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My vehicle search evolution Posted by MI-Roger [Email]  (#882) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from MI-Roger) on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 17:58:18
In Reply to: A much more sensible car than an MGA, Gene N   [Profile/Gallery]
, Fri, 16 Aug 2013 06:11:50
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The search started in late winter with MGAs. I still love the look of these cars but they are tiny, primitive, and not really suitable for current roadways without modification to a 5-speed tranny. Of course insertion of a 5-speed destroys value. Prices are above $20K for anything halfway good, and one $16K car I drove was actually assembled from pieces donated by a 1956 MGA 1500, a 1960 MGA 1600, and a 1965 MGB (engine and tranny)!
Then the MGB, a car I have liked since high school. After driving a couple of these I found them not as primitive as the MGA (these actually have door handles, windows, and turn signals that don't require operator action to cancel) but they pale in comparison to other cars of the same era. Only four fuses to the entire car, cardboard as a structural element in the passenger compartment, wiring looms subject to spontaneous combustion (wires to missing rare optional electric overdrive) and the same problem as the MGA with respect to cruising at todays highway speeds. And the tops are fully manual. Prices were about a 1/3 or so of the MGAs.
Then I redirected myself to the Saab C900 convertibles. Availability of parts without the need for a personal scrap yard of donor vehicles was a concern. Plus the interiors seemed to be trashed on a lot of them and SaabStuff just went out of business. Prices were comparable to the MGBs but the cars are far better and can be driven daily on expressways without an overt risk of life.
Finding this Viggen was actually a fluke as I was looking for recent model year 9-3 convertibles. A couple a 2008 models popped up locally for $10K to $12K but they were approaching 100K miles. My search for 9-3 convertibles on Craigslist also displayed this 2000 Viggen with only 66K miles for under $7500. A call to the current owner revealed the car's sheltered past and I was hooked! An hour spend inspecting and driving the vehicle made it official.
->Posting last edited on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 18:32:14.
_______________________________________ Saabs owned: 2008 9-5 Aero Sedan, sold at 227K miles 2006 9-3SC 2.0T - Wife's daily driver 2000 Viggen Convertible - Sold May, 2022 1964 Quantum IV Formula Car - Retirement project 2000 9-5lpt Sedan, sold at 318K miles
, Thu, 15 Aug 2013 03:24:44, Fri, 16 Aug 2013 06:42:10, Fri, 16 Aug 2013 06:11:50, Fri, 16 Aug 2013 17:58:18 <-- Viewing This Message
, Fri, 16 Aug 2013 15:37:52
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