Home » Convertibles Of Brotherly Love: 1965 Ford Galaxie vs 2004 Saab 9-3

Convertibles Of Brotherly Love: 1965 Ford Galaxie vs 2004 Saab 9-3

Sbsd 1 15 2025
ADVERTISEMENT

Good morning! Today we’re visiting the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where the sandwiches are cheesy, the mascots are gritty, and the two most interesting cheap cars on Craigslist in the dead of winter are convertibles. Which drop-top will take top honors? We’ll find out.

Yesterday’s choices both came from Tacoma, Washington, and both had the potential to break their next owner’s hearts and wallets. The voting was pretty close, but I don’t expect it to change much, so I’m calling it for the Odyssey minivan. There is a good chance that whatever transmission issues it may have suffered have been remedied already, as several of you pointed out.

Vidframe Min Top
Vidframe Min Bottom

I’m torn on this one. The Odyssey could, in theory, replace two of my own vehicles: the 300 and the pickup. Of course, there’s no way I would give up those two for a twenty-year-old minivan. Practicality only counts for so much. The Veloster could make a good park-it-wherever beater when going into the city, except that I think it’s one of the super-easy-to-steal ones. I guess I’ll go for the van as well.

Screenshot From 2025 01 14 16 31 01

Mid-January is, of course, the perfect time to shop for a convertible, especially in a city that always seems to be cold. Okay, not so much, but the only three cars that caught my eye were convertibles, and one of them, a VW Super Beetle, only had three pictures in the ad, so I had to go with the other two. So let’s go topless in the winter! Here we go.

ADVERTISEMENT

1965 Ford Galaxie 500 – $4,500

00606 9t7mbj2gtc1 0ny0ny 1200x900

Engine/drivetrain: 289 cubic inch overhead valve V8, three-speed automatic, RWD

Location: Quakertown, PA

Odometer reading: 114,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives, but has a “low end noise”

ADVERTISEMENT

If there were an award for “Jauntiest Angles Of Photos In An Online Classified Ad,” I’d nominate this old Ford. Every one of the photos is wonky or oddly framed in some way. No matter; they give us a good picture of a reasonably decent fixer-upper opportunity. The Galaxie was Ford’s full-sized car in the ’60s, and the 1965 model was an all-new design, with its characteristic stacked headlights. I don’t know why, but it always bothered me a little bit that the low beams are in the upper position and the high beams are in the lower position on these stacked designs.

00u0u Ix31jyynhl4 0ny0ny 1200x900

A wide range of engines was available in the Galaxie, from an inline-six to a 427 cubic inch monster of a V8. This one has what was probably the most common engine, Ford’s ubiquitous 289 “Windsor” V8, along with a basic three-speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission. It runs and drives all right, but the seller says it makes “low end noise,” which I assume means a main bearing rumble. It will need an overhaul, or an upgrade. Just about any Ford RWD drivetrain should work, with a little creativity.

00909 9fx9ishcnkt 0ny0ny 1200x900

What surprises me most about this car is the interior. I would have expected it to be absolutely trashed, but it’s actually not terrible. It’s filthy, sure, but the upholstery looks all right, as do the dash and door panels. The carpet is probably not worth saving, but replacement carpet is available from the repro shops.

ADVERTISEMENT

00t0t 3nyckihio87 0ny0ny 1200x900

Outside, it needs a bit more work, but again, it’s not awful. There is some rust in the rear quarters, but the floors are solid. Most of it has been primered, which means some other rust repair might have already been done. It was originally dark green, but you could repaint it any color you want. Or just leave it in primer, and not worry about it. It’s not like it’s some priceless classic; it’s an old Galaxie. No need to get too fancy.

2004 Saab 9-3 2.0t – $4,000

00m0m Fs83a7x6pg8 0uy0ne 1200x900

Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 2.0-liter dual overhead cam inline 4, five-speed automatic, FWD

Location: Glen Mills, PA

ADVERTISEMENT

Odometer reading: 144,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

I’ve always loved the fact that Saab made convertibles. For a company so laser-focused on its engineering, a convertible just seems like such a frivolous thing to build. It requires compromising the structure of the car, decreasing its safety in a lot of ways, and for what? Sunshine and fresh air? In a country that spends half the year in the dark and cold? It’s completely unnecessary, and that makes it awesome.

00o0o 1hpsv7p5chu 0uy0ne 1200x900

This is the final generation of Saab 9-3, before General Motors pulled the plug on the beloved Swedish marque and the most GM of them all. It’s based on GM’s Epsilon platform, and powered by a turbocharged and Saab-ified version of the 2.0 liter Ecotec engine. You could get a manual, but of course this one is an automatic, because far too many Saabs sold in America were so equipped. It’s a two-owner car, with a carefully documented maintenance history. The seller loves it, and is only selling it because they have decided to spend summers in Italy, and so no longer need a convertible here. Must be nice.

ADVERTISEMENT

00p0p Gspg5prsvca 0uy0ne 1200x900

Inside, it’s in nice condition, and of course it has the typical Saab center-console-mounted ignition switch. I don’t know which trim level this is, but there are an awful lot of buttons in there, which makes me think it’s one of the higher levels, the Arc or the Vector. Because of course Saab couldn’t stick to the typical DX or LX or logical trim designations like that.

00v0v 3ozcwmubh8l 0uy0ne 1200x900

The convertible top appears to work just fine, and the paint is nice and shiny, though I do wonder if the rear bumper hasn’t been replaced and repainted. It looks just half a shade darker than the rest of the car. It’s not a big deal, but it’s also worth asking about.

No one has guessed my silly theme for the week yet, and I’m curious to see if today’s choices give any of you another clue. If you’ve figured it out from today’s choices, then you already know one thing about tomorrow’s and Friday’s. If not, don’t worry, I’ll reveal it on Friday. For now, all you have to do is choose which convertible you want: a scruffy American classic, or a well-kept Swedish orphan.

ADVERTISEMENT

(Image credits: sellers)

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on whatsapp
WhatsApp
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn
Share on reddit
Reddit
Subscribe
Notify of
82 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
MustangIIMatt
MustangIIMatt
2 months ago

I’m going Galaxie. I’ve always wanted one, I’d yank the 289, rebuild it, and save it for a later, smaller project and put at least a 351W in the Galaxie, and then proceed with fixing the rest once running.

Rick Garcia
Rick Garcia
2 months ago

Galaxie. Because I don’t want to deal with trying to get a 21 year old car to pass smog in California.

Timothy Swanson
Timothy Swanson
2 months ago
Reply to  Rick Garcia

The Ecotec is a solid engine, and relatively easy and cheap to work on. (My 03 VUE was trouble free well past 130k miles when I sold it to a friend’s kid who needed a first car and wasn’t afraid of a manual.) In general, I have found 90s and 00s GM cars to be easy to get past smog, unless the engine has internal issues. Basic port injection sold on millions of vehicles.

Rick Garcia
Rick Garcia
2 months ago

I love 90s and 00s GMs too. Great value as a used car. You can actually put a nice stereo in them I wouldn’t even try to upgrade the stereo in a modern touch screen car.

RustyJunkyardClassicFanatic
RustyJunkyardClassicFanatic
2 months ago

I like the Saab better and it’s in pretty good condition…I do like the V8 in the Galaxie but too bad it’s an ugly Fix Or Repair Daily and I always hated the look of those lights

TheNewt
TheNewt
2 months ago

You take the dog
I’ll take the Galaxie 500
You get the cat
I get the couch you don’t want anymore

You take the fish
I’ll take the bowl
You take the dishes
While you’re at it take my soul
But things ain’t so bad
‘Cause I’ve got a Galaxie 500

Andreas8088
Andreas8088
2 months ago

I really wanted to vote for the Galaxie…. but it’s just way too much work for that amount of money. I’ll take the Saab where I can just get in and drive it for a summer and then get rid of it for probably what I paid.

JDE
JDE
2 months ago

Saab, and I usually prefer the old Iron, though I will say this FOrd predate’s steering wheel locks it appears. so it would also be nearly as easy to steal as the Hyundai from the other day. thanks to a single wire jumping the coil and a lone wolf 3000. Or honestly really just a lawn mower keyswitch and 15 minutes of swapping wires.

Rapgomi
Rapgomi
2 months ago

If the Saab is even close to as nice as it looks and sounds it is a bargain!

I have a 1999 9-3 convertible with 187k miles. The top recently quit working, but otherwise it looks good and drives great – possibly the most reliable car I have ever owned. A new radiator and a new blower fan switch are the only big repairs it has ever needed. I haven’t even bothered to figure out why the top isn’t working because my favorite way to drive it is with the top up and all the windows down, giving lots of air but shade from the sun.

Mike Harrell
Mike Harrell
2 months ago

A ’65 Galaxie is a fun car and it will just fit through the choke point in my driveway, which is to say not at all comfortably. There’s a reason I’ve tended to accumulate smaller cars than this.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54268360153_0681f5aa2c_c.jpg

Mike Harrell
Mike Harrell
2 months ago
Reply to  Mark Tucker

Thanks! It’s a 1976 Volvo 66 GL. My brother’s ’65 Galaxie was just visiting.

V8 Fairmont Longroof
V8 Fairmont Longroof
2 months ago
Reply to  Mike Harrell

Austin Allegro? Bold choice… A Top Gear favourite for sure!

Mike Harrell
Mike Harrell
2 months ago

I’ve also had a Metro and a Maestro. I’m not good at this.

V8 Fairmont Longroof
V8 Fairmont Longroof
2 months ago
Reply to  Mike Harrell

If you like obscure Austins, check out the Lancer Series I – Australia only. We had one growing up – didn’t realise how cool it would be now… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Major

Mike Harrell
Mike Harrell
2 months ago
The Stig's Misanthropic Cousin
The Stig's Misanthropic Cousin
2 months ago

Tough choice. I am not overly interested in a 9-3 Convertible, but that seems like a nice car for the price. I genuinely like the Galaxy, but a few of the photos make me think it may have had some very amateur body work done in the past. I would like to know how much of the body is still metal. I think this is probably not as easy a project as it appears.

Overall, I think I can get a better project Galaxie for the price, but I don’t think I can get a better 9-3 for that price. The Saab gets my vote.

Like yesterday, today seems to be a choice between a mechanically solid boring car (no offense, Saab fans) vs an interesting vehicle that is a bit of a gamble. I’ll be curious if tomorrow has a similar matchup.

Last edited 2 months ago by The Stig's Misanthropic Cousin
Church
Church
2 months ago

My sentiments exactly. Except for the part about yesterday’s choice. Neither the Veloster nor the Odyssey is boring!

PaysOutAllNight
PaysOutAllNight
2 months ago

The Galaxie is awesome, but way overpriced for what is really a down payment on a running car. You’ll be in $6k on the cheap, and a lot more if you want it nice.

The SAAB is definitely a bargain at that price. A solid, documented, well maintained convertible for under $5,000 that has almost certainly been garage kept its entire existence? Count me in, every day, all day.

This is one of those days when I really mean it when I say I’d buy it if it were close enough to go fetch before the weekend. (Bookmarked for later this week.)

Manwich Sandwich
Manwich Sandwich
2 months ago

I’ll take the Saab any day over that overpriced heap-of-shit-that-needs-everything Galaxie.

If that Galaxie had the 4 speed manual, decent paint, decent/cleaner interior and was in ‘driver’ condition, then it might have swung my vote.

And on these older cars, getting certain parts can be just as hard as getting parts for the Saab.

The Saab will be a much better and much more fuel efficient driving experience.

Last edited 2 months ago by Manwich Sandwich
Rich Hobbs
Rich Hobbs
2 months ago

Apples and oranges. (Theme?) LOL

Cyko9
Cyko9
2 months ago

For the price, the Saab is the deal here. I like the Galaxy, but it’s a starter project and is going to take some money to get there. If the Saab needed work, I’d probably go with the Ford.

Borton
Borton
2 months ago

The Saab is probably the logical choice here but that Galaxie screams to be saved.

Paul E
Paul E
2 months ago

That Galaxie, if it were in far better shape, would be appealing to me, and I already have a 9-3 convertible in the garage. The Saab is the way to go; it looks like a really nice example, owned by the kind of people who kept it up well.

The 9-3 convertibles came in either mid-level (Arc) or fancy/sportier (Aero) trim, and yes, this would be an Arc. Extra power is a tune away, although the standard tune is quite adequate at 210 hp, and the V6 on later Aeros is to me, more hassle than it’s worth.

These work pretty well as a car, still competent at daily drive duty Saab parts availability is pretty amazingly good, even for a 20 year-old convertible.

Isis
Isis
2 months ago

If the Galaxie ran and drove, I’d probably go for that. The extent of work it needs pushes me over to the GM-Saab which I’ve never been fond of.

TOSSABL
TOSSABL
2 months ago

Already have a rwd convertible with 3 pedals, but have never owned classic Detroit iron, so Galaxy for me today

Dogpatch
Dogpatch
2 months ago

Friggin Outstanding Ride Dude
Fix Or Repair Daily
F’ing Old Rebuilt Dodge
Found On Road Dead
Feisty Old Reliable Driver
F’ing Obsolete Rusty Deathtrap
Forget Overhauling Replace Daily
Fuc..d On Raw Deal

This Saab is vanilla
This old Ford is chocolate with sauce on top.
Love Saabs but the Ford wins this hands down.

OrigamiSensei
OrigamiSensei
2 months ago

I find myself torn. As someone who has driven my best friend’s Saabs as loaners for years, his 9-3 Viggen in manual has been a joy. Unfortunately this one is not a Viggen and it’s not a manual, but it would still be a very nice part-time car. It’s also in quite nice shape. However, maintenance could get a bit spendy.

I am of the opinion that ’66 Galaxie is the best Galaxie but the ’65 is close enough. (For whatever reason, those year-to-year styling changes in the 60s do really make a difference to me). I also have great affection for Galaxies in general, as my grandparents had a ’63 and a ’73 which was later passed on to me as my first car, and my parents had a ’64 and a ’68 so there’s a real connection with my childhood and teen years. As for the car itself, the mechanicals are dead simple and since it’s a ragtop it would be worth spending the money to restore. It’s a project, but I’m picking the Galaxie. If I ever do get a 60s ragtop for my fun car again (had a ’66 Mustang in my 20s) it will be a ’66 Galaxie or a ’68 Dart.

Baja_Engineer
Baja_Engineer
2 months ago

I really want to like the Galaxie, and it would’ve been mi pick if it only needed bodywork or an engine overhaul. This one needs both and the entry fee is not particularly low. I also suspect there’s way more rust than what the pictures show.
It’s worth saving but I won’t be that guy.

Clean, one-owner, ready to go, Saab for me

CuppaJoe
CuppaJoe
2 months ago

That Galaxie is crusty, old, and ugly. No thanks. I’d rather be comfortable and happy in the Saab.

– Crusty Old & Ugly Dude

Shop-Teacher
Shop-Teacher
2 months ago

What the hell is wrong with you people? How is a GM era automatic transmission Saab curb stomping a pretty solid classic Galaxy?

Along with Martin, Dutch Gunderson, Lana and Sally Decker
Along with Martin, Dutch Gunderson, Lana and Sally Decker
2 months ago
Reply to  Shop-Teacher

I’m going to go ahead and assume that they’re voting for the Saab’s 3-star IIHS rating.

Dennis Ames
Dennis Ames
2 months ago

No Swedish-American electronics to figure out with the Galaxie, much easier to work on, and when fixed up, will turn more heads.

MATTinMKE
MATTinMKE
2 months ago

In a country that spends half the year in the dark and cold? A convertible for the rest of the year is even more valuable. This SAAB looks in great condition, but I’m in a land barge kind of mood. Galaxie for me, please.

ChefCJ
ChefCJ
2 months ago

I’m more at home in my Galaxie

82
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x