Hi..

Am about to check out a 1992 940GL wagon and would appreciate any hints/tips on what to look for when test driving and inspecting the car.

Any input gratefully accepted.

Thanks

 

Aside from all the technical things you should do (check oil, under carpet for rust, Carfax, and many many more), I have found that the best indicator of whether you're about to buy a car with a hidden issue is the reason they are selling it. For example, my recently acquired 87' 240 was being sold because the man who owned it was moving to a smaller home and needed his garage space for a 37k mile 79' Jaguar. The Volvo had new tires, a recent tuneup, and valid tags -all indicators that if the circumstances were different, he would keep the Volvo. On the other hand, if you show up the guy tells you that his sister was driving it and she recently bought a new car, but the tags are expired and the tires dry rotted, well you know...

 

It would be nice if they told you why they are selling it... honestly. I never bother to ask. The car will tell you, and it never lies.

 

Which really still does not answer my question.

 

The car WILL tell you. You can tell a lot by the small things: records, receipts, logs tell the owner took good care. Under the hood: general cleanliness, check the coolant and overflow for any darkening/staining, sniff the dipstick for any fuel smell, condition of belts & hoses, etc.

A good test-drive on YOUR terms. Don't let the seller dictate or rush you. Drive around town first with the windows down. You'd be surprised what you hear reflected off buildings. Note if the engine warms very quickly. On the freeway, note how it tracks hands-off. Do a few good, hard slowdowns in a row and note any change in brake feel and effectiveness, and whether the car pulls to one side.

Probably the best thing I've done is go to a reputable shop that's familiar with the make/model and have a pre-buy inspection. Easily the best money spent during a buy.

 

OK.. the car did tell me some stuff very quickly (and some I found out for myself).
In brief: The ECU light was on from the beginning - not a good sign.
The overdrive switch on the shift selector did not work, meaning that there was no 4th gear/overdrive.
The engine was rough on idle.
There was a shudder in the front end under brakes.
Needless to say - did not NOT buy.
The diagnostics also showed a 1-1-3 engine fault.
So, for what it's worth.. that's how things panned out
Nicko

 

ECU light? Check engine, or service? No ECU light. Did you check the OD for function? The absence of the light may be just the bulb...Rotor shake is easy. These cars are getting harder to find in good condition, so I look for "good bones", solid cars where I'd have to fix minor things-- overall cosmetics are more important to me than some tune up/maintenance issue as they are the items that cost and are hard to find. I look for good trannies too, as I hate to mess with those...

 

Sorry for any confusion.. the engine emission lamp was on.
OD did NOT function so light was constantly on.