Not solely is in the present day’s Good Worth or No Cube Saab a drop-top, however it additionally has efficiency chops, because it sports activities the moderately uncommon Viggen package deal. Let’s see if that makes its value something value getting labored up over.
A standard idiom derived from baseball is to “swing for the fences.” Meaning to place one’s all into an effort. In selecting $34,750 because the asking value for the 1974 BMW 1802 Touring we checked out final Friday, the seller providing that 02 actually was swinging for the fences. As fascinating and well-presenting because the automotive appeared, most of you felt that value to be a whiff, sending the Bimmer again to the bench with a 92 p.c No Cube loss.
Do you bear in mind what occurred to cartoon Little Orphan Annie when Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks took her in? Sure, she nonetheless had the creepy, lifeless, soulless eyes of a Haitian Zombie, however she additionally bought to expertise what a lifetime of wealth and luxury might be like.
That’s the identical expertise that Saab obtained when the foundering Swedish firm realized its savior in Basic Motors. Not relegated to decades-old chassis or these co-developed with 30 different market rivals, Saab was in a position to store throughout the Basic retailer, choosing up a platform solely utilized by different members of the GM household. Saab was now not an orphan. It was now a member of that international household.
After all, all good issues should finish, and similar to Annie getting dumped again within the orphanage by Warbucks’ nasty spouse time and time once more, Saab ultimately returned to the streets, a chilly and lonely orphan.
However earlier than that occurred, the corporate popped out cool rides like in the present day’s 2000 9-3 Viggen convertible. The 9-3 of this period was based mostly on the competent company GM2900 platform, which additionally underpinned, most notably, the Opel Vectra and Saturn L of the period. Hey all people, bear in mind both of these?
This one occurs to be each the convertible model and the fascinating 5-speed Viggen (thunderbolt) version, named after Saab’s Viggen fighter jet. Meaning it rocks a Volvo RM8 turbofan with an afterburner for mach-2 capabilities, and…. wait, that doesn’t appear proper.
Truly, the Viggen (automotive) bought a turbo 2.3-litre (B235R), blessed with a much bigger intercooler, higher-flow exhaust, and distinctive ECU mapping. Initially making 225-bhp, the 2000 mannequin yr version bought an additional 5 ponies only for poops and giggles.
To make that added poop extra giggle-worthy, the Viggen additionally was imbued with a stouter clutch, beefier half shafts and CV joints on the entrance axle, and suspension upgrades to make the automotive deal with the street in addition to it did the engine. On the time, the Viggen was the quickest street automotive Saab had ever constructed.
This one has all that, and the images within the advert do proof the distinctive Viggen cam cowl brand and physique package that supposedly improves aerodynamics over the usual 9-3 by over eight p.c.
On the draw back, the automotive rocks a considerable 169,000 miles on the clock, and the vendor claims it might stand some paintwork as a result of “the paint has its share of scratches and blems.”
Apart from that, there don’t appear to be any vital points with the automotive. The highest seems to work because it ought to, and the vendor claims it’s “in any other case good to go proper out of the field. A clear title and the promise of nice top-down driving are extra points of interest.
The vendor has set an asking value of $3,950 for the Viggen. That’s a $500 discount from a earlier try and promote, or so the advert claims. Was that sufficient of a drop?
What do you say? Is $3,950 for this 9-3 a cut price? Or is that this a Viggen that’s nonetheless too friggin’ costly?
You resolve!
Seattle, Washington, Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.
H/T to FauxShizzle for the hookup!
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