1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
 | [Main C900 Bulletin Board | BBFAQ |
Prev by Date | Next by Date | Post Followup ]
Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
Now this is longish Posted by Saana88 [Email]  (#207)  [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Saana88) on Tue, 15 Mar 2005 19:32:12
In Reply to: Convertible VS Non Convertible longish., JordanP, Tue, 15 Mar 2005 13:15:25 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
"My name is Jordan and I have a problem. I'm a Saab freak."
Hi, Jordan!
Welcome to the club. I've been riding in classic 900s since I was five.
All joking aside, I feel your pain. I've been surfing around in an 8 valve '88 900 with no options for almost three years. In October, I bought a 1992 convertible (no turbo, but it's enough of an improvement for me) and have been working on it steadily since then. I'm not looking for performance or any of that, just a little more stylish and less-rusty transportation, and that's what I got. All I want to do is have some fun. I've got a feeling I'm not the only one. (Name that tune and win a prize!) As far as convertibility goes, there are many, many shared pieces with other C900s, although they are just a half a step quirkier. For example, the vacuum reservoir you've come to love in the passenger front wheelwell has been moved to the trunk. The spare is stored upright. The rear seat does not fold down easily. Wiper blades are 18 inch and the windshield is of a different profile with a gentler rake to it even though it looks exactly the same. Electronics are very similar to hardtop 900s. If only my alarm would work.
I guess you've got to ask a few questions to yourself and see how they get answered. Convertibles are not good for:
Hauling cargo: 10.7 cubic feet, I may not be able to squeeze my bike in there and that's bad.
Hauling people: keep in mind it's a four-seater. Rear-seat passengers will get to know one another well. If you are used to a sedan the rear-seat ingress takes experience.
Extreme handling: some notice extra cowl shake, others do not. I've only driven my 'vert around a hundred miles so I can't tell you there. However, I noticed a much, much larger effect by putting summer-specific tires and alloy wheels on my 8 valve slug last summer- corners 5-10 mph faster? Who would have thought? So some things will make more of a difference than others. I think if you want to throw the car around a corner occasionally it won't mind that much, but if you want to drive for performance all the time you may notice and take issue with chassis flex. An SPG or 2-door it is not.
Outward visibility: It's a heck of a C "pillar" to look around. I maneuver cars for a living in tight spaces, and convertibles are very difficult to see out of at first. If you find yourself having repeated troubles with blind-spot cars on the expressway, you may want to adjust your mirrors outward and think twice about a convertible. Counterpoint: the mirrors, when adjusted properly, eliminate this blind spot on a convertible. You have to use them, though. A test drive will illustrate this. Also, with the top down, rearward visibility is totally awesome!
What's your current car? We may be able to compare better that way.
Safety- the book's still open on that. It's sad to say, but people have been rear-ended, T-boned, rolled, and run into from the front in their convertibles. As other posters have said, there is reinforcement in the windshield ring, the windshield support (now you know why the vacuum res is in the trunk), door frames, under the rear seat, and the roof rails. Swedes just won't sell you a deathtrap.
I have not experienced extra noise from door seals; these may have been changed on my car. They insulate well enough that some boarders drive them in the winter. Classic Saab.
Mid-'88 and newer convertibles have a newer-style door seal and additional adjustments for window-parking. If the window does not park in the right place, it is adjustable. A service campaign was issued for this reason (313). That being said, you WILL hear the jake-braking semi in the next lane over. Ask yourself, is all this worth it? Will it still be fun after six months? Will it be putting up with extra noise or will it be better awareness of your surroundings? Will your neighbors nextdoor scream "Yuppie!" from amongst the appliances on the porch or will the neighbors come over and drool?
At the end of it all, the car I found was in reasonable shape (head gasket, large-pinion transmission, oil pump, clutch, timing chain, crank pulley, and exhaust valves all taken care of) at a decent price, and it's a good thing because I've spent six months trying to make it perfect. I still have some work to do, but at the end of the week I won't be afraid to take it on the road. Now for the Letterman List.
I wanted mine for:
1. Finally, finally, finally, finally back to 16 valves! EFI is a good thing.
2. She's dark blue, and dark blue 900s have a spot in my heart.
3. My current car is not going to last forever.
4. It's easier to wave at engineers with a sunroof or convertible.
5. ABS, SRS, daytime running lights, and an immobilizing alarm saved me a whopping 5 bucks on my insurance!
6. Better suntan
7. Make my relatives wet themselves at first sight.
8. Joe Cool marches on, and it's time I marched with him
9. 1993-94 comemmorative edition hatches are still friggin' expensive, and rare
10. Just as you said, a piece of Saab history, and I can show my appreciation of that a little better.
Take a test drive or find a friend with one (I'm in NY...) to see if you like it.
, Tue, 15 Mar 2005 19:32:12 <-- Viewing This Message
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
