Can anyone recommend a good cheap battery for a 240? Say, something in the $40 range? And where can I get it? Otherwise it's the Interstate my mechanic sells for $80 or so. Thanks!

I've done OK with the ones from Costco. Go with a battery to fit the available dimensions. Due to advances in technology, one with the "proper" amp ratings will be smaller than the box. This lets you use a heftier battery than what the car was designed for. Be careful of the terminal arrangements. I was going to put the fairly new battery from my 61 Impala in the kid's 240, but the terminal arrangement was reversed from the battery in the car and the cables wouldn't reach. Turns out the "battery problem" was actually a "kid problem" with the dome light left on for extended periods.
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Blane Gardner Couple of Volvos, Couple of Toyota Vans, and an Old Chebby

One way to save on a battery is to switch from the series used by Vovo which has the hold-down at the base to a series 24 using a universal battery hold-down with J-hook bolts. The hold-down hardware is not expensive and the series 24 cases are on sale in many stores and are much more available the the Volvo cases.

I bought mine at Autozone. Cheap, been good so far.

Hank, I'm in the Southeast so the environment your battery lives in may be different. I have an '88 running with the second battery. I generally buy the 2 year warranty model and have always had good service from them. Bought the one I have now at K-Mart (I think) in '94. But, any of the big parts stores have them for about $40 and generally put them in free, plus will run loaded test on your charging system so you know if there was any reason for your other battery to die. Oh, speaking of dying, I have had terrible service from the Die Hards. Have tried two over time and the darn things will die without warning, come out of a store and be so dead you'd think someone stole your battery. Good luck.

How odd. Exact same thing happened to me about a month ago. Went out to the car in the morning and it was absolutly dead. I went and checked through the records from the previous owner and saw that the Die Hards where in fact Dieing Hard, about every 16 months. This was the 3rd one in 3 years. They where quick to replace it for me, but didn't give any ideas on why they where dying.

*Ben W*