Table of Contents
- 1 A Saab Convertible Bought on a Whim, Loved for a Lifetime
- 2 Endurance That Speaks Louder Than Any Spec Sheet
- 3 The Little Things That Keep a Saab Alive
- 4 Dutch Endurance: 500,000 Kilometers and Counting
- 5 Not Just Nostalgia: Why This Saab Still Makes Sense in 2025
- 6 Saab Spirit: You Don’t Choose the Brand, It Chooses You
- 7 The Final Word: A Convertible That’s Anything But Soft
A Saab Convertible Bought on a Whim, Loved for a Lifetime
When a veteran automotive journalist with a garage full of driving memories calls a £2300 Saab 9-3 Convertible “a keeper,” we take notice. Colin Goodwin, writing for Autocar, didn’t expect to fall for a 15-year-old drop-top Swede. Yet seven years and nearly 50,000 miles later, he’s still driving it with a smile. For Saab enthusiasts, this review isn’t just flattering—it’s a confirmation of what we’ve always known: these cars were built right.
Goodwin picked up the car in 2018 for the price of a mid-range bicycle. What he got instead was a durable daily driver with a smooth light-pressure turbo engine, responsive hydraulic steering, and a build quality that continues to outshine many modern offerings. It’s not often you hear a mainstream automotive writer casually declare, “I’ll never sell it.”
Endurance That Speaks Louder Than Any Spec Sheet
Unlike many nostalgia-driven love letters to aging convertibles, Goodwin’s story is refreshingly rooted in reliability and performance. Aside from a failed electric fuel pump (that conveniently died right outside his house), his Saab has required only minor maintenance.
The heated passenger seat is the biggest gripe—a fault not uncommon in aging 9-3s. But even this became a DIY opportunity, with Goodwin diving into Saab forums, trimming a 9-5 heating element to fit, and learning firsthand the complex underpinnings of modern seat systems. The result? “My wife’s derrière is now kept warm on cold mornings,” he jokes.
There’s something inherently Saab-like in that approach: practical, resourceful, and quietly capable.
The Little Things That Keep a Saab Alive
Beyond drivetrain resilience, Goodwin’s experience underscores a Saab trait that can’t be measured in torque or trim levels: longevity of charm. From a £15 roof-cleaning that restored the canvas to showroom freshness, to a £4 Chinese washer cap, every small fix reaffirmed his bond with the car.
This isn’t just a vehicle that survives the years. It ages with dignity.
Goodwin himself admits the potential rabbit hole he’s descending. After fixing the rust along the door tops and B-pillars with Jenolite and touch-up paint, he suspects the next phase might be wheel refurbishment. It’s the classic Saab spiral: you don’t restore a car because you have to. You do it because you want to.
Dutch Endurance: 500,000 Kilometers and Counting
Colin’s story resonates even more when viewed in parallel with another recent SaabPlanet.com feature: Kees Schafrat’s 2011 Saab 9-3 Convertible from the Netherlands.
Unlike Goodwin, Schafrat paid top euro—€38,000—for a nearly new example, and drove it religiously: 1,000 kilometers weekly for over a decade. The car’s mileage now exceeds 500,000 km. Despite the brutal schedule, it remains solid. No oil consumption. Roof operates like new. The dashboard electronics are intact, and the transmission shifts as smoothly as on day one.
That two very different owners—one budget-minded in the UK, one mileage-driven in the Netherlands—share near-identical praise paints a clear picture: the Saab 9-3 Convertible is not a novelty, it’s a long-distance partner.
Not Just Nostalgia: Why This Saab Still Makes Sense in 2025
Let’s be honest. Most convertibles in this price range are either rusting away or suffering from complex roof and electronics failures. Goodwin’s 9-3 isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving. With stable fuel economy, steady performance, and the understated Scandinavian styling still turning heads, it’s easy to see why it remains a practical classic.
Modern car tech may offer features galore, but it comes with higher repair costs, complex diagnostics, and less driver involvement. Goodwin sums it up best: “The Saab doesn’t beep or bong at me.” And in a world increasingly obsessed with digital everything, that analog calm has never felt more welcome.
Saab Spirit: You Don’t Choose the Brand, It Chooses You
It’s worth noting that Colin Goodwin is not a die-hard Saab fan. He’s not part of the enthusiast echo chamber. His words carry weight precisely because they come from the outside—from someone who evaluates cars with journalistic objectivity and decades of seat time.
That’s why his endorsement matters. It validates the experiences of thousands of Saab owners who’ve long felt these cars were criminally underrated.
The 9-3 Convertible didn’t win Goodwin over with gimmicks. It did so with consistency, mechanical honesty, and moments of quiet satisfaction. As SaabPlanet has documented time and again, these cars keep proving their worth long after others have retired to scrapyards.
The Final Word: A Convertible That’s Anything But Soft
In a market flooded with over-engineered soft tops and nostalgic nameplate cash-ins, the Saab 9-3 Convertible continues to shine as a genuinely usable classic. It’s affordable, robust, and charming without trying too hard. And if Colin Goodwin’s experience teaches us anything, it’s this: Saabs don’t need to shout to be heard. They simply earn your trust, mile after mile.
So whether you’re commuting through Dutch countryside or meandering English backroads, the Saab 9-3 Convertible remains a quiet triumph. A car that, even in 2025, makes perfect sense.
