1990 Volvo 740 from North America - Comments

Luckily, most of the problem areas have been replaced prior to my getting the car. Ridiculous that a car should have to be towed into the dealer with 20,000 miles!!! It was towed in on two occasions between 20,000 and 25,000 miles. The first time the problem was with the nagging Volvo problem of the fuel pump relay.

The second time that it was in the shop they replaced most of the sensors that are on the engine. Crank position sensor and several others.

At 60,000 miles, the engine wiring harness was replaced. This is also an expected repair on the "earlier" Volvos.

Since we have had her, there have been very few problems. I credit this to the fact that I am an enthusiast, and I am always doing preventative work to keep her out of the shop. I would hate to be someone who just drove my car, and then had to be at the mercy of the dealer when something went out...

Interior trim on Volvo's is ridiculous as well! This car was $27,000 in 1990, and has plastic trim that reminds me of my Ford Fiesta. I realize that this car is 12 years old, but broken trim pieces were a problem on this car from the day they were produced.

I have just replaced the rear pinion seal. (140,000 miles)

Crappy Volvo radiator was replaced with a genuine METAL radiator. Well worth the minimal investment. Again, plastic is a bad choice...

As much ragging as I have done on this car in the last section, we simply LOVE it!!

Performance of the Turbo is fantastic! We have towed cars to the east coast twice now (3,600 miles round-trip), with nary a hiccup. Even with a loaded 16 foot tandem car trailer, this car will scoot!!

Seats are the greatest! Extreme comfort (MUCH better that the Civic's!!), and the heated option is the best!

Sunroof is used year-round! Primarily due to the fantastic Volvo heater.

Space in this car cannot be beat! When we camp, if the weather is bad, we move the gear to the tent, and camp in the car!

Rear kicks out easily in wet or icy pavement, but remains predictable. First couple times that it happens, though-it can be a surprise!

Touring TA Radials are pricey, and wear quickly (30,000 miles) but cannot be beat for the performance on this car.

Thanks for your honesty. You have convinced me to Buy one.

-Since I submitted the previous review of the 740 Turbo, I have gotten a divorce. The Volvo wasn't a point of contention, but I gave it to my soon to be ex, so she wouldn't be left walking... A week later, she left a local bar, took a stoplight in town at high speed (3a.m.) and slammed into the curbing and adjoining sidewalk. The police said that there was debris 25'in front of where the car stopped... The front wheels were torn off of the car, steering rack sheared in half, and the passenger wheel ended up INSIDE of the passenger compartment! Her and her boyfriend stumbled out (not due to impact, but her.25 BAC...) and walked away. They were bruised from the seatbelts, and my ex had a cut on her forehead. The airbags didn't deploy (probably due to the low angle of the impact), and the inebriated occupants were still uninjured!! The car was towed and impounded due to no insurance, expired plates, and her charge of DUI. She couldn't afford to get the car out, so after 15 days of storage charges, she signed the car over to me. The tow company owner delivered my former pride and joy (the car, not the ex-wife...), to my door for $150! That included the original tow, the tow to my house, and 15 days storage! I pulled the parts from a European 740 while in Germany, and have now bought a 740 wagon on ebay for $150 to use to get her back on the road. I have porta-powered out the bad bits, and cut away the others. The engine still runs, and she trys to move under her own power. :) Hopefully by spring, she will be back on the road! I am confident that if my ex would have been in the Honda that I was going to give her, she would have had shattered legs at the very least! My girlfriend's daughter, and my son will be driving Volvo's as their first cars. Kids need every advantage they can get to survive the teen-years... -Tony.