I just picked up the eighth Volvo in my life. It's a real gem, but as usual it has some issues which need to be tended to. It's an '89 GL wagon with an M47 (5 speed).

Now, I've looked and looked and looked on the Net and I cannot for the life of me find another like it. They all have automatics. Are these manual gearboxed 740s that rare? How lucky was I to actually find one that has been basically babied?

What I was really looking for was a 5 speed 940 wagon. I suppose those are most rare since Volvo apparently dropped the M47 from the 940 line fairly soon after its introduction.

BTW, one of the things that I've got to tend to is a screwed up clutch. Gonna cost a fortune, but I've got it going in Wednesday. The guy is a long-time Volvo cert mech with an independent shop. He's going to replace basically everything in the bell housing (except flywheel and ring-gear), plus the drive shaft bearing and support for about $1,200. Damn, if I were doing it myself, it would cost much less. Unfortunately, I don't have the time.

In another week it'll be the A/C (fix and convert to new coolant) for another $700.

Nobody ever said Volvos were cheap. The rest of the items I'll do myself. It's gonna need a new starter soon. And when I next do the brakes, it'll need front rotors. All basically easy stuff. Plus, there's some minor other issues which my local Pick-A-Part will take care of.

 

I'd say so.

 

I've got a 91 240 5 speed (M47) that I feel pretty lucky to have so I'm with you. I looked for 2 months before I found my 5 speed that had been sitting on side of someones house for 2 years in desperate need of LOTS of TLC!!!

 

Yes you are very lucky.

They are getting really hard to find.