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Before you read further, if you haven’t already caught up with the latest in the Viggen saga, then scroll down and read the post immediately below this one (or click here).
The insurance issues with the Viggen are most likely going to take some considerable time to resolve and I’m going to need some wheels in the meantime.
So….
This afternoon I’ve agreed to terms to purchase a 1985 Saab 900 Aero from a fellow Saab Car Club of Australia member in Sydney. I featured pictures of the car last week, but here they are again to refresh your memory.
The car’s done it’s fair share of kms at 260,000 but it’s been very well looked after and that amount’s not too many when spread out over a 22 year lifespan anyway. Recent mileage has been limited as he owns a number of Saabs and the car’s been serviced regularly at 5,000km intervals.
The current owner is a meticulous guy who comes from a Saab loving family and he owns THE best 99 Turbo i’ve ever been in. The Aero has had its turbo replaced once and the gearbox was replaced with one of the stronger 1991 boxes. The red leather interior is genuine Aero, but wasn’t original to this car.
Being a 1985, I believe it’s also a pre-cat model meaning a little extra poke at the wheels, which is always nice.
20 responses so far ↓
1 saabologist
// Aug 10, 2007 at 2:07 pm
May i be the first to congratulate you.
Nice one Geezer.
Nice ride too.
2 turbin
// Aug 10, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Pure Trollhattan Class
3 Jeff
// Aug 10, 2007 at 2:14 pm
I tried to buy one of these today (sort of – an 88 SPG), but, alas, I didn’t have the money, and I wouldn’t have been able to cover the insurance anyway. Oh well. I’m glad you went with this one, get some new pictures of it when you get it
4 saabologist
// Aug 10, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Thank goodness it wasn’t this one
Being a Welshman,those seat covers are making me horny.
Fixed now (I hope) – SW
5 Jeff
// Aug 10, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Link doesn’t seem to work.
6 saabologist
// Aug 10, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Damn and Blast
Item number: 120149925657 Ebay australia
7 Jeff
// Aug 10, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Wow, “much loved” indeed.
Ebay Motors Oz has lots more info than Ebay Motors USA and it’s not fair. :p
8 saabologist
// Aug 10, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Thanks Steve.
And yes “much loved” indeed.
And to quote The Castle
“Tell him he’s dreamin’ $1500 what a nutta.
9 Ivan (MuzX)
// Aug 10, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Congratulations, very good choice!
10 craig
// Aug 10, 2007 at 4:53 pm
You scored with the interior, looks great.
11 john
// Aug 10, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Well done, Swade. I really wish I had a Saab like that one …I reckon you will enjoy this one a lot.
12 J
// Aug 10, 2007 at 9:28 pm
That’s a beauty, Swade! AMAZING interior!
Have fun with that until you’re back in a Viggen!
13 eggsngrits
// Aug 10, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Vive le C900!!
I knew that you’d come around at some point!
Easy to recover the door panels, Andy can give a few pointers!
14 Ted Y
// Aug 10, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Wish I could transplant that interior to my car!
One word of caution: I’m not sure about 85, but many 900s developed cracks in the lower wishbones at the inner (wide) end. A serious safety matter. I would check around the large through-bolt or whatever it’s called very carefully once in awhile.
15 dan
// Aug 10, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Very choice!
Some day I will have a classic 900
(the sad face refers to me not having one today)
16 DAVID
// Aug 10, 2007 at 11:15 pm
A bittersweet congratulations. Beautiful Aero, but sorry you had to buy it under theses circumstances. I think that if you are persistent, the insurance will pay. They are banking on the fact that you won’t pursue it. Keep vigilant and you will soon have both the Viggen and the Aero at your command!
17 swade
// Aug 10, 2007 at 11:19 pm
Thanks everyone for your well-wishes. I’m looking quite forward to picking the car up next week and I’ll have around 1100kms to get familiar with it as I drive home from Sydney.
Bittersweet indeed, but I’m engaging the services of a solicitor with a motorsport background to address the insurance company and fight their denial of the claim.
18 eggsngrits
// Aug 10, 2007 at 11:45 pm
Ted: Those cracks are partially due to corrosion action — the mechanical stresses are accelerated into cracks by the iron oxide particles that don’t fit into the metal lattice structure.
In other words, that that will happen much, much less often in Australia than in your neck, of the woods.
On the other hand, I can’t rememer if the 1984 or 1985 model had the “Mission Impossible” wiring harness. It self destructs in 30 seconds. I’m pretty sure that it’s the 1984 cars.
19 aeronaut
// Aug 11, 2007 at 8:11 am
nice looking aero!
smart move especially wrt your battle with the insurance co. make sure they know you have taken this interim measure ( buying the aero) so they will know you are in it for the long haul to have them repair the viggen.
ps. curious to know if you insured the aero with the same company?! not
20 1985 Gripen
// Aug 11, 2007 at 11:40 am
eggsngrits: That’s hilarious (”Mission Impossible”). I have that design feature in my ‘85 900T. I understand it was ‘85 through ‘87.
The story I heard was that the adhesive they used for the jackets around the wiring harnesses corrodes the insulation around the wiring. Nice. I’ve had to replace a lot of wiring in my car due to this.
Swade: I would like to join everyone else in congratulating you on your choice and welcome you to the ‘85 900 ownership club! Your interior is the same color as mine, but being an Aero, you got leather whereas I have cloth. I wonder if that U.S. 1985 900 brochure I sent you is applicable (color schemes, etc.) to the Australian model. I do know we didn’t have that “two-tone” exterior paint thing going on in our SPGs though. And our steering wheel’s on the other side…
Wow, even has an intact rear bumper strip. I need one of those. I had one of the self-destructing ones and don’t know where to get a replacement (the ‘85 was different than later models therefore it’s harder to find).