Volvo 145DL on ebay
 

A classified ad has just appeared for a 53k mile 145 - over £11k ! Is that really the value for a 145 now, or is that just testing the water?
Yes it is relatively rare nowadays, and the body looks to be in very good order, but is it desirable? I could get an immaculate 240 estate for less than that, and as I have both models can vouch for the latter's better drive, plus better spares availability, so does slight rarity overrule other considerations?
Knock a nought off and I'd buy it over a 240 any time, but I am that eccentric who drives a 164 as an everyday car! But I don't need either so won't!

P

Do you have a photo of your 164

I don't do pics of my own car often, but Mike Croxon took the upper pic on page 30 of the August 2010 "Volvo Driver" magazine, at the 2010 Bentley Volvo Gathering that year.
I did take the pic of three 164s in a line at a Popham Southern BKV shown on page 8 of the Feb 2015 "Driver", my car being the middle one, and there was one of my car next to the beige one owned by a friend, at a Goodwood Revival a few years back, but think I gave that magazine away so can't confirm. Also can't put pics on here (far too thick!), but another confession - due re-occuring health issues currently do very little driving now, so my car is currently hibernating! First time in 50 years I haven't been able to 'reach for the car keys' but as I have a good bus-service at the end of my road don't need it at this time of year.

P

That 145 is a lovely thing!

I know of the car and know the seller. He's a fastidious car collector and I'm certain the old car is quite something.

My thing is with these cars is this: what other classic car offers so much practicality at or around the asking price of this 145? A similarly aged Mercedes Estate, Citroen estate, Peugeot or whatever else are all significantly more valuable and - I know I'm biased - not as good! For sure a 240 is a better car to drive and at £12k, so is a new shape V70!

Based on how quickly a car that was nowhere near as good as this one sold recently that was not too far off this price plus a little haggling, I feel it is what it is.