‘A sob story’: Auto worker expected the worst when owner said ‘everything’ was wrong with his car, but what he found left him torn

A car parts shop in Illinois recently had to make a tough choice about a regular-looking 2004 Saab 9-5. They had to decide whether to crush the car or give it another chance at life. The story started when the owner of the 21-year-old Saab took it to Auto Parts City in Illinois because he wanted to junk it. The owner had bought the car brand new back in 2003. He said that “everything” was broken on the car. But when the shop worker looked at it, he didn’t really agree with that harsh opinion.

According to Motor1, Auto Parts City posted the story on Facebook and called it “A SOB STORY.” The worker who checked the Saab right away doubted what the owner had complained about. “My first impression is, it’s not that bad in here,” the worker said.

Here’s the thing about this 2004 car: it originally cost a bit over $43,000, and it still started up fine and ran well. It had just over 150,000 miles on it. When the worker scanned the car, he found “nothing major” wrong with it. That’s really amazing for a car that old. This put the worker in a hard spot. He couldn’t figure out if the Saab should go to the crusher or if it should get a second chance at an auction.

This Saab wasn’t ready for the junkyard yet

The worker said he was “on the fence” about what to do. You need to find the right price if you want to sell it to a regular person, or you just send it straight to the crusher. To help him decide, he asked a friend to test drive the Saab. They both agreed that at first, “It’s not that bad.”

Sadly, the real problems started showing up after they washed the car. They found rust, paint that was fading, brake lights that stayed on all the time, and an air conditioning system that didn’t work. This is where things got real. Car owners leaving their vehicles with mechanics can sometimes lead to unexpected situations, like what happened to an Audi owner.

“Trying to sell this car to an individual is impossible,” the worker said. He pointed out that selling the car to a private buyer wasn’t going to work. He explained that regular customers would complain forever about all the problems, even after being told about everything wrong with it. That left only two real options: the crusher or selling it at an auction.

Even with all these problems piling up, the auto worker finally decided to give the old Saab one last shot. Instead of crushing it, he chose to send it “up to the auction.” That choice ended up being really good for the business.

Jim from Auto Parts City later told Motor1 in an email that the Saab sold at a dealer auction for $1,000. After paying fees, Jim says they made $800, which means they “doubled our money.” He also said again that the auction was way easier than dealing with private customers, who “would still find something to complain about” even after being told about all the issues.

So why did this beat-up looking 9-5 get so much attention? It all comes down to the famous mix of smart design and character that made Saab special. The 9-5 looks plain and simple, but it has a loyal group of fans who know exactly what they’re buying.

Saab focused a lot on turbocharged power, giving solid performance without using too much gas. The handling is still really good, and the car feels stable on the road while staying comfortable. While modern self-driving technology continues to evolve with companies making bold safety claims about robotaxis, classic cars like the Saab still have their place among enthusiasts.