[Duc]

To all Swedespeed Members,<P>I am in the market for a dependable second family car. Which year and model of Volvo do you all suggests? It does not matter to me if its a wagon or sedan. Please post your recommendations here. I am mechanicaly incline and am willing to put in sweat equity and labor. I thank you in advance for your educated sugesstions. <P>PS. I placed this request for information in the "200" series forum because I was rrecently told that the 240 series Volvo engine and transmission is strong and reliable. <P><BR>

 

[towerymt]

What are you looking for besides reliability/durability/safety? In a 240 you get all of those in a simple car. A 240 isn't going to be loaded down with fancy climate control and lots of power accessories, but the price to purchase and maintain reflects that. If you like the 240, my recommendation would be a '91-'93 model. You'll get a drivers side airbag and ABS, plus the newer style sleek windshield trim (less prone to leakage, a problem on earlier 240's) and power windows. The automatic trans (AW70) is a very solid tranny and it's more common than the manual in the late 240's. Price range is probably $3000 (a nice high mileage car) to $9000 (a spotless '93 wagon with well under 100K).<P>The next step up would be the 740 or 940. The 940 is more like a luxury car with a nicer interior and more accessories, but it maintains the RWD 4cyl-engine/trans combination that the 240 has. The 940 was only available with an automatic trans in the US. The best 940 is probably the Turbo model from '93-'95 because the engines were improved to be stronger near the end of production, and they're much faster than the non-turbo model (162hp/188ft-lbs for the turbo). The 740 is sort of in between the 240 and 940, but usually less expensive than a 240. Stay away from the 760 with the 6cyl. engine, but keep in mind that there was a 760 Turbo that had the same 4cyl. turbo engine that was used in the 740 Turbo and 940 Turbo.<P>The 960 <I>can</I> be a wonderful car with it's smooth 6cyl. engine and luxurious interior, but there have been some bad apples in the bunch. Unlike the 8 valve 4cyl. engines in the 240/740/940, the 6cyl. is an interference engine, so if the timing belt breaks then the valves hit the pistons and it costs a couple thousand to fix. The self-leveling rear suspension uses expensive shocks (about $400 per pair). The early 960's had some occasional wiring problems and an odd problem with the engine block being too porous and causing coolant leaks. But when they are properly maintained, they're great cars, so don't buy one without having it checked out. Complete maintenance records would be good to have too. The 960 was available up through '98, but it was called the S90(sedan) or V90(wagon).<P>The front wheel drive cars started in '93 with the 850. The 800 series forum can give you more details about the 850.<P>Good luck.<P>

 

[S.R.]

Read Above! <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/wink.gif"> Michael gave some excellent information. Although I love my 95' 960 and it has been supurb, I would recommend a 940 SE. The 960 is sort of a 'hit or miss' kind of car, most owners truely love them, while others hate them. The 940 SE basically splits the difference between the 960 and 240 series. The 940 SE has the same basic dashboard and suspension setup as the 960, but has the same basic engine as the 240 but with a very reliable turbo 4-cylinder. If you can't find a 940 SE or don't need all the 'luxury' items, the next best thing would be a 940 GLE for some good basic Volvo transport.<BR> <IMG SRC="http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=805484&a=13834281&p=54870423&Sequence=1&res=high"> <BR> <IMG SRC="http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=805484&a=13834281&p=54870342&Sequence=1&res=high"> <P>-Drew<p>[This message has been edited by InDy (edited 10-24-2001).]