<VV> Quote from hemmings

[Bill Elliott]

As somebody that used to play with vintage SAABs, I have to say there is 
a great deal of similarity between that market and the Corvair market.

Is $4000 top price for that particular car? Maybe not, but 95% of 96's 
on the market are WELL below that figure. I've never seen a stock 96 do 
much more than about $6000 while the nicest modified one that I've seen 
can be had for under $10k. Obviously the cars are significantly 
undervalued, just like out Corvairs.

http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/class/9X.html
http://www.vsaab.com/Classified/classified_96.htm

And just like our Corvair community, there are a lot of vintage SAAB 
guys who like it that way. And like our community, they are stereotyped 
as being "cheap".

Where I think Hemmings is wrong is that the vintage SAAB community has 
always been very small... just like the community that bought these cars 
new.

Corvairs, then and now, have much more mainstream appeal. Plus, the 
Corvair market is not static... we are seeing an influx of second and 
third generation owners who see the Corvair as a reasonably priced 
alternative to a Camaro or Mustang... not always even aware of the 
"stigma" our cars endured. We also see interest from European car owners 
who see the Corvair the closest thing to an European sports GT that the 
US ever built.

The vintage SAAB community is static by comparison... as is the price of 
the cars. Those classifieds look just like they did a decade ago... 
while Corvair values have increased substantially over that same period. 
Maybe the pundit that wrote the blurb hasn't followed the market... but 
you have to admit that there are still a lot of Corvairs out there for 
well under $4000.... the difference is there are a lot in five figures 
as well.

I was amused to see that comparison used myself, but not shocked by it.

Bill Elliott
Urbana, MD
 

kaczmarek at charter.net wrote:

>In this months hemmings---Auction section.
>
>commentary on a 1967 Saab 96--nice model.
>
>We'd love a Saab 96. We're not wiling to pay for one, Hence the problem with owning a vintage Saab.
>
>LIKEN IT TO OWNING A CORVAIR. YOU HAVE A VERY SMALL AUDIENCE OF 
>PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN BUYING THEM, AND THEY'RE ALL AS CHEAP AS WE ARE. 
>
>Was selling for  (this is the 3 cyl, 2 stroke model)----High Bid 4K did NOT hit reserve. 
>
>As far as Hemmings was concerned 4K was TOP END for this car.
>Hank
>
>  
>