A former '89 240 Wagon owner, and having loved that car's simplicity and reliability, I set out to get a new (used) ride, something diagnostic-able (unlike my 1800ES), slick with lots of options: a luxury Volvo. Plus, I'm moving to the northeast, and I'd like at least FWD and maybe AWD for ease in the snow.

I found a '98 V70 XC, red as hack, fully loaded, beautiful. Thinking I might lose it, I put $500 down on it to hold it. THEN I did my research with the Brickboard, other sites and my feet. Among many other things, I find out it's on Consumer Reports do not buy list.

I go to Marin Toyota to test drive a '96 850 wag, and I see them pulling it into the service dept. The salesman says it's sold, but there is a 3-day grace period and he'll call me in the 'rare case' it comes back. Smelling a weird vibe, I go to the service manager and said I wanted to drive that car to which he said, "No, you don't." Turns out they can't figure out what's wrong with it, and it's certainly not selling. The starting price was $4900, pretty low especially for a dealer.

I then get a call from the guy selling me this '98 V70 XC. It was still in the shop for the ABS unit when they discovered a leak in the tranny. The drive shaft was slightly bent requiring a new one (no used ones could be found), they investigated further and the "planetary?" gear (is that what it is?) was screwed also. We're talking $2 to $3000 or more in repairs here. The seller explained the meachanic said the gear had 10,000 miles left and wanted to disclose this to me, but if I'd pay him $1000 additional for the car, he could replace it for me. I said, no, I'm paying $8500 for a clean car. He understood and offered my deposit back; I dodged a bullet. Some of you may say I should get it because everything is fixed, and it's a good car now. But, I ain't gonna.

So then I drive down to Volvo Marin. On the way, I call an individual advertising on Craig'sList. She says I can't see the car because it won't be out of the shop until Tuesday or Wednesday. I asked if she has maintenance records, she said yes, they've fixed a lot of stuff on it. Oh, good.

At Volvo Marin I ask to see the '96 850 for $8999, their lowest-priced car. He said it was in the back (I didn't know what that meant at the time). He drove me to it. He asked why I needed a wagon, I have a family? No, a big bass. He asked who I play with with, I told him, and I had a new best friend. I finally got him off of talking jazz and onto the car. It's in the back because it was smoking; could be a little thing or a big thing he said. Yeah! He also confided that although XC's are Volvo's most popular rides, a lot of them come back and come back often. Then he wanted to show me a 2002 V40 to which I cried, "Uncle!" It's like a Honda Accord wagon! Three 850's and an XC and can't even test drive one of them! This can't be normal, but still, it can't be good. I need to go backwards in time not forward!

I miss the dependability of my old 240, and I feel the new rides just ain't gonna cut it. If I want mystery with misery, I still have my 1800ES which, like 8's and V's, runs great when it's running great. 7's and 9's are a close second to the 2's in simplicity and dependability and that chug-on-down-the-road feel.

I'm glad someone didn't buy the '92 745 Wag with 145,000 my mechanic has for $5000 "Firm." It's California clean, red as heck, loaded, no rust not even underneath! Looks like a new car inside and out. Got it for $4500, maybe a little more than the repairs alone on the above-mentioned XC, and the 745 needs nothing except the heated seats aren't heating (I'm gonna need those).

You'll find me in the RWD section of Brickboard from now on I'm sure. Bye bye my AWD acquaintances, and thanks for your help!

Well, congratulations on the 745! Rust free? I'm envious!

A few years ago I suggested the idea of exporting rust-free RWD Volvos that failed California's more stringent emissions testing to the Northeast where they usually dissolve in the salt. Nobody used my idea, as far as I know.

Most of the RWD Volvos that I had considered for my daughter looked and smelled like something had died inside. So, congratulations! I always liked the minimalist styling of the 740.

-BTC

'98 V70 T5 5-speed, 167k mi, front IPD stabilizer bar, rear factory HD bar, Bilstein HD, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, e-codes, XC grill, Lidatek LE30, V-1, Mobil-1 since new

"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair." -- Douglas Noel Adams (1952-2001

I'm with you guys. But:

"...I suggested the idea of exporting rust-free RWD Volvos that failed California's more stringent emissions testing to the Northeast...."

I have to wonder how unique are CA's special emission equipment? They've got EGR valves (wouldn't folks hear in the N.E. wonder "what that gizmo is?) and a different, LH3.1 idle control that's a potentiometer instead of a switch. How many mechanics here have ever worked on that CA junk?

But I can't argue with a completely rust-free 240 or 700. I guess it would worth the extra trouble.

In the 90's, didn't the rest of the country catch up with CA emissions laws? I don't think the 90's and beyond cars are that much different.

It has crossed my mind to buy a bunch of 2's 7's and 9's, a truckload, and get them to the Northeast, or just buy one at a time and drive 'em back. I'm playing here every two months, so it might be an idea to make a little extra bread.

Check out eBay; stuff goes cheap there. Lots on LA.

I live New Jersey (across the bay from NYC) and I don't think the emissions testing is nearly as bad as California's!

eg. we had an '88 Merc that was fouling the #8 plug because of a worn valve guide or broken ring and our shop got that rusty junker through the dyno test! (Don't ask me how!) The emissions requirements may be the same in Cali and the Northeast, but I think the execution of the state emissions testing is somewhat different. You'll see when you get out here.

I'm not sure what kind of profit margin you can make on something like this -- they are old cars -- but it's a shame to see rust-free (or not badly rusted) old Volvos go to the crusher.

-BTC

Yeah, a truck full would be the only way I would do it if I were in the business. Hate to have one break down on me getting it out here...expensive on the road, unless, of course you took your garage with you and had parts and could work on them.
--
1998 S70 T5 Emarald Green Metallic, 2004 V70 2.5T Ruby Red, Previous Owner of Black '94 850 Turbo Wagon. My cars have been running so well lately they've got me worried.

bear in mind im not in the states and wouldnt know a volvo egr valve if i fell overone....but...

i have imported a japanese deisel into the uk which comes with an egr valve (legal requirement ion japan not in the uk.

The same engien was used in the uk without the valve, the valve always ends up stuck open through gunking up...common oslution is to place a blanking plate between it an the manifold - other common solution is to just take it off, install two blanking plates and plug the vacume line that controls it...

currently im on the blankin plate method while i vavlidate it HAD stuck, to be followed by the two blanking plate method while i strip it and (attempt) to clean it...of i an i will chuck it back on to do my bit, ifi ts junked it will be left off...as they are really expensive!

anyway..jsut a thought if the issue is rotten cars up north but ok motors cant you just remove all the californian gubbins? and replace any bits with stuff salvaged from ones with rotted out bodies?

I'm not a mechanic; I'm a bassist. But, I think CA cars and their emissions gubins are more of an issue in 80's cars then 90's ones (according to a mechanic friend). He said the state to buy in back then was Arizona, but with the high heat you get a lot of cracked dash boards.

Of course, rusty bodies aren't the only consideration. Extreme temp changes take a toll on belts, hoses, wires... damn near everything. Now, if we go back to 60's and 70's cars, PV's, 1800's, 1's, now we could be talking a real advantage to importing clean cars. But they don't go too cheap even here.