Ive found a 1990 740 GL wagon at a local car lot for sale. Its very clean, looks great, has 158,000 miles on it and is for sale for $2500. This seems like a great deal to me, but not knowing anything about volvos, i wanted to make sure that there werent any inherant problems with this year and model. any help you guys could give would be great!

thanks!
Andy

Andy,
Have a non-dealer mechanic check it out. It will cost you $100 or so, but you will get a GOOD opinion. You will probably have to spend another $1,000 to get the motor and tranny up to par. $3500 is a good price for a 740, especially when you know what is wrong has been fixed. It should carry you to 250K.

Klaus
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95 854T, 88 780, 88 245

read the FAQs:

http://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/BuyingUsed7xx.htm
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Leon Ramseur in NC, 2001 V70XC, 1997 855, & 1990 745.

Purchased in 1990 and still own it: 1990 745 NA. Probably one of the best cars I have had. About the same mileage you are looking at. Of course, everything hinges on how well it was maintained. In principle, it can be a great car.

I got my 90 740 wagon with 194k mileage for sale on the side of the road for $1,400 but I put a lot more into it than that to fix it up.
Keith
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1990 740GL Wagon 230k AW70L B230F 8 Valve Non-Turbo Rex/Regina Non-EGR R-12 A/C

i just got back from test driving it. its really clean, looks great, everything seems sound. except for i think there is an exhaust leak and it shifts funny.
here's what happens: when i put it in drive, it'll go slowly to 1700rpm, and you hear it shift, then it very slowly climbs to 2000 rpm and shifts again, and then again. while driving it around town it never went past 2000rpm and never went under 1500rpm. that was whether i floored it or took it easy, it had the same symptoms. it was VERY slow, had no get up at all. But, if you shifted it, L to 2nd to D, it'll accelerate quicker and the rpms will increase normally. whats the deal? is the tranny shot?

well most would suggest the kickdown cable at this point but i am catching the fact you said wather you floored it or not, even if the kickdown was out of alighment it you should be able to floor it and the car should get up and go, this is not a turbo so alot of things are moot, sounds like a bad deal unless you plan to put some money into it, something is up with the engine, the tranny is only going to take what the engine give to it you floor the engine the tranny going to move faster and such, if you decide to buy plan to put some money into it, checking vac hoses, sensors and the like.

2500 Car Dealer Lot hummmm something sounds fishy already, have it check out by a rep mechanic or dealer before you even think about handing over you money, i found one for a buddy similar to that local to me in Long Beach CA, sounded great even the sales man was a decent guy, but with the info i pulled from him i suspect more, trade in at a local dealer, bought at auction etc etc, after futher inspection i found possible leaks in the oil and tranny, car sounded good and had a good interior but the leaks, harmonic balancer going, extremly dirty engine etc told me whoever owned this car before didnt take good care of the car and that's whay they traded it in, thats why the dealer couldnt sell it and that's why it eneded up in an auction yard. Make sure double check everything.