Hello everyone, and thanks in advance for taking a look at my overall concerns!

I'm going to be picking up an inexpensive '88 240 DL sedan soon (most likely this weekend), the exterior looks pretty clean and I think this is the best way for me to spend my tax return, as I haven't owned a car since early '08. It has 160,000mi on it, evidently a working a/c, and the guy seems to be pretty straight forward, telling me the alternator and fuel pump relay more than likely need changing. I'm not concerned with either of those issues, but what are some of the other "trouble spots" I might want to look out for?

This won't be my first 240, I previously owned a '92 that I bought off a friend for the measly sum of $300, and it ran well but it was plagued with electrical problems. I'm going to be on the lookout for them, but otherwise what trouble spots should I look for under the hood when it comes to leaks/structural damage/etc? Money is obviously quite tight these days, and I just don't want to have a problem on my hands, haha. Also are there any trouble spots I should look for rust-wise?

Also it has plates on it and I assume has passed NY inspection, but at least I'll be able to drive it around and listen for sounds/etc. Anything else there I should look/listen for?

Thanks again.

- R

 

All 240's have the opportunity to leak at the bottom corners of the windshield so on the driver's side check the fuse panel for corrosion. On the passenger side is the ecu...wouldn't worry too much about it...if it fails they are cheap on eBay and turbobricks.com Essentially, it is much the same as your last car except no ABS or SRS to fail. Also, it has LH2.2 Jetronic fuel injection whereas your 92 most likely had LH2.4 or possibly LH3.1 So, unlike your last Brick, this one will not have OBD (onboard diagnostics).

 

Thanks for the info. Yeah I never had an issue with the SRS or ABS on my '92, just lots of annoying electrical problems - that car only had about 133,000mi at the time I bought it, and the engine was pristine, but the body was rusted in all the wrong places and I have a feeling the fuse panel was corroded. Things like the stereo, blower, and windshield wipers were always cutting in and out.

I guess I'm just going to take a careful look under the hood and where the rust spots were for me in the last car, and the dude selling it is going to try to have a new fuel pump relay by the time I go to purchase it this weekend, so we'll be able to drive it around and I'm gonna have to drive it back to my place (around an hour drive) anyway.

Haha... I've been borrowing a 2004 Toyota Camry for the past couple years when I needed to drive someplace though, I'm gonna have to get used to the brick's mannerisms again.