Thermostat needle malfunctions-randomly droops to cold.
Several issues with clogged flame trap causing oil to blow out cap on engine.
Small leak at water pump; stopped with Barr's 20K ago.
Hydraulic arms to hold rear door do not function.
Rear engine seal has been leaking for 45000K miles.
Front struts are wearing, but still functioning.
Rotors have been turned until thin.
Random electrical problems, such as the rear defrost is always "on", sometimes when car is switched off it will continue to run, and at random times when the car is "off" and the brake is pushed the rest of the car will behave as if ignition switch is on AC.
Driver's seat looked like a large gorilla had driven it then tried to break it; replaced with a junk one that is a bit better, but still pretty broken down and heater does not work.
Random body hardware issues.
Air conditioning is puny, but heat is killer.
Brakes wear easily and quickly.
Body trim falls off easily.
This is now a fifteen year old car and is still going strong. I paid $2200 for it three years ago and have put about $400 of non-routine repairs into it. I will soon sell it for $1500 to a friend who knows it works and wants to keep it going while I search for a newer Volvo wagon.
This 240DL Wagon just keeps on ticking with minimal mechanical problems. If it did not need a rear engine seal, I would not hesitate to drive it from North Carolina to California (except for the bad seat).
It drives great, has amazing pickup for a car this heavy and a four-cylinder. I live in the high mountains and this car will simply fly up the steepest hills you can find, passing many newer cars with apparent ease. It feels like you're in a boat instead of a car. I like this!
The body hardware is bad news, with door panel storage units either gone or missing. They are placed where it is too easy to kick them as you get into car. Other buttons feel loose in their sockets or simply don't function anymore. I should say that all the needed hardware is still working fine, with the exception of a visor bracket that broke last year.
The driver's seat was shot as mentioned and replacing them with new is cost prohibitive, meaning they cost more than the car is worth! What I have is very uncomfortable, as the lumbar support is gone. The seat heater on this side has not worked since I bought it.
The car is generally creaky and squeaky.
Some sense of roll-over when cornering at any speed over 10 MPH.
The electrical problems make me feel like there's a poltergeist at work, but I just ignore them as they don't seem dangerous yet.
I have mud-bogged this thing and driven it on the highway, and she never ceases to blow mine and my friends' minds with her prowess!
I have a 1990 240 DL sedan, and when I purchased it the driver's seat was shot. Instead of replacing it I went to a local car reupholstering shop, and got the metal structure of the seat fixed, had new padding installed, and got a tear in the cloth sewn back up all for $75. Having this done is a much cheaper alternative, rather than buying a new or used seat. The seat is now very comfortable and supportive. I hope this information can be of some assistance to you. Good Luck.
Classic and stylish!? An '89 Volvo? Yeah right.
I bought my 1989 245 in 1996 with 87K miles for $7K. Last week she turned over 217K. That's 130,000 miles over 10 years and it has NEVER failed to start. Even with my sporadic maintenance, hard driving, and almost never cleaning it, I have always been impressed with how she holds up under just about any condition. Only car in the neighborhood to start when it was -26 degrees; carries more than my Mom's explorer; runs up the snowy hills with ease (passed a slipping jeep one time) ; slept in the back to save $ on road trips; etc.
Style is subjective. Aesthetics are personal. The 240 series Volvo has held very strongly in both by millions around the world for years and years. I will continue to drive the old wagon until she fails. I just don't think she ever will.
My wagon had the same electrical issues related to the rear gate. It turns out the wiring goes through the hinges and, on mine, the ground was very nearly gone, so if I stopped and went over a bump, the middle brake light would lose ground and instead ground through the defroster relay, turning the defroster on. Or, if that didn't happen, the bulb warning light would come on.
A cheap fix made that all go away, but some days, at the right temp, on the right bump, I'll look down and the defroster is going. Ah. European electrics. I love them.
Reminds me of my Saab whose power door locks would, once the car warmed up inside, suddenly remember that you'd unlocked the door to get in and all unlock at once *KERCHUNK*. Very startling.
I don't know why people slander the Volvo 200 series in terms of it's style. I would agree that it is classic and stylish. It is classic because it is such a recognisable, clean and solid design, and it is stylish because the car is distinguishable among others. As that other person said, style is subjective, but people should just quit slagging Volvos and saying they are ugly etc. I don't think it's true.
My 1989 240 DL rules! I bought it for $1200 in Nov. '05 as my primary vehicle and would bypass any brand new car for it even now. After I bought it someone hit me on the driver's side as I sat parked at the shopping center--the impact rocked the car, smudged the paint if you know where to look, resulted in an $800 check which came in handy for Christmas!
I keep it serviced for routine items like brakes, etc. I am willing to meet almost any repair costs because it's a tank--just keeps on rolling no matter what. On rocky back roads or pot holes in the city with minimal steering I let the Volvo do what it does.
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