos, then a 70's car will feel a lot different from a newer car - heck the Americans still had rear leaf spring rear suspensions, inadequate brakes and shitful handling. Yet a Saab 99 from the 70's in good mechanical condition will drive with a 'modern' feel - funny about that.

Modern stuff with a Saab badge is NOT a modern interpretation of what may be considered to be a proper Saab. How can a Subaru with a Saab badge be considered to embody the Saab values? What sense is there in having a Cadillac SUV with a Saab badge?

Here is a very perceptive article which clearly shows the problem facing the marque

I would guess that at some time in the not so distant future GM will sell off the brand - probably to an Indian or Chinese auto maker. This is what is happening now with Jaguar (Ford are rumoured to have an Indian buyer for Jag).

DervMan ( snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

factory-chavved. Saves dealing with the muppets at Halfords, I s'pose.

johannes ( snipped-for-privacy@size-nospamme95754-fitter.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Indeed. You forget to mention the Triumph engine, though.