1978 Volvo 242 GT review from North America
"My darling little car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The heater motor died in the 80's. Installing the new one was a horror.
The odometer died in 1990 at 185,000 miles (see above current miles; that was more than 100,000 miles ago.
The clutch wore out in 2004 after all those rough miles and teaching 2 kids to drive it in the hills.
The year the thermostat stuck open just about froze me out coming home from overnight owl surveys; stuck open, for heaven's sake.
The wire harness shorted out - burned through - just when my mechanic retired.
Can't find the rainwater leak that keeps killing the fuel pump relay so I always carry a new one.
General comments?
This car replaced my 1974 914 when I got pregnant with our first child in 1983. It is nearly as much fun to drive, far more reliable, comfortable, and easier to work on. Plus it had room for the kids.
As my work car it has driven thousands of miles on Cascade mountain logging roads (broke the last engine mount on one memorable day and still got home with a little adjustment to the fan cowling).
As my hiking car it has driven thousands of miles on Cascade mountain logging roads (forded many streams and a channel of the Carbon River - when the bridge was out - until my mechanic cried).
As my family camping car it has traveled thousands of miles of highways with the kids and a 9 x 12 Cabinaire canvas tent.
I like the handling, visibility, mileage - I map my miles and average about 26 mpg, storage, seating although it's tough for less than agile riders to dismount the back seat, & I like the way the motor sounds.
Sometimes I wish it had air conditioning and cruise control.
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| A great, reliable, Volvo! |
|
| A ultra-reliable tank |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1978 |
| Year of manufacture | 1978 |
| First year of ownership | 1983 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | B21 Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 50000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 185000 miles |
| Previous car | Porsche 914 |
| Date of Entry | 29th September, 2006 |