I bought a 1992 245 from that guy in Portland known for screwing people - cant remember his name right now.

The bad:

The engine leaks. The tranny leaks.

it's got "mystery clunks" all over. I've taken it to 3 mechanics and no one can find the noises. but it's not a quiet car.

The front left suspension needs a bushing housing. Not just the bushing - but the housing.

it's got a few random wiring problems. Dash lights dont light.

Mystery "light out" indicator on the dash.

Bad motor mounts.

The good: I replaced ALL bushings.

It's got IPD sway bars and corners really nice.

It's got Bilstein touring shocks.

it's got 1984 turbo wheels, with new low profile tires.

The paint is really good - with the exception of some rust on the inside of the rear hatch.

The interior is really good. No tears. All plastic is there.

To get this thing tip top will mean MORE suspension work. Wiring work. Work to fix the leaks on the engine and tranny. Motor mounts.

And I still may not find the rattles and clunks.

That's about $1,500 in work right there.

I've put a lot into it.

keep going - or go find something with a known, better background?

PS - don't buy from that guy in Portland!

 

It is tough to say, the repairs needed could very well be less complicated and costly than they appear. Those noises could be bad ball joints, inner/outer tie rods, bushings, exhaust leak(s), bad tires, loose heat shield, bad universal joint and center bearing.

 

It's also got something funky going on where the front right seems to dip a little bit.

This car is funky. It's obvious that it's been painted somewhere along the way.

I cant tell if it's been in an accident or not.

On the one hand - I've done so much to it - that if I keep going - I'm sure to narrow down the bad things.

On the other hand - I'd like to have a quit, nice running wagon and not have a money pit.

it aint the tires, exhaust or bushings. I've done all those.

This car has really had a lot done to it since I got it. timing belt, water pump, radiator, AC *works*, etc. I could drive it anywhere - but it's also got issue.

 

Maybe your front strut is bad. The strut mount/bearing/seat could also be bad, they tend to give a clunking sound.

 

struts are new.

I'm telling you. This car has been looked at by 3 Volvo mechanics, and another mechanic who doesnt specialize in Volvo's. These clunks are freeking gremilins.

I'm not asking for help from the internet to find what mechanics cant.

Just asking if I should continue dumping cash or move on.

 

Well you can't dump cash into it if you don't know what is wrong with it. There is also no point in fixing the other problems like the leaks if you are going to continue driving a car full of clunks and weird noises. They could get even worse if ignored and the car could become unsafe. If you can't fix everything then I would dump it before you sink even more money into it.

 

Take the car to Alamo Automotive in Portland 6901 NE Glisan Street. Talk to Mitch or Dennis. Used to live there; these guys are the absolute best.