For $500, Could This Sad 1988 Saab 900 Turbo Put A Smile On Your Face?

What's the one word that can cause a sad trombone for a car buying experience. That's right it's RUST! Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe Saab looks great, but its ad says its got the car cancer in places we just can't see. Could its price will make it worth enjoying at least once before it dies?

What is it about the Ford Bronco that makes it so popular? Is it the name, Bronco? That does conjure imagery of cowboys tossed in the air off the arched backs of angry horses, which is hysterical, so maybe that is the case.

We all pretty much liked yesterday's tidy 1978 Ford Bronco XLT, despite its described lack of working air. Overcoming that, its nearly ten-grand price took home a 55% Nice Price win so its eventual purchaser won't need to sweat the cost.

Cost isn't really an issue with today's 1988 Saab 900 turbo convertible. The issue here is, in fact, knowing when to give up. You've no doubt seen in a movie or TV drama, a dire scene in which someone attempts to bring a friend or loved one back to life by frantically performing CPR on them well past the unfortunate individual's sell-by date. They always have to be dragged off the body by some well-meaning associate who tells them it's time to give up, and that they've done all that they could.

I wanted to put that image in your heads as preface to consideration of this fly-yellow drop top Saab. I think we all need to wonder if a car being sold for so cheap, and with the primary advocacy being "would make a good parts car" should even be worth considering for the road.

Yep, that's just how this good from far but apparently far from good Saab is positioned in its ad. Much like that abused Bimmer from Tuesday, this Saab is being offered on the cheap because it may very well be on its last legs.

That's not to say that someone hasn't attempted to stave off the grim reaper for a few years more. The ad notes the adoption of new tires, brakes and rotors, shocks, a clutch, and a new head just three to four years ago. It has apparently sat mostly idle since then.

The newish parts are offset by what the ad says are copious amounts of rust suffered by the unibody car. It's sort of hard to gauge just how bad that could be as the seller doesn't seem willing to provide any pictures of the affected areas and the car looks pretty sweet in the shots he does offer.

He says that both floorboards and boot bottom have been previously patched, but like Adam Sandler movies the rust just keeps coming back.

Despite that it seemingly runs and drives right now, although the seller ominously avers that he's not making any promises for it doing so for all that much longer.

That's a bummer as it has only 232K on the clock and really does look like it's in good shape—I mean, just look at that top! There's also a five-speed stick and an interior that seems like it's livable too.

Resurrecting the near-dead is not a job for the faint of heart, and while this is quite possibly nothing more than a parts car, or perhaps something to be tsk-tsk'd over in the U-Pull-It yard, there are those optimists out there who would likely see this not only as a challenge to be overcome, but the opportunity to succeed where others have given up. Add to that a price of admission that is only $500, and you've got yourself a party.

That's pretty cheap and might even be worth it just to drive the car until it dies while enjoying the fall foliage from its open cabin. You could then have it carted off by the local NPR station for the tax wright-off.

What do you think, is this sad Saab worth a $500 roll of the dice? Or, does the seller's deception have you saying: "it's over, you did all that you could?"

You decide!

Maine Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to DeaconBlue for the hookup!

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