240 vs 740

[volvo always]

Originally Posted by JJKM

Thanks everyone for the comments. I'm not really looking for more power, I'm perfectly happy! I just have the itch to try the grumbly 6 cylinder to be honest. I love my 240 but it has done 230,000 and is aesthetically rough so just get concerned about it carrying on! I look after it, but the MOT is in February. It's going for a check over on Friday to see how much the damage is likely to be. If it's not too bad then i'll stick with it and finally tackle the noisy trailing arm bushes! I don't really want to get rid, but just baring in mind options in case it is not economically viable to keep running it. Still looking for blo*dy hockey sticks too; missing the whole set which really annoys me!! Thanks all again

I don't think of it as "economically viable" as surely it's better to spend on a known car rather than blowing a wad on another car that is unknown.
This is me. I would even have a go at installing a new engine or gearbox if it went as I know it.
My Sister bought a 2003 Volvo S40 1.9d S For £750 and realised after the clutch was shot. £300 for a new clutch, then the ignition barrel collapsed another £150. Final thing failing to start, then going along and blew a load of black smoke out the exhaust and running on and finally the engine seizing. Scrapped
If I was you I would stick with what you know.
Snap on a drivers side rear hockey stick!

James

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by 57RKL

Negatives, Engine leaked oil over my drive, 20mpg, factory sunroof leaked, and worst of all the interior. All the plastics are crap, no make that CRAP !!!. Rattles, squeaks, cracked dash, broken door plastics, headlining hanging down, etc etc.

Knocking the 740 is a little unfair, and unjustified as you've obviously bought a lemon that's been used as a workhorse (read van). Put it into context; the youngest 740 is best part of 24/25 years old, so knocking a car for a sagging headlining is to my mind plain daft.

With regard to plastics: I have three 740s - two 745s and one 744 (2 x 1986 cars, 1 x 1987 car). All of their plastics are in good condition and unbroken; no rattles, squeaks or groans, and only a very minor dash crack in one car.

No oil leaks and no rust.

I'm biased but not blind to any faults the car might have; faults that result from the abuse or lack of care of previous owners are NOT car faults they're owner faults!

I also have just bought a 1989, one owner from new 245DL, a car that's lived a sheltered life and this car's biggest fault are the rusty rear arches - my 700s have no rust in the arches whatsoever and they're older than the 245.

Saggy headling vs rusty wheelarches? That's a no-brainer.

I do like 200s though (pics of mine to come), and I don't like facelift 700s or 900s.

Jon.

[classicswede]

Bear in mind that the engines are the same so any engine related problems are down to either a un serviced engine or bad luck. The only engine difference worth noting is the 240 has a side mounted dizzy and the HT parts are about half the price of 740/940 ones. Early 740's did have the same side mounted dizzy and it is not a major job to convert back to the side mounted dizzy.

[wrinkles]

I think I have been through the range of 2s 3s 7s and 900s the 240DL estate rotted away sold for bits the early 740 estate had a silly carb fault I changed the carb for a webber and that fixed it had 2 years without any further problems. I had no problems with elecrrics on any of my 700s and the plastic bits were all fine no rattles or squeeks. I now have a 945 Torslanda without all the gizmos ie man windows no air con all less to go wrong and I love it If you are looking at a low miler expect to pay a lot more for it and get a good history on it what ever you choose.

[heckflosse]

The 200 is a classic sixties body shell. Which means it is good for visibility, useful for carrying stuff, and still looks different enough to not be a grey euro blob. Besides, they are fun to drive. And safe.
The 700/900 was an early eighties notchback styled car that is well made, reliable and a bit bland. At that time, Volvo wanted to sell on safety alone, not performance or "fun". Now they look different too.

If the MPG of a 240 is causing bother, i'd try LPG rather than that VW timebomb diesel. A 200f should do 30mpg, which is not bad.A neighbours old v70 averages 24!

[dreadnought]

as an interloper from the 700/900 board id just like to say that the 700`s are very good cars. my 740 turbo had one very carefull lady owner(no really) before me and I got it last year with only 86thou on the clock. its mint. and I fricking love it. kinda sleek (if you squint) and less than £100 has seen me keep of type r`s on the dual carriage ways. cheap to buy, classed as a classic so costs me £120 to insure and with a few mods and decent rubber it handles well. the 240`s just look too bulky. all the problems with any car can mostely be put down to insufficient maintenance. mine doesn't suffer from any of the problems mentioned.
sorry, you can all suck through your teeth now and call me a young "whipper snapper" lol.
but best of all it looks like a Volvo. 2/7 or 9 they are instantly recognisable.

[855 tdi]

asking the question in the 240 section is obviously inviting biased views, just as asking it in the 740 section would. I bought a 740 for £150 with 129,000 miles and fsh, aside from a very small amount of surface rust at the back its in brilliant condition for a car from 1988, its well equipped and the b230e is great. It had the obligatory saggy headliner (most 25 year old cars would have a saggy headlining) and dodgy fuel gauge which a lot of the time can be fixed by re-soldering the connection on the instrument cluster. It doesn't rattle and the plastics are all good, obviously helps mine hasn't seen tons of wear with such low mileage and has been looked after. Personally i prefer the 740 design to the 240, i like 240s but really never understood the premium they command over a 740 and i wouldn't say the 240 outlived the 740 as a 940 shares most of its dna with a 740. If your 240 is good enough to keep living id agree it would be wise to keep her going especially as it sounds like your fond of it and they are good car, maybe you should have a look at a 740 and see what you think never know you might like it id say you can get more for your money considering the rising price of 240s of late.

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by 855 tdi

. I bought a 740 as a 940 shares most of its dna with a 740. If .

The subject of 200 vs 700 has been covered many times in the past. Having just bought a 245DL I can understand the attraction (but objectively it is the inferior car). That said I am looking forward to tweaking my 245!

I've disagreed before about the DNA, I've written about this in the club magazine...the 900 has less Swedish DNA than the 700 simply because it was not designed by Jan Wilsgaard.

And I disagree about the 700 being a bland design, when it was launched it was Volvo's most audacious design and sold very well.

Jon.

[DW42]

I think that the brittle interior plastics issue may not be a 240 vs 740 one: the different colours of plastic and seat fabrics wear very differently. Here in Australia, the beige Volvo plastics fall apart with UV exposure. The blue seems to wear well. I don't know why this is the case. I used to think that the plastics that Volvo used were pretty cheap and nasty compared with those in higher end German cars. But after looking at some late 80s e-series Mercs, I changed my mind: Mercedes dashboards hold up very poorly, and the wood inlay that looked great when new cracks then falls out.

[Stephen Edwin]

I still think it comes down to, which version one prefers. Each have their respective virtues in use.

The longer load bay and of course the side impact bars are serious points.

Good signs of maintenance are yes very important whatever car one buys. Even without documented history, one can usually spot a maintained car compared to a tarted up one quite quickly. I'd rather buy a car maintained by a diligent independent, in preference to a Volvo dealership only following a check list. Yes, another debate.

And it's always interesting after test driving to see how one feels getting back in to one' existing car. If the existing car feels happier than the test driven car ...... QED.