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As jvanabra mentioned in his BOGO Wednesday! thread, there was a 1990 SPG for sale on Bring a Trailer. The results are astonishing:
New York SPG
New York SPG
BaT SPG Result
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I was completely speechless when I saw that. I kind of expected it to get near $30k, but never more than that.... much less so much more.
I'm not entirely sure it's money well spent, but at the same time if you really added up what it costs to have a damn near perfect limited edition c900, I think most people would be surprised.
What (selfishly) piqued my curiosity though is that to get to that number several people were involved. That tells me there's at least 2-3 other people who might be interested in a really nice c900.
Also, even seeing such a result, I wouldn't sell my '85 for that. It's crazy to think that. But $55k would not be enough for me to part with it.
I'm not entirely sure it's money well spent, but at the same time if you really added up what it costs to have a damn near perfect limited edition c900, I think most people would be surprised.
What (selfishly) piqued my curiosity though is that to get to that number several people were involved. That tells me there's at least 2-3 other people who might be interested in a really nice c900.
Also, even seeing such a result, I wouldn't sell my '85 for that. It's crazy to think that. But $55k would not be enough for me to part with it.
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There is something happening here. Perhaps it has to do with the cars being produced today are largely the last cars you will be able to buy with an IC engine. There were other cars, if you look at the auction results, that also went for ridiculous prices. Even twenty-year-old Toyota pickups are getting big money on BaT.
I think this car was very well photographed and had a very thorough detail that clearly made a difference.
But for this price, I would expect a show car or at least something with service records.
I would like to hear opinions on just what is happening to this market?
I think this car was very well photographed and had a very thorough detail that clearly made a difference.
But for this price, I would expect a show car or at least something with service records.
I would like to hear opinions on just what is happening to this market?
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I think you’ll see these cars from the 80’s & 90’s get surprisingly high valuations on really nice examples because the people that grew up idolizing them now have the means to do so. These cars were an iconic part of people’s youth and that emotional connection is pretty powerful.
That's amazing. When I sold my C900 in the early 2000s I saw them everywhere where I lived (relatively speaking) an it wasnt terribly hard to find an SPG online (was always searching and dreaming) - now C900s in general seem such a rarity and that price for the SPG, despite its uniqueness, kind of floors me. Time is certainly grinding away....
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This SPG was featured in a Hagerty video with Magnus Walker:
I haven't read the BaT comments, but I am inclined to think that this particular car attracted people from outside the SAAB community. Maybe rich collectors who saw it as a good investment.
Not saying the car wasn't worth it. I just think long-time SAAB folks would be more inclined to find a cheaper example and build it up themselves.
I haven't read the BaT comments, but I am inclined to think that this particular car attracted people from outside the SAAB community. Maybe rich collectors who saw it as a good investment.
Not saying the car wasn't worth it. I just think long-time SAAB folks would be more inclined to find a cheaper example and build it up themselves.
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It's hard to guess from the comments who the big players were. Lots of Saab fans amongst the spectators, though. Bidding was pretty heavy (for a c900...) between $20k and $30k, but only a few people once things got north of there. The last real nice c900 went for like $20k - I don't recall it being quite as nice as this one, though.
There have always been Saab drivers who love their cars but don't work on them - whether it's ability, time, or space there's plenty of reasons why someone wouldn't want to tackle building up a really nice c900. And of course some people want a super-original car more than nice restoration - that's a very popular factor in modern car collections. There's limited options there... it might have driven up the value of this car.
There have always been Saab drivers who love their cars but don't work on them - whether it's ability, time, or space there's plenty of reasons why someone wouldn't want to tackle building up a really nice c900. And of course some people want a super-original car more than nice restoration - that's a very popular factor in modern car collections. There's limited options there... it might have driven up the value of this car.
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I agree that not every SAAB fan might want to DIY, but I think at minimum they put some time into learning how they can make their cars better, even if they will eventually leave the job(s) to a shop. Further, I think the consensus, especially among diehard fans, is that any C900 will need some work nowadays. Therefore, pursuing a "mint" example like this one is likely out of the typical SAAB fan's mind - most solid examples would probably satisfy their needs. However, this may just be the need to acquiesce, rather than personal choice, as near-perfect unrestored examples are basically unobtainable. Then again, those past $20k-ish examples have been about as good as it gets with C900s, and to most people here, I would argue, it's still fairly reasonable to pay something like that for an outstanding C900. This SPG sold for more than twice as much, which is what makes me think that it went to an "outsider" collector. As you noted, after $30k, engagement was limited. I would love to be proven wrong, though.
In the end, it doesn't really matter. It's a nice car!
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1988 Saab 900 SPG TURBO | eBay
Up fpr sale is my 1988 SAAB SPG TURBO. This car is in amazing condition. ZERO RUST anywhere. All original. No accidents or paint work. Drives perfectly. I added the Aero wheels which I bought as NOS.
www.ebay.com
Maybe it's just the new standard after all.
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It's all about the prep.
The guy at Maaco may be really good. He's got the best of equipment. You can get what you pay for from professionals.
Was it me.....Starting from scratch, I'd chat up the 'old guy' at the jobber who supplies local body shops. The guy who sells to body shops knows all.
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1988 Saab 900 SPG TURBO | eBay
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1988 Saab 900 SPG TURBO at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com
It's not over yet!
perhaps the winning bid was one that backfired ,seller trying to jack the price.
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Most likely. The seller realized that they could make a decent profit with a tentative sale at $45k and chose to re-list at a higher price.
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Here we go again....
bringatrailer.com
Original-Owner 1993 Saab 900 Turbo Commemorative Edition
Bid for the chance to own a Original-Owner 1993 Saab 900 Turbo Commemorative Edition at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #73,890.
bringatrailer.com
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I think this will exacerbate c900 hoarding. I bought my '86 SPG for $600. If I ever got frustrated with that project and sold it, I probably wouldn't be able to find another one as nice for under $20k. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it's no longer a game you can casually get in and out of.
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FOR REAL. When I think about it would it would take to get another car to where my '85 is I can easily see spending $20k. Hell, the '87 I'm working on will eventually have cost that much. Used to be you could luck into a c900 that had been "incidentally" taken care of... These days the options are kind of explicitly treasured or beat. Not much in the middle.
My wife asked me if I could sell my SPG for $50k what I would buy and the answer is there isn't anything. There are plenty of cars I'd like to have, but $50k doesn't buy a car I'd rather have. I need at least double to get there!
My wife asked me if I could sell my SPG for $50k what I would buy and the answer is there isn't anything. There are plenty of cars I'd like to have, but $50k doesn't buy a car I'd rather have. I need at least double to get there!
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