good evening all,

i am new to this forum and had a question on a prospective volvo purchase. it's a 2 owner 87 740gle wagon with 162k miles. the owner states he has all maintanence records though not sure if back to 1st owner. here is a quote from him:

"There is no rust on the car, mechanically the car runs very well, and there are no known concerns with the car. It was my wife's car and we kept it up well. It's a good car. The air conditioner freon leaked out a few years ago and the radio doesn't always work. Otherwise its a great car"

what should i look for to help the buying decision. are the mentioned problems indicative of something more major? also, what would be a reasonable price to pay? i know volvos have a great reputation for lasting long. i do get nervous about buying a car with high mileage for fear that a major repair issue will come up and make the buy a bust.

thank you

 

Always take a car for a test drive, on secondary roads and on the freeway. I can't understand how anyone would buy a car via the Internet (test drive undriven). Test for good acceleration, and straight, quiet running. Go over bumps and see how it rides. Be suspicious of any unusual noises, which usually means money out of your pocket if you decide to buy it. Make sure very little black (and no white, for that matter) smoke comes from the exhaust. It's a good idea to get the car up on a rack and have a mechanic check the steering, suspension, and exhaust system. Make sure there are no bent frames or other damage as well. Faults there add up quickly. Unless you live in a hot part of the country, I wouldn't worry too much about the AC. If worried, have it checked out by a mechanic. Oh, the 1987 has old style AC refrigerant, which costs an arm and a leg. (My refrigerant "evaporates" away, so I've given up refilling the AC system.) Check to see if current owner has modified his AC to new, environmentally friendly refrigerant. As for the radio, intermittent play seems to be standard on the 1987 Volvo. My 1987 740 turbo has the same problem. Still haven't figured that one out yet.

I also like to pass a magnet around the body to see if any plastic filler was put there. But, parts of the 1987 Volvo body are plastic! Can't remember specifically where.

Pull up mats and check to see that the floor is same color as rest of vehicle. Also, smell underneath there to make sure that the car hasn't been in a flood. Beware of musty odor.

Last year, my wife paid ~$2700 for a 1993 940 with 200,000 miles on it. Drove like a brand new car, but there were still many little things to fix. Semi-major jobs: I had to put on new inner tie rods and install a whole new exhaust system.

Good luck!

 

it is an internet ad but the transaction will be face to face so i'll be able to test drive and have a look. i wanted to know from people with volvo experience any telltale signs to look out for.

 

First thing on a '87 would be the wiring. Check for the wiring behind the alternator and under the intake, if the insolation is flaking off. If so, it will need to be addressed--several hundred $. An '87 with those miles is worth around a $1,000 based on condition. There is really no book value on these cars.