Sad Story: 1992 Saab 900 Convertible – Sold?

July 8, 2021 Update – We just confirmed the listing for this Saab “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found we’re assuming this ride “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

Part of the fun scouring Craigslist “Classifinds” is finding interesting clues in the pictures provided about the sellers and their cars.  In the case of this 1992 Saab 900 convertible originally listed in June 2021 on Craigslist in Syracuse, New York, the two Saabs flanking this car on either side signal this car is being sold by a brand loyalist. Currently offered for $5,500, Classic.com, the self-described analytics and search engine for the collector car market, indicates this asking price is in line with other sold examples over the past three years.  By clicking each green dot in the graph below, you can compare the example featured here with past sales to confirm the value:

Saab produced its iconic “Classic” 900 from 1978 to 1994 with only minor styling changes through that entire run.  In true Saab fashion, front-engine, front-wheel-drive 900 featured a number of innovative features that included a longitudinally-mounted, 45-degree slanted, inline four-cylinder engine that actually sent power towards the front of the car and a double-wishbone front suspension that provided excellent road feel and grip despite being front-wheel-drive.  The unique curved windshield and center-console mounted ignition switch added to the “born from jets” allure of these cars.

In the mid-1980s, the president of Saab-Scania of America, Robert J. Sinclair, suggested a convertible 900 version to increase sales.  Saab’s Trollhättan design department based its version on the 3-door hatchback while the Finnish plant used the sturdier 2-door version, which also looked better and was therefore selected for production. The initial production was not planned to be large however demand was so strong that between 1986 and 1994 Saab produced nearly 50K 900 convertibles.

Although narrated in Swedish, this extended-length commercial provides some great shots from the 1990s of what it was like to drive a Saab 900 convertible of this vintage:

While the pictures provided hint the seller is a Saab enthusiast who thoroughly maintained this car, the fact they are selling “their toy” following his wife’s passing tears at our heart.

Here’s the seller’s description:

“1992 Saab 900 convertible.
98% rust-free, new exhaust manifold, new brakes all around. Very comfortable car, smooth ride. The top works well, needs new waterproofing (DIY is about 200$). The top does not leak. Bought the car as a summer toy for me and wife..wife passed and I am moving so it has to go. Well maintained and driven regularly, it is a very good car, and great in the summer sun. A/c does not work (never really did in these cars). Small rust spots starting….usual spots…just bubbling a little bit at hood rollers, right rear wheel arch…“

Do you have a Saab 900 story to share?  If so, comment below and let us know!