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Re: Is a 98 Saab Convertible a good Teen Car?
Posted by Derek Shaffer (more from Derek Shaffer) on Mon, 25 Oct 1999 10:30:21
In Reply to: Is a 98 Saab Convertible a good Teen Car?, Dwight Doe, Mon, 25 Oct 1999 00:16:59 
Here's a small dilemma.  On one hand, Saabs have always been great cars for, and
popular cars with, younger people.  There are always plenty of parents around
that will buy their son or daughter a Saab the day they turn 16 so those kids
aren't forced into spending a thousand $$ of their own money to buy some
econobox, thereby ending up in something with a less than stellar safety
record (unfortunately my parents did not fall into that category).  They are
also popular with younger people because they have always been
performance-oriented, driver's cars.  I remember seeing a statistic at some
point that showed a very high percentage of Saab drivers to be under 30.  I
also remember seeing a statistic at one point that showed Saabs to be the
fastest driven cars on the road.  So acceptance among younger people shoudn't
be a problem.
    On the other hand, Saabs have also always been cars for people who really
don't give a damn what the neighbor or anyone else thinks about their cars.  In
general, they really aren't status cars.  Volvos are much better for that, as
are MB, BMW, and Audi.  So it sort of puts one in a dilemma, worrying about
whether one's potential future Saab will be accepted by peers.
    The best possible piece of advice I could possibly give anyone in this
position is BUY IT WITH A 5 SPEED!!!!  Nothing ruins the facade that the
driver of a sporty car tries to maintain than having your automotive buff
friends look it over and discover that it's an automatic.  This makes a much
bigger difference than any image differences between a BMW or a Saab.  If you
don't know how to drive a manual, LEARN!  If people think you don't know how to
drive a stick shift, THEN you've got an image problem.  Do the car justice, get
it with the transmission it deserves (this would apply to just about any
convertible in that price range).

Good luck and have fun,
-Derek Shaffer
'91 9000T 5sp 116K (yeah, my parents helped me pay for it =)
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