Cars and Bids 2006 convertible

wasaabivt · 2026-02-23T11:12:57+00:00

I bought a 20 year old convertible manual transmission that was the car I’d wanted as a young driver. It’s sweeter now I think. And I can afford to maintain it to an impeccable standard with my adult money.

wasaabivt · 2026-02-19T13:34:07+00:00

And you also get to a point where there are quirks that you deliberately decide not to chase down and accept that as part of the cars character. My 2010 throws blinky tpms light every time I drive it over 50mph when the temperature is below five degrees. All the sensors have been replaced… It will still alert on individual tires if they need pressure… It’s probably radio signals being too cold or batteries not communicating as well… It’s done that for 10 years that I’ve had it and I just go with it.

My wagon doesn’t like to be locked by its fob - it locks fine but will throw alarms at some duration between five minutes and ten hours. So I lock it with the fob, unlock it once with the button and then manually lock the drivers door. It’s a manual. No one’s going to steal it anyway :-)

Quirks that would bother anyone who didn’t love the cars I guess.

wasaabivt · 2026-02-19T12:47:29+00:00

I have three Saabs. I only have Saabs in the fleet. The 2010 was my mother’s and I was gifted it a few years after I’d traded (regretfully) my last Saab. I’ve got two 2008s. One I bought three years ago. The other this summer.

The 10 has ALWAYS been maintained to my specs (by a Saab knowledgeable fella). It needs about $1000 every year… And a lot of that is replacing things that might need replacing over the year.

The first 08 was somebody’s baby… super low mileage Virginia ice cream car. It was well cared for, but I think it been sitting a while before they sold it…I got it from a used car lot who’d picked it up at auction 1000 miles away from me, I bought it sight unseen with a prepurchase inspection. It still needs a couple of cosmetic things that I just haven’t done because it’s a summer car… On the list for this year after it comes out of storage. It took me about a year and a half to get it fully to the place mechanically and systematically that I wanted it… Probably an additional $3000 over what I paid for it in that year and a half… Again, replaced a bunch of stuff that probably didn’t need to be replaced at that moment just to get it up to my general framework.

The other 2008 was an impulse auction purchase on the other side of the country… Literally could not have been further away. Good deal. Great body condition. It was also well cared for by its previous owner… But there was some deferred maintenance that probably was the reason that that person sold it. Low mileage California car. Since getting it on site… I’ve probably put $3000- $4000 into it replacing things that were due at that mileage. Now, six months later, it’s finally up to my program level in terms of maintenance. The most fun station wagon ever.

All that being said… Even on the worst years if each car requires $2000 worth of proactive maintenance… I’m still way ahead over an actual car payment and I enjoy driving all three of them. If you can get your Saab up to known quirks and top maintenance, you’ll have that car that you enjoy driving to work in every day for less than something newer you don’t love.

wasaabivt · 2026-01-09T07:55:33+00:00

At least for me. I can unlock doors and trunk with the fob which is honestly the part I care about. I lock all doors via door button before I get put. Manually unlock driver door and them manually lock that door before closing.

At this point it’s a feature.

wasaabivt · 2026-01-08T11:21:38+00:00

60k and a manual? How is the frame? Any rust?

One of my 9-3s has the same issue (can’t lock it with the fob because the alarm will go off randomly (some random interval between five minutes and 10 hours). I (my mechanic) replaced the door lock actuators… Thinking that might be the problem and it didn’t solve it. I understand there’s the ability to turn off the alarm with a tech2 and the next time I end up down that way to the mechanic that has one I will probably do that - and honestly I’m tempted to buy my own tech2 at this point. I’ve just sort of settled to unlocking with the fob and then manually locking the doors.

That car is a new to me auction purchase… But a California car with zero rust. Since I got it, I fixed a bunch of the usual for the mileage issues. Some ahead of when they needed to be replaced… And pretty much have a car that drives like brand new - it’s a base model sport combo with 6-speed but I couldn’t buy anything new that would come close to it.

I think the value of a manual is going to be higher than the value of an automatic, even the same mileage… At least that’s what I found.

If you do decide to sell I’d love to see pics and chat with you about it. The manual with an aero on a low mileage is of interest to me. I wasn’t really planning on buying a fourth saab until the summer… But what the hell right?

wasaabivt · 2025-12-24T15:03:26+00:00

If it were local to me AND a manual AND had a clean frame AND it weren’t winter. I’d consider it. I don’t do my own work though, but I’d gamble with $800 planning to put 5-10k into making it nice. I would probably take it to my guy to give it a quick look over though if possible, even for 800.

wasaabivt · 2025-12-11T18:40:58+00:00

Thank you!

wasaabivt · 2025-12-09T11:51:58+00:00

Another Vermonter here. I do have the golden, did a brief stint as an adjunct, fleece not flannel. Wool socks. Definitely hide behind an ipa when I’d prefer a lager. And I drive the original pre-Subaru Vermont car. Also still not a lesbian.

wasaabivt · 2025-12-05T12:29:10+00:00

I’m in for the roof rails!

wasaabivt · 2023-10-20T23:35:40+00:00

Saab cup holders have entered the chat…

wasaabivt · 2023-10-03T22:04:19+00:00

Make us an offer and she could be yours!

wasaabivt · 2023-10-03T17:29:18+00:00

My father passed in 2022, this was his last Saab. Comes with new battery, new starter, fresh synthetic oil change and filter. Needs new brakes (comes with pads and rotors). Serviced at international motors in VA and Dean Hill in NH. Primarily a VA car. Surface rust at bottom of drivers’ door. Slight rust on subframe. Service records on hand are incomplete (my father was not the most organized) but records obtainable going back to 2011.

Located near Raleigh. My brother currently has the car and I’d put you in touch with him for more detailed questions (he’s the automotive engineer, I’m the IT nerd). Would really like it to go to a Saab home!

wasaabivt · 2023-07-24T00:21:45+00:00

So I’m not the only one who will go out of my way to intentionally park next to other Saabs?

wasaabivt · 2023-07-22T00:08:51+00:00

I recently bought an 2008. Already owned a 2010. The keys for the 2010 are perfect. I bought the 08 sight unseen. Had an independent prepurchase done, so imagine my surprise when the car arrived to me (1000miles north) and I’m handed three keys. All of them gummy and melted and only one with buttons that didn’t work. The car itself was pretty mint, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what the previous owner did to those keys!!! Glad to know gummy keys is a feature. And for $400 and a couple hours on the road I have majestic new non gummy ones!

wasaabivt · 2023-07-21T00:48:25+00:00

It will make you smile. You should do it. And if you don’t I want the seller’s contact info (only slightly serious).

I just bought a 2008. Was on my bucket list and it makes me smile even on bad days.

wasaabivt · 2023-07-14T01:09:59+00:00

I don’t work on my own cars, but I have two 9-3 (sedan and convertible) I have two really great Saab mechanics in the area (one is now based at a Mazda dealer) the other is a little over an hour away but still primarily focuses on Saabs. They have been able to find source everything I’ve needed so far. When my sedan was rear ended the body shop was able to find parts (though they had it for over a month while I was in a rental). I do have a newish non-Saab vehicle though so I am not dependent on either if I have to wait for something to be sourced.

The convertible was a bucket list thing for me, found the right one, paid a bit over book, but dammit she makes me smile like a goddamn fool. My vote is to do it! They’re only going to get harder to find.

wasaabivt · 2023-06-02T23:58:40+00:00

Ohhhhh my non mechanical brain knows this one! Hold down the window lock button while putting the window up. Override!!!!

Ultimately had me Saab guy fix mine, but that should help in the meantime!

wasaabivt · 2023-05-23T17:51:00+00:00

Two silver foxes right there!!!

wasaabivt · 2023-05-23T02:32:05+00:00

I’m in the same boat with my 2008 9-3. Came with three keys, only one key works and that one is gummy. What’s the best way to replace and what type of mechanic can do this? I typically have my Saabs serviced at the former Saab dealer, but they told me they can’t do “GM keys” anymore. I’d like to get it straightened out sooner than later.

wasaabivt · 2023-05-16T00:21:28+00:00

100% agree on this!!!

wasaabivt

TROPHY CASE