Seriously?

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Moomoo

My cap is raised, Sir!🧐

I feel well suited to the Volvo 244!

[BicycleBoy]

Originally Posted by Othen

The geography professor bit must be aimed at me!!!!!

LOL bought my saloon off a Professor of Business Studies.

Those "Volvo -the thinking man's car" adverts must have really hit the mark!

[Wagon Sailor]

There's a thing here!

I once had a part-time job drawing maps.

[Moomoo]

Originally Posted by Othen

I feel well suited to the Volvo 244!

Odd , isn’t it? I had a near thirty year gap in 240s but as soon as I sat in Baby , my present one , l felt totally at home, more like something to wear than anything else.

Great things!😎

[Othen]

I noticed this on eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255664793229

... I think it is lovely. A 1978 model 244 with low mileage and for a fairly reasonable price (£5,850). The MoT tells a story that it was laid-up in 2008 and recommissioned last year. It would appear that the owner hasn't changed the taxation class to 'historic vehicle' yet, which seems bit daft but is a trivial thing to resolve.

For me it doesn't offer any advantages over GAM, which is even nicer; It would just be an older and more expensive version of the RB. Perhaps there is a correspondent looking for something just like this though?

Another lovely day in paradise.

:-)

[Moomoo]

Originally Posted by Othen

I noticed this on eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255664793229

... I think it is lovely. A 1978 model 244 with low mileage and for a fairly reasonable price (£5,850). The MoT tells a story that it was laid-up in 2008 and recommissioned last year. It would appear that the owner hasn't changed the taxation class to 'historic vehicle' yet, which seems bit daft but is a trivial thing to resolve.

For me it doesn't offer any advantages over GAM, which is even nicer; It would just be an older and more expensive version of the RB. Perhaps there is a correspondent looking for something just like this though?

Another lovely day in paradise.

:-)

It’ll suit someone. One of us “tinkerers” will find a home for it! 🤔👍

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Moomoo

It’ll suit someone. One of us “tinkerers” will find a home for it! 🤔👍

Yes Andrew, I hope that happens. It looks like quite a nice motor car that needs a bit of love. It is SORN at the moment, so it would appear the owner has not bothered to register it as an historic vehicle. The last change of V5 was February this year, so I rather suspect the current owner found it in a shed late last year.

It looks like XTB158T was laid up from 2008 until last year. Even back in 2008 it looks like it had been a bit neglected, here is the MoT fail record from that year:

14 May 2008
FAIL
Mileage 39,997 miles

Reason(s) for failure
Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)
Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely maintaining the sealing arrangement (7.2.4b)

Advisory notice item(s)
Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)
Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)
Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
slight play n/s/f steering rack

The advisories weren't fixed at the re-test 3 days later, so one would have to think the owner at that time was spending the minimum on maintenance. In context though: in 2008 it was just a 30 year old motor car, there was no historic vehicle scheme so it was probably worth £500. Then it went to sleep somewhere for the next 13 years, to awaken in October last year. It looks like the owner (probably a different one from 2008) just got it going, wiped it over with an oily rag and took it down to the MoT garage, only for it to fail the test:

6 October 2021
FAIL
Mileage
40,002 miles

Repair immediately (major defects):
Offside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))
Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))
Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))
Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases Rear exhaust box is badly corroded. (6.1.2 (a))
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive CO is too high. (8.2.1.2 (b))
Offside Front Brake performance not tested Not tested due to excessive brake binding. (1.2.1 (g))

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
Nearside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed Frayed and slightly stretched. (7.1.2 (b) (ii))
Spare tyre defective Tread is below 1.6mm. ()
Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))
Nearside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))
Offside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))
Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated Both hoses. (1.1.12 (b) (ii))
Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated Both hoses. (1.1.12 (b) (ii))
Rear diff has a slight oil leak.
Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Having found out what was wrong, it looks like the new owner had a go at fixing the major defects and tried again 6 weeks later (too late for a re-test, so it had to do the whole thing again).

Maybe it was at this point that the seller did the work listed in the ad: (clutch replacement, crankshaft end seal, gearbox mount, 4 new tyres, new brake callipers all round, new brake lines, new exhaust, wiper blades, carbs (sic) set up, new master cylinder, new brake fluid, temperature sender, brake junction valve. Perhaps he/she didn't quite get the brake lines right because it failed again:

24 November 2021
FAIL
View test certificate
Mileage
40,011 miles

Repair immediately (major defects):
Brake pipe excessively damaged Metal brake pipe kinked at brake master cylinder. (1.1.11 (c))

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
Spare tyre defective Below 1.6mm. ()
Nearside Front Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))
Rear diff has a slight oil leak.
Nearside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()
Brake servo corroded.

He/she fixed the major defect and it passed at the re-test later that day. It would appear he/she wasn't too worried about the advisories though, so we might assume it still needs a little bit of fettling to the brakes, steering and suspension.

I still think it is a nice motor car. If I was new to this historic car ownership business I'd almost certainly buy it. The motor car has been thoroughly cleaned (so the seller is probably some sort of dealer), but there are those few MoT advisories (and probably a few more) that would suit a tinkerer.

I hope someone from the forum sees this and buys the motor car.

Another lovely day in paradise,

Alan

PS. It is bizarre that the owner bought 4 new tyres, but left the bald spare in the boot.

[Moomoo]

A comprehensive synopsis Alan.

I think when the new owner gets it home there’ll be a grand or so on perishables,
bushes and the like.

[BicycleBoy]

Cheers for that. This one was listed a while ago for the same asking, with no takers, obvs.
The one screaming red flag is the (newly applied?) chrome arch trim.
Classic bodge to cover corroded wheel arches, caveat emptor!

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Moomoo

A comprehensive synopsis Alan.

I think when the new owner gets it home there’ll be a grand or so on perishables,
bushes and the like.

I should get out a bit more Andrew, but it is a bit hot for Bob, so staying inside is favourite this afternoon.

I suppose the seller must have spend between a grand and £2,000 (depending on whether he/she paid someone else to do the work) so far, and I think you are right, there is about another grand to go for the new owner, but that could be spread over a year or two.

Another lovely day in paradise.

:-)