3 replies to this topic

[Medicman55]

Hey everyone,

Ever since I bought my V70, I've been interested in getting more involved. My V70 is my daily driver, but I'm thinking about buying a 240. They seem like a lot of good, simple fun! I've heard they rust though; since I do live in the rust belt, this probably doesn't help. I'm looking for sort of a project, but nothing involving body work. What are some good things on 240s, and what do I have to watch out for?

I'm sorry if this has been answered a million times before.

[kepla]

Medicman55, on 23 August 2009 - 03:35 AM, said:

Hey everyone,

Ever since I bought my V70, I've been interested in getting more involved. My V70 is my daily driver, but I'm thinking about buying a 240. They seem like a lot of good, simple fun! I've heard they rust though; since I do live in the rust belt, this probably doesn't help. I'm looking for sort of a project, but nothing involving body work. What are some good things on 240s, and what do I have to watch out for?

I'm sorry if this has been answered a million times before.

To be honest the Volvo 240 doesn't have many real 'weak spots' so mainly concern yourself with evidence of regular servicing and a good standard of maintenance. Yes, they can rust but that can be stopped and the later ones had some parts of the body galvanised. Try to find one from a drier area or one that has been kept garaged.
With an older car, it is best to try to find one with intact trim as this can be difficult to replace. However, provided the dash-board is not cracked or broken, just about everything else can be dealt with by a vehicle upholsterer if needed.
The one weak spot I have found on the 240 is the fuse box. This is situated on the footwell kick-panel just inside the front left-hand door 'A-post' and seems to be a magnet for moisture for some reason. Both the fuses and the contacts can corrode, causing all sort of weird electrical problems with a pretty obvious solution. Sometimes previous owners might have messed-up the wiring trying to 'fix' problems when they should have looked at the fuse-box first !
Just about everything else on the car is just ormal 'standard' vehicle engineering, but rather well made. Nothing to be frightened of.

[Martynj]

Medicman55, on 23 August 2009 - 03:35 AM, said:

Hey everyone,

Ever since I bought my V70, I've been interested in getting more involved. My V70 is my daily driver, but I'm thinking about buying a 240. They seem like a lot of good, simple fun! I've heard they rust though; since I do live in the rust belt, this probably doesn't help. I'm looking for sort of a project, but nothing involving body work. What are some good things on 240s, and what do I have to watch out for?

I'm sorry if this has been answered a million times before.

If you are very safety conscious get a 92 or 93 since they have ABS and airbags (driver only), 93 has the R134a AC refrigerant already so no need to convert. 92 & 93 also have the updated windshield seals so there is no metal trim to fall off and it's a cleaner look. Personally I like the 81 - 85 front end/trim style but they are more prone to rust and due to age typically have more issues, rust etc.

Rust spots = floor pans/rocker panels, rear wheel wells, bottom of doors (inside edge)

Other things to look for:
quiet blower motor!!! The joke is that the car was built around the blower motor b/c to replace it you literally have to take the whole dash off, remove seats, etc. It's a real PITA. rewarding when finished though
If looking for a wagon (which I prefer) be prepared to replace the wire harnesses that go through the hinges to the tailgate (defrost, wiper, door lock, 3rd brake light).
pre- 85 had a deteriorating engine wire harness issue.
Manuals are more fun and have a little more pep IMO but are harder to come by especially in the later years.

Other than what was mentioned they are pretty straight forward and easy to work on. To research any problems or issues once you get one I'd look at turbobricks or brickboard first as there is a ton of info on 240s there already and a higher concentration of RWD owners. The guys on this site are very knowlegable though so I'd be more likely to post a specific question here.

Good Luck

Marty

[SvenAndOlie]

Best part of the 240's is definitely how reliable they are. I drove one through college that had been submerged at one point and it made it through a minnesota winter with road trips to MI and KS just fine. They are also fairly easy to work on, its fairly self explanatory, and there is a good amount of help out there.

Worst part is definitely the electrical... Someone said that pre-85's had wiring harness problems. I think its actually a mid to late 80's problem. None of the late 70's, early 80's i've driven had that problem. However, the fuse box causes problems as has been said. (I've replaced 2 fuel pumps and a starter only to find out it was something else!!! Shows how much I've yet to learn!) The other downside, for those of us that live at higher altitude, is the fuel pump, which is designed to function optimally at sea level... Apparently, Volvo has since come out with a high altitude fuel pump but i haven't heard great things about it.

The other weak spot (since you live in the rust belt) is the rear wheel wells. Rust starts growing there and it isn't usually visible until its fairly serious. Behind the wheel wells (atleast on the 86 and earlier) is a well of sorts for storing the spare tire and other things. Some cars come with a drain plug (easily clogged) that allows water to drain out if it gets in, but this whole area from the outside and the inside are very prone to rust.

Lastly, the grill and the pegs that hold it in are all plastic, and prone to getting old and breaking. The pegs aren't that hard to invent or acquire, but wire or zip ties also work, unless you like the "toothless grin" look.

My personal favorite part of the car is the handling. My 79 242 turned and handled bumps really well. The lack of power steering made parallel parking difficult but I prefer the real feel of the car and the road while moving. All of the 240's turn amazingly faster and have a much smaller turning radius than and FWD Volvo. It definitely makes U-turns and getting lost less intimidating. The interior of the car is also very roomy and comfy. Road trips= not a problem, and they definitely have more leg room in the back row than a lot of other older cars (unless you're talking something horrid like a Buick...)

For the price (usually run around $1000) its a worthwhile hobby and you'll definitely be glad of the acquisition of an "old faithful!"