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ThisGuy · Feb 20, 2002, 01:35 PM

Anybody know anything factual about these cars? I am looking to buy a safe & reliable sedan or wagon to transport a baby . Probably late 80's early 90's model. Any knowledge is appreciated.
(please keep personal preference out of it, thanks)

daimoni · 04:30 PM

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ranga · Feb 20, 2002, 02:40 PM

Anybody know anything factual about these cars? I am looking to buy a safe & reliable sedan or wagon to transport a baby . Probably late 80's early 90's model.

Hi,

My first car was a Volvo, a 1987 760 GLE Sedan. It had about 111K
miles on it when my mom bought it and I put another 60K or so miles
on it before I sold it. The car was well built, reliable and safe. It was
a bit small for long distance travel (not enough space to stretch your
legs in the back).

My problems started when the dealer forgot to tell me that I needed
to replace the timing belt in the engine every 40K miles or so. If you
don't replace the timing belt and it breaks, it will destroy your engine
and you will need to get a new one which can be expensive and may
lead to other problems. This problem is not limited to Volvo's, but I
was told that it is commonly found in Volvos built between 1984 and
1992 (3?).

When you buy the car make sure that it has the original engine and
that the timing belt has been serviced at all the appropriate intervals.

If I had replaced the timing belt, I would probably still have the car
today.

HTH,

--ranga

vmarks · Feb 20, 2002, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by ranga:


Hi,

My first car was a Volvo, a 1987 760 GLE Sedan. It had about 111K
miles on it when my mom bought it and I put another 60K or so miles
on it before I sold it. The car was well built, reliable and safe. It was
a bit small for long distance travel (not enough space to stretch your
legs in the back).

My problems started when the dealer forgot to tell me that I needed
to replace the timing belt in the engine every 40K miles or so. If you
don't replace the timing belt and it breaks, it will destroy your engine
and you will need to get a new one which can be expensive and may
lead to other problems. This problem is not limited to Volvo's, but I
was told that it is commonly found in Volvos built between 1984 and
1992 (3?).

When you buy the car make sure that it has the original engine and
that the timing belt has been serviced at all the appropriate intervals.

If I had replaced the timing belt, I would probably still have the car
today.

HTH,

--ranga

Yes, this is what's known as an "interference engine design" -- the pistons and the valves interfere if the timing adjustment of the camshaft is wrong.

When the timing belt breaks, the valves hit, and sometimes pierce, the pistons.

Some manufacturers recommend 40k changing, and some recommend 60k changing. The belt is a fabric one, and I've never had any problems doing it at 60k.

Usually, the belt slips a tooth before breaking, so it runs really crappy as an idicator that it's time to change it- of course, good maintenance would never let you get into that state

At any rate, I know that the 80s volvos are great. I do not know if things have gone downhill since Ford bought them.

But the quality of the 80s volvo was such that you could put 200,000 miles on the engine, take the cylinder head off the engine, and not have any appreciable wear on the piston rings or cylinder walls.

My advice for any used car purchase is, measure the compression across all cylinders. All of them should have good strong compression, and all of them should be the same number within 5-10%.

(Compression is measured with a compression gauge, by taking all the spark plugs out and putting the guage in one spark plug hole at a time, flooring the gas pedal and cranking the engine for about three seconds. Read the gauge, write down the number, clear the guage and move onto the next spark plug hole.)

Good luck!

MacmanX · Feb 20, 2002, 03:58 PM

Our 1990 Volvo 240 wagon has 226K miles and no problems. It's the best quality car I've ever driven. It has never been in an accident, but it's a very solid car so I feel very confident threading my way through all the SUVs around here. The size combined with the rear wheel drive makes it tricky to drive in snow and ice, but it can be managed if you are skilled. The most surprising thing you'll find is the turning radius. You'll be able to do u-turns that will make you the envy of every SUV driver out there (and many small car drivers as well.)

Cheers!

daimoni · 04:34 PM

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JohnD · Feb 20, 2002, 05:27 PM

Hahaha.........

ThisGuy · Feb 20, 2002, 05:37 PM

Thank you for the input. The model I am going to look at today is an 89 240 wagon w/130k miles. He is asking $2900, but I hope to get it for about $2500.
(I added the "personal preference" comment to discourage people from "Volvos suck" comments)

daimoni · 04:35 PM

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zigzag · Feb 20, 2002, 06:20 PM

Volvos are very durable (last a long time if properly cared for) but not always reliable (day-to-day functions, especially if used). Just bear in mind that old Volvos are just as expensive to repair as new Volvos. But if you get a good one you should be very happy.

[ 02-20-2002: Message edited by: zigzag ]

G4ME · Feb 20, 2002, 07:54 PM

What I would recomend is finding a person that is selling a 198* car that they took emaculant care for, IE taken to volvo dealership for every thing. At least thats what we did, we scored on a 1987 740 GLE with 270,000 miles (not a typo). It runs a little rought when cold but is fine down the high way at 70, let go of the stearing wheel and it go straight, no shudders, rides smooth, very tight. The women that owned it before us, took it to the dealer ship for every thing, oil change timing belt, windsheild (every 100,000 miles she was told). She droped a ton of money into it. If the dealership said it needed and new transmision she paid for it, a new muffler she paid for it.

So, we have since put 20K miles on it, right now it has 291,150. I am hoping to get that ever improtant, 300,000 mile club. The only thing we have done to it since we bought it was a new altinator, around 150.

Now guess how much for a 1987 with 270,000 miles on it with an extra set of snow tires, rebuilt trany, compleat list of dealership maintance. We paid $300, now thats a deal.

IMO I feel that this car for the amount of miles on it is far superior than anything around. And the reliablitiy of it, just like many other cars, is amazing just as long as you take care of it. I let it warm up ten minutes before I go in the morning, I don't beat on it, so on.

ThisGuy · Feb 21, 2002, 12:03 AM

I got it for $2500. Can I join your club now?

MacmanX · Feb 21, 2002, 12:21 AM

Originally posted by ThisGuy:
I got it for $2500. Can I join your club now?

Welcome aboard! And, have fun playing with the "Rear Fog Lights" switch.

Cheers!

kidtexas · Feb 21, 2002, 12:43 AM

Had many many Volvo's in our family. Way back in the day (when I was like 2) we got broad sided at 55mph. We all walked away from the accident with no probs (except for me... i wasn't walking yet

) That started my mom's love affair with Volvo's. Had several that I don't remember/didn't drive.

Currently have an '86 240 (mine) and a '97 960. The '86 has 170,000 miles (we've been taking it light on it for the last 7-8 years once it hit about 120,000). The '97 has 100,000. They both rule. The AC in the '97 has been funny, but that is the only serious problem. And the '86 only has had a couple problems in the last year (alternator and idle controller).

We had a '93 240 (last year it was made) cause my parents really wanted to have a "new" one of those, cause they liked the style. When my brother was driving to FL one year for spring break, some dude in a van broadsided him in the drivers door at 55+ mph. All four people in the car were completely fine. Very safe cars. We no longer have that car

They can be quirky, but everyone I know who had/has one loves it. And the turning radius is the best part. Can turn on a dime...

Ok, I will stop now. (Macs and Volvo's are the 2 products that I love and try to spread the word

)

Edit - by the way, my uncle loves these things too. He had a Volvo diesel that was over 300,000 miles. And my friend just sent me a link about some guy who was about to put his '66 over 2,000,000 miles!

[ 02-20-2002: Message edited by: kidtexas ]

G4ME · Feb 21, 2002, 12:49 AM

Link Please

onefinger68 · Feb 21, 2002, 02:00 AM

FYI almost every car I can think of has an 'interference design' type of engine.

Anyway, volvos are nice cars.... great quality, steep price, and supposedly really safe. I like John's performance volvo, though I think he's kinda a asshole for bragging so damn much. I'm guessing he has a small penis. But anyway....

- Ca$h

G4ME · Feb 21, 2002, 02:09 AM

Doge Neon

onefinger68 · Feb 21, 2002, 06:24 PM

uh.... ok. >shrug<

I hate retards.

- Ca$h

daimoni · 04:35 PM

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daimoni · 04:41 PM

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andi*pandi · Feb 21, 2002, 07:10 PM

cash said: FYI almost every car I can think of has an 'interference design' type of engine.

sigh, I can't believe I'm asking a car question, but here goes: from the description up above of what could happen when a timing belt goes, it sounds like the engine goes.

Didn't happen on my 85 subaru. Timing belt went at 80mph on highway, engine cut out, coasted to side, next day got belt replaced, car fine, no engine trouble. Back then I was too poor to do a $400 repair unless I had to, especially on poor beatup silver subie... now I get the belts replaced when I'm supposed to.

back to the volvos...

vmarks · Feb 21, 2002, 07:47 PM

Originally posted by andi*pandi:


sigh, I can't believe I'm asking a car question, but here goes: from the description up above of what could happen when a timing belt goes, it sounds like the engine goes.

Didn't happen on my 85 subaru. Timing belt went at 80mph on highway, engine cut out, coasted to side, next day got belt replaced, car fine, no engine trouble. Back then I was too poor to do a $400 repair unless I had to, especially on poor beatup silver subie... now I get the belts replaced when I'm supposed to.

back to the volvos...

EXACTLY- Not every car on the road has an interference design.

Some cars, when the timing belt breaks, nothing happens catastropically, the camshaft just spins and the valves open and close without hitting a thing.

On cars like the interference-design volvo described way above, the engine doesn't HAVE to be retired/thrown out, but it usually is.

Repairing it would be akin to a rebuild- take the head off, take the oil pan off, undo the connecting rod at the crankshaft, push the rod and piston up out the cylinder, new piston/rings/rod/rod bearings, new valves in the head, and then bolt it back together.

Generally, most people throw away the car, or buy a used engine, instead of doing that.

Nimisys · Feb 22, 2002, 02:24 AM

Originally posted by vmarks:


EXACTLY- Not every car on the road has an interference design.

Some cars, when the timing belt breaks, nothing happens catastropically, the camshaft just spins and the valves open and close without hitting a thing.

and some people like me don't have any valves, cams, timing belts, rods, rockers or pistons to break

but i got apex seals

turbo-bricks are awesome cars, but the repair costs rank up their with rotaries, saabs, jags and the exotics.

if your cool with their high repair costs as a trade off for their amazing safty record and potential performance then go for it

ThisGuy · Feb 22, 2002, 10:19 AM

Originally posted by daimoni:


Congratulations... yer in, kid!

Now show us a picture!

It will be added shortly.

ThisGuy · Mar 2, 2002, 06:27 PM

My new car. 1989 Volvo 245 DL.

milhous · Mar 3, 2002, 02:54 AM

Originally posted by ThisGuy:
My new car. 1989 Volvo 245 DL.

Damn, that's pretty nice. All this Volvo talk has influenced me to look into these late model badboys.

daimoni · 04:42 PM

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poocat · Mar 4, 2002, 11:18 AM

i love volvos.
my family used to have three, a 240 '87 wagon (which my brother wrecked in november '00, much to our collective disappointment), my dad's 940 sedan (nice car), and my machine, a '82 240 sedan.

jesus, i drove that thing through heaven and hell. i was sad to part with it at 160k, but i had to sell it ($800!) just to have cash to come to japan the first time... plus i was going to college, and couldn't afford to take care of it any more...

one of my fondest memories of it is pushing it for about two miles uphill to a gas station... luckily i had brought along five guys on my soccer team, otherwise that baby wasn't going anywhere... even then, we were lucky to do it in 25 minutes... then we had to go play a game!

i love that car.
nothing i have _ever_ driven could touch it's turning radius. it was simply amazing.
never seen such quality and strength in a car... though it might not have been the flashiest machine...

good luck... that car won't let you down.

pcat.

milhous · Mar 4, 2002, 07:07 PM

Originally posted by kidtexas:
Had many many Volvo's in our family. Way back in the day (when I was like 2) we got broad sided at 55mph. We all walked away from the accident with no probs (except for me... i wasn't walking yet

) That started my mom's love affair with Volvo's. Had several that I don't remember/didn't drive.

Currently have an '86 240 (mine) and a '97 960. The '86 has 170,000 miles (we've been taking it light on it for the last 7-8 years once it hit about 120,000). The '97 has 100,000. They both rule. The AC in the '97 has been funny, but that is the only serious problem. And the '86 only has had a couple problems in the last year (alternator and idle controller).

We had a '93 240 (last year it was made) cause my parents really wanted to have a "new" one of those, cause they liked the style. When my brother was driving to FL one year for spring break, some dude in a van broadsided him in the drivers door at 55+ mph. All four people in the car were completely fine. Very safe cars. We no longer have that car

They can be quirky, but everyone I know who had/has one loves it. And the turning radius is the best part. Can turn on a dime...

Ok, I will stop now. (Macs and Volvo's are the 2 products that I love and try to spread the word

)

Edit - by the way, my uncle loves these things too. He had a Volvo diesel that was over 300,000 miles. And my friend just sent me a link about some guy who was about to put his '66 over 2,000,000 miles!

[ 02-20-2002: Message edited by: kidtexas ]

Hey how do you like the 960? I've been doing some used car searches and they seem really nice! Looks like you can get one these days for around 10 or so. I like the 9 better than the 8's because it looks more classy.

G4ME · Mar 4, 2002, 09:52 PM

Nice wagon, rough interior but what do you expect after 13 years, also great body, I saw no rust on the rocker pannels, or fenders. Have you checked underneath it? is it in the same condition? over all very nice I will post my 87 740 GLE here soon as I find some pics

daimoni · 04:35 PM

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