What to watch for when buying a 740/940

[andy_d]

Originally Posted by Laneystrider

My 2.0 GL 740 estate with automatic gearbox was the slowest car I have ever owned, don't know if those with manual gearbox are slightly better

If I were wanting an automatic I would avoid the HP ZF22 gearbox, I hate mine with a vengeance that goes beyond my preference of manuals, not sure if they were fitted in 740 and 940s, had to give the garage the special Volvo bulletin on how to emission test the car with this gearbox today, god knows what might have happened to it if some young mechanic had revved it up madly in park when emission testing it otherwise

possibly laney, considering the size/weight of the 740/940 wee beasties , and having pushed mine more than once for way too far, 2l + auto would seem to me to leave them wheezing and wanting for more. fair to say the 2l manual wouldnt Really shift it off the line, but for a super heavyweight motor if one poked the rpm to the mid/upper end of the range and stired the box it would get a shift on off the mark. More a case of "respectable" than "quick" perhaps.
But more than enough to cope with general round town use, and the occasional "shock" look on other car drivers faces when that "old slow volvo thing" went nipping off from the lights.

Deffinatly prefer the 2.3 lpt engine myself , but theres been a serious rash of those horrid stealth tax cameras around by me, im having a hard time behaving in the s40 auto 1.8 atm.

[TonyS9]

I find the 940s pretty robust and cheap to repair for any failures but would recommend the following

Expensive repairs
1. Dual mass flywheel used with the M90 gearbox, but alternative solutions are available if you get a faulty one. Too expensive to replace with new.
2. Lack of oil changes, thick nasty oil and large build up of crud in the valve cover, stay well away. A thin layer of crud is not unusual.

Things that need replacing/fixing
1. Turbo - worth having for the power, but needs overhaul every 130K or so, look out for heavy black exhaust under full power. Typically £350 overhaul if you can take out yourself.
2. Head gasket failure, common in all older B2xx that have not had the proper anti-freeze, not a huge job to fix and they can survive for a while like this.
3. Older 940s can suffer the fuel relay failure, 94/95 on seems ok.
4. Leaky sunroofs - metal sealing lip is the only non-galvanised part of the car, fix with silicon.
5. Timing belt history?
6. Heater fan seems to go on AC models, as does the AC generally.
7. Sun roofs mechanisms do wear out eventually, best to leave alone and not use but can be repaired.
8. Rear self leveling shocks are nice, but rubbish when they go, replace with normal shocks and normal springs.
9. Suspension bushes

Most things generally fixable, and not too much goes wrong.

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Originally Posted by TonyS9

4. Leaky sunroofs - metal sealing lip is the only non-galvanised part of the car, fix with silicon.

It would be worth noting that the "seal" around the sunroof is not there to stop water penetration, a common misconception among Volvo owners.
It's purpose in life is to reduce/eliminate wind noise.
That's why there is an internal sunroof drainage system!!!

Des. . .

[sirSTUpid]

Whats right for one is not right for another its personal preference !! However having owned several Volvo's in the past,740's 940's and a 760 I would recommend a 940! Definately the 2.3 or above as eventually you will get fed up with the lack of power from a 2l. I dont agree that the 2l is any more economical, as my 2.3 auto is easily as economical as my previous 2l! Apparently its down to the fact that the 2.3 isn't working as hard. Having only driven my auto for a short time I already dont think I could go back to a manual, the auto box is absolutly superb! Overall the sheer practicality of these cars makes it very easy to forgive fuel consumption. Oh and lastly I would personally avoid anything with a PRV engine as my 760gle was an absolute nightmare! Just the mere mention of it to my good friend steve and he starts to twitch uncontrollably lol as he spent many an hour repairing the bloody thing!! Happy hunting alnd let us all know what you end up with!

[Laney760]

I think we've all omitted to warn you that most 740s come with the headlining hanging down, dont know if earlier 940s had these silly headlinings?

[Rainbird]

Thanks very much for all the information. It's time to get out there and start looking I think!

[PAW1212]

If automatic, check the condition of the ATF when you withdraw the dipstick, if it smells burnt or has tiny black flecks in it, the auto box may be on the way out. Most ATFs are red in colour, and you may see warnings about dark or brown ATF being a problem. However the ATF I have just refilled mine with was actually a brown-red colour to start with, so that advice may not be as useful as it appears.

ATF can be used in some of the power steering systems, you may be able to compare the two, assuming the dealer/owner used the same in both.

Also on autos, look at the condition of the radiator and the transmission cooler fitted on the offside of it. If the rad looks old, or of there is evidence of the coolant pipes being recently removed, you should look for cracks in the AT cooler around the pipe connections, these may be given away by oil leaks in this area. The radiator and AT cooler is one unit and moderately expensive to replace, as both anti-freeze and ATF might also need to be replaced at the same time.

Check for corrosion in the seam in the front foot-well floor, this runs left to right across the floorpan, coolant leaks from the heater and condensation can seep along this underneath the soundproof mats, corroding them from inside. On some 940s you can lift out the carpets and the moulded foam underneath to check this, on other 940s and most 740s you can only see if the carpet seems damp in the area, as they have felt fixed instead on top of the soundproofing.

You should be able to judge the condition of the front brake disks through the wheels, if they are deeply scored or have a deep lip on the outside they may require replacement.

Front calipers may stick on their guide pins, big differences in pad wear may result and the brakes will usually show some effect.

[Chris740R]

Originally Posted by andy_d

possibly laney, considering the size/weight of the 740/940 wee beasties , and having pushed mine more than once for way too far, 2l + auto would seem to me to leave them wheezing and wanting for more. fair to say the 2l manual wouldnt Really shift it off the line, but for a super heavyweight motor if one poked the rpm to the mid/upper end of the range and stired the box it would get a shift on off the mark. More a case of "respectable" than "quick" perhaps.
But more than enough to cope with general round town use, and the occasional "shock" look on other car drivers faces when that "old slow volvo thing" went nipping off from the lights.

Deffinatly prefer the 2.3 lpt engine myself , but theres been a serious rash of those horrid stealth tax cameras around by me, im having a hard time behaving in the s40 auto 1.8 atm.

lol, yeah the 2 litre isnt THAT bad, the car will still move, you don't need to get out and push it. I can fill mine up with 5 people and camping gear and still get over the passes in the lake district without any problems. I can only speak for a manual one though.