Alright so short story, I need a cheap somewhat dependable car to help take some work load off my '03 Passat W8. It's a great car but I'm having to replace the torque converter, which requires the entire engine to be pulled out, estimated 19 hours labor. ...yeah.. w8forum.dk

I've been a member with that awesome forum for over a year. Great guys, hoping this place is similar.

Anyrate, found an 87 240Dl wagon it's a manual. Needs some work, new head light and the guy thought the brakes needed replaced. But she runs. Anybody have some known issues on this beast I should know about? I've always heard Volvo's were diehard cars. They are asking 600 for it.

Any help is always appreciated. I'm going to spend the next couple hours (at least till my 2 month old wants fed again) diggin around the forum.

Thanks,
Alex

 

how many miles are on it? Couple things I'd look at before I bought it. the trip meter and odometer might not work. Check that the power steering pump isn't leaking all over the place. Make sure the rear end isn't sagging too bad. I'd guess the car is already in for shock replacement but if the springs are also bad that would suck. The wagon springs cost more than the sedan springs...supposed to be heavy duty. I would bet dimes to dollars that when you start it up you'll hear a metallic rattling from under the car. It's either a bad cat or, more likely, a loose heat shield. the bad cat is problematic, the loose heat shield is not. When you drive it, if the brakes pulsate, the car is on the hook for new rotors (duh). The not so duh part is that you'll probably have to replace all four rotors...not just the front. Turn on the vents full bore while you drive it. Heat won't be an issue but the blower motor bearing might be. Rust? If it bothers you then the worst of it will be on the quarter panesl, at the bottom, in front of the rear tires. On the wagons the other trouble spot is at the bottom of the tail gate.

They ARE diehard cars....IMO, one of the reasons it's gained that reputation is it's unparalleled ability to run well with sometimes several things in need of repair. For example, I've had my current 240 for just over a year. The thing drove/ran fine when I picked it up. However, since its initial purchase I've "had to" replace: inner and outer tie rods, ball joints, front calipers, all four solid front brake lines, both front hubs, all four rotors, all four sets of brake pads, struts and shocks, strut mounts, all the drive belts, water pump, fan clutch, thermostat, coolant temp sensor, oil pressure sensor, O2 sensor, rebuilt alternator, Flame trap system, rebuild the throttle body, rebuilt the idle air control valve, cleaned the mass air flow sensor, replaced the kick down cable to the transmission off the throttle body, replaced the air box thermostat valve, several oil changes, several coolant flushes, new battery, new spark plugs, new wires, new air filter, new tires, added a coolant temp assisted electric fan, brand new tail lights with total rewiring.....i'm sure I'm forgetting some things.

point is...a die hard car can come in several forms. I quoted "Had to" above because I'm fairly certain that my car would still be running relatively ok today had I not done over 80% of those repairs. If you pick this thing up and expect it to run flawlessly then you're out of luck. But if you buy it understanding that old *** cars require a certain amount of attention then you're set. AND, if you're able to do all this stuff on your own then you're in luck. So far, the total bill on mine is still under $1500. Back when i had my first 240 and when I was young and stupid...that bought me the brake work.

You'll likely run into some kind of super irritating issue that will make you momentarily regret buying the car. But, you'll find all the info you need to fix the problem here and other volvo sites. Most times, it's all cheap fixes with expensive time trouble shooting.

For my own indulgence and to give you a better idea of total costs...under $1500 has also included: fabricating a new ebrake cover with arm rest, replacement of the ENTIRE interior (was blue and is now black), installed a new stereo system, installed six Volvo brand accessory gauges, replaced all the exterior trim (almost, it was chrome and is now black. Just missing one piece) and replaced all the door handles.

 

All things I was hoping to hear. I had a reply typed up earlier, but my two year old beat me to it.

I don't mind maintaining a vehicle. And I'm handy enough to fix, or at least diagnose most problems. I'm just hoping to score a decent car that will get me through a bind, if it lasts longer than that, more the merrier. I have no intention on restoring any cosmetic defects, just keep her runnin.

They also have an 88' 740 GLE which looks a hell of a lot better, but it doesn't run. And I don't have time or means to get it to a shop to find out whats wrong, so I'll take the running ugly duckling.

THANK you for your pointers. Thats the information I always want to find on the internet, and can't.

I have a feeling I've found another forum to frequent.
Thanks,
Alex

 

happy to help! Be sure to post up some pics after you pick it up!