theCARhack

When it came time to find my winter car, I went straight to the internet before looking in the local papers. Specifically I went to eBay and did some price shopping. At first I was looking for an E30 BMW, but the only ones I could find in my cheapo price range were in terrible condition—not good candidates for a halfway dependable winter ride. Of course I could have bought a junker and rebuilt it, but that time and money I do not have. It turns out that another one of my favorite cars from that era, the classic Saab 900, has a much lower resale value, about ¼ that of the E30 to be exact. For roughly a grand I could pick up any number of old 900s in relatively good condition with reasonable mileage on the odometer.

I won the bidding on a plain Jane white 900 from Kentucky. My brother and I drove down about a week later to pick it up. We took his new 4 door Jeep Wrangler (which drew an amazing amount on interest from the locals at gas stations along I-75) just in case we had to tow, drag or otherwise coax the old 900 up to Michigan. Thankfully we did not. The car was in as described condition with no nasty surprise like rodents living in the back seat, or saw dust in the transmission (not sure if that old trick even works nowadays). It’s a stout little car that had one owner its entire life until it was donated to the Volunteers of America and subsequently bought at auction by the foreign used car dealer at the foot of the Smokey Mountains. Buying a donated car might be one step up from dragging an abandoned car from the side of the highway home, but at least it had some value to not only the owner, but also a reputable charity.

Now I can begin the process of revitalizing the old car, fixing it up so that it can live on to see another day. Like I said, it may a bit tired, but thanks to the southern climate and the care taken by the little old lady who cherished it for 16 years prior to my stewardship, it has potential to be a good winter car. And it is so damn funky in a retro-cool way, you just have to love it. Despite being only 16 years old, its nearly vertical windshield, super thin “A” and “B” pillars, uncluttered dashboard, it feels as if it’s at least 30 years old and darn near a classic.