In a torrent of rain, I picked up my new 9-5 (well, new to me) late Tuesday. Quick and easy. Anytime that you buy a used car, there seems to be a few differences — things that you didn’t expect. This time it’s no different.

First, the bad stuff that I didn’t remember from the test drive: There’s a slight (very) sag on the headliner covering the sunroof shield, the carpet is a little stretched on the passenger side (odd) and the ash tray is broken (no big deal, of course). However, on the plus side, the information display works! Woo Woo! I test drove the car without the information panel and stereo because the auto broker planned to replace it with an aftermarket unit. The sales lady said the display didn’t work (a common problem, so I believed her) and that they couldn’t get the radio code. She was wrong about the display, bonus!

Again, I say this: the car is in great condition inside and out. Rock-solid feel, smooth shifting (something that I really didn’t think that Saabs actually did), great acceleration. No alignment issues, no wheels out of balance. Just great driving.

Driving it reminds me so much of the Mercedes 300-series turbo diesel owned by my friend and former colleague, Priya. He (yes, those of you familiar with Hindu given names will know that Priya is actually a female name) and I traveled together in the middle 1990′s criss-crossing the Southeastern US in his Mercedes a great deal of the time. I remember his car being very solid, but a little on the stiff side, and it had a certain sound and “feel”. The 9-5 feel the same way to me, and the appearance of the gauges and the sound of the blinkers reinforce that feeling.

I am very happy with my purchase. I would have told any of you that the 9-5 was the least likely candidate going into this excercise. In fact, my initial plan was to buy a facelifted 9000 Aero, but I realized that I really wanted something newer. Thanks to all that provide input, because that intrigued me enough to take a closer look at the 9-5′s (thanks!). Additionally, I didn’t expect to like the LPT as much as I do. Very driveable and very strong. There will be mods (wink) for some additional horsepower, but that comes later.

My agenda for tomorrow: take care of business in Dallas (around 10AM) and hit the road home to Nashville. The drive should take about 11 hours, give or take depending upon traffic. 670 miles (1070 km) through East Texas, Arkansas and West Tennessee. I’m dreading Arkansas — not because of any stereotype, but because the roads simply aren’t well maintained there in my experience. I-40 from Little Rock to Memphis is like a washboard of thump-thump, thump-thump the whole distance, which is about two hours.

The downside: The long distance, Arkansas.
The upside: Arriving at the Rendezvous at about 6 p.m. just in in time for supper. (Hey, Swade: They’re part Aussie — the LAMB riblets may be the pick of the litter at this joint.)

The forecast calls for more rain tomorrow, pretty much for the whole route home. I’ll keep hope for a break in the weather.

More to come!!