1985 Volvo 340 DL review from UK and Ireland
"Very underrated, great for slow drivers"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Top hose from the heater blew (that's just old age).
Occasional rough running.
Hatchback would not stay up.
General comments?
Occasional rough running, definitely something to do with unmetered air getting into the engine (carb problem). The car would cut out unless revved or the choke pulled out. This was a major problem as the car was an Automatic, thankfully it was only occasional.
Went surprisingly well, (1.4 Renault engine is smooth and robust), especially for a CVT Auto, made a cool whirring sound too.
Great turning circle.
It had a comfortable ride (a little bouncy) and the interior whilst basic, was very functional and spacious.
Brakes were very good too, too good.
The car was well built also.
Oh boy, the handling! Don't drive quick when it's raining. Amazing understeer at reasonable speed, aggresive power oversteer which is difficult to control due to low geared steering and soft wallowy suspension at many speeds.
BTW: It was wearing identical Yokohama tyres, christ alone knows what it would be like on unmatched remoulds etc.
Pity it don't have more cred.
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| Great cruiser and fun in the right conditions |
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| If looked after, a good, durable and reliable car |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1985 |
| First year of ownership | 1993 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 1998 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.4 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 80000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 95000 miles |
| Previous car | Fiat 126 |
| Date of Entry | 18th May, 2001 |