It’s only logical that consumers either turn away or are more cautious price-wise when it comes to buying a used car from a brand that has an unsure future like Saab. And while many people are patiently waiting to see what’s going to happen with the Swedish carmaker, “Used Car Expert Magazine” says that used Saab prices in the UK have been falling for the past 18 months.
As an example, the magazine says that the average price for a two-year-old Saab 9-3 2.0t has dropped from close to £14,000 in the January ’09 to just over £11,000 in January ’10.
“The Saab brand has long been under-supported by GM in the UK and dealers have been discounting stock to get rid of it – most notably Stratstone who have been advertising a half million pound Saab stock clearance,” said the magazine’s Editor, Matt Tumbridge.
However, Tumbridge believes that the price drop is only temporary and that used Saabs will go up again.
“Prices won’t be soft forever, even if they close it down. Rovers, which are nowhere near as good, are now very firm in terms of used car residuals. Saab have a following, are close to BMW in terms of style, performance, comfort. It’s lunacy that prices have been so soft so long and as soon as Saab’s future is clear, prices will firm up. Now is the time to buy,” Tumbridge said.
According to the magazine, a 2008 Saab 9-3 2.0t with average mileage of 12,000 can be yours for £11,000 – £14,000 (more than £10,000 down from a new one) while 2006 year model with 40,000 average miles can be had in the UK from as low as £7,000.
In comparison, the magazine says that a £7,000 budget will only buy you a 2003 3-Series at best. For a 2006 BMW 320i ES (2.0-liter, four cylinder model with 150HP) with average mileage of 29,000, prices are said to start from around £11,500 but the magazine claims that £14,000 is a more realistic price.
Source: Used Car Expert – Today’s exchange rate: 1 British Pound = 1.62 USD
