1987 Volvo 740 GLE review from North America
"Reliable but needy"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
All sorts of little stuff. Interior parts breaking, rotten engine wiring, temperamental window regulators, relays dying, rotten headliner, and many other small things.
General comments?
Volvo did an excellent job with the body and driveline. I am not surprised that many of these cars have gone 300,000+ miles with no major repairs.
Unfortunately everything else about the Volvo 740 is horribly unreliable. I am forever replacing interior parts, soldering relays, cursing over stubborn window regulators, fighting with rotten wiring, dealing with flame traps and coolant valves, and chasing down other small but annoying problems on a weekly basis.
These cars get expensive and time consuming really fast. The only saving grace is that they are simple to work on, and parts are plentiful.
Having said that, I love my Volvo 740. It drives like a dream, has comfortable heated leather seats, and is amazing on long trips.
I consider my Volvo "luxury on a budget", considering I only paid $740 for it. Even though it's 22 years old, it's still the nicest vehicle I've ever owned.
Recommended reviews
| This is a safe heavy car with strong value |
|
| The most functional car you will ever own |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 1987 |
| Year of manufacture | 1987 |
| First year of ownership | 2007 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.3L Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 127000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 140000 miles |
| Previous car | Isuzu Pickup |
| Date of Entry | 27th August, 2009 |