1986 Volvo 740 Turbo from North America - Comments

Turbocharger blew seals at 300,000 k

Rear Differential failed at 280,000 k

Air Conditioner failed at 380,000k.

All other major components are original.

This car is beautiful to drive. It has room for 4 adults, all their luggage (with their bikes or skis on the roofrack) and handles like a performance car. It will also carry a family of 7 in comfort (2 adults, 4 kids and a big, hairy dog) with the jump seat.

This car is so reliable that you take it for granted. The car starts at the coldest temperatures without complaint, has super climate controls, handles everything in stride and still gets decent mileage.

Parts for Volvos are less readily available than domestic makes, but larger stores carry most items or have next day service.

Dealer items are brutally expensive.

Having said that, Volvos need parts so rarely that this is not a major factor in operating one.

Also a consideration: these cars are made out of much better quality metal than most, so when you need to service them, the nuts and bolts have not rusted and you never strip them.

For example: I recently replaced the turbo charger on this car and the bolts, which have been in the same spot since the car left Sweden came out with no problem at all. Try that with your 17 year old Ford sometime.

Volvos are not cheap, but they are superior vehicles. They are very durable, very reliable and very safe. This one is also sparky and a blast to drive.

Everyone always has a go at Ford, if you pay twice maybe three times as much for one car over another you'd expect that money to have been paid for a reason, likewise it's not going to cost the same as that cheaper car to repair.

Volvo aren't exactly pushing new boundaries, their entire vehicle range consists of an estate and saloon. Wow.

Granted the older Volvos may not be that diverse... but my Volvo 740 turbo-wagon can destroy a ford mustang off the line (and most likely top speed), talk about emasculating... I mean a 4 cylinder wagon destroying a v8 sportscar... I laugh at Mustang drivers.

I have a 740 turbo sedan, and yeah it's pretty reliable, my parents gave it to me when I turned 16, and I'm 20 now and it has 432,000 miles on it! It's never needed any major work except replacing something with the turbo, the ac compressor, and the power steering. The overdrive thing is common on most older volvos (my dad owns a volvo shop) it's just the relay that gets screwed up and needs to be replaced every now and then or just jiggled and the problem is fixed! But that one comment about beating mustangs is just funny, cuz these cars aren't that fast! I raced against my other car (a 05' civic with my friend) which has a pretty wimpy 1.7 liter and the civic kept right up with me, and was actually about 8 inches in front of me! I dunno what they did to their volvo, but I'd love to know! Anyway, thanks for reading!

Why that ain't nothing! I was driving around in my 1921 Model T the other day, and whipped a Corvette off the line, I was like, doing 60mph in the blink of an eye. So fast, I left my wheels behind. Thing is like a rocket.

My horse and buggy beat a space shuttle at the lights yesterday.

No one should compare racing a car from the lights!!! The Volvo Turbo is quick, but not massively fast (good mid range acceleration though) - I because I have just sold my 940 Turbo - the cars would naturally get slower with age. The cars are great and my 3.0 960 is surpurb vehicles - I love surprising other drivers (204bhp) as I have left it tatty and people don't expect a Volvo to be driven quickly!!! An excellent Q-car!!! Go Volvo!