1987 Volvo 340 GLE review from UK and Ireland

Head gasket blown, radiator pipe split, rear nearside brake cylinder failed (resulted in nasty exit from the A329M), thermostat seal melted, fan belt drive wheel fell off, choke cable and mountings broken, spark plugs needed replacing, cylinder wall about to wear through, extremely prone to overheating.

Sounds awful but was good fun when on the road, but very expensive when off it.

Good points: Good acceleration and handling for a heavy car, very solid build, sharp brakes, nice predictable response. Comfortable drive except hell over speed bumps.

Bad points: Drinks like a fish, especially in traffic. Very prone to losing the back end if braking sharply (RWD), and skidding/wheelspinning in icy/wet conditions. Continuously breaking down - worst point being the amount of RAC personnel who were heard to comment 'Thought Volvos were supposed to be reliable'.