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.
Looks like a pretty clean car for the price. Usually, SPGs in this price range are projects or close to being one. This car, while it has some minor issues, looks like a well-cared-for example owned by a 900 enthusiast. Even the clear coat is shiny, and there’s no water on the ground to indicate it’s actually water helping the paint. Shouldn’t be too hard to source a correct SPG plastic molding for the front right of the car, probably off one of the project SPGs I just mentioned.
All that Aero stuff (they were actually called Aero in other markets) was super-cool in the 80s, and while now dated, still has a certain cool about it (yay nostalgia!). I was never a huge fan of the Saab 3-spoke wheels, so would probably want to find some off a 9000 (as used on the 900 Commemorative Edition) or the deep-dish wheels off the earlier 9000.
The interior looks remarkably clean. I’d want to see a better shot of the seats, since the weather usually suffers from looseness and ripples in the piping. The headliner is also a weak spot on these, and the seller doesn’t mention it one way or the other.
Finally, the engine. Nothing’s shiny in here, looks like a daily driver. He mentions silicone hoses, which I can see – why do they have to be purple? Was something wrong with black? Other than that, not a heck of a lot to say about this car – looks like a Saab that I would not be afraid to check out and potentially buy, even at 190K.
Rusty But Trusty 
January 27, 2010 at 8:24 am |
Back from the dead, dude…