Temptation
A reader sent me an e-mail this morning asking if I would be interested in buying his Saab 900 SPG, which is enough impetus to trigger my "buy! buy! buy!" impulse. As I usually do when I'm the throes of heavy temptation, I then proceeded to splash gasoline all over the open flame.
I generally try to avoid the Saab Network's excellent classified section, simply because after about five minutes there I find myself ready to sell my internal organs to buy all of the tasty late-model Saabs on offer there. My venturing into the TSN classifieds is like a gambling addict breezing into Las Vegas with a full wallet and the intention just to watch a poker tournament or two.
Lo and behold, on the Saab 900 convertible page, I found a listing for the 1986 Saab 900 Turbo convertible shown here, for $5,000, with only 100,000 miles, and with the following description:
An opportunity to own a part of SAAB history. 1986 was the first year that Saab produced the convertible and this is one of the original 400. Car was bought from a friend 10 years ago, who had purchased it new. The car has been serviced by the same Saab car specialist for its entire life, has been garage kept and is in excellent mechanical condition. The paint is original and is still looking good. It is a real beauty and I will miss it when it is gone.
As the listing states, these cars are very special. These were the very first Saab convertibles, and only a handful came into the U.S. in 1986. As far as I am aware, all were silver, and these were the only 900 convertibles with the classic, pre-1987 grille. These were among the first Saabs that I loved, and I would dearly love to have one. And, of course, it's exactly the wrong time for my family to take on another car.
You know the face a greedy five-year-old makes in the toy store aisle, a millisecond before the whine begins? That's the face I'm making right now.
--Chris H.
Steaming Pile on June 24, 2009 at 11:58 AM
Isn't that the car Richard Pryor had in the movie Moving, where he hired Dana Carvey to drive it to his new home in Idaho, only Carvey's character had multiple (hilarious) personalities and the car arrived in pieces?
Chris Hafner on June 24, 2009 at 11:59 AM
I don't know, SP, but it sounds dreadful.
turbodave on June 24, 2009 at 12:33 PM
That does look nice!! I owned a 1984 900 3-door Turbo, purchased new and sold in 1990. I still have desire flashbacks for that car. I also have a thing for convertibles (Miata, Renault Caravelle, MG, Alfa, etc.). So, good luck being Mr. Practical.
Brian DR1665 on June 24, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Beautiful car.
And thanks for the mention of Richard Pryor Moving. The Saab in the movie was a black hard top. That's about all the details I know.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bbq6MeFZ-s
Advocate on June 24, 2009 at 01:35 PM
@steaming pile - Nice memory, but no, I think that the version you are referring to was black, had the later grill and was the 'aero' version. In fact, I'm quite sure Richard Pryor even discusses this with the driver in that film. I was only a kid, and I'm in Australia of all places, but I still remember that scene and car well.
...m... on June 24, 2009 at 02:17 PM
...i'm sure the convertible's a joy to cruise, but to my eyes, a saab loses one-third its charm without the coupe hatchback...
Shawn on June 24, 2009 at 03:45 PM
as ...m... said, the 900 Coupe is just much more striking. Especially with the so-dated-it's-awesome louvered back window covering. To further play with your emotions, I'm going to to tell you to buy it and not to buy it below:
-C'mon, it's pretty practical. You can fit the kid in the back seat. Now's the time, they aren't getting any smaller. The trunk's pretty big, I bet it'd commute with poise. Your wife would be won over after the first sunny convertible weather day.
-First year production? Are you kidding? Instant avoid. You know the '86 is bound to have more problems than say a '90. If you're in love with the early grille I bet it still fits the later model. Stick it on and enjoy the looks with the later model's increased reliability. Or just buy the SPG you know you'd rather have in the long run.
That Car Guy on June 24, 2009 at 05:40 PM
Yeah, what he said!
Slick on June 24, 2009 at 11:08 PM
buy it.
David Drucker on June 25, 2009 at 06:54 AM
Oh my, that's a sweet car. I spent quite a bit of time riding to Grateful Dead shows in a shiny-new black '87 Turbo hatchback. I remember it as being wonderfully comfortable, and, once the turbo spooled up, very quick. The convertible isn't as pretty, but so what? It's a convertible.
I clicked on the listing page, and found a dandy ragtop for sale just one town up the road from me. For a brief, shining moment, I thought "he's asking just about what I could get for the Lexus."
Then I remembered how much my buddy's Saab cost to maintain even when it was only a year or two old. It seems that none of the really fun convertibles will be a cheap date. (Except for the Miata, but I need more room than it offers.)
David Colborne on June 25, 2009 at 09:28 AM
Aww, c'mon Drucker... there's always the LeBaron convertible. How expensive can those be to maintain, hmm?
*crickets chirping in the background*
Or there's always the Geo Metro convertible...
*crickets chirping in the background*
In all seriousness, it's at times like these that I almost wish I lived in a place that didn't experience winter... or had a garage. Either way, a convertible would be great until the snow started coming down and the complete lack of insulation above my head started to bother me. *sigh*
CJinSD on June 25, 2009 at 11:18 PM
David,
How about a Mustang convertible? There must be about 25 years worth of used ones on the market, and the mechanical components couldn't be much simpler or more proven for anything made since Jimmy Carter desecrated the White House. The Fox based ones have perceptible body flex, but then so does every other convertible except the Honda S2000. I wish people would be required to own Saabs before they can praise them. Or should that read instead of?
David Drucker on June 26, 2009 at 05:36 AM
Ah, the LeBaron... But if I were to choose something pretty-but-crappy, it would probably be a first-generation Sebring. As for Mustangs, they stopped ringing my chimes after the '67 model. I did enjoy my '65 convertible though, even if it did have a chassis that was about as stiff as overcooked linguini.
OldCarGuy on June 26, 2009 at 05:54 AM
Saabs, so ugly that they're attractive!
Open Road Rambler on June 27, 2009 at 01:16 PM
I owned a '91 LeBaron Convertible with the Mitsubishi V6--it was more engine than car. That's not saying much, but it was sad all the same because it was based on the K-Car and the V6 only made about 140HP.
The pre-1993 Saabs were special. Unfortunately GM took over the company and pillaged it. After that Saabs were like cloned farm animals--they looked alright and acted alright for a while, but there was something very wrong with them.
stanczyk on July 11, 2009 at 04:42 PM
nice, quirky, extravagant...Saab in flesh..
how about this one..?
http://autoswiatlo.motogrono.pl/files/2009/03/saab-900-turbo-cabrio.jpg
:)
I belive last 9-3 Aero coupe is cool car (great design, Turbo and 4WD)
the fresh new 9-5 renders looks promissing too,
only they need is bring back hatchback..
come'n KONIGZEG..do it !..
stanczyk on July 11, 2009 at 04:49 PM
yeah I agree Le Baron and first Sebring/Stratus? Cario were great looking cars..!