I want to know if a volvo is right for me. My '95 Saab 9000 2.3 turbo let me down with a mild knock in the bottom end of the engine with only 66k meticulously cared for miles. I have had other problems with this car no matter how well I maintain it. I am interested in the 700 series volvos. I would consider buying an older one, maybe 87-90 with as low mileage as I can get. I want a car that is RELIABLE foremost, compared to any car. How are the engines and auto transmissions in these cars? Can most really go upwards of 150k miles without internal engine repairs or trans problems? I heard from somebody that the engines have head gasket problems, is this true? I understand the parts cost of fixing a unique car but the parts cost for the Saab I owned didn't really bother me. $14 for plugs. $48 for both radiator hoses. These were dealer items too. Can somebody give me an example of some volvo dealer parts prices? What are the most common problems with these cars? I may be able to check out a '88 760 turbo to see whats wrong with it and then perhaps buy it if it is reasonably cheap just to get a feel for the "Volvo Experiance" I cant believe how well the paint and steel have held up for 150k miles and all those years!! Thanks for any info provided!!!!

Well, I've got 290,000 miles on my '86 and it's had its share of problems. Front end suspension parts need replacing every 100K, and I have driveshaft and manual trans overdrive problems, which can be fixed without much problem by me. If you're handy and can re-orient yourself from Saab engineering to Volvo engineering, then read the FAQ. There is a section on buying an older 700. Be aware, you will need to replace some parts to make sure your car is reliable.

I still have the original turbo on mine. Longevity is possible with any car.
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Warren Bain - '86 744Ti M46 >290Kmi, '99 V70Glt > 45K mi, '96 965 >100Kmi Wifemobile near Manassas Va.. Check the 700/900 FAQ via the 'features' pull down menu.

I guess you didn't have to buy many Saab parts if you thought the prices were not bad. Not the normal stuff--belts and hoses and whatnot--but the unusual stuff that costs a lot more. There are decent sources for aftermarket but Saab seems to have cornered their parts market pretty well on certain parts, especially some electronic components that cost a bloody fortune to either fix or replace.

The reliability factor is as good as you can reasonably expect out of a twelve or thirteen year old car. There was a person on this forum who just mentioned looking far east for their next car, but of course they are driving a 1987 Volvo. And a 1987 Volvo is not going to be as reliable as a 2002 Corolla.

IF the car has been well maintained, you could reasonably expect around 300k without many problems. The thing is, I see many cars that have not been well maintained. They have the usual array of broken, never fixed parts. That is largely due to parts and labor cost. I have seen a lot of people buy Volvos because they have heard about the tremendous reliability, and then are driven to the poor house by silly things like computer modules, air flow meters, engine mounts, struts, etc.

"My car is a lemon." That is often how it's phrased. But the real conclusion should be:

"My car is an old car." And old cars are not perfect.

So let's say that you get an 8-valve (only get an 8-valve) 1990 740 non-turbo, AW70L transmission. That particular powertrain is excellent. The turbos CAN be good if they're properly maintained, but most people don't even bother to look into their engine between oil changes, and a lot of people don't bother to change the oil regularly either. Turbo engines are kind of a commodity on the used engine market, and I routinely see some really wheezy turbos at around 150k. There's no reason for that, especially on the later water cooled turbos that have been maintained properly. But again we're back to the issue of a $2000 repair bill (shop labor and parts) or paying the phone bill and mortgage. A lot of people get down to the bare essentials and pass on things that they can get away with.

The bottom line is, if you're handy, you can go a long way with a Volvo, for cheap dollar figures. You can practically have a dance party under the hood of a non-turbo car. The turbos get in the way of that. If you pay attention to the bare essentials, and care for the rest of the accessories, you could theoretically see a VERY long service life.

A friend recently asked me, "so why do you buy Volvos?"

My response was, "because the... powertrains... last a long time." You can spend a lot of time replacing everything bolted to the powertrain, but for me, I'm more concerned about an engine and trans that I don't have to constantly worry about. Plus they have no-interference engines (remember, 8-valve) and the blocks are really robust.

But the sound systems suck. You'll probably replace a power window here or there. Heated seats. Power sunroof flops. The usual array of niceties that go wrong. But that's life, and if you don't rely on a shop to do every little turn of a wrench, then you should get away with a far less expensive ownership experience than driving anything new. If not, something is horribly wrong.
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1992 940 wagon, 72k
as well as others.

My 1991 744 has been the most expensive car (maintenance wise) I have ever owned, and have owned it since new. It has also been the safest. If I had it to do over again, would still probably still own a brick just for the safety aspect. When this engine dies, a Converse conversion is going in it. IMHO, I think that is the best combination. Safety, and reliability. You may want to check into the V8 conversion forum.

Just my $0.02
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Regards,

David
1991 744 NA 139+K Miles

Maybe it's all down to a personal point of view, but my father just bought a 85 760 turbo, mainly because it was cheap, but also because both he and I have become quite a fan of volvos since owning an old 76 244.
The 760 Turbo, for a car that has 214000km's, is a nice thing to drive, smooth and faster than you would think, and the handling is rather surprising for a car of that size and age.

The 4 cylinder volvo motors will last a long time if they are well looked after, longer than most other cars, but like any other car they will develop problems if treated like dirt.
Volvo's do have quirks, but then try finding a car from europe that does not, learn to take them in your stride and they can be a great car to own.

After driving a 700 series, I love them, and I thought my 200 was prity damn good, the thing I suggest is just go out and test drive one, because nothing anyone can tell you here means a damn thing if you don't like the way they drive.
Try a Turbo though, they had thicker springs and much thicker swaybars, and it makes a big diffrence.

Err, allthough I just realised the power thing I mentioned is not quite right for the USA, I'm in Australia and we got the 230ET motor, with more agressive cam and higher compression, in fact at 180hp it's as fast as my fathers GT Forester!!!
But anyway, drive one, if nothing else I beleive 700 series Turbos are outstanding value for money.

So . . . you're thinking of switching from the fastest sled made in Sweden to the fastest tractor made in Sweden.

I recommend visiting www.swedishbricks.com. Click on "Contents" and play.
You'll probably get most of your questions answered there. You can also track
Volvo's engineering changes. I may make enemies here, but my conclusion was a 1990 or newer 740, an 1988 or newer 760, a 1993 or newer 940 (love that locking rear axle - just wish it had a 5 speed).

Jim Weiss
83 245T, 90 760TI, 93 940TI wagon and still looking

( ok, I followed my own advice, but I swear, it was the first time! )

If you look up the numbers in the car mags, Volvos (T5 manuals) are faster in a straight line than any SAAB.....

I've had a couple of SAABs, my first (lost sight of at 298,000 miles) was built like a bank vault, my second, well, drove me over to Volvo....

For bulletproof reliability you need to look at the Japanese makes.

BMWs (as long you stick to the 3 series and 6-cylinder 5-series) are pretty reliable, plus their owners tend to be more anal-compulsive than Volvo owners about maintainance.

-Punxsutawney Phil

" I cant believe how well the paint and steel have
held up for 150k miles and all those years!! "

Don't get fooled. A car that age and mileage has
usually (not always) a new paint job.
One of these 99 $ or 199 $ paintjobs, which are a PITA.

My neighbors cat climbs my car sometimes
and you can see the claws scratches!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I would know which of the PO's had the great idea
of a new paintjob, I would really tell him something.

If an old car has a new paint ,
you should reduce 1 grant from the saleprice.
That is what they added after they spent 99$ for the paint.

No offense, folks!
I know there are many superb maintained cars out there.

But I wanted only to warn that guy to keep
an eye on the paint.
If it is original and well maintained, great!
But if its a new paint, there are many dents
hidden unter patchwork and better be carefull.

Click on my picture. That car has its original paint job. And I wasn't as anal about caring for it as I am now. It was parked outside for about half of it's 18-year life and didn't get a wax job as often as it should have.

Give it a good cleaning/polishing/waxing and it looks like you can dip your hand into the paint.
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Mike F - 1984 244 DL - 211K miles 'Bob the Butterscotch Beast'

Different model, but my 1980 240 still has the original paint job, has never been garaged, and the paint still has a great shine to it. It has always impressed me on how well it has held up. For its first few years I probably did not look after it as well, but for the last 12 years or so I have hand washed it regularly, and waxed it (or used Nu Finish on it) twice a year. The quality of the original paintwork and my hard work over the years have paid off.

volvo's have some of the best prep under the fenders and other body panels to prevent rust. the paint used is also excellent.

Are you kidding mate?

I've seen heaps of cars that old with great original paint, it's all about how well it's looked after.
My fathers new 760 has great paint for a 85 model, great shine for the most of it.

My '89 745 with 225k mi looks great in its original paint.

Volvos will last pretty much forever _if they get proper maintenance_ (I was going to capitalize that but didn't want to be rude). In short, find a car that seems in good condition and imperatively get a pre-purchase inspection by a competent _Volvo_ mechanic. Delayed maintenance is usually the main problem of older Volvos, which is not really an issue as long as you budget for it.

Volvos are the most durable cars on the road, and are generally fairly reliable. If you want something totally reliable, look into Japanese cars. My '91 940 (110k mi) does just under 20k mi/year and, other than routine maintenance, has had only a bad contact of the AMM and a replacement set of ignition cables since I bought it 14 months ago.