My wife recently sold her 122 and wants to buy another volvo, she's looking at a 1988 240 Wagon with 196k miles on it. I haven't seen it yet, but I'll look at it tomorrow. I don't feel comfortable buying a car with so many miles on it but the wife says these cars easily go $300k without major engine problems, she said to post here and see what you guys think :)

The car will be her daily driver (about 30 miles a day). Anything in particular to watch for at a high mileage *mechanically* ?

Also, I want to do a compression test on it, how to do I disconnect fuel and ignition on these cars while doing a compression test, don't want to fry the ignition coil or flood the car.

BTW, asking price is $1700.

Thanks.

My dad's '84 242 was totalled by an idiot on a motorcycle (never try to pass a car that's signalling a left turn, and if you do try not to hit it going 90mph, ouch!) last year, with 330k miles on the clock. Oil was changed scrupulously on this car and it lived in Seattle, a very easy climate on cars. Aside from tires, brake pads, plugs, timing belts, bulbs, filters, etc. and one clutch it had essentially no other service done to it with the exception of the waterpump being replaced once. Nothing in the way of repairs for broken stuff, just routine replacement of consumables. The day it died it could have used an adjustment to the sunroof, a weld was broken on one door windowframe, the heater motor was noisy, and the driver's seat was pretty much toast. The compression had recently been checked and found good. All-in-all a stellar record.

I think the real determining factors for how long a 200 Volvo can go is how many owners it has known and what sort they were, and where the car has been living. My dad's car was particularly lucky because Seattle has very little in the way of ozone pollution, so rubber things such as bushings tend to last longer than, for instance, in LA.

This car is in the zone where major systems will need maintenence or repair. Your wife is correct that you can easily go 300k but it does take major service intervals along the way to do it. Especially now since the cars have parts that are bad from age as well as use. You want to carefully check all the rubber components you can see. Stuff like the motor mounts, tranny mounts, and engine accessary mounts. The suspension bushings front and rear and also steering parts like the tie rods and tie rod ends. Take a look at all the fluids in the engine compartment and you'll get an idea how it is cared for. Don't forget the power steering fluid and the trans fluid. This car is in the mileage and age zone where it will probably take a few hundred to a thousand to square it away but it can go the distance. Remove the oil cap and see if there is a lot of sludge in there.

Answer to question:Remove the 25 amp fuse in the left front inner fender rail. Or it's in that area. This will let the motor crank but won't fire the ignition or power the injection. Left is as you sit in the car driving. Make sure you carefully look under the car for any rust in the rear floor and the inner side of the rocker panels where they join the floor. Also the rear spare tire wells and the rear floor hatch are where rust can be. The corners of the rear side windows on wagons can leak so carefully check that out for water getting into the car. Most of the 240s I buy I spend about $500-1000 for parts and it's good as an everyday car for another 150k at least. I do go overboard in my refurbishment but I like to err on the side of preventive maintenence. Wagons are more noisy than sedans, but they are still one of the coolest wagons ever.
Wish you well,
Dave 82 242ti 277k mi.

I bought my 86 240 Wagon with 188K (Kilometres) 113K miles it looked good but I have spent $1200 US in the last year or so getting it up to my standard. The key is that a well maintained brick will go 300K Miles, a badly maintained one at 200K could be an expensive problem. Also I would rather buy a well maintained one at 200K than a badly maintained or rusty one at 113K.
Mine had full service history (a big folder of reciepts) but this is no guarentee, I have still spent heaps on it.
BTW 1988 will go for 5-9K Australian depending on condition.
Karl

This summer I bought the exact same car (is it white?), 88 245 with 204k on the clock. I bought it in DC and drove it back to MN. This is what I have done to it so far:

replaced tranny bellhousing seal and gasket (leak)
replaced all front bushings
new exhaust


Here is what I still have to do:

replaced rear seal (i think, it is leaking oil everyday)
track down back wiring in OD somewhere
replace rear bushings

When I bought the car the compression was real good, and it did an easy 80 mph on the highway. I ujust had to keep adding oil and tranny fluid to it. The good part is that it has no rust (big points here in MN). Be sure and check and double check for rust. Also, depending on the maintainance records, it will probably need bushings replaced, motor and tranny mounts. Look at the tranny fluid and make sure it is clean.


I bought mine for $1400.

-Joe HC
--
1977 244, 140k, IPD anti-sway bars; 1988 245, 206k