zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
At $16,800, Is This 2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen a Friggin’ Good Deal?
At $16,800, Is This 2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen a Friggin’ Good Deal?-October 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:09:19

Nice Price or No Dice 2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen

While not a Swedish meatball, today’s Saab is a Swede with enough muscle under the hood that it still should be a ball to drive. Let’s see if takes a wad of cash to buy.

Guerrilla artist Bansky reportedly once espoused that “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” A few of you found the we reviewed yesterday to be a bit disturbing. Or maybe it was just off-putting. Either way, the unique aspect of being an art car from a little-known artist didn’t sway enough of you in favor of the seller’s $7,999 asking price. That ended up with a 66 percent No Dice loss, backed up by suggestions in the comments that the car be wrapped or repainted.

When you consider Norwegian painters of note, Odd Nerdrum is perhaps not the most famous. He does, however, have the best name. Born in Sweden in 1944, Nerdrum is presently considered to be one of the world’s greatest classical figurative painters. Today he lives in Norway and, along with his wife, runs a private art school — the

Image for article titled At $16,800, Is This 2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen a Friggin’ Good Deal?

This is another ex-pat Swede. Saab contracted the construction of the Viggen (Thunderbolt in English) to Finland’s Valmet Automotive. A contract builder, Valmet added production capacity for Saab starting in the late 1960s. It later did the same for Porsche, building Boxsters and Caymans all the way up to 2011. Having outlived Saab by over a decade, Valmet is now reportedly building the .

Image for article titled At $16,800, Is This 2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen a Friggin’ Good Deal?

This Viggen is one of just over 600 produced by Valmet in 2002, and one of just 322 convertible versions Saab shipped to America. It presents in triple black with its Viggen-specific bumpers, special engine badging, and a boot spoiler. It does not, however, maintain its five-spoke Viggen wheels, the factory alloys having been replaced by a set of dark-painted BBS wheels. Those wear extreme skinny-jeans tires.

Image for article titled At $16,800, Is This 2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen a Friggin’ Good Deal?

The bodywork and convertible top show well; not surprising considering the car seems well-cared for and has only 76,247 miles under its belt. The interior is clean as well, and features some aftermarket add-ons too. Those include those contoured floor mats that tend to look better in the ads than they do in the car, an aftermarket nav screen stereo head unit, and a Spearco shift knob for the five-speed manual.

Image for article titled At $16,800, Is This 2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen a Friggin’ Good Deal?

That was the only gearbox offered in the Viggen and it was reinforced and fitted with beefier internals to handle the 230 horsepower the turbocharged 2.3-liter B235R four threw its way. That’s an especially good thing in this car since the seller claims it to have 300 ponies made by way of a “Stage 4 Swedish SQR Tune” from an engine whisperer here in the States.

Other updates include poly suspension bushings, a subframe brace, a new Mitsubishi turbo, and Koni shocks. The ad describes its condition as “excellent,” and claims it to be a three-owner car. It presently has a clean New York title and a $16,800 asking price.

Image for article titled At $16,800, Is This 2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen a Friggin’ Good Deal?

What’s your take on this hot car from a cold country and that $16,800 cost to take it on? Does that seem like a fair exchange to you? Or, is that just too much lettuce, even if this 9-3 is a Viggen?

You decide!

Vermont . Or, go if the ad disappears.

H/T to Oliver Benne for the hookup!

Help me out with NPOND. Hit me up at and send me a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your Kinja handle.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
Someone Willingly Paid $16,000 For A Maserati Ghibli On Cars & Bids. Don’t Make The Same Mistake
Someone Willingly Paid $16,000 For A Maserati Ghibli On Cars & Bids. Don’t Make The Same Mistake
Let’s cut right to the chase: buying a is not a good idea unless you have deep enough pockets for the upkeep. For those not in the know, they’re sirens. They draw you in with their premium Italian image and sweet songs of and then go in for the...
Oct 30, 2024
At $5,900, Is This 1984 Nissan 720 4X4 A Solid Deal?
At $5,900, Is This 1984 Nissan 720 4X4 A Solid Deal?
According to its seller, today’s Nissan 4X4 shows “pride of ownership.” Let’s see if it would take swallowing one’s pride to pay its asking price. Opinions were split on how well the design of yesterday’s has held up over the years. Some of you commented that the design still...
Oct 30, 2024
Which One Of You Suckers Is Going To Pay Over $32,000 For A 25-Year-Old Toyota 4Runner
Which One Of You Suckers Is Going To Pay Over $32,000 For A 25-Year-Old Toyota 4Runner
The (and Tacoma) have a death grip on used values. It’s been this way for years. Go ahead, go try and buy any TRD trim that’s a couple of years old; it’ll cost you as much as a new one — not that you could buy a new one...
Oct 30, 2024
At $18,500, Would You Lean Toward Buying This 2022 Ford Mustang?
At $18,500, Would You Lean Toward Buying This 2022 Ford Mustang?
Today’s Mustang is being sold by a towing yard, which means it’s probably a lien sale. Let’s see if this clean title convertible is priced to put a new buyer on the hook. The general consensus on last Friday’s was that it would be the perfect car for someone...
Oct 30, 2024
At $8,600, Would You Go Topless In This 1994 Cadillac Eldorado?
At $8,600, Would You Go Topless In This 1994 Cadillac Eldorado?
The seller of today’s Caddy claims they should be selling it at auction but says who’s got time for that? Let’s see if we have the time for this custom convertible at its non-auction price. Many of you agreed that the $950 asked for yesterday’s was “chump change.” Even...
Oct 30, 2024
At $950, Would You Go All-In On This 1984 Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo Project?
At $950, Would You Go All-In On This 1984 Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo Project?
One of the calling cards of today’s Plymouth Colt is its “Twin Stick” overdrive gear change, which gives the car eight speeds going forward and two in reverse. Let’s see if this project car has anything else to offer. Just as Goldilocks discovered when appropriating Papa Bear’s lifestyle and...
Oct 30, 2024
Copyright 2023-2024 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved