[jjacob]

Originally Posted by LenaJ

That´s OK with me. I rather see it as modern-retro

I guess actual retro is more charming for those of us who weren't born back then yet

Originally Posted by LenaJ

* checks jjakob´s age*
Thinking that she´s happily married to the man who gave her the Mini I
perhaps should introduce you to her 18 y/o daughter instead.

Even better, hey, you never mentioned her before (j/k)

Originally Posted by Stoofa

Or to spawn a race of mutant demon children.

Well that,.. or become sterile

Originally Posted by SakSquash

What do you think?

Not the sexiest Saab out there, but then again the price reflects that, hmmm, I dunno, ask Scott, oh right, you already did, sorry

(honest opinion: don't do it, eBay for cars... risky, might cost you more in repairs than you'd think at first..)

[Sage]

Originally Posted by SakSquash

What do you think?

I'm not crazy about SAABs as a group. They're wonky and weird (in a very self-conscious, "Look at how different I am!" kind of way), they're not particularly reliable, and parts are astronomical. Owning one would be kind of like owning a Jaguar, but without the style factor.
If you have a burning desire to own a Swedish car that's more than ten years old, a Volvo is a better bet all the way around. Most Volvos whose model names end in "40" (240, 740) have four cylinder engines as well, and they're worlds easier to work on than SAABs. The only real downside to Volvos is that until recently they used the cheapest plastic known to man for their interior parts, and these parts tend to biodegrade right before your very eyes. I can only assume this is enforced recycling of some sort.
If you really want to go for the "odd" factor, Subarus are hard to beat. They're rock-solid reliable, lots of them have snow-thwarting all-wheel-drive, and they're supposed to be quite popular in your part of the world. A good used one shouldn't be too hard to find up there.

[SakSquash]

I think it's a great looking car!! I'm in love with it. I was told they last a long time too, it's just that they're expensive to fix. Scranton is right next to where I live back home, so it's not like I can't go and try it out.

What's the max I should pay for it?

[Sage]

Originally Posted by SakSquash

I think it's a great looking car!! I'm in love with it.

Looks have absolutely nothing to do with reliability; In fact, they're usually a negative indicator. The three Italian exotics I posted pictures of earlier in this thread are some of the crappiest and most trouble-prone cars ever assembled by human hands, but people still like them because they're pretty.

Originally Posted by SakSquash

I was told they last a long time too, it's just that they're expensive to fix. Scranton is right next to where I live back home, so it's not like I can't go and try it out.

If it's what you really want, then drive it and be happy.

Originally Posted by SakSquash

What's the max I should pay for it?

Depending on mileage, not more than $1500. No matter how good a shape it's in, it's still 14 years old.

[SakSquash]

My dad said he could probably get him to take $1000 for it. Here's hoping.

[jjacob]

Subaru Impreza WRX '96 Oh man, too bad they're still pretty expensive (then again, you get what you pay for in both quality and performance).

[Jelena]

Originally Posted by Thrift Store Scott

If you have a burning desire to own a Swedish car that's more than ten years old, a Volvo is a better bet all the way around.

We´ve had both SAABs and Volvos during the years and even though I like the Volvos more (comfort) my husband prefers SAAB. He says they are much better built cars. Especially the front part of the chassis where Volvo has a lot of problem. (quoting Christer)



EDIT: just saw that you´re talking about cars older than 10 years. Don´t know if the front part of the chassi issue goes for older cars as well.

[Sage]

Originally Posted by LenaJ

We´ve had both SAABs and Volvos during the years and even though I like the Volvos more (comfort) my husband prefers SAAB. He says they are much better built cars. Especially the front part of the chassis where Volvo has a lot of problem. (quoting Christer)

Hmmm...I see maybe fifty times as many Volvos as SAABs where I work, and I haven't noticed any particular problems with the newer Volvos. The five-cylinder engines are unusual only in their cylinder count.
Then again, SAAB has much more experience building front-wheel-drive chassis than Volvo does, so some teething problems are to be expected.
The Volvos I like best are the older rear-wheel-drive models, the 240s and to a lesser extent the 740s. Both are chock-full of clever engineering details that only a mechanic would appreciate.

Originally Posted by LenaJ

EDIT: just saw that you´re talking about cars older than 10 years. Don´t know if the front part of the chassi issue goes for older cars as well.

Perhaps not.

[Sage]

I saw one of these on the road the other day.


They're not particularly attractive, they don't handle very well, they get abysmal gas mileage, and they're not very roomy...but they're built like tanks and they last forever (as do their brethren, Gran Torinos, Montegos, and Elites).
Why is it always the unremarkable cars that endure the test of time?

[Sage]

Behold...the mighty Rover 3500:


The first photo is the American version (note the round headlights and large bumpers). They were only sent here for two years- 1980 and 1981, and I wanted one so bad I didn't think I'd be able to live without it.
In many ways, they're the perfect car: Not too big, not too small, Buick V8 power, hatchback practicality, rear-wheel-drive simplicity, and '70s-modern styling that's the perfect blend of Ferrari Daytona and Citroen CX.
Alas, American audiences thought of "hatchback" as synonymous with "economy", and the Rover's V8 and hefty (albeit deserved) price tag only confused them. They didn't sell well, and were soon withdrawn from this market.

[Sage]

I'm feeling like wasting fossil fuels today, so...
Huge Yet Stylish American Cars:

1967 Cadillac Eldorado


1970 Lincoln Continental Mark III


1971 Pontiac Grand Prix

[Fairygdmther]

Scott, on the way home from work this morning, I saw a car I've never seen before. I was the front car at a traffic light and this car took a left around me to go where I had come from. It was very low, perhaps 36-40 inches high, with a clearance of maybe 3 inches. It was silver-grey, kinda boxy looking and tapering toward the front. The really weird part though, was the flared skirts in the front and sides, (didn't see the back of it, except through my rearview). The guy driving it was almost in a reclining position. Overall it was small - very narrow, very low, and very short. It had a brand new look to it, but then a new paint job could fool me there. Is that enough for you to identify it?

Lynsie

[Sage]

Originally Posted by Fairygdmther

Scott, on the way home from work this morning, I saw a car I've never seen before. I was the front car at a traffic light and this car took a left around me to go where I had come from.

A-ha! A challenge!

Originally Posted by Fairygdmther

It was very low, perhaps 36-40 inches high, with a clearance of maybe 3 inches. It was silver-grey, kinda boxy looking and tapering toward the front. The really weird part though, was the flared skirts in the front and sides, (didn't see the back of it, except through my rearview). The guy driving it was almost in a reclining position. Overall it was small - very narrow, very low, and very short. It had a brand new look to it, but then a new paint job could fool me there. Is that enough for you to identify it?

The ultra-low height rules out most customs, as the compound curves found on modern vehicles makes chopping tops a real nightmare.
That only leaves production cars. Very few have the combination of noticeable wheel flares and side skirts except for Lamborghinis. Do either of these look familiar?

Lamborghini Silhouette


Lamborghini Countach


Lamborghini Countach (slightly older model)


In person, these are amazingly small cars and they are extremely low to the ground.

[Fairygdmther]

It looked mostly like the red one, but the front and sides had what I'd call skirts - they really flared outward. On the front it was under the black panel. I also want to say that the wheels were more covered than this shows. But you've definitely nailed it! Thanks!

[Sage]

I'm glad to be of service, Ma'am. Countachs had a wide variety of wheel flare and side skirt configurations through their twilight years (1983-89), so it was probably one I couldn't find a photo of. It's good to know someone actually drives one on the streets of Sarasota as most of them have become museum pieces over the years.

[Panthera]

oooh, my turn? I haven't read the whole thread, so this might have been posted before.. Yesterday I saw a low car, but I think it had more clearing than the one last percribed. It was shining grey and on the back there was a big box with black top. This was a part of the car, a kinda continuens of the passanger "cabinet". The front looked like an ordenairy car, a bit round in the forms with a very low seat for the driver. The "box" in the back had a little window making it possible to look backwards while driving.. I think there were only two seats..


I'm sorry I'm bad at explaining but I don't know any of the "carterms" so I just have to improvise.. Do you have a clue what I'm talking about?

[Fairygdmther]

Originally Posted by Thrift Store Scott

I'm glad to be of service, Ma'am. Countachs had a wide variety of wheel flare and side skirt configurations through their twilight years (1983-89), so it was probably one I couldn't find a photo of. It's good to know someone actually drives one on the streets of Sarasota as most of them have become museum pieces over the years.

Sarasota has a lot of antique car buffs, and a small museum, but as far as the real sporty cars, you see few of them around. You're more apt to see hummers than expensive sports cars. I came across an antique car show at the small fair grounds here one Sunday. There were maybe 75 antiques there. At least 1/4 of the private vehicles around here are pickups.

M

[Sage]

Panthera- Hmm, that sounds like one of these:

1979 Ford Ranchero

The camper shell (the big box on the back) is a non-factory item, even though it's been painted to match the truck.

[Panthera]

The box is almost correct, but the car is way to big.. It was a small car, looking quite new because of the round shapes in front.. You know aerodynamic or something.. the only thing not round was the box thingy that looked like an extended luggagecompartment (I dircetly translated this from norwegian, don't know what you call it) witch "broke" of the round roof with a straight line..

[Sage]

Ah. That's the last year of the Ford car/truck hybrid in the US, and Chevrolet built a similar vehicle until 1987. However, both Holden and Ford still build this type of vehicle in Australia (I don't know what they're called down there). Was the driver sitting on the right (starboard) side of the vehicle?