1985 Volvo 240 GL 2.1 petrol

Summary:

These are one of the best buys in the second hand European car market

Faults:

Nothing really, the radio reception is not great, but when tuned in OK, the sound is good.

The aircon. needs to be gassed each year, but is the best I have experienced in 10 series Volvos.

General Comments:

This is a great sedan for Aussie conditions, so long as you keep pressure in air con.

Drives well, and copes with short and long drives.

The velour seats are more comfortable than my wife's 850SE, and the suspension has that old world feel of loping along.

The 240 is no sports car. It is a bit slow on the uptake and wallows a bit, even though the suspension is in good condition.

These characteristics are what makes old Volvos a bit special; every thing about them is a bit soft and forgiving.

They seem to be the new VW Beetle (old) amongst students and surfers... they have discovered that they are so daggy that they are retro cool...

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th March, 2010

1985 Volvo 240 GL 2.3 petrol

Summary:

Big and boxy cruiser with safety features galore.

Faults:

New clutch at 350000km.

Power steering rack replaced.

Power steering hoses blew.

Brake master cylinder replaced at 360000km.

Wiring burnt on Alternator.

General Comments:

This car is quite powerful for something that weighs near to 2 tonnes. Gear shift is very stubborn and sometimes needs to be forced. It is a comfortable car, but the front seats are too flat and can become hard on a long trip. Very spacious interior.

It is an expensive car to keep on the road with the amount of petrol and, the fact that it is an imported car, service costs can get out of hand sometimes.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th March, 2006

1985 Volvo 240 GL 2.3

Summary:

Great cruiser which is powerful enough on highways and very comfortable on long trips

Faults:

Heater vent loose on left side.

Radio/tape poor.

Water enters boot (trunk) during very heavy rain.

General Comments:

This is my third Volvo of this model range over the last 13 years.

The first was a 1981 244 GL manual and cost me 4 tyres, a clutch master cylinder, and a fuel pump over 7 years -not real bad eh?

The second was a 1980 244 GL auto and over 5 years required only a reconditioned auto gear box, a battery and 4 tyres.

The current car is a 1985 244 GL auto and was purchased in mint condition from the original owner. It, like the others, is used for long distance, high speed cruising on Australian outback roads. It is comfortable, ultra reliable, cheap to run and maintain, and easy to do routine work on. No problems with this car as yet.

2 points about 240 series Volvos:

Luxury car that is cheap to buy and run (most people don't like the "Volvo Driver" tag so they are often unwanted in the market place.)

The radio/tape provided are very poor - all three of mine have been useless.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th July, 2001

2nd Oct 2003, 20:51

I live in Australia as well and have to agree with your observations. These cars are generally very reliable and drive very well on our often rough roads. Keep the shockers and tires in good condition though.

And the Volvo radio/cassette is rubbish, mine used to play AM and FM at the same time for some reason. I threw it out and bought a cheap radio cassette player, which works fine.

14th Mar 2005, 06:34

Owned a 1984 Volvo 240GL. Very reliable car which carries the saying VOLVO FOR LIFE. Only changed the timing belt recently and done a respray. Other than that this 1984 VOLVO GL is a great car to drive giving the heavy feeling, easy to handle and safety.

19th Jun 2008, 00:13

Australia: I own a 1985 240 GLE that has done about 290,000km. Excellent value for money - it is solid, well-built, comfortable and very cheap to run, except for petrol consumption. The car averages 7 km/litre in town and about 10 km/l on the highway. I have been told that this is normal.

The near-absence of repairs means that overall running costs are low. Low values ensure low insurance premiums and no unwanted attention in car parks! The air-conditioning has been upgraded to take the new gas but that has to be refilled every year. When newly done, it is reasonably effective.

An excellent, durable car that is quieter and smoother than many new mid-range cars.