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Hi, all,
I wonder if I am at a crossroads with my 240 DL. I have posted earlier about a clunking, vibrating noise periodically in the rear, that may be bearings or a brake problem. It's intermittent, and I haven't heard it lately. There is some vibration in the brakes especially when I'm going faster, bad rotors? worn pads? No scratching or scraping, no apparent loss of brake power. When I posted earlier to your great site, you thought it was either bearings or brakes.
I took it to my mechanic, who is a generalist, trustworthy, but a small shop. He has done some work on it in the past. When he (the mechanic) was going to look under it, he put it up on a hoist, and he said it was making a crunching, weird sound as he was raising it, leading him to be concerned, and he put it down. He didn't really say / know if there was a frame problem, underlying rust? I don't think these cars do have that much of a problem with major frame damage due to rust.
So he really didn't get a look at it.
It was up on a hoist about 6-9 months ago when they replaced my muffler and shocks, without apparent problems. They inspected under it, at least as much as Meinecke guys do when they do that kind of work.
The tires are decent, it has a new muffler and back shocks, new starter, new master brake cylinder, doesn't burn a bit of oil, I changed the auto transmission fluid less than 10,000 miles ago. The battery is 3 years old, but no starting problems, consistently gets 17 mpg in complete stop and go city driving, about 25 on the highway, when I have taken it consistently on the highway.
It doesn't pull to the right or left, tracks true, no weird wear on the tires. Wipers work, no electrical problems, heater is kick ass, no a/c, but it never has worked since I got it, and that's not a terrible issue in Chicago.
I have never had brake work done on it, although I think the prior owner had some.
Belts were replaced 3 years ago, seem fine.
I have never replaced the alternator, or water pump.
So that's my volvo. About 215,000 miles, it's an '85, 4 door, 240DL.
I am not a rich guy, and I'm frugal, so I thought of buying a 4-5,000 dollar reliable, but boring Camry ('93-95 or so). A friend who knows cars thinks my mechanic is full of BS, and that I buy a car that is that old, I'll be starting with new problems I am ignorant of. What ya think?
thanks in advance, Eric Van Denburg, Chicago
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