I bought a 240 1991 (to replace my 1990 that I have had for 10 years) and have a few questions. The doors seem to rattle and the driver's door won't stay open - it swings shut rather than locking in the open position like my other 240.

What should I look for as a cause for the rattling doors? Is there an easy fix to keep the driver's side door open when I am getting in?

Will one of those casette tape converters work with the OEM radio/casette for my Ipod?

I have to put a trailer hitch on it, and noticed someone on this forum saying to go with a "Draw-tite" from U-haul. The Volvo parts stores seem to be selling the Curtis hitch. Is it best to get the "draw-tite" from Uhaul? I will be pulling a small 300 lb utility trailer loaded with hay- no more than 500 lbs.

I understand that I need a light harness with a power supply to keep my idiot light going on and off. Where does that draw it's power from?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Here is a picture of my old 240 that I have used as a farm vehicle for the past 10 years. The goats go in the back seat, lumber on top, and my trailer has pulled 1500 lbs of firebricks when I was building my wood fired oven.

 

Thanks for the hearty laugh! I hope somebody can help you out.

 

Many questions... what did you do with your previous 240?

Doors: how many rattle, and what type of rattle, etc. I doubt that four doors all rattle the same way... The door "not staying open", is the hinge's fault. Needs a new (newer) one.

Any Tow Hitch I am confident will do for 300lbs...

"I understand that I need a light harness with a power supply to keep my idiot light going on and off. Where does that draw it's power from?" You need to further explain that one...

 

Thanks so much for your replies- I came to the right forum. I took the 1991 to my trusted mechanic, and he gave me the story on the car- the reason for the rattles. It has broken rear upper trailing arm bushings, and a left leaking front strut. To pass inspection those bushings need replacement as well as the front strut- He recommends replacing both front struts and the strut plates. I have done some reading on struts and plates, and it appears that some of the plates available are substandard. My mechanic is giving me a price of $211.00 for each plate, plus $102 for the cartridges. That seems steep, having looked at FCP Groton- What are your thoughts on the best way to go for the front suspension parts?

I still have my 1990 240 which is in great shape mechanically, but the body is very rough. I'm starting to attract negative attention....I'd like to keep it somewhere for parts, but it can't be in my neighborhood, as parts cars are not allowed. Any suggestions for storage? Where to all the Volvo people keep their parts cars?

 

So, a goat or two in the backseat is OK, but a shabby Volvo's a no-no? Interesting neighborhood... And I thought you might have the old 240 still around...

Your mechanic is pretty steep, what you need is some cheaper, more understanding Volvo place willing to work with you. Do you really need new strut plates? Mechanics love to replace things. For starters, swap all the parts from the old 240 to the new one. Those plates and struts, the doors, etc are a good start... You don't have to keep the whole car, just the parts that you need in the future that are more prone to failure. You can store those in your kitchen, next to the fridge, or by the fireplace--a great conversation piece, don't ask me how I know! I keep my Volvos in my driveway, and in the backyard, and in the street if they have current plates, and at the neighbors when the overflow gets too high... I rotate them though, they all run... No true parts cars.

 

Haha. You are right about the neighborhood. It is cool to have goat but not so much a parts car! Thanks for the suggestion to find another mechanic. You think the strut plates on the 1990 would be Ok? Looking at the description on line they don't seem particularly prone to failure, like the strut cartridges.

What parts would you save besides the doors? I suppose I could put it in the backyard covered with a camo tarp if you keep yours in the kitchen.

Sarah

 

Strut plates don't go bad often, the old ones in your car may be better than some new ones! Also, changing the whole strut assembly is much less work than separating them to put in new inserts... If your old car is good mechanically you can pull a lot of stuff off the body and keep it for future swaps, start with the whole drivetrain (engine and trans), radiator, master cylinder, steering rack, brake hardware, driveshaft, etc. All that can be stored in a fairly small space, much smaller than the whole car anyway. You'd have to exercise some minimal maintenance care. And no, I don't keep any Volvo parts in the house at present time...

 

I decided to get another 240 because my existing car was starting to attract negative attention in my upscale suburb- I have the oldest non-collector car of the township.

Mike, a Volvo mechanic (in Delaware) I have used over the years had a nice 1991 240 (185,000) that he said he would fix up for me. I trusted him and the car really did nook nice! I bought it for $2500 before even driving it. You have to understand, what do I know about cars and mechanics? He was a mechanic so I figured he must have looked over it well, and fixed everything that needed fixing.

As soon as I drove it, I knew that the car didn't feel right on the road, as I had my mechanically sound 1990 (160,000) to compare it to. It had noises I didn't recognize, and the interior was much worse than mine- it smelled like smoke, and there was dirt on the seats despite them having been shampooed.

I called up Mike and said that I wanted my money back, that the car was not what I expected. He said NO, he had sold it "As Is". He didn't make much profit anyway.

I took it to my trusted mechanic in PA, who said that it needed at least $2,000.00 of work- two new tires, front shocks and shock plates, rear brake pads, front brake lines, upper trailing arm bushings. The car didn't pass inspection in PA, and fixing it to pass would be steep, probably more than the car is worth.

I still like the car, it looks good, it is a 240 and it is white like my existing 240. I need a safe car as new developments in my job will require constant driving to new places locally. I don't want to drive a death trap like everyone else.

I called Mike and told him that I wanted to work with him, but that the car didn't pass inspection. I hate to lose the only Volvo mechanic I know. He has a yard full of 240s. He is willing to put used parts on your car.

Mike said he would do what he could to get it on the road. However, I'm not sure that is what I want, as it probably means he will put used parts on it, which will last a year if I'm lucky.

I read up on repairing front shocks, as that seems like it is the most costly repair. Lev says I probably don't need to replace the shock plates. I chatted with FCP (they know a lot and take the time to educate people like me) and I can probably get most of the parts I need for $300.00.

2× Disc Brake Pad 31261185
2× Volvo Suspension Strut Cartridge 100-597
2× Brake Hydraulic Hose 1229347SS
2× Volvo Suspension Trailing Arm Bushing 1229165

I'm planning to call Mike and ask him to do the repairs for free if I supply the parts. After all, his reputation is on the line and I write reviews on-line. I'm willing to help with the repairs, but I doubt he would let me, due to liability issues. I have worked on cars before, and know my tools, but the front shock cartridge installation looks really hard. I helped my son work on his BMW suspension system and it was a nightmare.

I also would be willing to sell the car back to him at a loss, even for $2000, if he would take it back. I don't know much about the drive train, and I'm thinking that if it needs so much work at the outset that it wouldn't be a good investment. I won't be able to sell it in Pennsylvania as it won't pass inspection, but he could sell it in Delaware where inspection is more lenient.

What are your thoughts? Sorry for all the details. I have no one else to communicate with about this. My husband knows nothing about cars, and all my coworkers are shrinks. My friends are farmers. Attached is a picture of the new 240.

Sarah

 

First, don't be afraid of used parts. These days I'd take a fresh looking OEM to a cheap new part of uncertain provenance ANY DAY. It does take experience to judge a level of useful life left in a used part, but your Volvo mechanic hopefully has that gift... The problem is that he already took advantage of you, that much is clear, and that destroys the trust issue between you and him. The car he sold you was not worth the price in the condition you describe. So, how would you know if he will even install the new parts? He may still put in old parts, keep the new ones; it happens much more than people realize. I am sure he won't be crazy about you hanging around while he works on your car.

What to do? The problem is that you too trustingly bought a car which may be future trouble. The repairs you need are not complicated but then as you said, what else is not up to snuff? This "new" car may be a money pit worse than the old one, looks notwithstanding! What are the laws where you live re AS/IS sales? Did this guy sell you the car as business or as a private party? Is it Clean Title? Did you run a Carfax or Autocheck? The info you get may be very telling re mileage, etc. I am willing to bet the seller broke a regulation or two in this transaction which you may advise him of should you consider escalating the matter to something like a Small Claims Court whether in fact you do it or not.

 

You've definitely come to the right boards, these guys have lots of knowledge to share and don't condescend like other boards I'm on (for other cars - i.e. 1984 F150 - those guys are snooty).

Used parts are fine to use, like Lev said, a sound used part will probably last longer than a "cheaper" new part. Obviously the labor is what drives up the repairs. It all comes down to how much you want to put into it.

I bought a 1993 240 wagon at auction for $800 (I think I am actually near you, I live in SE PA (about 20 min west of King of Prussia) and got it at Capital Auto Auction just up I-95) ,and probably have put $1500 into it or so but that includes all both fuel pump, 4 brakes, exhaust, front/rear suspension (easier than you think, the right tools make all the difference) and the biggest chunk is the top end rebuild/head gasket I'm currently in the middle of (search my posts, it's been an adventure on that one). Oh yeah, a new radio (that was free) but you can get a decent one with aux hookup for cheap. But it's been a good car for me to work on and learn and it's a hobby car for me, using your old one for parts sounds like a great plan too. I also figure with all the work I've done, it should last until my kids learn to drive.

The FCP guys are great too.

As Lev said too the trust issue is gone but only you know that.

if you need help or anything let me know, I'll take a goat they dogs will love it!!!!

 

one example of aftermarket...cheap stuff...

Fuel pump relay: $17 dollars lasted ONE WEEK...ONE WEEK....SERIOUSLY....
the solder on these aftermarket relays is freaking diluted.

a 20 year old relay...? don't have no problems...at all...$ 10 dollars at junk yard. Normally a good brand will run you up to 80 dollars....45 to 80 bucks....I tried resoldering but found out the diodes were fried.....oh yes, it was specified for my 79 242 DL..

 

Lev- You are right on and I appreciate your honesty. I didn't want to see it, but I was duped. I'd rather face the truth, and without your help I doubt I would have gotten to the bottom of it.

Fortunately, my existing 240 is not a money pit. It has been nothing but a joy to own except for its slightly crummy appearance. It was originally a salvage car, and was a pain to get registered but it had only 120,000 miles on it 10 years ago.

Both my kids (my son and daughter) worked on it when they were young, and now they both are really good with tools. I remember handing my daughter a wrench when she was 12, saying, "Let's take off the door!" 6 months later she was demanding a DeWalt cordless drill so she could do the fun stuff with her stage tech crew. She was tired of painting scenery with the girls.

I'm trying to get my money back; I told the seller who owns a Volvo repair shop, that if he doesn't settle up in a fair way, I will publish my experience with him in detail on line, including using his name and the name of the shop. I hope he realizes how damaging that could be to his business. Any suggestions on how to handle my negotiations with him would be much appreciated.

If I still end up with the car, at least I will have some clean body parts- the doors, hood and trunk are in good shape. Most importantly, I won't be driving a car that is an unknown quantity with a shady past.

Meanwhile, whatever problems my old 240 comes up with, I can find help on this forum to fix them myself, and have a fun time in the process.


Thanks again!

Sarah

 

You are on the right track as far as trying to work it out with the seller first--appealing to his self interest is the way to start. If this fails, unfortunately the only recourse you'd have is some pro per court action, and victory would be far from certain since the car was sold AS/IS. Again, I don't know the laws in your state, what your seller may have potentially violated--these details vary greatly from state to state.

As I mentioned before you can run a Carfax or Autocheck report to find out more about this car, mainly to verify the miles on the odometer which seem low. 240's are very prone to odometer failure and many have a ton more miles than what they show. Even though odometer tampering is illegal, mileage report is not required for cars older than ten years, so any info you glean would not usable against the seller. Volvo flipping can be quite lucrative: with problems they can be bought for a song, and if you know what you are doing you can turn them easily for a handsome profit...

Even though I think Volvo Red Blocks are great, some can easily become "money pits" if one is not careful and knowledgeable, see a recent post on this forum tagged "Leaving the Volvo World". Yes, I too was worried fearing the worst, but fortunately he only meant that he was moving onto a new Toyota...

 

Lev- I am very grateful to you for being honest with me and pointing out that I was duped. Now that I can admit it to myself, taking care of the situation is simpler. No trust means I do not want the car.

Since my phone calls with him haven't been positive, I wrote a letter to the seller, the head mechanic and owner of a Volvo repair shop. I said I would prefer a refund, and that I was willing to take a loss. I also suggested that a fair resolution of the problem would be in his best interest as I was willing to publish my experience with him and his business on-line.

I followed the letter up with a phone call today. He said that the car was not misrepresented and that it was worth what he asked. He promised to fix it up to pass inspection, but I declined, saying that I wanted a refund. I told him that if the car was worth what he said then he should be able to sell it to someone else without a problem.

He also said that now that he had signed it, that it would mean paperwork for him since it would now be a "defaced title". I said that I would transfer the title, but it occurred to me that I should ask you about that.

I haven't bought many cars, but a title transfer probably means that I would have to pay PA sales tax on the car plus the title transfer fee in addition to the $500 loss I'm already taking.

Also if I transfer the title will it make it more difficult for me to get a refund?

Do you have any suggestions for how to talk to this person? You wouldn't have gotten into this mess to begin with, but what would you say if you were me?


Thanks, Sarah

 

Hmm, I like this guy less and less... Never heard of a "defaced" title, a new one to me. And after 30 years in the car biz I don't hear much new stuff. If you complete the title transfer, pay the fees, title comes in your name, you have to resell the car, new owner pays the new fees, everybody but the state loses. If you still have the title that came with this jewel and it's not turned into DMV yet, what happens is a simple UNWIND of the deal, nobody loses money, the seller takes the car back--simple. He is feeding you a line! Paperwork is always present but this takes a very minimal, like 5 minutes worth of paperwork. If you'd like you can PM me for more info.

 

Actually a "defaced title" is a legitimate thing. Most states have rules and regs about a defaced title but here is PA's
http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms...ts/fs-defa.pdf

What I am sure the seller meant was that now that the title is signed over to you, he cannot sell the car to anybody else because it is no longer in his name. Regardless of if you took the paperwork to the PA DMV to get a new title or not, in the eyes of PA, Delaware and many other states, the minute your name goes on the back of the title, the car is yours. So in order to return the car you would have to go to PA DMV and get the car retitled in your name, then wait for a few months(in MD it is about 3-4 weeks) then hand him the PA title signed over to him so he can get it retitled in DE again.


However, just remember that the seller is under no legal obligation to return your money or cancel the sale. There is not buyers remorse law in DE or PA and even if there was it would have no bearing on a private seller sale only to a dealer sale.

As for the small claim court it would have to be in the state of Delaware as PA courts do not have jurisdiction over a seller in another state unless he/she has business dealings in PA(i.e. a shop etc) and even then you would lose because private car sales in the eyes of the courts or states are considered "as is" sales with no warranty implied. Yes he told you the car was perfect but I am sure he did not put it in writing and it becomes a "he said she said kind of thing" and you will lose because you have nothing in writing.

The other thing is that PA inspections are different then DE inspections. One can hardly expect a car passing inspection in DE to sail through a PA inspection and pass. Especially since DE has a one time only vehicle inspection when the car is first titled to a new owner(like in my state of MD) unlike PA which has inspections every year.

So in other words, if you take him to court over this car, you will lose horribly. You are going to go before the judge and tell him/her that the seller promised you that the car was perfect and would pass inspection, the judge is going to ask you for your proof and when you cannot produce that written proof, the case will be dismissed and you will be hit with court costs and possibly a counter suit. The fact that the seller would offer to fix the issues preventing it from passing PA inspection when he was under no obligation to do so would also cause the court to look favorably upon him and look at you with suspicion. The car is over 20 years old and you did not follow the "Buyer Beware" principal.

My advice to you is to take the seller up on his offer and have him fix all the issues that will not pass(and whatever your PA tech found) and enjoy the car.

I am really sorry if this sounded harsh but i have seen this happen to a lot of people and it is sad but sadly there is no recourse once you hand over the money to a private seller.

Now as for the reason you are dumping your current Volvo because the neighborhood does not approve of the car because it is getting long in the tooth. It is none of the neighbors nor the neighborhoods business what your car looks like nor is is something they can tell you to get rid of. I assume your car passes the annual PA safety inspections? and that it has a current up to date inspection sticker? If so you should tell your neighbors to stick it. The only entity that has say over your car and it being on the road is the state of PA not a neighborhood, borough, township etc can tell you that your car is not allowed if it is passed all PA inspections. It is one thing if it was sitting and rotting on your lawn but if it has a valid inspection sticker and up to date tags then to heck with what the neighbors say or think. My folks lived by the "life's too short to worry about that" mantra BUT I live by the lifes to short to put up with that crap mantra and I will be damned if i would let some idiot neighbor tell me I cannot park my car in front of my own home(the home I am paying a mortgage on and also pay taxes on)

In any event good luck with your car

 

If you don't transfer the title then getting that refund is much much harder. If I was in your shoes, I would have long told the person/persons/entity that told you your car was not welcome at your own home to go f**k themselves as the state of PA is the only one that can tell you to get rid of the car. If it was the home association, then i would have had my attorney send them a cease and desist letter and that they cannot regulate what you can have in front of your home because only the state of PA has jurisdiction in these matters

Good luck

 

journeyforce,

“It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.”

 

Thanks to the help of forum members I made a informed decision and returned the car that was to be "my next Volvo". I lost a significant amount of money but learned a significant number of lessons. My current Volvo is in great shape mechanically, and it is known quantity. I have taken good care of it for 10 years, and I can do so for the next 10. It transports my animals, my hay, my fire bricks, and gets me to work safely. It has no rust, just some dents and scrapes. I think I will spend some time fixing up the body with the help of forum members rather than trying to find another car.

Thanks again for all your help!

 

I knew I didn't have much of a chance in court, so I took his offer of $1500. Best of all I still have my car which I can trust and knowledge of a great resource for keeping it on the road.