1992 Volvo 240 review from North America

An internal gasket needed replacing at around 68k.

The armrest in the backseat is broken (probably cheap to fix, but we never got around to it).

The radiator was replaced at some point and apparently it was "improperly installed" - another guy fixed it for us.

I adore this car. I'm 21, which means I was around... seven, I think, and therefore not terribly interested in it as anything beyond my parents' choice of transport. We had a little BMW before, so the Volvo was a HUGE improvement size and comfort wise.

I got my driver's license while I was in college so I didn't get to fully appreciate the Volvo until I was 19 or 20. OK, this car is a station wagon and therefore should be very low on the "cool" quotient - but it can GO. I step on the gas and it never complains. Coming from someone with a severe lead foot, this is quite a compliment.

The turning radius is amazing. This car can just about spin circles around itself. There have been times when I (or my parents) have driven with passengers and made a u-turn that no one figured this car could make - it happens enough that we have a trademark saying: "Turning radius!" whenever such a thing happens.

It feels very safe. I was in an accident in my roommate's '91 Nissan Maxima (also a very good car, I loved it as well) - it was the other driver's fault, but I had some trepidation driving after that for quite some time. The Volvo handles like a much smaller car, but at the same time it does feel like you're driving a tank. I would say it's very dangerous to feel invincible while you're driving, as this may lead to carelessness - but I had no doubt that this tough old lady would take good care of me. I owe it to the Volvo that I am back out on the road today and looking into getting my own car.

The design has held up well. The lines are clean, and while the car is boxy, it does have an honest, slightly-rakish look to it. Yes, it's a workhorse, but it's also a fun car to drive.

It is very reliable. I go to school about 500 miles away and twice a year for the last three years my parents have made the long trip down I5 to drop me off and pick me up - we pack that car to the gills. When we had our radiator problem and the car felt a little sluggish, it continued to perform. The only indication we ever had that something was wrong was an oil leak - which led us to take it in, which led to the gasket discovery, which apparently in turn led to the radiator discovery.

No, we are not a family of mechanics. We do service the car regularly and it has served us faithfully for twelve years. I've seen reviews for Volvos with upwards of 200k miles on them - my entire family loves this car and we'll be glad to keep it for the rest of its days.

I did name the car "Ollie" - after the RMS Olympic, a famous ocean liner and better-known as the long-lived sister ship of the Titanic. Olympic, however, was known as the "Old Reliable" - which is what this car is.