1985 Volvo 244 GL review from North America
"Tough, reliable brick"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Back lights work, but tend to have a mind of their own.
Seats are ripped.
Engine/tranny leaks.
General comments?
I picked up this car for $350, did a full tune up and it runs great. When I got it, it overheated 3 times (thermostat stuck closed) and did no damage (compared to my LT1 Firebird that overheated once and destroyed the intake). It has a surprising amount of power for a big wagon with a 4 banger and 262k miles.
This thing does leak about 1-2 quarts of oil between oil changes (I run Lucas in it and I have noticed a big decrease in oil leaks). It really does bother me. I just have to keep a couple quarts of oil and check it weekly (I owned a aircooled VW so this is not new). I have driven this car 15k miles so far, and the only thing I have done is basic maintenance, and this is my daily driver.
Recommended reviews
| It's boxy, but good!!! |
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| Dealerships would be broke if these were still made |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1985 |
| First year of ownership | 2009 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.3 I4 Manual |
| Performance marks | 5 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 250000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 263000 miles |
| Previous car | Pontiac Firebird |
| Date of Entry | 8th September, 2009 |