Which is the best 700 series vehicle for me.

neil stevenson · Apr 23rd, 2004, 18:28

Hi All,

I have an idea of adding a tow vehicle to our collection. It has to be cheap to run, easy to fix, no known 'type' problems with engine or gearbox, and cheap to buy. It will live outdoors and must be reliable and be a good tow vehicle for our caravan, and car transporter trailer with a 4x4 on it. It can be petrol or diesel, saloon or estate. But most of all it must be cheap to buy. 1980 to early 1990's.

I have two 200 series cars and fancy a 700 series car, but which one should I be looking for and what sort of money do they go for.

roy chu1 · Apr 23rd, 2004, 19:56

To tow, you could go for the 760 which is the v6. But bear in mind these are fairly hard to find, and hard to find one equally which is in good condition.

There is the Turbo intercooler 2.3 turbo, which is a great, car but again you must make sure you find a good one, as the turbo would feel strain under tow. My uncles 740 turbo went at 110k. This was an auto. Autos seem to blow quicker. My other uncle has a 740 turbo intercooler and he is at 185k and still on the origional turbo. This is exceptional. He uses his car to carry heavy loads of stock as well. I said that is a phenominon.

The 940 is also an option, and the 960 is also good. A lot of power for towing in the 960, 2.5 or3.0 litre which has a nice v6 engine.

Just my opinion I would try for a 760.

good luck on your search

Roy

migrator · Apr 23rd, 2004, 21:37

The 960 is a straight 6 engine (3 litre version). This model does not come with a V-engine option. Lots of power for towing however and lots of comfort.

Peter Milnes · Apr 24th, 2004, 01:22

I found my 760 GLE Turbodiesel (with intercooler) to be just about everything you could wish for as a towcar. My present 945 SE 2.4 (Turbodiesel with intercooler) is even better as it has a manual five-speed gearbox (the famed M90) and has been mildly tuned. The bhp is up from 122 to 145 and the torque is quite wild! Unfortunately the diesel cars are like hen's teeth to find as the owners tend to hang on to them.

All the best, Peter

neil stevenson · May 5th, 2004, 21:45

What does anyone have to say about a 1989 2.3 turbo ET engined 760. My local independant who has serviced my 245 DL has one with 156,000 on the clock that has had the head gasket changed and the head worked (valves and guides and oil stem guides done). New front discs and pads and front suspension bushes have been fitted recently.

The warning light for the ABS stays on at times, the speedo doesn't work first thing in the morning and the air con does not work, but it has a fresh MOT.

Is the 230 ET engine a good one, how long do the turbo's last and with the problems it has what sort of money is it worth? He is looking £700 for it which I think is a bit expensive.

I await your comments please.

Peter Milnes · May 6th, 2004, 00:08

If he fixes the ABS problem, the speedometer problem (I expect they are related as the same sensor works for the speedometer signal and the rear ABS signal, the wiring being common from boot to left-hand A-frame), the Air-conditioning AND gives you a six-month guarantee on the work done, then you may part with the £700 knowing that you have got a car that will last you for a considerable time before any further major work is needed. However in the condition it is in now, I would not give more than £300 for it as I would have to spend a lot more than the extra £400 to sort out the air-conditioning alone. Engine is fine and is fitted in the 760 Turbo which is a top-of-the-range car (along with the V6 engined and intercooled turbodiesel engined 760 GLEs).

All the best, Peter

May 8th, 2004, 13:55

The B230ET engine is by no means as sturdy as the B230Ft with LH 2.4 as fitted to 1990 and later Turbos but for very sane driving, it would probably be ok. A petrol turbo car is not a cheap car to run and will need love and tender care to last you. You cannot by a 760 Turbo with a B230ET and treat it like a 240 with a B21A, it will disappoint you. A turbo needs good, high quality oil and filter changed regularly, it needs cooling down after driving and it needs to be driven with care, do not rev the engine above 2000 before the engine is properly warm.

The ECC system as fitted to this 760 is a wonderful, superior system which will make your life so much nicer when driving, but again, this does not make for cheap driving and as Peter has indicated, it costs megabucks to fix. If the air con does not work on this car, you should expect there to be some serious leaks and the old gas, i.e. a pressure test, rebuild and conversion which could easliy end up costing 800-1000 pounds.

I am not saying that these are bad cars, they are great and wonderful cars but they are not cheap to run and if they are cheap to buy, stay away. For a good, solid, updated 240 type car, I would without a single question go for a 1988-1989 740 GLE estate. These have alloys, power windows all round, power mirrors, leather seats, central locking, sunroof and often an autobox, i.e. some nice stuff that if broken are cheap and easy to fix. The engine is the B230E with the K-jet. Please note, a B230ET does not have K-jet, it has LH 2.2.

My two pennies...

George

[link:www.ttsservices.co.uk/my%20volvos.htm|http://www.ttsservices.co.uk/Signature.JPG]

'95 940 Polar LPT estate (B230FK/AW71)
'87 740 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler estate (D24TIC/ZF22)
'79 262C (B27E/BW55)

neil stevenson · May 8th, 2004, 19:08

Thanks for that George, a mine of information as usual.

I don't need an estate as I already have one, (245DL), so a saloon will do the job.

I have found plenty of cars across the water in England but we seem only to have over priced rubbish here, so yet again I will have to travel.

740 GL (G reg) 1989 with 170,000 miles on the clock. Manual with power steering that is heavy initally but after a few yards is fine.

What engine does this have and is it any good. Is the power steering likely to be costly to put right?

Cheers.

May 8th, 2004, 21:55

Any 740 GL is likely to have the B200E and as such, not wonderful for towing, the difference to the B230E is marked. The PAS would not cost much if using, as I would recommend, second hand parts. I would flush it out properly and check the belt first of all. If it is the rack, which is possible, a new one does cost a bit (300-400 pounds) but you could get a second hand one off as new a smashed 940 as you could find at say Simpsons in Yorkshire and that would fit no problems.

George

[link:www.ttsservices.co.uk/my%20volvos.htm|http://www.ttsservices.co.uk/Signature.JPG]

'95 940 Polar LPT estate (B230FK/AW71)
'87 740 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler estate (D24TIC/ZF22)
'79 262C (B27E/BW55)

neil stevenson · May 10th, 2004, 00:11

Ok George,

Can you please explain what the K-jet and the LH2.2. are and why one is better than the other.

Having looked at Ebay etc. am I right in thinking that there were more 740 GLE estates sold than saloons.

As condition and service records are more important than mileage with these cars, is there any broken item / fault in particular that
I should avoid when looking to purchase a 1988-89 740 GLE.

As I don't really like the idea of buying from Ebay I will look to our club members for a suitable vehicle.

Apr 23rd, 2004, 18:28	#1
neil stevenson Senior Member Last Online: Jun 6th, 2017 14:09 Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Carrowdore	Which is the best 700 series vehicle for me. Hi All, I have an idea of adding a tow vehicle to our collection. It has to be cheap to run, easy to fix, no known 'type' problems with engine or gearbox, and cheap to buy. It will live outdoors and must be reliable and be a good tow vehicle for our caravan, and car transporter trailer with a 4x4 on it. It can be petrol or diesel, saloon or estate. But most of all it must be cheap to buy. 1980 to early 1990's. I have two 200 series cars and fancy a 700 series car, but which one should I be looking for and what sort of money do they go for. __________________ Neil Stevenson 2000 S40 1600cc. 940 SE Turbo Estate.(sold).

Apr 23rd, 2004, 19:56	#2
roy chu1 Senior Member Last Online: Aug 28th, 2016 00:00 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Worcester	RE: Which is the best 700 series vehicle for me. To tow, you could go for the 760 which is the v6. But bear in mind these are fairly hard to find, and hard to find one equally which is in good condition. There is the Turbo intercooler 2.3 turbo, which is a great, car but again you must make sure you find a good one, as the turbo would feel strain under tow. My uncles 740 turbo went at 110k. This was an auto. Autos seem to blow quicker. My other uncle has a 740 turbo intercooler and he is at 185k and still on the origional turbo. This is exceptional. He uses his car to carry heavy loads of stock as well. I said that is a phenominon. The 940 is also an option, and the 960 is also good. A lot of power for towing in the 960, 2.5 or3.0 litre which has a nice v6 engine. Just my opinion I would try for a 760. good luck on your search Roy

Apr 23rd, 2004, 21:37	#3
migrator Aye - him again Last Online: Yesterday 20:08 Join Date: May 2001 Location: HAWICK	RE: Which is the best 700 series vehicle for me. The 960 is a straight 6 engine (3 litre version). This model does not come with a V-engine option. Lots of power for towing however and lots of comfort. __________________ (Ouch - that's another knuckle ...) VOC 11817

Apr 24th, 2004, 01:22	#4
Peter Milnes Premier Member Last Online: Apr 10th, 2014 00:01 Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tonyrefail	RE: Which is the best 700 series vehicle for me. I found my 760 GLE Turbodiesel (with intercooler) to be just about everything you could wish for as a towcar. My present 945 SE 2.4 (Turbodiesel with intercooler) is even better as it has a manual five-speed gearbox (the famed M90) and has been mildly tuned. The bhp is up from 122 to 145 and the torque is quite wild! Unfortunately the diesel cars are like hen's teeth to find as the owners tend to hang on to them. All the best, Peter

May 5th, 2004, 21:45	#5
neil stevenson Senior Member Last Online: Jun 6th, 2017 14:09 Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Carrowdore	RE: Which is the best 700 series vehicle for me. What does anyone have to say about a 1989 2.3 turbo ET engined 760. My local independant who has serviced my 245 DL has one with 156,000 on the clock that has had the head gasket changed and the head worked (valves and guides and oil stem guides done). New front discs and pads and front suspension bushes have been fitted recently. The warning light for the ABS stays on at times, the speedo doesn't work first thing in the morning and the air con does not work, but it has a fresh MOT. Is the 230 ET engine a good one, how long do the turbo's last and with the problems it has what sort of money is it worth? He is looking £700 for it which I think is a bit expensive. I await your comments please. __________________ Neil Stevenson 2000 S40 1600cc. 940 SE Turbo Estate.(sold).

May 6th, 2004, 00:08	#6
Peter Milnes Premier Member Last Online: Apr 10th, 2014 00:01 Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tonyrefail	RE: Which is the best 700 series vehicle for me. If he fixes the ABS problem, the speedometer problem (I expect they are related as the same sensor works for the speedometer signal and the rear ABS signal, the wiring being common from boot to left-hand A-frame), the Air-conditioning AND gives you a six-month guarantee on the work done, then you may part with the £700 knowing that you have got a car that will last you for a considerable time before any further major work is needed. However in the condition it is in now, I would not give more than £300 for it as I would have to spend a lot more than the extra £400 to sort out the air-conditioning alone. Engine is fine and is fitted in the 760 Turbo which is a top-of-the-range car (along with the V6 engined and intercooled turbodiesel engined 760 GLEs). All the best, Peter

May 8th, 2004, 13:55	#7
George Holmer Guest Location:	RE: Which is the best 700 series vehicle for me. The B230ET engine is by no means as sturdy as the B230Ft with LH 2.4 as fitted to 1990 and later Turbos but for very sane driving, it would probably be ok. A petrol turbo car is not a cheap car to run and will need love and tender care to last you. You cannot by a 760 Turbo with a B230ET and treat it like a 240 with a B21A, it will disappoint you. A turbo needs good, high quality oil and filter changed regularly, it needs cooling down after driving and it needs to be driven with care, do not rev the engine above 2000 before the engine is properly warm. The ECC system as fitted to this 760 is a wonderful, superior system which will make your life so much nicer when driving, but again, this does not make for cheap driving and as Peter has indicated, it costs megabucks to fix. If the air con does not work on this car, you should expect there to be some serious leaks and the old gas, i.e. a pressure test, rebuild and conversion which could easliy end up costing 800-1000 pounds. I am not saying that these are bad cars, they are great and wonderful cars but they are not cheap to run and if they are cheap to buy, stay away. For a good, solid, updated 240 type car, I would without a single question go for a 1988-1989 740 GLE estate. These have alloys, power windows all round, power mirrors, leather seats, central locking, sunroof and often an autobox, i.e. some nice stuff that if broken are cheap and easy to fix. The engine is the B230E with the K-jet. Please note, a B230ET does not have K-jet, it has LH 2.2. My two pennies... George [link:www.ttsservices.co.uk/my%20volvos.htm\|http://www.ttsservices.co.uk/Signature.JPG] '95 940 Polar LPT estate (B230FK/AW71) '87 740 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler estate (D24TIC/ZF22) '79 262C (B27E/BW55)

May 8th, 2004, 19:08	#8
neil stevenson Senior Member Last Online: Jun 6th, 2017 14:09 Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Carrowdore	RE: Which is the best 700 series vehicle for me. Thanks for that George, a mine of information as usual. I don't need an estate as I already have one, (245DL), so a saloon will do the job. I have found plenty of cars across the water in England but we seem only to have over priced rubbish here, so yet again I will have to travel. 740 GL (G reg) 1989 with 170,000 miles on the clock. Manual with power steering that is heavy initally but after a few yards is fine. What engine does this have and is it any good. Is the power steering likely to be costly to put right? Cheers. __________________ Neil Stevenson 2000 S40 1600cc. 940 SE Turbo Estate.(sold).

May 8th, 2004, 21:55	#9
George Holmer Guest Location:	RE: Which is the best 700 series vehicle for me. Any 740 GL is likely to have the B200E and as such, not wonderful for towing, the difference to the B230E is marked. The PAS would not cost much if using, as I would recommend, second hand parts. I would flush it out properly and check the belt first of all. If it is the rack, which is possible, a new one does cost a bit (300-400 pounds) but you could get a second hand one off as new a smashed 940 as you could find at say Simpsons in Yorkshire and that would fit no problems. George [link:www.ttsservices.co.uk/my%20volvos.htm\|http://www.ttsservices.co.uk/Signature.JPG] '95 940 Polar LPT estate (B230FK/AW71) '87 740 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler estate (D24TIC/ZF22) '79 262C (B27E/BW55)

May 10th, 2004, 00:11	#10
neil stevenson Senior Member Last Online: Jun 6th, 2017 14:09 Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Carrowdore	RE: Which is the best 700 series vehicle for me. Ok George, Can you please explain what the K-jet and the LH2.2. are and why one is better than the other. Having looked at Ebay etc. am I right in thinking that there were more 740 GLE estates sold than saloons. As condition and service records are more important than mileage with these cars, is there any broken item / fault in particular that I should avoid when looking to purchase a 1988-89 740 GLE. As I don't really like the idea of buying from Ebay I will look to our club members for a suitable vehicle. __________________ Neil Stevenson 2000 S40 1600cc. 940 SE Turbo Estate.(sold).

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