Hi guys, new to the forum and hopefully this is the right subforum to post this under...

so here's the deal.. I live in Los Angeles where having a reliable car is a huge necessity. I'm a 24 year old broke college student on the verge of graduating. My last car is completely done and I have nothing right now. I have $3200 and want to get a car that will be as reliable as can be. Ideally I want something that will get me through my last year of college and then maybe 4 years afterwards (my job will require me to drive around the LA area quite a bit).

I really want a Volvo station wagon. I think they look awesome and have a lot of features I like. From what I can see on craigslist and the like, I can get around a 95-98 Volvo V70, 960, or 850 with around 150-180k miles on them.

These are the top 3 things I am looking for in the car:
1 - reliability
2 - gas mileage
3 - ease of and low cost of repairs

So what I'm really asking is.. is this car for me? Or am I better off just getting a Honda or Toyota or a 2000-2002 Hyundai?

Thanks a lot guys...

 

I was in the exact same situation last October. My car had died, I didn't have a lot to spend, and I needed a reliable ride to work and finish school (I'm graduating college this spring). I picked up an '84 240DL wagon for $950 off craigslist, and couldn't be happier with it. It now has over 260k, but has never let me down. Even on roadtrips to the Oregon coast and Whistler, BC, and storming up the pass through the last snowboarding season. Just check out the forums for tips on what to look for so you don't get stuck with something that hasn't been properly maintained.
I don't know about the newer Volvos, but mine gets gas mileage in the mid-upper 20's, and has an enormous engine bay that makes it easy to work on.

 

Here is what I posted on the 240 group forum here last night. I am in essence asking the same thing. Any help from users would be appreciated. Especially any mechanics out there. Good Luck!

"My wife and I are trying to decide what to purchase. After looking at many Subaru"s in the $3500 range and seeing all the problems they are noted to have we switched gears and starting looking at older Volvo's. Although the amount of miles these vehicles were noted to have scared us, we have seen that they can indeed run forever if you put effort (money+care) into them. We need this car to be dependable and last for the next several years and have limited finances, so any answers you have will be taken into consideration. Thanks!

What are the Best years in the 240?
What kind of problems can I expect?
What should I have inspected before I purchase?
What kind of test can a mechanic perform to get an idea of the engines reliability?
What should I completely stay away from!?

Have a great Day!
Robert & Megan"

 

A qualified yes, if you're somewhat mechanically inclined and can (and willing) to do at least some of the maintenance work yourself.

The V70/850/S70 cars are not ones to neglect or abuse, but if you're willing to take care of them, they are very fun to drive! And if well maintained, you can easily get 300K mls or more out of them.

The 240 line is more low tech but more robust. My son's 240 has over 300K on it.

But if a car is just an appliance to you, then suggest you stick to some of the honda/toyota models you mentioned; their main attribute is reliability.

My $.02

 

+1 with GDog. You can scan the forum for main concerns with the 850/V70 models. They are fun to drive and very comfortable, especially the LPT models (GLT). The 740 & 240 models had electrical wiring problems but if they are still on the road I'm sure it's been taken care of by now (had problems with fires when they reached 10 years old). Main concern with older cars is maintenance, or lack thereof. On the 5 cylinder models, the PCV system replacement is a big deal, also want to make sure you know when the timing belt was last replaced (with tensioners & idelers) and that the ac works. Motor & torque mounts are usually bad and radiators are due. As you can see, I love Volvo's but I do like to tinker and do all of my own servicing and a lot of my own repairs (i.e. brake jobs, rotor replacements, PCV system replacement and soom my AC evaporator). The 960 is a very low maintenance car but only gets between 18 to 21 mpg in the city. The 240/740 gets 24 mpg no matter what you do.

 

#1and #3 are out if you buy a volvo........I am looking for a used Volvo for my daughter because they are SAFE...........I expect it to break down alot and cost alot of money to fix( and I will be fixing most of it myself).........


by a honda or toyota if you want All 3

the Prizm is virtually a toyota Corrola but sells for less money........my friend bought a new prizm in 96 has 220k......never breaks down has the original clutch. the made prizm until 2002 then switch to the Vibe!