Advice needed buying a 90's 240
 

I want a 90's 240, preferably manual, with airbag.

What are the things to watch for? Common problems? Etc?

I had 2 89 740's and loved them to about 300k each.

Thanks

Being an old car anything can fail like the transmission, door locks, window motors, suspension bushings and balljoints, radiator, water pump, fuel pump, bearings, hoses, etc. etc. but 240's for the most part are simple, reliable and easy to work on. The most common problems would be the odometers tend to stop working due to a small plastic gear inside that breaks but it can be fixed. The plastic door pockets tend to break and on many cars they are missing. Replacements are available but they are expensive for what they are. Fuses and relays can give you problems but they are relatively easy to replace. The climate control fan motor can fail and it is difficult to access and replace. The rear main oil seals tend to leak with age and the camshaft seal and valve cover gasket will also leak sooner or later.

What happened to your 740's after the 300k mark? Did you sell them or did the suffer major mechanical problems?

It's not limited to 1990s 240s but ipd has a list of 10 common issues with 240s. I'd give ya a link but I'm not good with that on my phone...as they say...Google is your friend.

Everything that brickrunner said is accurate.

Within 24 hours of purchase my "new" '92 240 left me stranded due to a corroded #6 fuse. Jumper wire on the fuse got it started and new fuses fixed the problem.

I only settled for the 240 cause I couldn't find a decent 7 or 9 here in central Ohio.

And yes my odometer does not work. Tell tale sign before driving the car is a trip odometer sitting at or near 0.

I sold both of my 740's in excellent cosmetic and running condition. Sure, I addressed many of the issues you mentioned along the way, but it was a great ride. The worst was a cam seal that left me in a pinch 100's of miles from home and the nearest seal was at shop near my house!

This go round, I want to prep a car for my daughter and will have an inclination to go thru it as much as possible to address sthe "Older" car issues.

I'll check the IPD site, I'd not gotten back with them yet!

Since you had good history with the 740, why don't you look at 940? I know that the 240 is more of a cult "cool" car but the 940 is a better car overall: better electrics, wiring, safety, and comfort features all the way around. Easier to find one in decent shape than a 240 too...