1989 Volvo 740 Turbo review from North America

- Alternator Replaced

- Various Seals and Gaskets on Engine and Transmission Replaced

- Transmission Bushings

- Front and Back Windshield Wiper Motors

- Besides these repairs and routine replacement parts, nothing else! Still on the original turbo charger!

A Terrific car! Slow take off power, but great torque and power once the turbo spools up. The only bad side to the turbo engine is that it devours gas... EPA 19/24 and REQURES premium fuel. But I suppose that is not too terrible for a midsize luxury car of the 1980's.

The interior is roomy and very comfortable. Volvo makes extremely comfortable seats. However, it's obvious they had not grasped the concept of bolsters in the seat bottom to keep your butt from sliding on your seat around corners, especially with leather upholstery. Besides that, a super comfy interior.

The body has held up pretty well inside and out. Trim quality is horrible on older Volvos. The trim pieces inside and out are always falling or breaking off somewhere. Overall build quality is very solid though with minimal squeaks and rattles.

Even with high mileage, the car runs incredibly well on the original engine and tranny. No doubt, this car will last well past the 200k mile mark.

I love this car, but honestly, the only things that make Volvos better than the average car are their superior safety, and durability/longevity of the engine and transmission. Electrical problems are common on older Volvos, as are poor quality trim and average reliability of the other major mechanical components of the car, like radiator, alternator, etc. But even with these common flaws, Volvos typically last around 300k miles and are more reliable compared to the average car.