A while ago I wrote about the changing fortunes of Saab in Vancouver and I highlighted the services provided by one long-term Saab sales guy, Bill Convery. When I met Bill, he told me about a friend he had in Australia.


That friend turns out to be Arnold, a Canadian now living in Australia. He deposited this story in comments yesterday and I figured it was a good story to share as post here on the site. I contacted Arnold, who was quite happy to share the story on a wider basis. He’s provided a couple of photos as well.


My thanks to Arnold.


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It was early 1987, when a friend and I first encountered the Saab 9000. Initial scepticism turn to passionate attraction on close inspection. The two of us turned up at Castor Motors in Richmond B.C. Canada, with an order for one each.


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Salesman Bill Convery (that is when we first met him) was no doubt delighted. Our cars were on the road in April, and we were in love with them. One overwhelming factor that contributed to this, was the thought that had gone into them. Other cars we had owned were the result of unenthusiastic bean counter marketing types; they were meant to be nothing but appliances.


I was so protective of my 9000 that I didn't like to leave it unattended whenever I went out. Thus I traded in my RX7 for a new 900 8 valve since it was more practical taking passengers. The quirky 900 also grew on me, and it wasn't long before I decided to upgrade to the 1988 SPG. About this time my wife bought a used 900 8 valve as well.


When it came to buying the SPG, I decided it was time to put pressure on Bill (soon to become known to us as “The Finn”). I wrote out a cheque for a bare-bones price, and was in the bathroom of the dealership when Finn came back in. My friend told him that I had an offer to make, so he stood waiting outside the bathroom door. I then slide a cheque, made out for the full amount due, under the door. When I opened it, The Finn was nowhere to be seen – he had disappeared with the cheque to do his calculations. Sometime later he returned, and sadly handed me back the cheque as being too low to make any profit. I told him he should tear the offer up, but he was reluctant to do that and passed the decision on to the dealership owner. The next morning I had my SPG along with much head shaking and muttering.


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By the time 1993 came around I was retiring and moving from Canada to Australia. It was not sensible to take left-hand drives to a right-hand drive country, so I sold them. The 9000 is still owned by the person I sold it to, and in superb condition at 20 years old. The 9000 was a brilliant design that I was sorry to see abandoned by Saab.


In Australia I reverted to a base 900i. I had visited Cullen Motors in Nambour Queensland in June 1993 and asked them to have a 900 ready for me when I returned some six months later. When I was told that only the new model would be available then, I bought the remaining classic 900 right there, on the condition that they kept it under cover until I arrived.


http://www.trollhattansaab.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/saabs-for-article-900i-delivery-300x189.jpg (http://www.trollhattansaab.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/saabs-for-article-900i-delivery.jpg)


I must say that I missed the Finn with his enthusiasm for the product. Some of the salesmen I encountered here were dismal to say the least. Bill, “The Finn” even came to visit me (and Cullen Motors) and have a drive in the 900i. How is that for follow up?


I was able to keep in contact with the buyer of the 9000 and have visited it twice since I sold it. It is still immaculate and still has the wonderful Saab aroma from the leather seats. I ended up selling the SPG to a fellow pilot in the airline I worked for (Canadian). I kept track of it for a few years, and wonder where it is now. My 900i classic is still running beautifully, with few problems, after 15 years. I just don't want to give it up.


GM took the dealership away from Cullen and handed it to Holden in Caloundra some 40 minutes away. I suppose it is a catch 22 – having enough dealerships requires enough Saab ownership which in turn requires dealerships.


Here’s hoping that the future is good for Saab, because I don't want to be seen driving anything else.


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