Archive for December, 2009

Saad about Saab – 1988 Saab 900 SPG

December 30, 2009

Well, I’m probably not the only car nut to do it, but I thought I’d post a nice Saab in honor of the recent passing of one of my favorite car brands. Regular readers might know I grew up in Saabs, so it’s sad to see them go, although I’m not sure I would have had as much use for one of those GM-platform non-hatchback cars they thought would be the key to success. Ha! That said, some online reading is making me think they’re still clinging on to dear life – after all, the new 9-5 was all set to go, so with that and the last-minute folks showing up to make an offer, maybe there is hope.

With that off my chest (bitter at GM? nooo), let’s look at this nice 900 SPG here in Pasadena, CA for $2000. I fear the listing’s already disappeared since it took so long for me to finalize this post, so you may have to just rely on my words and the ad text below:

1988 Saab 900 SPG, Edwardian Grey

$2,000 cash, firm (This is a great price)
190,000 miles, 2nd owner, purchased in 2001 with 135k miles, full service history, clean title, comes with mechanic’s inspection report.
Good Engine, body and interior are about 7 out of 10 rating, no rips in leather seats.
New alternator
New AMM
New solid aluminum front engine mount
Clear side turn signals
Rear vent covers
Aluminum rally skid plate
Silicone vacuum lines
Passed smog test
Front right plastic molding is standard in lieu of SPG
Large scratch on one SPG panel
Scratch on rear quarter panel (A kid keyed the car)
No cruise control (newer stalk, easy fix)
A/C was marginal and last used in 2003
CD player in lower cubby
Cupholder and coin holder in dash
Kenwood speakers
Bridgestone Potenza tires with about 15k miles of life left

Fun Car. I also owned a 1987 Saab 900 8v non-turbo for 11 years.

1988 Saab 900 SPG

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BMW Bounty #2 – 1972 BMW Bavaria

December 17, 2009

For part 2 of the BMW installment, I’ve found a 1972 E3 Bavaria in a fairly unlikely place: Wicker Park, IL. Find it on craigslist near Chicago for an asking price of $3400. In Sierra Beige, it looks pretty much like the loaner my parents had for a weekend back in the late 70s (who knew that car would make such an indelible impression on a little kid?). Normally I’m reluctant to post cars from areas that salt their roads, but this car looks on the surface to be pretty clean, and is a good example of the bargain the E3s can be versus the prettier E9 coupes.

This particular car comes with a 4-speed, air conditioning, and a power sunroof. Knowing that, a buyer would want to look for rust in the C-pillars, and honestly, pretty much anywhere else since most 1970s imported cars are rust-prone. The 4-speed is definitely the more durable powertrain choice, and upgrading to a 5-speed is an option if you want more relaxed freeway cruising.

1972 BMW Bavaria front

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Weird cars come in twos – 1980 Rover SD1 3500 V8

December 16, 2009

Funny how this happens – two Renault LeCars popped up within a short time of each other (in fact, they both might be for sale at the same time since Black Beauty failed to sell), and here we have a second Rover SD1 in the Pacific Northwest. It seems only about 800 of these cars were sold in 1980 through Jaguar dealers – copy from the original press release is available thanks to the Netherlands-based Rover SD1 site. So having covered two out of those 800, I’m sure we’ve seen a significant percentage of the surviving population.

This car looks a lot cleaner than our last subject, although it’s quite possible it’s been subjected to a “craigslist detailing” – hose the car down with water to give it the new car shine it lost 5 years after its manufacture. That said, this color will look better than red when oxidized. The body also looks pretty clean, although the seller has neglected to include a shot of the driver’s/left side. Find it on craigslist in Port Orchard, WA (near Seattle) for the more reasonable price of $950.

1980 Rover SD1 3500 V8 right

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