SOLD! We received a surprisingly huge amount of interest in this one. It sold right away and is headed to an East Coast Barn Finds reader. Thanks guys!
One of my friends (a lifelong Volvo mechanic) had worked on this car for the owner so when they decided to sell it, they called him. He couldn’t resist because you never see low-mileage 240s anymore. I couldn’t resist either so it’s now in my garage. He made any profit there might have been but he also did a tune-up and went through the brakes. I have just cleaned it and driven it. Now, I’ve decided to sell the car and wanted to give our readers first dibs.
The mileage (136k) may not seem low but we aren’t talking about a normal car here. Volvos were built to last and these bad boys can easily cover 300k without needing a rebuild. This one is just getting broken in! The engine runs nice and smooth and the brakes work great. It’ll need new shocks and struts eventually. I’m guessing they are still the originals.
This car is amazingly original. The original hubcaps are still in place as is the radio. The window sticker and owner’s manuals are even still in the glovebox! This 240 retailed for $22k in 1992. According to an inflation calculator found online, that’s like $42k today! That’s a lot considering how simple these cars were. People didn’t buy these for luxury though. They bought them for safety and durability.
And those are both good reasons to buy a 240 now. If Volvo were still making this car today, I bet they would have people lined up around the block. The 240 outlived its successor and sales even increased near the end. People loved these cars and it wasn’t because they were fast. They do have a great turning radius though! A 5-speed would have been nice but the automatic makes stop-and-go traffic easy. Plus a swap would be easy.
New cars are overrated. There’s more to break and few will ever make it past 100k miles. Old Volvos like this are great for people who prefer to spend their money on things other than car loans. Here’s a photo gallery with all the flaws displayed. There are a few scratches and dents but no rust. It’s located in Boise, Idaho and I’m asking $5,500. If you’re interested, please contact me directly here.
This car won’t be for sale long!
I think that is a very fair price. I went through several bricks years ago and I’m telling you once you drive one of these cars you will fall in love. Put a set of IPD stabilizer bars and koni shocks/struts and you will have a fun car in the turns as well. The B23F is a really durable engine with a lot of torque. The AW transmission is also durable goods as well. Seems weird to see the ABS pump under the hood. Only the later models got that. Another plus for safety.
All the good said about these cars is true, but at 6’2, 200lbs athletic physique, I found these to be very narrow and uncomfortable for long drives. I don’t get why Swedes made this car so narrow! You can’t adjust yourself in the seat; left knee constantly hitting the door. May as well go for the Lotus Esprit given the narrowness.
My good friend was a master Volvo mechanic who won many awards with Volvo died about 4 years ago. Great guy. Said the 240 was the finest car Volvo ever built and they were bullet proof. He still had his first year 240 wagon and it looked like new. If I needed a car I would fly asap to get it. I drove a 1963 122S for over 10 years with no issues. No A/C so I got tired of summers and traded it in.
Go turbo w this glorious brick
I like these cars. But the the author is waxing poetic about this car and most of the comments are not true today. This car would not pass current crash tests. You are much safer in a modern car from any manufacturer. These cars were safer than cars of their time, but pale in comparison to cars of today. These Volvos are slow. SLOW! Even today similar displacement engines are getting 180+++ HP. The highway gas mileage is 25mpg. Similar cars today get 35mpg. Longevity? Most cars today, if well maintained will easily go 200,000+ miles with little to no rust. I have a 2002 Infiniti G20 with 300,000 miles and it has been incredibly reliable. If this car was for sale today, no one would buy it. It is too crude, and does not have any of the comforts and equipment that people demand and take for granted in todays cars. I like these cars, but modern cars are so much better.
I had a 242DL stick years ago Great vehicle!
I daily drive a 93 940 wagon. I maintained it for a friend for a few years then she gave it to me when she moved to the west coast. It is slow, but it cruises nicely on the highway, and it is solid.
Similar to this, but Regina ignition, round-toothed timing belt, and oil squirters under the pistons. 182k on it and counting. My only current issue is I need to locate a parasitic drain in the electrical system.
“New cars are overrated.” Well said.
I really like this car. I liked the 164E before it as well.
Super solid, even the paint.
The weak area on these is the plastic trim.
And those spring loaded hinges under the hood?
I hope there are now some good reproductions available because up until recently, there weren’t.
I have emailed the seller twice now and not received any reply. Not sure what is going on but am interested in the car!
Hi Joe, this one sold almost immediately and I haven’t had time to respond to everyone yet. Thanks for your interest.
Thanks for letting me know! Had the cash in hand and was ready to head North!