Volvo 240GL Estate

[Roderick Plinge]

Morning all,
Long time since I've been on the forum, but I've been Volvo-less for about twelve months now. However to remedy that I've just purchased a one-owner 1986 240GL estate. The car has 101k on the clock and, as you'd expect from this old bus, she's in excellent condition having been very well maintained by her previous owner, a 92 year old gent who passed away in May this year.
The car comes with twelve months MoT and a wealth of invoices for the very meagre sum of £400. What's not to like?
This is the third 240 I've owned; latterly a 240 saloon in mint condition with 275,000 miles on the clock, and prior to that another estate, again in mint condition. I know this is a well-worn phrase, but the 240 really is a bullet-proof car, mechanically and structurally. I used both previous cars as my daily commute with absolutely no issues whatsoever, still returning on average 30mpg from the 230K engine, which I think is an unbeatable block.
These cars still keep up with modern traffic, they are relatively easy to drive and utterly dependable if well maintained. My youngest lads partner said it was the most comfortable car she had ever driven in.
I'm a Volvo fan, period, but having owned two 'modern' Volvo's (V70 T5 and an S60 D5) I prefer the older models that don't suffer from the usual electronic issues that cost several limbs to rectify. I'd have another V70 any day, but when my geartronic box packed up, and I had a quote of £3000 to rebuild it I'd just about had enough of fragile modern cars!
Finally, of all the Volvo's I've had my 1994 850 T5 takes some beating. I still say the 850 is probably one of the best cars on the road, period. I ran mine for three years with a total repair bill in that time of £10. I'll have another one day, just as a Sunday car......don't tell my missus!

(....more pics will follow of the new 240).

[peter740]

Sounds like a bit of a bargin. Well done.

[Stephen Edwin]

It does sound like a good example. And, comparisons are never simple but that price does put some prices in to an interesting perspective.

You sound well pleased with the car Roderick. That's good.

[Roderick Plinge]

Originally Posted by peter740

Sounds like a bit of a bargin. Well done.

Yeah I think so too! Just bought my lad and his girlfriend a 1997 Vauxhall Astra for £400. 79k on the clock in excellent condition. They needed a cheap car to take their two little girls out in, as a transit van, their current mode of transport, is a bit too "pikey" for me!
There are literally thousands of good, cheap little cars out there if you know what you're looking for. In the past I would 'happily' spend £10k on a car. Not any more! Total waste of money.
I get bored easily with cars and want to change them fairly regularly. Spending a few hundred quid makes this possible, and in most cases I can sell the car one or two years later for more or less what I paid for it. Better than spending £10k and collapsing in a dealers showroom eighteen months later when you're offered £3k for it !!

[Roderick Plinge]

Originally Posted by Stephen Edwin

It does sound like a good example. And, comparisons are never simple but that price does put some prices in to an interesting perspective.

You sound well pleased with the car Roderick. That's good.

Re my comments to peter740.....these old Volvo's are dependable. Nothing fancy to go wrong with them, and if it lasts another couple of years, which should be no problem at all, it owes you nothing.
In general the older, 'cheap' cars I have owned have cost significantly less to run and maintain than modern equivalents which makes me ever more sceptical about technology, specifically in relation to cars. The motoring press, specifically people like TopGear, review some new cars favourably, but neglect to tell you that when something goes wrong outside of the slippery, ephemeral warranty, average repair bills of +£1000 are definitely not unusual.

[peter740]

I wholeheartedly concur. I bought my 740 for £565 2 1/2 years ago. In real terms it probably cost me £350 as the original owner left 11 months road tax on it. So far there have been no major expenses. I've obviously just shot myself in the foot saying that. MOT is due again in a fortnight so will see what the outcome of that is. It's gone through without any problems for the last two years although I had some minor prep work done before each test. Will get a few problems I know of done over the next few weeks and with a bit of luck it will get another pass.

[Roderick Plinge]

Originally Posted by peter740

I wholeheartedly concur. I bought my 740 for £565 2 1/2 years ago. In real terms it probably cost me £350 as the original owner left 11 months road tax on it. So far there have been no major expenses. I've obviously just shot myself in the foot saying that. MOT is due again in a fortnight so will see what the outcome of that is. It's gone through without any problems for the last two years although I had some minor prep work done before each test. Will get a few problems I know of done over the next few weeks and with a bit of luck it will get another pass.

My reason for buying another 240 is the imminent failure of my 1994 W124 Mercedes estate; exhaust shot, rear anti rollbar rotted out from the chassis, torque converter rattling it's brains out! I guess I should expect this at 170,000 miles. Car cost a total of £950 over 11 months including £450 to buy it so not bad really.

[peter740]

W124s are great machines but they rust terribly in a few places which can cost loads to rectify. I've looked at plenty over the years but still haven't managed to bag a decent one at reasonable price. Always seem to end up with 190es. Went to look at a 300CE last summer which was cheap but needed work. Had been owned for the last 12 years by the guy selling it and had a full service history but the rust was mental. Would have taken a small fortune to put right. He had also replaced the Coupe with a really nice late model 280TE and had spent loads on it. Even at that the wings were starting to bubble and would be needing work soon. Mind you he was a GP so could probably afford it. Fair play to him he was more interested in why I was walking with a stick at the time than selling his car. A bit like the GLT i sold last week i hope the Coupe went to an enthusiast to restore it. Hope your 240 gives you decent service.

[Paul240480]

Great car at a great price in a great colour, whats not to like

[rtbcomp]

The biggest problems I've had with my 240 are the bodges done by a Volvo Specialist here in Sheffield (NOT Gelders).