Am looking at a 91 740T with 112,000 miles. I copied the FAQ info. for purchase.
Armed with that and my knowledge of my own 93 945 NA, what else should I look for/ask for? Going price should be in the neighborhood of about $3700 or so.

Thanks.
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93 945 75K

having bought a 91 turbo 6 minths ago the stuff i WOULD check (now i know :-( ) are:-

1 the turbo will be toast unless its been replaced, budget on replacement ($1000 diy). The best way to check is to remove the big rubber hoses from it and check inside them, any oil other than a very fine film the turbo is on the way! (hint mine was...)

2. Check the big rubber hoses microscopically they are >$100 EACH

3. The engien oil cooler will be rotten if it hasnt been replaced, you wont know till you get it off the car...its a electralitic reaction thing that corrodes the legs, then in under the fittings...your looking at $100-$300 depending if you go genuine or non genuine and about 1/2 hour to fit ...I looked at several on 91 cars in scrap yards...all toasted!

4. The oil on the cam cover is from the filler, may just be the filler seal (lasts approx 12 months im told) but is also a symtom of blocked 'flame trap' or breather box & associated hoses...you will want to change the breather box and clean the trap hoses anyway ($50 parts) 1-2hours of filthy work, but easy, fun and satisfying...

5. switch bulbs on the dash are easy, the dial bulbs are not

6. replace the stereo they are crap...

7. fit a calibrated boost guage, made mine from a carb balancing guage some scrap alluminium and some piping cost $15... and about 1 hr

8. basic service items (note air filter is not the same as a NA)

9. if the turbo is leaking oil (i.e. oil in the pipes) then the plugs are shot and the cat. may be on the way...

10. unless done the radiator/expansion tank etc are comming up for doing, but budget $45 for the later expansion tank/loss of coolant sensor...swap that NOW and wire it to a buzzer in the cabin, that way if the rad goes before you get round to doing it.....at least you dont toast the engine...

11. Compression test the engine...

none of the above (with the exception of the turbo change) are difficult or really expensive if your a competant DIY'er...

i wish id checked the pipes from my turbo before i bought mine...oh well..
somee things you should be aware of:-

1. 20 mpg
2. high insurance
3. high tyre wear
4. use SYNTHETIC OIL ONLY AND CHANGE EVERY 3000 miles...
5. BIG GRIN!

Gentlemen,
Again thank you. These are the kind of responses and posts that keep me checking Brickboard daily. The "have a good Volvo tech" check it out is nice but sheds little insight into the "hunt".

I have some reservations about the turbo. Oh, BTW, my kids a she so I don't fear the testosterone thing to much.... at least not from her. A rather conservative type driver. Thinks I'm obsessed because I insist on putting her in a brick for her first car. I think I know what I'm doing with that!
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93 945 75K

i quite agree with a brick for a first car, but the turbo could catch out the inexperienced....

i managed to slide the tail on mine going round a roundabout yesterday..and im 35 and have in excess of 350000 milesin the last 7 years under my belt (and this was on a dry road....)

just remember that if you look at the figures the 7/9 series turbo's are in the performance league of some failr pokey sports cars...

if she was my daughter (and i have one, a little off driveing yet though i.e. shes 15 months old!) I would be looking for a NA post 92 940, that way you get sips and all the good stuff, but with tamer performance!

Patrick, I couldn't agree more. A 92-94 940 NA is my first choice. It would be easy for me to work on, buy parts for etc...
Slim pickings in these parts right now.
I've even looked at a few 850's(God forbid!). So I'll keep up the hunt.
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93 945 75K

wash your mouth out! you just mentioned something with one to many cylinders, driving the wrong wheels and an engine that comes in five peices! - very nice peugeot mind u...

Oh come on, they are not all that bad. A 850 T5R would not look bd on the drive, would it now?

George
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1987 745 GLE Turbodiesel Intercooler (D24TIC/M46) 190k and 1988 745 Turbo Intercooler (B230FT/M46) 290k

ok they look pretty....

Check the rear transmission seal for leaks or signs of leaks. At about 100k, the AW71 tranny tends to suffer from a worn sleeve bearing that will also take out the seals. it only costs about $150 to have it fixed, but, if it leaked out too much, it will destroy the rear tranny mount and also the tranny ( about $1500). Other things to look for: The turbo may last as long as 150K miles if treated kindly, rear nivomats are anywhere from $200 to $500 EACH if your car is so equipped( I think they were only on the 760/960 though), they are beginning to die if the rear end sags after sitting a few hours, the radiator should have been replaced fairly recently.. they tend to blow out the plastic side tanks, the hoses from the turbo to the intercooler and intercooler to throttle body should be firm and not squishy (If there is much oil blow-by, the oil deteriorates the hoses and they are spendy) and the engine should idle smoothly. Check to see that all of the lights in the dash work. the bulbs cost up to $8.00 each and can be a pain to get to. Also the headlamps, tail lights and turn signals should not be cracked or broke. The front disk brake rotors tend to warp if the wheel lugs are tightened too tight... the brake action should be smooth with no pulsing of the brake pedal or shaking of the steering wheel.

All that being said, I think they are great cars and can deliver great service for a long time if simple maintenance is done in a timely manner.

The price a bit high for today with the glut of used cars on the market, however, I may be a pessimist in that regard.

Wayne, thanks. Good info. I looked at it. It started well(it's cold here!) and had been sitting all night. It ran well, but first thing out the driveway it started to rattle....sounded like engine mounts to me. Are they the hydraulic ones on a 91 740T?
Also, after a good run, oil on the top of the valve cover....could have been weeping from the valve cover, looks more like it was coming from the oil filler cap area. Is that just the filler cap gasket? Or???

What's the cost to replace/repair the turbo?

A bit of oil underneath too. Not on the crankcase itself, but smeared and a bit of a drip near the two aluminum hoses running alongside(passengers side) the crankcase.
Interior was clean and in good shape, everything else appeared to work. Had the Volvo 6 disc changer installed. Not much movement off the $4K price.

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93 945 75K

The oil cap gasket will be the first suspect, but even the valve cover gasket isn't that hard or costly to replace. Deeper down, it could be the oil trap box (driver side, in front of the starter, sits down low on the block) causing the pressure buildup in the first place, but that's still under $50 for a DIY.

The oil on the lines may be residue from an oil change, or could be a weeping oil seals around the turbo. Kinda hard to tell without cleaning up the area and reinspecting. If it's the oil return line leaking, silicone works well enough for a patch until the turbo comes out. If it's the oil cooler adapter, then it's a bit more work.

The rattle could be the exhaust down pipe hitting the chassis. A $3 muffler pipe hanger, used as a restraint, worked for me. Or it could be the mounts. If there's a good jolt when shifting between reverse and forward, then the mounts are the bigger suspect.

Around here, turbo repair could come as low as a few hundred for a DIY to a thousand plus for full service. But the frequent oil changes (even regular oil) are a good thing, and does promote the longevity. If it was synthetic, then even better.

For everything else, condition is everything. Interior, exterior, power accessories, etc.

I bought my '91 a little more than a year and a half ago. 176k miles, with most service records, very clean otherwise. Fully loaded otherwise, but with a factory M46 (rare). It's up to 194k now, still with the original engine, original turbo, original transmission, and original clutch.

-- Kane ... the rims are mine's, though.
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Blossom II - '91 745Ti/M46 ... Bubbles - '74 144GL/BW35 ... Buttercup - '86 245GL/AW70 ... The Wayback Machine - '64 P220/M40

Does it have records of maint. by a Volvo dealer?
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Leon Ramseur in NC, 1991 940, 1990 760, 1990 740 & 1990 745

It has some maint. records, not from the dealer but credible proof the work was done. Steady 3k oil changes,new timing belt, replaced radiator, converted to R134. Slight oil weep from valve cover gasket.
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93 945 75K

I'm going to offer a dissenting opinion.

First of all, this is an owner-service board, and now you've got people asking if the thing was dealer serviced. So now we all have to have our cars dealer serviced to make them worthy of sale?

Price is around $3700, not 13700 or 23700, so don't expect too much in the dealer serviced cream puff department. Besides, a lot of dealers forgot how to service RWD products so it doesn't mean what it would've in 1995.

Anyone who posts here will get the same responses, have it checked out by a dealer, make sure it has all the books stamped, and so on.

Well--that's true, but it's not practical with a 91 anymore. Someone who's been paying dealer freight for all their routine maintenance is going to be pushing the car for more money than that. If it's a solid car, the most important thing is to run the miles on Carfax and you have time for that. There is one guy in this area who ONLY has "low mileage A-1" cars listed in the paper every week. He's got a bunch of different phone numbers but they all go to the same place, private residence. A lot of Mercedeses and Volvos.

They were low mileage when they were new, no doubt. And now they are again... nice for people who buy them thinking they're legit.

You should be able to spot the major issues. The car isn't that complex. Most importantly the turbo and of course, major leaks.
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Chris Herbst, in Wisconsin.

Chris,I agree with you 100%. Keeping a decent Volvo tech. in tow when shopping for a car is of course not possible...if it were even all that practical, it would preclude the need for this forum.

I looked at and test drove this thing a few hours ago. I am somewhat more enamoured with my 93 945 NA as it is just downright less complicated under the hood without the Turbo. I saw a bit to much fresh oil on the valve cover and underneath for my liking.....for a $4K ticket anyway. I offered $3500 and he was told it was to early in the marketing process...he'd call back if he did not sell. Fair enough. In the meantime I'm looking at some 940's...mostly at dealers. Should he find that selling a car in today's market(especially RWD with snow on the ground)is not a sure bet, I may reconsider...but then my offer goes down.

Thanks for your solid input!
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93 945 75K

Good luck with your search.

I hope that you find the right car for your needs. You might be able to find a nicer non-turbo for 4k, even from a dealer. They still bring a good price tag, but they are (my opinion) slightly undervalued because of what great cars they are.

As for wagons... they seem to never be cheap, for a clean, lower mileage unit.
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Chris Herbst, in Wisconsin.

Kane and Chris,
Thank you Sirs!

I am involved in the search. The 740T was sexy, no doubt....the exterior was literally like new, the tires,the interior was in surprisingly good shape. Of course the typical Armerall(sp)attack! I will continue the search. Better yet, I am unleashing my 16b year kid on the search.
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93 945 75K

Have a reliable Vovlo tech. check it out.
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Leon Ramseur in NC, 1991 940, 1990 760, 1990 740 & 1990 745

Thanks anyway Leon, but probably is not time to arrange all that. It's what I know to look for and what the folks on this board tell me to look for. If the car looks and runs OK and after checking for leaks, rust...the things listed int the FAQ and it seems OK then I'll make him an offer.

I would actually prefer a non Turbo....fine for many, added maintenance and repair costs for me. I would prefer the 92 and newer models with the SIPS as it is for my kid.
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93 945 75K

i personally wouldnt let a 'kid' out in a turbo, dependant of course on the age of the kid....

they can be a handfull with testosterone behind the wheel...

they are certainly a handfull if they get a little out of shape...my wife has just come in and read this and agrees! (she drives the turbo most of the time....)

Hmmmm...That certainly wasn't fair. I'm 19 now and was 16 when I got my first Turbo. A beautiful 82 242t. Got T-boned by a caddy and now I'm on my second turbo, a 90 744ti. Never gotten in another accident and never gotten pulled over for speeding. Not all teenagers are a handful with Turbo Bricks.

My .02
Matt

well its not the teenager im worried about beingthe handfull its the car..

now in the us it may be that the performance is watered down considerably by the auto transmission, but with a manual tranny they can get you into serious issues very quickly ..particularly if your not used to driving so havent the experience to realise whats happening...

i guess this also depends where you live and the climate...

but if you want the actuarials on this most accidents happen to people within the first 3 years of driving...thats why insurance premiums are higher...and the faster the car goes the faster the accident is likely to be...

not saying all teenagers are idiots in cars, but they are by definition inexperienced by and large...