1988 Volvo 740 GL Blackline 2.3i Kat from Netherlands

Faults:

It is not my car. I work in a taxi company where TB-97-TX drives (car '37').

It's original engine is still present... Only the second gearbox and fourth clutch. Second exhaust pipe.

OK, it's not a new car anymore (some oil leaks here and there), but it's still 100% alive. Also, the powered window (left) doesn't work, but this car (built in Belgium, Antwerp) just won't die.

General Comments:

I want to tell you about this car because it is unique. It really drove 1,000,000 kilometers (on gas) with ONE engine!!! And being a taxi, it means that it's abused very often.

The car is still running very good, but it started to eat clutches now and suffers more and more technical problems (including the LPG system).

But every time the newer Volvo 940s don't start, this 740GL will come to the rescue. It really is a miracle!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 7th September, 2000

11th Jan 2002, 08:39

1.000.000 km!!!

I thought I had the volvo740 with the most km (723.000 km) in the Netherlands.

Maybe I still have the oldest 740 in the Netherlands (1984).

When a Volvo get over 500.000 km, it won't die anymore.

19th May 2004, 10:59

I do believe that it will do that it was made to do the miles and it will probably go on till the engine jumps out.

10th May 2005, 13:54

That's really amazing!!! My 1988 Volvo 745GL has done 777630kms now, but I'm very sorry to say that it has also had its best times now. The only thing I can do for it now is to revise it for the first time, but I don't have the money for that right now.

A true shame since it was my first car and I have fallen completely in love with it! I'm keeping the car in a warehouse so that one day I can revise that engine and drive it around again. Truly the most amazing car ever made, in all its time it has never let me down once!

24th Nov 2009, 03:33

I worked as auto electrician some year ago, and I installed meters and communication equipment in taxis.

I worked on Volvo 740 / 940 series. They did over 1000000km with ease. I remember one that had done over 1250000 km with the ORIGINAL factory installed 2.3 liter gasoline engine AND was still in service!

1988 Volvo 740 GLE 2.3 L from North America

Summary:

An underrated war horse

Faults:

Radiator, water pump, timing belt, electrical and the interior.

General Comments:

Interior is shoddy and on mine the cooling system had been abused, but the vehicle's engine and transmission are still super-smooth and it runs like a dream.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st July, 2000

1988 Volvo 740 TD Estate 2.4 turbo diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Boxy but good, REAL GOOD!

Faults:

The left hand front daytime bulb blew and a number of blown dashboard lights needed replacement.

The LH rear caliper seized badly at about 129000 - very easy to put right. Both front caliper rails began to seize, but again, once freed they are very easy to maintain.

The windscreen washer motor needed replacement.

Cold starting can sometimes be a problem and the oil light takes a little while to go out. Oil is constantly leeching out of the rear of the camshaft area and caused a failure of one of the heater hoses (close call that!)

Oh, and the odd glow plug needs replacement now and then.

General Comments:

The above list might seems daunting but ALL of the above were DIY fixable and the list is complete to date. The car could well be superb, save for the standard fitment of the German VW LT28 commercial straight six diesel (which must have come out of a German U-boat). Not the nicest of power units and a complete mystery to me since I am unable to get any manuals on the engine! Despite this, it's the BEST car I've ever owned returning about 34-37 mpg and costing next to nothing to maintain!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th July, 2000

26th Oct 2002, 16:16

I have A oil cooler fitted to my 740 td. I took the oil cooler from A Mitsubishi galant 2.0 TD. It was fitted at 184,590 miles. I now have 271,456 miles on the clock and no engine trouble.

My vacuum pump for the brakes has recently started knocking, but the brakes are still working fine, any ideas WHY?

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1988 Volvo 740 GLE 4 cyl. reg/unlead gas from North America

Faults:

A/C, water pump, oil pump, electrical (switches, wiring), pwr. roof, heated seats, etc.

General Comments:

With over 220k (bought w/o records at 190k), still an excellent vehicle. We are in the "parts replacement program" (every month we seem to be replacing some other part!).

We love our "kleenex box".

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th June, 1998