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240 as a daily driver?

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Old Oct 21st, 2015, 19:12   #11
Suterman
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Unless you drive hundreds of miles a week then its fine. 30mpg should be doable.

Be prepared to spend a bit on parts when you first get one though, things like bushes, and other bits and pieces, but once you've sorted that its a cheap car to own.

It would come as a bit of a shock if you are used to a diesel clio or something like that but otherwise dont worry about it.
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Old Oct 21st, 2015, 19:29   #12
volvo always
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I have a 1989 240 GLT auto estate and used it as my daily car as only car I have for nearly 6 years. Paid £350.00!! It's a great reliable car and easy to self service.

Bought with 159,000 miles on the clock and now nearly 217,000 miles.

Look out for rust really, floor pans, cills, wheel wells in the boot and arches. Anything else is easily fixed.
My heater fan doesn't work now, but will replace it sometime.
Tailgate wires break through the hinges but the looms are cheap and a bit of DIY easily fixed.

Very characterful. Try to buy a 2.3 litre and for me preferably fuel injection.
Parts are reasonable.

James
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Old Oct 21st, 2015, 19:42   #13
Daveyca55
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Used to do 230-240 miles a week in my 2.3 carb'd version. Would go through around 50 quid of fuel a week but a side from that,it was spot on. Never over heated, brakes were spot on and cost peanuts to maintain!
Only took it off the road to weld some new wheel arches into it but once its all welded up and i have fitted a weber carb, its going straight back into service, albeit doing less mileage.
Nice to drive something different from the normal euro boxes aswell
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Old Oct 21st, 2015, 20:43   #14
classicswede
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No longer using a 240 as a daily but used to have one doing 400 miles a week. I swapped the 2ltr engine for a older 2.1 and H cam. That went much better. Suspension I replaced the springs for lower and stiffer ones and replaced all te bushes.

They do soak up the miles but rust prevention is needed for a daily driver.
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Old Oct 21st, 2015, 20:51   #15
Sig the V40
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40mm Lowered '93 240 Estate over here.
Daily driven until a week ago when I bought a beater van to give him a rest from the salt over the winter.
Brilliant car. Smooth, comfortable, warm, easy to fix, extremely rewarding to drive (after total suspension replacement), 1,000,000 times more stylish than any of the modern crap that slows us all down on a dull grey morning commute and if you don't get one for any other reason, kids. Kids love them, I've had small boys and girls open mouthed, pointing and shouting at the Moose during the morning work trip and it's brilliant. I simply wouldn't want to own anything else. I've had 34mpg on a long trip to the Lake District from the Midlands, and have been to Hastings, Brighton, London, Nottingaham, Leicester in it and it's just taken everything I've managed to throw at it (which will be much less now). I've even carried an 8"x10" shed in it too, albeit in smaller chunks, but the whole lot went in. New Sills were £250 welded on both sides. Clutch has juddered for 12 months, but is still fine, electrics were a pig to fix, but hey, I managed it, so it must have been easy...
Go for as late as possible, pretty much everything had been galvanized by then, just have a decent look underneath first. Good Luck!


Join the club before they start fetching proper money though...

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Old Oct 21st, 2015, 21:46   #16
Rd77
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Thank you all for your input.. It sounds like I should get one then! I don't drive that far at the moment, on account of living near Lands End.. So I'm mostly just cruising round the peninsula down here.. I do sometimes go up country though, so it would be good if it would do longer distance too..

I've seen a nice Torslanda, would you recommend this? I'd rather find a GLT estate, I prefer the sound of a bit more power, but maybe I'm wrong? Also, is cruise control a possibility?

Thanks again..
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Old Oct 21st, 2015, 21:56   #17
Velorum
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My only car is a 240 and I cover at least 1000 miles per week.

Once I have covered 50 miles each day I can claim 45p per mile so that covers most of my petrol bills.

240's love this kind of use and if Im spending 4hrs+ per day driving I want to be comfortable. I have it serviced every other month at a small local garage - it doesn't cost much and pretty much all essential spares are readily available.

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Old Oct 22nd, 2015, 10:41   #18
Antz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rd77 View Post

I've seen a nice Torslanda, would you recommend this? I'd rather find a GLT estate, I prefer the sound of a bit more power, but maybe I'm wrong? Also, is cruise control a possibility?
Torslandas aren't bad, just basic. Everything is manual on them with a very "itchy blanket" interior to remind you how lucky you are to own a car and not take the finer thigns in life for granted. They are a gutless 2.0 though.

GLT's are the most powerful but still never going to set the world on fire. They come with either leather or horrible velour that's akin to a 1970s love hotel. But they cost more to buy.

Cruise control. Nope. Its called your foot.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2015, 20:06   #19
Velorum
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Personally, I love the blue velour in my SE estate

Mind you, I had a great time in the 70's........
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Old Oct 22nd, 2015, 21:38   #20
Stephen Edwin
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I reckon that yes the 240 is good for daily driving. I used to use a 244 and then a 245 for daily and also a lot of night time driving to get to work places where I had to get there or lose the client and possibly other consequences.

But nowadays one needs to consider what one will do for transport if the car is unexpectedly off the road. For example a number of members have experienced 240 problems that have been very difficut to diagnose, and it is I think getting harder to find a garage or mechanic with relevant experience. Also some parts are slower or harder to find. It is a modern classic car and the classic word carries some practical issues. But think about the parts and labour costs of many newer cars ...

This is not a problem for me now. I mainly cycle or walk and I occasionally use trains or the nearby ferry. In the 30 months ending in September my 240 travelled 13 miles. But I am using it again now. It's still a lovely real car like wot cars should be. I would really really miss my 240 if I was doing daily driving. It more or less drives itself. It does what is needed in even difficult conditions and the dimensions such as seat height, head room and load area are superb.
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