1988 Volvo 740 TD Estate review from UK and Ireland
"Boxy but good, REAL GOOD!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The left hand front daytime bulb blew and a number of blown dashboard lights needed replacement.
The LH rear caliper seized badly at about 129000 - very easy to put right. Both front caliper rails began to seize, but again, once freed they are very easy to maintain.
The windscreen washer motor needed replacement.
Cold starting can sometimes be a problem and the oil light takes a little while to go out. Oil is constantly leeching out of the rear of the camshaft area and caused a failure of one of the heater hoses (close call that!)
Oh, and the odd glow plug needs replacement now and then.
General comments?
The above list might seems daunting but ALL of the above were DIY fixable and the list is complete to date. The car could well be superb, save for the standard fitment of the German VW LT28 commercial straight six diesel (which must have come out of a German U-boat). Not the nicest of power units and a complete mystery to me since I am unable to get any manuals on the engine! Despite this, it's the BEST car I've ever owned returning about 34-37 mpg and costing next to nothing to maintain!
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.4 turbo diesel Manual |
| Performance marks | 8/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 127000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 150000 miles |
| Previous car | Peugeot 405GTD |
| Date of Entry | 7th July, 2000 |