Thanks to everyone who posted their opinions (run away and don't look back) about the '84 760 GLE I was thinking of buying. I test drove it, took it to the garage and spent $50 to get checked out. When looked at the 'to do' list, I had a lovely chat with my mechanic about what to do. We only have one volvo dealer in town, and parts are very expensive. He gently pointed out that by the time I got this car in tip top shape (he thought it needed transmission work) I could just as easily buy myself a new, relatively cheap japanese car. Then he packed me off to the local hyundai dealer.

Now, not only do I have a bitchin' new car that I can shift (I love standard!) it doesn't smell musty, it's more comfortable, and it will probably cost me less total money (10K) over the next 8 years than the volvo would have.

Off for a sunday drive in my new car!

Thanks again,

Carol

Hope that no one ever even looks at your mini japcan the wrong way, but if they do - reach under your seat, there is a small key, the kind that used to come with sardine cans. Insert the key onto the little metal tab just inside the front left corner of the roof. turn clockwise until the perimeter of the roof is perforated. Push up on the roof panel extricate yourself. go and buy a GOOD VOLVO!!!

Safe driving

Gord H

Bad Day / Good day

A bad day is wen you are in a vehicle collision b/w a orient car and a Volvo and you are in the O-car.

A good day is wen you are in a vehicle collision b/w a orient car and a Volvo and you are in the Volvo.

As a "rookie" I can't really speak with any level of experience unless you count four weeks worth of ownership. Having said that, yes there are other cars that are built well but if you own a Volvo (an old one) it seems that we all need something to justify all the repair time and devotion right??? The pure pleasure of driving these vehicles (when they start of course!)is beyond description in my mind. If you are mechanically disadvantaged as I am, you live with the little things and hope you can learn fast enough to catch the "big things" before they kill your car. Keep reading the posts & FAQ's I'm beginning to know just enough to be dangerous!!! As for Carol, other then getting our posts via email, I'm sure she is long gone from this site, enjoying her new little car.

Are you suggesting that someone not as mechanically gifted shouldn't purchase an older Volvo or face having to pay for labor charges at the local garage?

I probably have the same skill level as you: basic maintenance and some medium difficulty stuff. But I wouldn't give my 85 740 gle sedan to my mother for her daily driver. I think I'd rather hook her up with a 5 year old car every so often.

Just a thought: did Volvo make safety and issue cuz they couldn't get performance out of their cars? My car's a freakin slug...or more like battle wagon! Ha!

Jay

Most discussion I've seen in weeks. All valid.

Are you kidding me?? I owned 2 hyundais, a 1987 excel and a 1992 scoupe, bought my 1987 740 gle when the scoupe was ready for the junk yard, and I did buy both cars new. so glad I bought my volvo, I feel safe nothing rattles and clangs. my volvo has 230,000 miles on it. my hyundais didnt quite make it past 120,000, so boo on you hyundai owner, you will be sorry later just like i was. if you figure the average car payment is about 250 bucks a month, wow Ive been saving so much money with my classy car. wait and you shall see. Kelly

10 grand would have bought you a 93-95 940, the most trouble free Volvo ever made. My mom's 93 has asked for nothing in almost 45K now.

Carol I just sold a 1986 Hyundai 175,000+ miles(odmeter has not worked for years)and still running strong, compression and leak down tests are great, I bought this car in 1991 form the orignal owner who had all the maintance records, it had 45,000m when I bought it, all I did to it was change the oil at least every 5k usally with a name brand oil & filter but not always, tune ups when I thought about it. I am in the Navy and that car made 6 Norfolk to San Diego and back runs, I guess what I am saying is if you take car of your Hyundai or anything else it will usally last. The only reason I got rid of it (it was my beater who cares if it gets hurt at the Navy base car)is after getting another 245 to go with the one we already have plus a Trooper and 3 motorcycles my wife said something had to go. But I do agree with everyone else about the safety issue. Good luck with your new car and sorry I got long winded. BTW their made in Korea.

Rob

1980 240DL wagon 252,xxx

1984 " " 202,xxx

1989 Isuzu Trooper 189,xxx (Locked at both ends)

You gotta be kidding. A Hyundai is not in the same class as any Volvo. Quality, performance, SAFETY, longevity in a Volvo easily surpases that of any Hyundai product. Here's a little test for you to go by. Take a 10 year old Volvo 740 and compare it to the condition and resale of a 10 year old Hyundai. Test drive the cars. Feel the rattles and sqeaks in that Hyundai, look at the rust, listen to that knocking oil burning engine, feel that sloppy shifter wiggle around when you change gears. Go get in a similar vintage Volvo. Unless it has been severely abused, the controls will be solid feeling, it will have POWER, won't have much rust if any, and will be poised, quiet, and composed at highway speed. I am sorry lady but you have made a poor decision. My 1987 740 has 640 000 kms on it and still runs strong. No oil burning, no rust, everything works. That Hyundai won't see half of these K's and will likey be a fridge door in a Sears showroom before IT is 14 years old. To each his (or her) own I guess but keep that thing out of the passing lane where most Volvo's run.

I feel that there's some Non-Volvo bashing going on. If not Volvo, then what else? Or is it Volvo or nothing? I think I'm making the right choice by looking for a 95 or 97 Maxima SE 5sp. My alternative is an older 3 series.

So for US$10k, besides Volvo, what are my options? I'd like a 4door, 5sp, that can still move with 4 or 5 passengers (some cars are sluggish with 4 passengers).

Jay

Let me throw my two cents in here...

First of all, I was a bit skeptical about the whole hyundai idea until my fiancee purchased a 2000 elantra (despite mild protests from yourstruly). Granted, the 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty is nice, but a piece of paper won't save your life if you are involved in a collision. Her car is nice, and it drives very well considering what it cost, but I wouldn't want to be in one in an accident. I am on volvo #3, and volvo #1 ('85 740) gave its life to save mine... I lost control on a rainy Sunday morning and drove it into a jersey barrier head on at about 65 mph. I walked away literally without a scratch. I shudder to think what shape I would have been in if I was driving some rinky dink plastic roller skate with a motor. I went right back out and bought an '89 780, and now I have a '91 780.

It is difficult at best to weigh cost effectiveness against the value of your life or others lives. I'm sure we all value our own lives at somewhere above the cost of your average luxury car, but that doesn't mean we're all driving Sport Utes or $50,000 volvos or mercedes or other high priced vehicles that do well in safety ratings. It is easier for a lot of us brickboarders to justify buying a relatively inexpensive older volvo and performing more frequent and costly maintenance on it rather than purchasing a more expensive newer car (say, a hyundai?) and having maintenance costs covered by warranty. Why is it easier? Because we defer a lot of that maintenance cost by doing as much work ourselves as possible.

I'm sure that you are happy with your decision, and I congratulate you on your new car (even if it's not a Volvo). Bear in mind, though, that you have purchased $10,000 worth of peace of mind, spending it all on a new car that may be less safe than mine but that will require very little maintenance. It'll probably start every time you ask it to, and won't make any funny noises or smells. I have purchased almost that much peace of mind myself, spending $5,500 on an older car and another couple thousand on parts and maintenance... but my peace of mind comes from knowing that my car will protect me in the event of a collision, even if I sometimes catch myself crossing my fingers when I turn the key hoping it will start and even if my ears are finely tuned to detect squeaks, rattles, and shimmies.

To each their own... I told my fiancee that she could drive "Ellie" until the warranty ran out, if it made it that far, but that she was getting a Volvo after that!

Good luck,

-Jon '91 Coupe 155K "Gustaf"

$50 to avoid buying the wrong volvo was a great deal.

but i think you could have done better on another used volvo in stead of the hundai. you could buy a used volvo take good care of it and drive it for a year and sell it for almost as much for it as you paid for it.

the hundai however you could drive it off the lot and around the block and i bet they wouldnt give you 70% of the origanal price if you tried to sell it back

I have to agree with the other owners about Volvo safety. But why stop there. Why not by a used Chevy Suburban or a large truck if you want safety. Bigger is better. Right? I own a 84 240 wagon. Safe, yes, expensive to keep repaired, yes. I,ve got to go. I,m going to ride my Harley without a helmut.

Carol, Carol, a hyundai!

A hyndai. What happened here? That's like the 'anti volvo'. (i'm a big hyundai hater)

Still say you could have bought a nice volvo for 4K (87 onwards 740 or 240) and have an excellant and safe used car. They are just damn safe. I'm never buying anything else. I'll bet my volvo (89 240 with 175K) will out last you hyundia. Check out www.crashtest.com, dare to look at the hyundai section. And do drive very safely.

Damn that volvo mechanic for even suggesting a hyundai. I think he's on the payroll for the hyundai dealership ;-)

keep us updated on the hyundai.

haroon

I am on my 4th Volvo ( 1989 740GL ) - it's the second car in the family, the first being a new AWD Subaru Forester ( our third Subaru since 1971 ) - which I consider as safe as a Volvo.

Spending $50 to have it checked by a mechanic seemed a stretch. I purchased it from an individual who had it parked in his side yard everytime I drove by it. I stopped one day and asked if it was for sale, after a brief hesitation he said his wife had been after him to sell it since they got their Ford Explorer. He explained it needed brakes, tune up, a/c did not work, leaked oil, carpets were torn, drivers window would not go up all the way, needed 4 new tires, and a number of other minor items that need repair. He explained it was a gift to his family from another family member several years ago and the car did have 163,000 miles on it.

Well that prompted me to ask what he wanted for it - after a few moments of thought he said " just give me $100 and get it out of here so I don't have to listen to my wife anymore ".

I drove it home, have spent a total of $900 getting it in tip top shape and drive it every day.

Best $100 I ever spent!

Did I miss something.....you spent $50 for someone to tell you to buy a Hyundai? I could have saved you that, and told you not to buy the silly little car. It's your car, be happy, but 8 years??? Naw...it won't make it, feel free to mark these words and come back in 2009.

Good luck with your new car. I would avoid driving the wrong way down one way streets in anything but a brick (would not want to be in any kind of collision with a "hundy"). You may have given up way to soon. For 10k you could have found a V car that needed a lot less work and would have been a lot more comfortable to drive. Oh well, your choice. A $4K Volvo will need work in most if not all cases. The ?? is how much are we willing to spend over time. I looked at more than a few cars before buying my Turbo Wagon with 197K (all service records)for $3,400. After four weeks of driving, I am hooked. It's had it's moments already, sunroof, no start etc..but this is a true luxury auto even at twelve years. having driven Subarus for 15+ years, does not compare (even with a few things not working up to snuff). Need to learn do either spend $$ or DIY. Whichever, the joy of driving a Volvo goes beyond the cost. I'll let you know if I still feel the same way in a few months after my wallet gets thin.

Down here in Spain, a Volvo is VERY expensive to mantain. Much more expensive than in US. On top of that, GAS is 3 times more expensive than in the US.

Even if driving a Volvo in Spain is quite an expensive experience, I'm on my third Volvo. I bought my first volvo when I was 17. A 240. I did 200,000 Km in it and I had one big accident. It was a couple of weeks after I first met my wife. Two cars slammed the back of my car. Both of them were completly totalled. I did have to change the rubber band of my back bumper!!!

When my brother turned 18, I bought him a Volvo 343. Now I'm going to give to my little brother my 740 for his 18th anniversary. They will like to have a VW golf GTI, but I love them too much...

Try to find a good second hand Volvo. This sturdy bricks are sensational and extremly confortable. They are much safer than many new asian cars and if you scratch the paint of your old Volvo, well, it's just another scrath.

yeah, i'm a little afraid that carol may take a soaking on this board for her new car choice. altho a new car IS a nice thing to have. but i will have to add: good $50 you spent for sure. but i'm not so sure about the $10K. i would have looked for another volvo even if it meant spending another $50. why? i value my safety, and my life. and that of my other family memebers. thus, i drive a volvo, my mom drives a volvo, my sister drives a volvo. nuff said.

/// There is more than one reason to buy used Volvo. I began to buy used Volvos about 26 years ago, 73 144. I bought used 200's for my children when they began to drive. They complained about having to drive an old "family ride," translate, four door sedan. In two major wrecks we sustained no injuries.

My son rolled an 81. He flipped it into the air and it landed on the passenger roof line. We pulled it out of the ditch with a tractor, put the high voltage wire back in the coil, changed the left rear flat tire, and drove it home. I spent about $400 getting the roof pulled back in line and replacing the rear window. (I didn't repair the body dents, every panel is bent or warped. I made him drive it in that condition since he caused the flat and the roll over. "It had been driving 'funny' for a few days," he said.) While we were at the body shop I noticed a "cheap Japanese car." It had been towed in. The roof was flattened to the passenger compartment. I asked and was told there had been injuries.

You asked the wrong mechanic. The key is in the selection of the used car. If you can avoid big bills to begin with and spread the upgrades over several months or years, you are ahead as a cash flow matter. That new car takes a $3000 hit as you drive it off the lot.

When you add it all up you still have a cheap Japanese car. Cars are expendable, people aren't. Good luck.

A little story: Back in '86 I bought a '79 245 wagon W/80,000 miles for $4100 and for about the same money I could have had a new Yugo (Gak!) Anyway the '79 was so cheap to operate that I saved enough to help put my daughter through college and start building a retirement home in the woods. We sold the rusty old '79 for $800 to a friend in '97 and eventually I lost track of beast but I suspect it's still going with probably 400,000 miles by now.

In '97 I bought a 745 Turbo 4+OD for $2500 but it took another $4500 to get it the way I want it but in todays dollars it's still a cheap car and so much fun to drive.

My advice; if you love old Volvos,do your own work, if you don't want to or can't you probably won't be a long time Volvo owner. So go buy a "Sardine Can"!

Seriously it does help to be a retired Diesel mechanic!

Don't get hit in it,or buy, buy.

I know someone at work who owned a Hyundai Excel for ten years, she told me it was the best car she had ever owned, that shocked me! I currently own a 84 Volvo 240 GL sedan, and a 1990 Ford Festiva (Mazda 121). I know the volvo is safer than the festie, but the festiva actually does quite well in crashes. About a year ago an absolute moron ran a red light on the highway when I was making a left turn, hit the passenger side of my 1993 festiva at about 50km/h. I was able to drive it home, both doors still opened and closed easily, sure it was a write-off, but it protected me and my passenger very well. The Festiva actually has a five-star frontal crash rating from NHTSA. (www.nhtsa.dot.gov) I'm sorry to have polluted the brickboard with talk of my little Ford-Mazda, I just think as volvo owners we sometimes need to consider the possibility that some non-vovos are actually well designed.

Sure, it got 5 stars, but look at what it had to protect? Just a ton, if even.

I was involved in a t-bone accident last year - the other party was driving a '99 Civic and blatantly ran a red, at 50 mph, while I was entering the intersection at 35mph. While the ratings showed her car to be "safe", the fact that both of them had to be carted away in an ambulance while I walked out, says otherwise. Blossom (I) was totalled ('79 245DL, with a mere 128k on the odo.), but she certainly saved me.

I'm not totally stuck on Volvo's. But for something that:

- doesn't look 20 years old (have ya noticed that most people can't tell the age of Volvo, because they look so similar throughout the years?)

- has a reputation for excellent safety

- is offered as a station wagon

- is RWD (my main requirement!)

... well, I've still yet to find a late model Caprice ('94-'96 only - none of that TBI crap, which combines the complexity of a FI system with the less-than-totally effecient design of a carburetor) that that I could afford that wasn't already beaten to a "beater".

You think Volvo plastics are bad, look at GM's ...

-- Kane