The Anna Project
I usually tell Saab stories from the start. With Anna, a Saab 9000 Anniversary from 1998, everything is different. We start with the happy ending. The Saab has been with us for more than two years, and it is a coincidence that it ends up on the blog to match the 30-year Saab 9000 topic. Actually, it should have ended with the recycler or export ...
Because, and that's the bitter truth, nobody wanted him in spring 2013. Hmm ... Why it is worth investing in a neglected 9000 first-hand with a few kilometers is a long story with a sad aftertaste ... that we will tell after the Saab Festival. Including the complete restoration story. Anna will be in the showroom in Kiel, at the start of our tour to Sweden. As an example of how you can turn an unloved utility item into a great Saab.
It is time for the 9000 series to deal with this topic. 4.937 Saab 9000 were 1. January 2011 admitted in Germany. 4 years later, the number has almost halved with 2.718 vehicles. Consumption vehicles disappear, the 9000 becomes a lover and heart matter.
The 9000 is an exceptional vehicle. If I were faced with the choice of driving through life with a modern cookie jar or a Saab 9000, I would always prefer the Saab at any time. Because it is robust, inexpensive to maintain, fast, convenient and stylish and the perfect multitool. As an encore he has a fascinating Trollhättan turbo under the hood. Modern cookie jars, on the other hand, are bland and have their programmed expiry date. They are just cars. The 9000 is more. A companion for life. If you get involved ...
Restoring a classic car is a delicate matter. Money that you invest in the car gets you back in the form of an extended lifetime - less than an increase in value. With Anna we chose the middle way. A little more than necessary, but not showroom quality. The traces of neglect have disappeared, along with the maintenance backlog. The list of spare parts is impressive (or terrifying), the Orio will have been happy.
A particularly sensitive point was the rust on the window frame. A topic that occurs again and again in the 9000. Saab is innocent - the rust is the unfortunate result of a window repair on the certain large chain. This factor must not be the exitus for our vehicles. Generations of Porsche and Mercedes classics have had the problem, but the owners have invested. If we want to keep our vehicles, we have to take care of them too. We did it, the result speaks for itself!
The appearance also plays a role in a restoration. Anna was neglected. The 9000 had scratches and dents like an old warrior. These were carefully removed, the Saab was partially repainted without removing its patina. Because it has its history, it is a car that was built in Trollhättan more than 17 years ago. Signs of usage may and should be, but not signs of usage. We have also applied this philosophy to the interior. Leather with cracks - replace or repair? We opted for the repair, otherwise the patina of the years would also have disappeared, which would have been a shame.
Anna, our Saab 9000 Anniversary, did not finish until last week. She is ready for another 10 or 15 years carefree car life, regular maintenance provided. To kick off our tour, the workshop crew of the Saab center Kiel tell a lot about the Anna Restoration. The result was worth it. An expert on site gives Anna a 3+. Very close to the 2 condition, which is very rare to find. Nice for a Saab that nobody wanted ;-)…
Good 9000 have become rare. I would also like to have such a project, preferably Anni from 97 or 98. Unfortunately, the offers are so rare that the search needs a lingering breath.
My brother has another 9000er in the garden that is slaughtered. Interior is almost empty but engine is still there. If you are interested .. vehicle is available at Kassel 37247
Great written! I can feel your opinion. I love our 9000cse 2.3t. Bought from a retiree because the heater didn't work for little money.
Of course, he also struggles with rust on the rear, on the trunk, on the window frame and on the sunroof. No matter. I love the 9000. We just bought a 901 turbo and I'm still driving a 9-5 ng. But I prefer to drive all saab 9000. This is driving a car and just perfect for so little money!
Even though I'm only 25 years old, I'm infected and addicted ... Addicted to the strange Sweden cars that not all people like and only few know. Because that's exactly why I love the brand so much.
And especially the 9000. We will never give you more!
greetings from Frankfurt
I have one of the last about 600 produced 9000 ever (model year 1998, first registration 30.06.1998) and would long term a beautiful 9000 with LPG and trailer hitch as long-distance vehicle and also, in case of cases, towing vehicle.
To be honest, the late 9000 (an anniversary in midnight blue metallic with beige, original anniversary equipment), with its rather low mileage of currently approx. 171.000km and absolutely original condition, is a shame for me. I am therefore ready to hand it over and then prefer to get myself a base where it doesn't “hurt” that much, if something more is demanded when pulling 900, for example.
Just write, maybe directly via Tom, who sees and knows my e-mail address, if you are interested.
Incidentally, out of interest, I recently stopped by Kiel, where there is a 9000 with a special rear still hidden under a car cover - probably the surprise for the upcoming event?
As such, the comment should be directly under Franken Trolls, which I referred to in my “offer”.
I am in Kiel today and will take a look at Anna, if he / she is already in the showroom.
Scratches and dents? As a long-time fan of French cars, and more often France driver (on vacation), I call that not damage, but standard equipment
But it still looks very elegant - hardly anything to be seen from use.
You can see it in some places already. Alternative would have been a complete paint job. However, it destroys the history of 17 years, not nice 😉
I would want to have it! Fits 100% into my prey scheme
... and now everyone probably wants him ?! 😉
what happens to the car? Is he staying at the blog or in Kiel, or even on sale?
Anna stays with the blog, can not be sold