Cogitating the future re having a car and what car to have.
 

Hello, Like so many people my health issues seem to multiply. Any and every task seems to take longer to get started and longer to complete. There is a local garage who might be good I suspect. That is an unknown. Some of our members have had disappointing experiences. And it is not easy t let go of actually ding the work myself.

Mine is a 240 SE B200F estate. Good MOT results. No known issues just the usual list of little things I'd like to improve. Biggest thing would be the usual corrosion under the rear bumper and I have a serious independent person lined up for that work. I have the repair panel waiting.

EDIT: I wonder about say a GL automatic saloon 230 K-jet. But. I don't think that's really an answer to the fundamental issues.

My fundamental thought is. I know this car. It serves me well. And. I don't want to buy someone else's problems.

I think that I will try to do some small maintenance, and perhaps ask the local garage to do some work to see how that goes.

I should be grateful for some objective thoughts and ideas please. I am willing to consider say an automatic hatchback providing it is of robust construction. Something any garage can cope with and obtain parts for.

Open minded objective opinions are welcome please.

I do NOT want my Volvo 240 to end up being sold for close to scrap after I'm gone if I do not manage to get good maintenance continued. We've all seen those unhappy threads.

Thank you.


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I always thought it would be about taking additional time, planning a job properly and getting someone to help or assist where you identify a need.

Are you sure you can’t carry on with your own vehicle. If you are not getting the health you wish then clearly you won’t be fitting front discs and pads in 45 minutes but why not set a weekend aside and make a tea and ask a mate round for help?

Regarding what else you could buy, I find everything costs a fortune if you go to a garage!

I'm hoping to put enough aside to have my estate converted to EV. There's one down south from me:
http://www.evalbum.com/2356

I'd like to keep my auto transmission despite the reduced efficiency. I'm about to buy a spare AW71L to go in, which will be the most efficient of the autos. I can get the work done by a specialist EV converter about 60 miles away. It'll cost about the same as a new cheap hatchback.

Sorry to read about your health issues Stephen.

My grandad (sadly now passed away) struggled in his later years with Parkinsons and he also was reluctant to turn over his car to the local garage for any work having worked on it from when he bought it brand new.

He did eventually let a garage do a few jobs - timing belt, brakes and a couple of other things and used to keep me posted about these things. What was surprising to me was over the 8 or so years he did let the garage do work, how little was actually needed. Possibly because of the low mileage he did or it was in tip top condition beforehand but it can only have gone in a handful of times. Properly robust cars these.


I guess what your annual mileage is plus whether the car will need much bodywork (the current piece aside) might determine if a modern car might require less input.

As for the future value hopefully this won't be a worry - prices seems to be on the up and I have read numerous articles recently in various magazines stating the wide ranging appeal of the 240 to all generations should cement it's future as a sought after classic.

Forgot to add..

My level of expertise mechanically is low, I can manage an oil change and some minor bits here and there but I tend to turn over my car to a garage for most work.

We have moved a few times over the years for jobs etc and it is challenging finding a genuinely good garage but worth the persistence. Lucky to have 2 near me now that I trust with my 240s. They know how much I love them, can see they are not just old bangers and treat them with appropriate respect. Was in for MOT last week and the guy said he is determined to buy my car off me one day. Which is a refreshing change from a couple of years ago when using an untried garage the proprietor failed it on a perished rubber and a minor bit of welding and offered to drive it to the scrap yard for me. He couldn't stop going on about how he wished he still had his POS Ford from the 80s - which clearly would have rusted away after 3 years.

Anyway I digress. Do keep us posted on your decision!

l shall re-visit this thread please after an overnight. Let the subsconscious hopefully work on this. I understand that is scientifically indicated to be probably true now .... sleep on it ... apparently does work.

Just briefly. Choosing a garage. Rusty. Your digression is helpful. Yes I know I am infamous for more than digression. The thing is, in choosing a garage &c. &c. one should really choose the person. That's why I am considering a particular garage at the moment. The chap has been positively helpful on checking headlight alignment after I fitted new reflectors, and helpful re the last MOT.

I shall revert hereto .... :)

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Yes indeed to all of that. Although some garages cost more than others. And they like everyone else need to make a living.

I've done a lot in recent years by planning, mcro managing tasks, taking enormous lengths of time. Yes.

As I go forward I must at least do even less myself to the car. And there are things to do in and around the house. These few fine weather months are going to be well occupied for what little my health will allow.

So I'll do the minimum all round in the hope of getting a bit of life in the fine weather. And I'll pay for some house stuff and some car stuff.

Now that's an interesting idea thank you. And environmentally good.

I drive few miles so I cause very little pollution. And I have few pennies left. I think I'll save my remaining pennies.... :)

I'm wondering about putting the belt off for a year. I'm discussing frequency in another thread. I'd like to do that job at least one more time. It's quite satisfying. Actually working on the car is partly therapeutic. Following my notes. Laying out my chosen tools. &c. &c.

Nowadays I can't see myself doing brakes or exhaust and such like.

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Hello, Stephen. I've not visited the site for a little while so just re-visited this thread. I'm likely to face a similar dilemma, I want my car to be in good condition when I eventually pop my clogs - fortunately other than age-related aches and pains I don't seem to be in bad condition, though not necessarily a sought after classic! - and it is as ever a matter of bodywork which is a constant concern. I still love driving the car, it looks the biz and even at 215,000 miles doesn't burn oil or rattle too much. It doesn't sound wonderful when its cold but I believe they were a bit that way from new. I've kept it maintained fairly well mechanically, have a good local garage - literally walking distance, though before we moved I could see it from the house! They don't charge the earth, £42 per hour I think currently, and will often do bits and pieces without payment, so very fortunate in that respect. The arches are looking a bit crusty, had them done expensively about five years ago but haven't taken as much care as I should to keep the water at bay. So all in all I shall keep it going as long as the bank balance permits, and if I really do feel I have to sell it I'll probably go for something similar, perhaps a late model 940 or even, dare I say, an early V70. I don't want to go back to a small car if I can avoid it, if only because I need space for dogs. If I could afford it I'd have C70 convertible as a second car but I think that's a dream which won't come true. Try to keep your 240 going if possible, with the support of a good mechanic, they're such easy cars to drive and about as reliable as you could find, new or old.

PS I might try to find some spare Scorpius wheels sometime, know anyone who has some?!