Hi all,

I just joined here, as I've decided my next car purchase is going to be an older Volvo wagon. I've been researching mainly old 240's, but I've been seeing many newer models in my price range, as well. I'm looking to spend no more than $2k, preferably a bit less, on the initial purchase. I'm pretty mechanically inclined, so I don't mind something that needs a little work. My priorities are:

1)Reliability. I don't mind working on it, but I don't need another car nickle and diming me to death.
2)Must have functioning AC (for my 6-year-old daughter ). I have heard that this is a problem area on 240's(?)
3)Must be an automatic transmission (for my wife ).

Beyond what is stated above, I don't care at all about creature comforts, high-performance, looks, comfort, or any of that other useless garbage . This will be a third car used for occasional commuting, hauling parts around, or taking garbage to the dump.

So, my question is, based on these demands, should I keep looking for a 240, or would one of the newer models be a better (or worse) bet in this price range? Or, am I out of my mind thinking that I can get anything decent for under $2k?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

If you can turn a wrench, you can get a good deal on just about anything built before 2000. I would look for a 965, V90, 945, V70, 855, or 745, In that order.

 

Cool, thanks.

Yeah, I can definitely turn a wrench, I just don't like to turn them all the time.

So you think the mid-to-late 90's models are just as reliable as the 240's? I know the 240 has the reputation of running forever.

I see late 90's model 800 and 900 series wagons for around $1500 all the time, and I just figured there had to be some horrible problem with all of them. Too good to be true, you know.

 

Well, they are at the perfect age where the original owners are letting them go because of over due maintenance. Not that they are about to break down, just getting at that scary age for people. The 965 & V90's are very strong well built cars. I'm just afraid of the older 240's because of the parts availablilty. The V90 is a very nice car and can go 300k easy. I actually want one but I'm having a hard time talking myself into owning 2 wagons at the same time.

 

740's are no more difficult to look after and have much better interiors and AC systems than the 240's. They also tend to be better optioned and less likely to have been owned by smelly hippies with no money.

 

Wow! LOL

 

LOL! That's an angle I haven't considered. A valid point nonetheless.

Thanks for the chuckle.

 

Well, I can't top that valid point! But here goes. Up to 98 you had wire throttle which is considered less prone to big $$$ repair. Personally I've a 98 v70awd (turbo) which has (gasp and pray) not a single issue with drivetrain and over 195k miles. Although a few rattles to be sure, it drives better than most vehicles I've owned with less than 65k miles. And I've owned a lot over the years, to my wife's chagrin.

 

Engine-wise, white-blocks (855, V70, 965/V90) will have many similarities to your 924S. Porsche engineers worked to develop the alloy Volvo engine, called the whiteblock. Porsche's 928, 944 and 968 are very similar engines.

Volvo Whiteblocks are nice engines, especially the I-6 (965/V90). Just make sure you do the timing belt on-time.

I think that for your budget and minimum work, 95-98 cars will need work, mainly regular maintenance, a lot of it, that previous owners have neglected, hence the lower price.

If you want less problems, a 1992-1995 well-kept 945 (redblock) might be a better bet for your budget. 945 NA has probably a total of 3 moving parts. So, work is going to be very little.

I feel that 245 or 745, in nice-condition, which are not common, since they are older, their owners tend to be sentimentally attached and their price inflated.

If you don't mind working on it, I would agree with Rspi's order of choice.

 

All right, I found a couple 850's at a used car lot nearby. I'm going to try to go tomorrow to look at them. Based on the small amount of info included, do you guys think the prices sound reasonable?

1994 VOLVO 850 WAGON..TURBO..CHEAP..CLEAN..RUNS GREAT..LEATHER
1995 VOLVO 850 TURBO WAGON..CHEAP..CLEAN.. COLD A/C.. RUNS GREAT..

Thanks again for the advice.

 

I didn't know that about the white block being similar to the 944 family of engines. That's good to know. I knew they ran Motronic engine controls (which I'm all too familiar with) like the 944/924S, but that's all I knew.

I'm also quite familiar with timing belt paranoia. Some guys on the 944 forums have literally had nightmares about them, lol. I change my belts every year as cheap insurance. Once you've done them once or twice, there's really nothing to it.

 

Yep. In the 80s, Volvo wanted to get into a higher tier -- so it needed a lighter, better-performing engine than its own redblock. So it went to Porsche.

Volvo engineers did their part of taking Porsche's engineering, making adjustments and producing the Inline-Sixes and Turbo-5s, which Porsche does not have.

Timing belts in I-6 are even more critical than I-5, since they drive a larger drivetrain. They are easier to change on the I-6 nevertheless.

The 94/95 855Ts you posted have the Motronic 4.3.