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This is my first time on a forum and I thought I'd come here for some friendly advice. I am no mechanic, but I love learning on my '94 Toyota pickup the art of home automotive repair. I've been searching for an affordable car that will be able to make the trip from South Carolina to Wisconsin and back (about 2000 mi. round trip) preferably more than once. I have always admired Volvos for their reputation and their style. I am currently looking at a 1993 940 4cyl. wagon with 219,911 miles at a used car lot. I went there the other day to check it out and drive it. At first glance it seems to have been a well taken care of car. The interior and body are in pristine condition. The leather has no cracks, rips, etc. There are no dents, rust or other glaring issues on the outside. The under body has no rust, signs of dripping fluids or oily build up. The engine compartment is clean, the belts and hoses look to be in pretty good shape. The dealer also claimed that the timing belt was replaced in 2012. Here's the bad stuff:
1. Low thumping noise from right front especially when braking or over bumps (warped rotor, bushings?)
2. Slight jerk when when the transmission shifted on the highway (I did have the pedal to the metal)
3. Driver's automatic seat only moved along one of the tracks
4. Sunroof doesn't close all the way will work if done manually
5. Needs new front tires
What I need advice about is whether or not I should attempt to get this car in the condition it needs to be in to make such a trip. With all the manuals, forums and Youtube videos out there I'm pretty confident in my abilities to be able to make most repairs myself. Or am I being naive? The dealer is asking $3000 for it. With the issues I've found, would it be outrageous to suggest a price as low as $2000? Any advice would be most welcome. Thanks.
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