1990 Volvo 340 1.4

Summary:

It is reliable and comfortable great!

Faults:

My gearbox is crunchy.

My hatch did not stay up (this has been sorted)

General Comments:

I like this car it is slow and handles like a bath tub on a skate board.

It has some good creature comforts.

I use it for work so the large boot is an asset to me as I carrylots of equipment.

It is in really good condition, body work is almot rust free, it has a full service history and genuine mileage at 43500 miles.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th November, 2007

1990 Volvo 340 GL 1.7

Summary:

Underrated vehicle by the motoring press

Faults:

Radiator replaced about every three years.

Starter Motor 145,00 miles.

Water Pump replaced 138,000 miles.

Boot strut replaced 90,000 miles.

Fuel Jets require cleaning every 6 months after 75,000 miles otherwise car is prone to uneven running. Common fault with this engine.

Some of rear brake pipes have been replaced.

Renewal of door hinges.

Electric Mirrors no longer work.

General Comments:

Heavy to drive with a sod of a gearbox, but my body soon acclimatised.

Bought new (Family car) and hoping to take to its grave. Quite cheap to run.

Engine has good torque and the use of second and third gear (Revs 2.5K to 3.5k) makes for good overtaking.

Comfortable driving position, nice to drive better than some modern cars, don't be put of by its reputation as a bit of a tank.

Interior is a bit shoddy now, but my Labrador dog loves it (Mobile Kennel).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th February, 2005

1990 Volvo 340 1.4 petrol

Summary:

Land barge

Faults:

Replaced the radiator at 80,000 miles.

Exhaust fell off at 95,000 miles.

Indicator stalk self destructed at 100,000 miles.

General Comments:

A big comfortable workhorse, capable of carrying large loads with ease.

Surprisingly fun to drive once you get it moving, the joys of rear wheel drive.

Despite the heavy steering, it has a very impressive turning circle on full lock.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th August, 2004

1990 Volvo 340 1.4 petrol

Summary:

An Old Friend!

Faults:

Rust, and a lot of it! Door bottoms corroded and fitted new panels: both front wings (rotted around arches), front valence, rear valance and particularly holes inner rear panel (where the boot catch is - defective seal?) HOWEVER, no rot on sills, rear arches or underside and car body is now being COMPLETELY restored with full respray in the cool original dark grey.

Plastic engine guard fell off.

Car doesn't like going over 85mph.. starts to shake and cut-out.

Heated seats no longer work effectively, however this will be remedied too.

General Comments:

Mechanically superb, it had poor starting when I bought her, but I had my mechanic look at this and service her, and since then NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER!

This was my grandad's car between 1991 and 1996, so when I saw it up for sale for £200 with 4 months t&t, I offered a lot less and this was accepted... (of course I didn't let on WHY I wanted it or that I particularly did!) - I always liked the colour, the rear spoiler and top-tinted windscreen

They're a strange car to drive, unlike anything else, but for some reason I like it (I'm used to all sorts of cars, I also have an E34 BMW, Rover Metro and various 70s Fords) - The comfort level is staggering (a real big-car feel) and for old nails, inside they ooze a feeling of quality. I used to call these cars all the names under the sun when I was younger, now I'm converted!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 14th March, 2004

6th May 2010, 17:24

My first car that lasted 14 years.

Just to add on the other comments, I didn't get any rust at all. I did experience the cutting out at higher speeds, which I now see was probably due to dirt in the petrol tank. But at that stage, I had lost patience and was looking for change.

For me the worst aspect of this car was the steering, which on cold days, could give you stomach pain trying to turn the wheel.

...but this was far outweighed by the genius of the design. The Renault engine, (I believe on Volvos below 1.6) the way the bonnet opened was fantastic (tip up at the front, but open from the windscreen) - generally no longer employed from a cost factor - as it is, even down to the little dividers along the dash to stop items rolling across, designers could well take a leaf out of the Dutch designed Volvo 340.

A gem, which incidentally holds the Guinness World Record for highest mileage in any car - 1,500,000 miles when I read about it a few years ago.