As a Swede this makes you proud. The 240 was the car to have among youngsters when i was young and on the countryside they are still popular because off the high quality and cheap maintenance. Greetings from Sweden!
The cup holders in the glove box weren't really used while driving. But if you were around in the 80's you'd know it was the perfect spot for drinks while at the drive in movies.
There used to be a lot of what they used to call "dealer installed options". One of them was an armrest that would bolt to the center console that had cupholders front and rear. I have that in my 240. The only catch is that they were designed for smaller soda cans and such back in the day. The larger containers that you see nowadays won't fit. Whenever I have a passenger with me and we stop somewhere to get drinks and snacks on a long trip I have to make sure they understand what will and will not fit in the cupholders. It's almost like a game to play. I tell them unless they want to be riding with a drink in between their legs for miles and miles, they need to pay attention to what I am telling them about the size of the drink containers that they buy 🙂
I can attest to these cars... there's a lady that regularly services her 1989 240 at our dealer and she has over 334,000 miles on it. Thing breaks parts and whatnot, and she just CAN'T kill the car. These 240s have a massive cult (albeit a good one) following and for good reason.
@@TheXmabax That is not correct, 334000 miles is 537520 km or 53752 metric "Swedish" mil. That is not nothing, but a decent and quite impressive mileage IMO...
A Swedish motor show had a similar idea, and they REALLY torture tested it. They pulled large farm implements with it, crashed it in to a tree while in a "police chase", drained all the oil out of it and replaced it with cooking oil and then drove the car through Stockholm in rush hour, using only first gear. They fueled it with vodka and whisky too. And it still survived.
Growing up we had a Volvo station wagon 240GL. My best memories of the wagon were taking crate loads of avocados from our orchard to sell at the farmers market every weekend. Also... the rear facing fold up/down seats in the cargo area were always a treat to ride in, waving and laughing at the cars behind us was always fun too. Even though I was just a kid in the 80's I still remember how safe I felt in those luxurious leather seats.
Probably the only wagon ever where it was safe to ride in those rear jump seats lol. One of my uncles had a 1977 Olds Vista Cruiser with jump seats, but they had no belts, so it was just one step above throwing the kids in the trunk, or riding in the back of a pickup truck sitting on the tailgate.
I’m currently daily driving an 88’ 240 b230f. It’s a great car and it doesn’t cost very much to own. It keeps up with the traffic pretty well, not a rocket ship though.
I would love to see y’all lift it, weld the diff, and put bigger tires on it, then take it down some of the amazing trails in Colorado! These cars are amazing!
I dont like the idea of welding/destroying the diff. Maybe they could improve it with a very thick differential oil or grease, if only used for crawling on trails. Or another idea would be to seperate the left and right E-brake and lock the airborne wheel.
My buddy had one of these in high school we took everywhere, including up to copper mountain when we probably shouldn’t have. Still think it was/is the coolest car of my youth!
My first and last car has been a 1989 volvo 245 which I will have owned for 10 years next spring. My dad made a joke that I would replace just about everything on it. Somewhat true, but I am still on the original engine and transmission. Re did the suspension, replaced the exhaust 3 times, all the bushing, timing belt once/basic tune up stuff and the thing is still a beast! I look forward to driving it cross country for the 6th time this winter! Wish I knew how many miles were on it, but the odometer broke 8 years ago at 104,000. It has never left me stranded a single time...always can tell when it needs something before the inevitable strikes. Now it runs better than ever!
I was stoked to see that you guys got a 244! I've dailied 245 wagons for the last two years and can attest to their sturdiness. Mine has a dealer-option lsd with a 5-speed and has taken me on many a rough trail, towed trailers and cars, and gone cross country more than once. Hope to see more of it from you guys!
That was fun, blokes! Glad that you didn’t go all out to wreck the car for cheap laughs, like some people would do. It might be old but it’s quality and it deserves some respect.
It’s the favorite car of stuntman that value their health. Very often it’s used in movies (lots of combi’s) crash or roll over. The variant with turbo was lovingly called flying brick. The understated design makes it relatively timeless.
These cars are popular in sweden as winter beaters for obvious reasons (rwd+ice=fun) So much so that it has even raised the value of old 240s. 740s are a bit better of an alternative as they have less of a cult around them but still great winter beaters
problem is 240s look way better as cars you can still get them pretty cheap though, just not quite like they used to, so I wouldn't say you have to go for the 740s just yet.
I grew up learing to drive in the 70's in my dad's old 144, that car was solid as a tank. He bought a new 164 with the 3 litre straight 6 but I was forbidden to drive that, LOL.
Had a 144S as a my first car and my friends called it the “Rally Volvo.” Jumped it, drifted it, buried it in snow banks. Couldn’t kill it. What a great car. Not fast, but very, very solid.
I sold my 69, and, bought a brand new 144 with a five speed. I liked it more than my later 240. The 144 had 15 inch wheels and they switched to 14's with the newrer ones. They did have paint issues with the early seventies cars, they tended to fade, but, they were still built to run forever.
I can very much confirm the title of this video. I have a Volvo 240 GL 2.3 Sedan 5 speed from 1990, which I am very happy with. And it is certainly the most reliable car I have owned, and it is easy to repair because everything is easy to get to, because there is plenty of space in the engine compartment, and the spare parts are made significantly stronger than those for most other cars and it is easy to get the parts at reasonable prices. On the outside, I think it's a pleasant, comfortable and very easy car to drive, and all buttons and instruments are logically placed and you have a very good view all around. I also think that it is significantly prettier than the new cars available today, which also have a lot more that can break.
Just returned from a trip through Georgia and Armenia with our 740. We took the thing over roads many would be scared to scratch their SUVs painted bumpers. 😄
I've had my 240 for 15 years. It's been on some interesting road trips like Russia in the winter time. Insurance clerk was less than amused when I told him that I'd be driving that thing from sweden, through finland and into russia and back again on winter roads. Probably one of the last few -87 models with the DL badge on it.
I drove a 73 orange 145 wagon. With almost 130 hp and tall, skinny 165r15 tires it was great in the snow and light off road trails. Much of the car carried on in its basic form until the early 1990's, but became the 240 series.
Currently on my 2nd 740 wagon. A 1991 non turbo, version with 198k???(finally fixed speedo and guessed on mileage) It's my daily and have no future plans to replace it. Plus...just spent $1200 getting the headliner and sunroof fixed, so I can enjoy the cool Floriduh winter weather. A/C stilll broke...no surprise. Got all winter to fix that. JT: Orlando, FLA
The Volvo 240 without question is one the best vehicles ever made! They are indestructible, comfortable, reliable and so safe they became the standard for all crash test thereafter.
i had a 84 240 turbo with a 5 speed and it was a hoot to drive just had to keep your foot in the turbo and hold the gear wind it out , that's one car i regret selling
I owned a 93 240 wagon with 5 spoke wheels for a while and it had 240,000+ miles on it and was still sturdy as the day it was built. Slow acceleration but so durable. It had an odd combination of power windows, ac, heated seats, rear wiper and washer, but no cruise control. One thing it could do that few midsized suvs couldn't do was haul a full drum set in the back. Bought it from one drummer and sold it to another 4 years later for more than I bought it.
My folks had a 1990 240GL sedan. It gave brilliant family service for 13 years and was without a doubt the most comfortable car they ever owned. They're not particularly heavy at about 1300kg, neither are they performance demons, though my mother did spin the wheels one winters morning after deciding she wasn't going to let the young person in a V6 commodore beat her off the lights....
I learned to drive on manual Volvo 240s and hold a deep love for them to this day. They are *insanely* durable, easy to work on, and shockingly fun to drive.
Around 1976 I was 14 and got my first job over the summer detailing cars at our local Volvo/Toyota/Datsun/Fiat Dealer, I remember we had a shoe salesman that traded his Volvos every 250k always wagons, honestly none of the luxury cars had a great design back then, Cressida’s weren’t any better looking and the best looking car we sold was the 240Z, Celica and the Spider in that order, but Volvos we’re just tough and very classy! It was the upper classes choice.
Way back when I didn't like these cars at all I saw them everywhere. Now I'm having a good bit of trouble finding one that's not way overpriced due to increasing scarcity where I live.
Volvo 240, W123 and the Cressida (specially 22R and 2L versions) are awesome beaters you can take some of this course on! Would be nice to see what you guys do with this 240
I had a 1979 Volvo 240. Was an absolute tank of a car. I sold it around 1992. If it hasn't been wrecked, it's probably still going strong. Amazing reliability and was easy to work on.
I have a 93 240 wagon, and am still able to 'turn a wrench' on it. Yes, it breaks down slowly, needs maintenance. But it's never left me stranded roadside and turns over every single time. The secret to keeping them forever? Magnets. Because it's the last of the iron block engines, magnetism on the oil filter and stain plug are crucial elements.
my first car was a 1990 volvo 760 turbo and it was rode hard and put up wet....340k miles, knocking motor, smoked like a freight train but i loved it. i had to sit on the seat belts so i wouldnt get pulled over cause they wouldnt buckle. despite the laundry list of issues it still got me where i needed to go lol.
The sitting on the seatbelt idea is genius lol. The buckle on my 740 stopped working and I haven’t fixed it yet and I am always mildly nervous that I will get a seatbelt ticket
It’s one of the best cars, i have an original turbo from 1983, with a biggetjes turbo, other camshaft, bigger fuelpump and lot and lot of other great parts and it runs like hell!!!! I can drive faster into corners than for example a m3 or AMG Mercedes and every time the drivers of such cars are looking if they have Deen a ghost, very cool to do! Nice video hope i see more, Greetz from the Netherlands , ramon
You'll find a huge Volvo 240 community on TH-cam that you can tap into for tips and tricks to maintaining and upgrading that car. I'm on my second one (a 1993-which is the last model year of the 240) 240 owners are very loyal because these cars were so well built. They overbuilt them. Although admittedly they were more concerned with safety and reliability than power. The cars with the B230 engine came with 114hp and 136lb/ft of torque if memory serves.
As a 52 year old man, I'm striving to find a decent example for realistic prices nowadays for a work vehicle/modding hobby car/red light racer. Definitely not for catching females in a midlife crisis, but I think they are very cool cars, especially since I play Generation Zero a LOT. I have a strange lust for the round headlight conversion and a properly lowered stance with blacked out everything lol.
@@k.b.tidwell This IS NOT a car for catching chicks. IT IS a car that will catch attention though. It never ceases to amaze me the times when I have seen people taking pics of the car while parked. Also people pull up next to me and tell me about the memories that seeing my car brings back. I was talking to the owner of a Rivian electric pickup truck one day and other people were unsurprisingly coming up to look at it. I told him this sort of thing happens to be with my Volvo 240 and I doubt he believed me. Then not ten minutes later when I get back to my car there is a guy taking pics of it!! (I also have vanity plates)
I have a 1986 240DL with only 137K miles on it and a lot of new parts from a recent restoration. It drives like new. The 4-wheel disc brakes are really good when the rotors, calipers and pads aren't worn out. Like a lot of pickup trucks, the E-brake has drum shoes on the rear which are VERY industrial. The owner's manual says to "break in" the new shoes by going 30 mph, putting the car in neutral and using only the hand brake (button in) to stop a few times. These cars were over-engineered and under-stressed. My 2.3 liter engine has 114 hp and 136 ft-lbs of torque. It is slow on take-off but can cruise all day at 85 mph - been there, done that. Wonderful cars. You have to drive one to appreciate it.
I’m loving these videos on the cheapo-Volvo! My 945 Turbo is still like new with nearly 220,000 miles, and my daily driver V70 is solid as a rock too, with nearly 200,000 miles. Probably the most solid, comfortable, smooth, reliable, rugged cars I’ve ever owned. I don’t think I’ll ever drive anything else. 😊
LOVE the Volvo 240, some of my professors drove the wagon version. Frecked me out riding in them, a mid-sized wagon with a stick shift - unheard of! Was so used to my father's 60s-70s Olds Vista Cruisers. Years later (think 2000) looked at buying a 1990ish with 200k miles, for $1500. Took for a drive and loved it, but looking through repair records - they were heavy, underpowered, and went through brake pads?
Love your work guys ! Great take on this classic 'box' from Europe . I like your low expectations take rather than getting a Volvo with a turbo and trying to drag race everyone .Top fun , thanks .
I was a dealer Volvo technician for many years from the mid 80's. Those cars were not reliable in terms of starting every day but they sure were built like tanks. I saw lots of them well over 200K and one had 501K when the owner retired it.
A 1992 240GL was our family car for 21 years. 375000 miles. I changed the oil regularly and the engine was strong at the end. The transmission needed to be rebuilt after 220000 miles. The seats were still nearly perfect. I did not love the car but it was reliable. My three kids remember growing up listening to ‘car talk’ in the back seat.
The 80s and 90s 240DL Volvo were not only the safest car on the road, but also one of the most durable. It was easy to get 600K miles from them if you maintained them
I use to own a 1984 Volvo 240. Was a solid piece of machinery. I was fairly young when owned and used to buy used tires to do one tire fire brake stands. Hahahahaha. The car never let me down. When I was done with it my friend bought it and drove it across Canada for the summer then back. He sold it after that and it was still running excellent.
So sad Volvo ownership has gone to Gheely . I think my 2015 V60 is my last Volvo sadly. If ANYONE other than China owned it I’d feel differently. Love the sleek styling, turbo 4 cylinder, flat cornering, comfortable cabin and 37 mpg hwy. Remarkably, at 50+k miles it’s only required tires, rear brakes, and a battery. Volvos I’ve owned: p544 split window, p1800, 122 Amazon (2), 244, and V60
@@rcpmac I'm seriously curious to find out if that turbo motor makes it past 150,000 miles. Maybe the Volvos are an exception, but I'm in the auto parts industry and I've not seen ANY turbo gas motors yet that I'd buy because I do prefer longevity rather than chasing the latest and greatest. I'm pushing my son to get rid of his before the engine warranty runs out.
I'd like to see y'all get a hold of an old Datsun b210 wagon. We used to do so much stuff in that car that was insane. We literally took the doors off and welded bars across the sides and drove it through the desert, most of the time sideways haha.
My daily car is a 1991 Volvo 240 GL, its lowered 40mm, polybushed with poly/rose joints on the rear top links and panhard hod, engine is a 1997 b230ft (turbo at 1 bar) chipped with a truck intercooler. Its a great car, I've owned it nearly nine years now I use it for work and it is very reliable. If you ever drive a 240 with winter tyres during a snowy and icy winter you realise why 240s are made so tough, the roads covered with broken ice and potholes are very hard wearing on a car so to survive in Scandinavia a car has to be tough.
I want one of these so bad, pretty much in your setup, but I am having a HARD time locating one in the US southeast that isn't (I feel) overpriced without being a basket case. It seems that they're beginning to achieve Volkswagen Beetle (air cooled) status here...people have realized they're no longer built and are superior vehicles in their arena. I make that comparison because I've had four Beetles over the years and they have reached classic car status in pricing now. *Sigh!* Restorations don't scare me, but I wanted to step into one as an immediate work vehicle also without significant downtime and the pricing on restoration parts for these (parts that I've seen anyway) seem to be higher than normal too. Congrats on your ride and I WILL have one because I have a significant factor on my side...my wife! She has always liked these cars, said it was the only wagon she would ever consider driving. Maybe TWO 240's in my future? PS - I fell in love with these playing a video game called Generation Zero, which is set in 1980's Sweden lol!
@@k.b.tidwell I paid £1000 for mine which seemed a lot at the time but it was already turbo'd. Prices have gone up loads here too, there are some up for around 10 thousand pounds for a really good one, not unusal to see them asking 4. I had a decent GLT saloon 10 years ago for £365, scrapped it in the end as I couldn't GIVE it away, the cheapest one I got was a 1992 estate for £165! loaned it my sister and she crashed it.
These were indestructible. My sister bought one for dirt cheap (she wasn't mechanically inclined), she never changed the oil or anything. That sucker went 150k miles without an oil change before it finally ate the bullet.
1:36. The 4-wheel disc brakes were actually pretty sophisticated. The front calipers had 4 pistons each and the rears had 2 pistons each. If you had a hydraulic brake failure, rather than losing your front or rear brakes, you'd lose 2 of the 4 pistons on each front brake, nothing on one of the rear brakes, and everything on the other rear brake. As I recall, there were 8 bleeder screws! 3:23 They actually came from the late 1960s as the Volvo 142 (2-door). 144 (4-door), and 145 (5-door wagon). These cars were introduced from 1966 to 1968. In 1974, I purchased a 1967 4=speed manual 144S for $650. It had a rough life as a Chicago car with hundreds of paint chips down to the bare metal but NO RUST! (There was one rust spot in the back of the rear door jamb that could not be seen with the door closed.) The car was bouncing around so much that when I went to install a set of Konis in the rear, I discovered that one of the shocks was missing! 8:36. 7:48. There's one word that describes the trunk. GIGANTIC! A European station wagon was referred to as a shooting brake. 11:45. Sorry, but most modern cars do have tow hooks. Many thanks for making this video.
the 240 was optimized to be driven on slippery roads, a well kept secret is that were fun to drive despite of limited engine power that car equipped with a manual gearbox is another beast to drive. good video.
This era of Volvo were comfortable, easy to drive, and practical. They also have a 50/50 weight distribution and a solid rear axle. I noticed that when headed up hill in the snow, a little bit of a slide helped with keeping momentum
I owned the 850R wagon in black. I loved that car. It was NOT fast off the line, but what a highway cruiser. When my mother passed, I got her V70 wagon and drove it because less miles. Sold the 850R for a song. What a mistake.
Even i as a swede were suprised it cleared some of the courses, lol. Do a 1st gen xc70 or even a fwd v70 next, would be interesting to see its offroad capabilities.
I used to take my 164E off road. Followed my buddy in his Chevy S-10 4x4. Nearly got stuck in sand once. Hit a rock with the transmission crossmember. Bent it back with a crowbar. Fun Times!
The Tempo was the one car I have owned that I absolutely hated. No power and the curved doors made entry and exit an obstacle course. Ironically I sold it to my brother and he put nearly 300,000 miles on it.
When I was 18 I had a 1986 two door GL with the High Swirl Combustion 2.3 and a 5 speed and it was a little rocket. VERY good and fun car til I totaled it in a pond. I have missed it many times over the years.
I have currently have 92 240. While I've put much money and effort IPD Springs and sway bars making fun on the street I've seen other builds where they're raised with A/T tires and I gotta admit I'm a little jealous. I'm sure they're totally capable.
1986-1985 I sold VOLVOs, first at Westcott Volvo in National City, and then at San Diego Volvo. I fell in love with Volvo while selling Chevy's at City Chevrolet in San Diego. An old codger traded in his '81 oe '82 Volvo DL, and I made it my practice to familiarize myself with cars that were traded in so that I could sell them. I fell in love with that car. I later (while working at Westcott Volvo) bought a pre-owned '83 Volvo 244 DL, in Sand Beige. When we moved to Missouri in January 2000, I drove Sandy without any trepidation, and continued driving her for something like 375, 000 miles, till 2003 or 2004, when she died taking me to the airport. I had also purchased a 1988 Volvo 244 DL. I've owned quite a few cars over the years, but none of them even came close to my 1983 Volvo 244 DL.
Back in the olden days, we used the glove box cup holders at drive-in restaurants. No need to hold your drink between your legs with that modern feature!
i learn how to drive with a manual gear 244 GL and my dad gave that car to me. it gozle gas like heal but that thing never ever break down. i was 13 years old when my dad gave it to me and it never ever broke down. Just that it consumes alot of gas.
I've owned one of these for a short period, about 22years ago. Was something like 4cyl, over 2liter engine (2.4?!- anyway was pretty sloooow) as i remember, brake discs all 4, i can't remember if was fuel injected or carburetor (but i do remember she does drink A LOT of fuel), manual gearbox 4gears + overdrive (some kind of button on shifter for cruising speed). VERY reliable, VERY well balanced car (engine position was ideal, no understeering at all) AND.. most of all.. was RWD, not those overshitty FWD which is build now by volvo (no matter if they had a haldex on rear, they are still fwd all the time and understeering all the time)
I was really hoping you guys would restore this car to its former glory, not trash it. I know it's a beater, but these were great cars. Built like a tank. I had a 1985 240 DL. I loved it! They certainly don't build cars like that anymore. The roots of this car date back to the 1966 Volvo 140. In the 70s they extended the length of the front end to accommodate a V8, which never saw the light of day due to the 70s fuel crisis. Volvo instead opted for a 4cyl. It carried on with tweaks and improvements until 1993. It's a special car with a lot of history behind it. They are iconic.
So the glove box lids with shallow cup “coaster” are tea shelves. Still in the days of no beverage consumption while driving. Your supposed to use to tea shelf stopped on a drive taking in the scenery on a short or long trip. Spot for your tea, sandwich and Grey Poupon. Nowadays you could probably 3D print a decent cup holder to bolt in to that shelf.
Hey, those are not cup holders. They are cup stands for your roadside picknicks. Some of the later 740's and the 940 has a fold-out cup holder hidden in the arm rest. These arm rests can easily be retro fitted (held in place by two screws), but one of those arm rests go for about $100 on eBay.
You missed showing one of the best features of the car, the spare tire. It's pretty special and it especially shows if you drive in freshly fallen snow.
The 144/145 series from 60s provide underpinnings that carried over into 90s - amazing cars so solid with rwd and live axle could be fun but I liked the luxury 264/265 with the smoother v6 and o/d manual box
As a Swede this makes you proud. The 240 was the car to have among youngsters when i was young and on the countryside they are still popular because off the high quality and cheap maintenance. Greetings from Sweden!
I still drive 240 today. I have newer cars but I love taking 240 for A drive too.
i have plans to buy one for a project car this year. nice leather seats and a fresh paint job should do it for me.
You should be proud of Per Gessle and Marie Fredrickson as well, the greatest Swedes ever!
Not all of the maintenance is cheap. I'm dreading the day my heater fan dies. The old saying is that Volvo got a heater fan and built a car around it.
@@boomerguy9935if you get an experienced person to do it they can do it quickly and cheap. Ask around before it happens. Where do you live?
The cup holders in the glove box weren't really used while driving. But if you were around in the 80's you'd know it was the perfect spot for drinks while at the drive in movies.
I like how they included a little 80s coke mirror
Yes! Literally EVERY vehicle with a glove box door back then had these divots. A right-sized hole saw could fix that up though.
There used to be a lot of what they used to call "dealer installed options". One of them was an armrest that would bolt to the center console that had cupholders front and rear. I have that in my 240. The only catch is that they were designed for smaller soda cans and such back in the day. The larger containers that you see nowadays won't fit. Whenever I have a passenger with me and we stop somewhere to get drinks and snacks on a long trip I have to make sure they understand what will and will not fit in the cupholders. It's almost like a game to play. I tell them unless they want to be riding with a drink in between their legs for miles and miles, they need to pay attention to what I am telling them about the size of the drink containers that they buy 🙂
@@Mcnuggest So many cars had little coke mirrors, lol. My aunt's car had one that magnetically attached to the passenger visor.
I can attest to these cars... there's a lady that regularly services her 1989 240 at our dealer and she has over 334,000 miles on it. Thing breaks parts and whatnot, and she just CAN'T kill the car. These 240s have a massive cult (albeit a good one) following and for good reason.
@@TheXmabax That is not correct, 334000 miles is 537520 km or 53752 metric "Swedish" mil.
That is not nothing, but a decent and
quite impressive mileage IMO...
@@matte8962 half a mill is kinda normal. I consider sub 200k low mileage lol
A Swedish motor show had a similar idea, and they REALLY torture tested it. They pulled large farm implements with it, crashed it in to a tree while in a "police chase", drained all the oil out of it and replaced it with cooking oil and then drove the car through Stockholm in rush hour, using only first gear. They fueled it with vodka and whisky too. And it still survived.
sounds fun, which show was that?
@@Augenatic I think it was a show called "Motor"
@@darkiee69 thanks darkie, ill try looking it up
Can anyone find any video of this? I really want to see this but I can’t seem to find it anywhere.
@@obeseperson Search "motor volvo 240"
Growing up we had a Volvo station wagon 240GL. My best memories of the wagon were taking crate loads of avocados from our orchard to sell at the farmers market every weekend. Also... the rear facing fold up/down seats in the cargo area were always a treat to ride in, waving and laughing at the cars behind us was always fun too.
Even though I was just a kid in the 80's I still remember how safe I felt in those luxurious leather seats.
Probably the only wagon ever where it was safe to ride in those rear jump seats lol. One of my uncles had a 1977 Olds Vista Cruiser with jump seats, but they had no belts, so it was just one step above throwing the kids in the trunk, or riding in the back of a pickup truck sitting on the tailgate.
I know it’s not going to happen, but I wish car manufacturers would get back to this type of build quality. The 240 is a legend.
Bring back the box!
I owned an '87 240. I miss it every day.
I’m currently daily driving an 88’ 240 b230f. It’s a great car and it doesn’t cost very much to own. It keeps up with the traffic pretty well, not a rocket ship though.
Crazy how different it drives with premium vs reg
In thinking of buying a late 90s Volvo 240 as a first car, do you think its a good option in the states?
@@thru7887 its still an older car, keeping in mind. A 15 yr old Toyota is better.
@@michaelcole7162 How so, I thought you were only supposed to put unleaded only
@@hydrohyperdrive8443 I can feel my car lose about 20hp easy when I have the cheap gas vs premium. It’s absolutely wild
I’ve got a 90 240 in the same blue as this one. Love these cars with a passion
Took my 400,000 mile wagon from RI to California and back , off roaded in Utah , still drive it every day . Best cars ever made
I would love to see y’all lift it, weld the diff, and put bigger tires on it, then take it down some of the amazing trails in Colorado! These cars are amazing!
If anything it can be locked on the back, maybe with some modifications but I am sure it's possible.
I dont like the idea of welding/destroying the diff.
Maybe they could improve it with a very thick differential oil or grease, if only used for crawling on trails.
Or another idea would be to seperate the left and right E-brake and lock the airborne wheel.
truetrac and torsen diffs are sold for these for around $900 :)
@@hompalai you can get a aussielocker for 250
My buddy had one of these in high school we took everywhere, including up to copper mountain when we probably shouldn’t have. Still think it was/is the coolest car of my youth!
My first and last car has been a 1989 volvo 245 which I will have owned for 10 years next spring. My dad made a joke that I would replace just about everything on it. Somewhat true, but I am still on the original engine and transmission. Re did the suspension, replaced the exhaust 3 times, all the bushing, timing belt once/basic tune up stuff and the thing is still a beast! I look forward to driving it cross country for the 6th time this winter! Wish I knew how many miles were on it, but the odometer broke 8 years ago at 104,000. It has never left me stranded a single time...always can tell when it needs something before the inevitable strikes. Now it runs better than ever!
My parents had a 240 back in the early 80's. Great car to learn stick shift on!
Unlike The Hummer, it still works...
I was stoked to see that you guys got a 244! I've dailied 245 wagons for the last two years and can attest to their sturdiness. Mine has a dealer-option lsd with a 5-speed and has taken me on many a rough trail, towed trailers and cars, and gone cross country more than once. Hope to see more of it from you guys!
That was fun, blokes! Glad that you didn’t go all out to wreck the car for cheap laughs, like some people would do. It might be old but it’s quality and it deserves some respect.
It’s the favorite car of stuntman that value their health.
Very often it’s used in movies (lots of combi’s) crash or roll over.
The variant with turbo was lovingly called flying brick.
The understated design makes it relatively timeless.
These cars are popular in sweden as winter beaters for obvious reasons (rwd+ice=fun)
So much so that it has even raised the value of old 240s.
740s are a bit better of an alternative as they have less of a cult around them but still great winter beaters
Unlike The Hummer, it still works...
problem is 240s look way better as cars
you can still get them pretty cheap though, just not quite like they used to, so I wouldn't say you have to go for the 740s just yet.
740s and 940s are really expensive now too though
@@bostongurkay I mean I got mine for around 10.000 sek which is around $1k
I've had three of them over the years. They are quallity cars, no doudt about that. Sadly the rust took all of them in the end.
The older 140's with the B20 engines were my favourites, also very long lasting!
I grew up learing to drive in the 70's in my dad's old 144, that car was solid as a tank. He bought a new 164 with the 3 litre straight 6 but I was forbidden to drive that, LOL.
Had a 144S as a my first car and my friends called it the “Rally Volvo.” Jumped it, drifted it, buried it in snow banks. Couldn’t kill it. What a great car. Not fast, but very, very solid.
I sold my 69, and, bought a brand new 144 with a five speed. I liked it more than my later 240. The 144 had 15 inch wheels and they switched to 14's with the newrer ones. They did have paint issues with the early seventies cars, they tended to fade, but, they were still built to run forever.
I had an '80 and '84 240D. 2 of the best cars I've ever owned!
Me too and the Mercedes was far superior to the volvo I got both, and easier and cheaper to repair.
I drive a 1990 745t daily. 14lbs of boost, pretty quick for what it is. Love my brick!
I can very much confirm the title of this video. I have a Volvo 240 GL 2.3 Sedan 5 speed from 1990, which I am very happy with. And it is certainly the most reliable car I have owned, and it is easy to repair because everything is easy to get to, because there is plenty of space in the engine compartment, and the spare parts are made significantly stronger than those for most other cars and it is easy to get the parts at reasonable prices. On the outside, I think it's a pleasant, comfortable and very easy car to drive, and all buttons and instruments are logically placed and you have a very good view all around. I also think that it is significantly prettier than the new cars available today, which also have a lot more that can break.
Just returned from a trip through Georgia and Armenia with our 740. We took the thing over roads many would be scared to scratch their SUVs painted bumpers. 😄
I've had my 240 for 15 years. It's been on some interesting road trips like Russia in the winter time. Insurance clerk was less than amused when I told him that I'd be driving that thing from sweden, through finland and into russia and back again on winter roads. Probably one of the last few -87 models with the DL badge on it.
Also, Volvo installed seat belts before they were required in the US.
Volvo invented the 3 point seatbelt
What's a seat belt?
I drove a 73 orange 145 wagon. With almost 130 hp and tall, skinny 165r15 tires it was great in the snow and light off road trails. Much of the car carried on in its basic form until the early 1990's, but became the 240 series.
One of the Doctors I had the privilege to work with in the 80’s let me use his Volvo now and then. Great car.
Currently on my 2nd 740 wagon. A 1991 non turbo, version with 198k???(finally fixed speedo and guessed on mileage) It's my daily and have no future plans to replace it. Plus...just spent $1200 getting the headliner and sunroof fixed, so I can enjoy the cool Floriduh winter weather. A/C stilll broke...no surprise. Got all winter to fix that.
JT: Orlando, FLA
The Volvo 240 without question is one the best vehicles ever made! They are indestructible, comfortable, reliable and so safe they became the standard for all crash test thereafter.
I have a relative out in Littleton CO who had 740 2.4L diesel! 5spd, sunroof...I loved that thing!!! Thank you for featuring this!
Great video. My daily driver is a 1982 Volvo 240 K-Jet Turbo. Best car ever made!
My parents drove 60s Volvos mainly the 544s and 122s. Those cars were notorious for going 300-400k when most cars were doing good to top 100k.
I am loving these old car videos. They are so much fun. Thanks Brendan and Tommy.
i had a 84 240 turbo with a 5 speed and it was a hoot to drive just had to keep your foot in the turbo and hold the gear wind it out , that's one car i regret selling
I owned a 93 240 wagon with 5 spoke wheels for a while and it had 240,000+ miles on it and was still sturdy as the day it was built. Slow acceleration but so durable. It had an odd combination of power windows, ac, heated seats, rear wiper and washer, but no cruise control. One thing it could do that few midsized suvs couldn't do was haul a full drum set in the back. Bought it from one drummer and sold it to another 4 years later for more than I bought it.
I love these cars and their design.
My folks had a 1990 240GL sedan. It gave brilliant family service for 13 years and was without a doubt the most comfortable car they ever owned.
They're not particularly heavy at about 1300kg, neither are they performance demons, though my mother did spin the wheels one winters morning after deciding she wasn't going to let the young person in a V6 commodore beat her off the lights....
I learned to drive on manual Volvo 240s and hold a deep love for them to this day. They are *insanely* durable, easy to work on, and shockingly fun to drive.
Around 1976 I was 14 and got my first job over the summer detailing cars at our local Volvo/Toyota/Datsun/Fiat Dealer, I remember we had a shoe salesman that traded his Volvos every 250k always wagons, honestly none of the luxury cars had a great design back then, Cressida’s weren’t any better looking and the best looking car we sold was the 240Z, Celica and the Spider in that order, but Volvos we’re just tough and very classy! It was the upper classes choice.
Way back when I didn't like these cars at all I saw them everywhere. Now I'm having a good bit of trouble finding one that's not way overpriced due to increasing scarcity where I live.
@@k.b.tidwell yep me too, funny how our taste change, I’d of killed for a MGB back then😀
@@poppyneese1811 ha me too! Now anything "Lucas" scares me away.
@@k.b.tidwell man I know, but back the we thought we could overcome anything even Lucas Electronics the Lord of Darkness😀
@@poppyneese1811 🤣🤣🤣 + 🤣 yeah I was just as ignorant as the guys on That 70's Show
Volvo 240, W123 and the Cressida (specially 22R and 2L versions) are awesome beaters you can take some of this course on! Would be nice to see what you guys do with this 240
Just sold my 1977 Cressida and bought a volvo 240 stationwagon.
I had a 1979 Volvo 240. Was an absolute tank of a car. I sold it around 1992. If it hasn't been wrecked, it's probably still going strong.
Amazing reliability and was easy to work on.
Build quality (aside from many interior parts) is definitely impressive for the time! Those doors sound like car from the 50s when you close them.
This is an Awesome car!! ... Tough!! Awesome seeing it on the track!! The Swedish Tank!! Can we see more of this?
Apparently there was an optional auto locker for the dana 30 rear that these came with
Yup, the g80. If you put one of these on 205/65/15 snow tires, they will be pretty decent in mud trails / "minimum maintenance" roads.
I have a 93 240 wagon, and am still able to 'turn a wrench' on it. Yes, it breaks down slowly, needs maintenance. But it's never left me stranded roadside and turns over every single time. The secret to keeping them forever? Magnets. Because it's the last of the iron block engines, magnetism on the oil filter and stain plug are crucial elements.
my first car was a 1990 volvo 760 turbo and it was rode hard and put up wet....340k miles, knocking motor, smoked like a freight train but i loved it. i had to sit on the seat belts so i wouldnt get pulled over cause they wouldnt buckle. despite the laundry list of issues it still got me where i needed to go lol.
The sitting on the seatbelt idea is genius lol. The buckle on my 740 stopped working and I haven’t fixed it yet and I am always mildly nervous that I will get a seatbelt ticket
It’s one of the best cars, i have an original turbo from 1983, with a biggetjes turbo, other camshaft, bigger fuelpump and lot and lot of other great parts and it runs like hell!!!! I can drive faster into corners than for example a m3 or AMG Mercedes and every time the drivers of such cars are looking if they have Deen a ghost, very cool to do! Nice video hope i see more, Greetz from the Netherlands , ramon
Hell yes...that is an awesome car. I felt like after I put better injectors onto my 89/lowered it and got sway bars...it was a new vehicle
I found your channel shortly after buying a '93 240, love to see you putting it through some tests!
You'll find a huge Volvo 240 community on TH-cam that you can tap into for tips and tricks to maintaining and upgrading that car. I'm on my second one (a 1993-which is the last model year of the 240) 240 owners are very loyal because these cars were so well built. They overbuilt them. Although admittedly they were more concerned with safety and reliability than power. The cars with the B230 engine came with 114hp and 136lb/ft of torque if memory serves.
As a 52 year old man, I'm striving to find a decent example for realistic prices nowadays for a work vehicle/modding hobby car/red light racer. Definitely not for catching females in a midlife crisis, but I think they are very cool cars, especially since I play Generation Zero a LOT. I have a strange lust for the round headlight conversion and a properly lowered stance with blacked out everything lol.
@@k.b.tidwell This IS NOT a car for catching chicks. IT IS a car that will catch attention though. It never ceases to amaze me the times when I have seen people taking pics of the car while parked. Also people pull up next to me and tell me about the memories that seeing my car brings back. I was talking to the owner of a Rivian electric pickup truck one day and other people were unsurprisingly coming up to look at it. I told him this sort of thing happens to be with my Volvo 240 and I doubt he believed me. Then not ten minutes later when I get back to my car there is a guy taking pics of it!! (I also have vanity plates)
I have a 1986 240DL with only 137K miles on it and a lot of new parts from a recent restoration. It drives like new. The 4-wheel disc brakes are really good when the rotors, calipers and pads aren't worn out. Like a lot of pickup trucks, the E-brake has drum shoes on the rear which are VERY industrial. The owner's manual says to "break in" the new shoes by going 30 mph, putting the car in neutral and using only the hand brake (button in) to stop a few times.
These cars were over-engineered and under-stressed. My 2.3 liter engine has 114 hp and 136 ft-lbs of torque. It is slow on take-off but can cruise all day at 85 mph - been there, done that.
Wonderful cars. You have to drive one to appreciate it.
I’m loving these videos on the cheapo-Volvo! My 945 Turbo is still like new with nearly 220,000 miles, and my daily driver V70 is solid as a rock too, with nearly 200,000 miles. Probably the most solid, comfortable, smooth, reliable, rugged cars I’ve ever owned. I don’t think I’ll ever drive anything else. 😊
Take a Miata as a complement.
I’m impressed, those taillights look perfect.
LOVE the Volvo 240, some of my professors drove the wagon version. Frecked me out riding in them, a mid-sized wagon with a stick shift - unheard of! Was so used to my father's 60s-70s Olds Vista Cruisers. Years later (think 2000) looked at buying a 1990ish with 200k miles, for $1500. Took for a drive and loved it, but looking through repair records - they were heavy, underpowered, and went through brake pads?
Are you Eric Forman?
@@k.b.tidwell No, Mark from Minneapolis
Yeah, Forman is from Wisconsin. It's all a That '70's Show reference anyway, so... Have a great day.
Love your work guys ! Great take on this classic 'box' from Europe . I like your low expectations take rather than getting a Volvo with a turbo and trying to drag race everyone .Top fun , thanks .
I have a 244 b21 redbloock from 79, I just love the engine, the sound, so soft and a very good power, and the design is beautiful
I was a dealer Volvo technician for many years from the mid 80's. Those cars were not reliable in terms of starting every day but they sure were built like tanks. I saw lots of them well over 200K and one had 501K when the owner retired it.
A 1992 240GL was our family car for 21 years. 375000 miles. I changed the oil regularly and the engine was strong at the end. The transmission needed to be rebuilt after 220000 miles. The seats were still nearly perfect. I did not love the car but it was reliable. My three kids remember growing up listening to ‘car talk’ in the back seat.
The 80s and 90s 240DL Volvo were not only the safest car on the road, but also one of the most durable. It was easy to get 600K miles from them if you maintained them
I use to own a 1984 Volvo 240. Was a solid piece of machinery. I was fairly young when owned and used to buy used tires to do one tire fire brake stands. Hahahahaha. The car never let me down. When I was done with it my friend bought it and drove it across Canada for the summer then back. He sold it after that and it was still running excellent.
As a Swede - I approve of this.
Bloody legend of a car!
So sad Volvo ownership has gone to Gheely . I think my 2015 V60 is my last Volvo sadly. If ANYONE other than China owned it I’d feel differently. Love the sleek styling, turbo 4 cylinder, flat cornering, comfortable cabin and 37 mpg hwy. Remarkably, at 50+k miles it’s only required tires, rear brakes, and a battery. Volvos I’ve owned: p544 split window, p1800, 122 Amazon (2), 244, and V60
@@rcpmac I'm seriously curious to find out if that turbo motor makes it past 150,000 miles. Maybe the Volvos are an exception, but I'm in the auto parts industry and I've not seen ANY turbo gas motors yet that I'd buy because I do prefer longevity rather than chasing the latest and greatest. I'm pushing my son to get rid of his before the engine warranty runs out.
I just bought mine last week for 1850 euros. A 1988 244 beautiful grey sedan. I am in awe by finnally having my dream car right at my 21th birthday.
My father had bought a new 245 every second year from mid 70 until the 740 was introduced. I love the old Volvos they are unbreakable.
Your dad is cool.
I'd like to see y'all get a hold of an old Datsun b210 wagon. We used to do so much stuff in that car that was insane. We literally took the doors off and welded bars across the sides and drove it through the desert, most of the time sideways haha.
Those Datsun wagons are so nice, wish there were some still available for sale that aren't molested
My first car was a 1976 B210 hatchback. It was unkillable. Slow, but tough as nails.
Currently have a 82 2 door 240 and 89 740 turbo wagon. Best ever made.
My daily car is a 1991 Volvo 240 GL, its lowered 40mm, polybushed with poly/rose joints on the rear top links and panhard hod, engine is a 1997 b230ft (turbo at 1 bar) chipped with a truck intercooler. Its a great car, I've owned it nearly nine years now I use it for work and it is very reliable. If you ever drive a 240 with winter tyres during a snowy and icy winter you realise why 240s are made so tough, the roads covered with broken ice and potholes are very hard wearing on a car so to survive in Scandinavia a car has to be tough.
I want one of these so bad, pretty much in your setup, but I am having a HARD time locating one in the US southeast that isn't (I feel) overpriced without being a basket case. It seems that they're beginning to achieve Volkswagen Beetle (air cooled) status here...people have realized they're no longer built and are superior vehicles in their arena. I make that comparison because I've had four Beetles over the years and they have reached classic car status in pricing now. *Sigh!*
Restorations don't scare me, but I wanted to step into one as an immediate work vehicle also without significant downtime and the pricing on restoration parts for these (parts that I've seen anyway) seem to be higher than normal too. Congrats on your ride and I WILL have one because I have a significant factor on my side...my wife! She has always liked these cars, said it was the only wagon she would ever consider driving. Maybe TWO 240's in my future?
PS - I fell in love with these playing a video game called Generation Zero, which is set in 1980's Sweden lol!
@@k.b.tidwell I paid £1000 for mine which seemed a lot at the time but it was already turbo'd. Prices have gone up loads here too, there are some up for around 10 thousand pounds for a really good one, not unusal to see them asking 4. I had a decent GLT saloon 10 years ago for £365, scrapped it in the end as I couldn't GIVE it away, the cheapest one I got was a 1992 estate for £165! loaned it my sister and she crashed it.
These were indestructible. My sister bought one for dirt cheap (she wasn't mechanically inclined), she never changed the oil or anything. That sucker went 150k miles without an oil change before it finally ate the bullet.
Use the e-brake with open diff it actually works
240 is all I drive!!! I'm on my third and I am always so happy when someone else compliments the car because they are the best!!!!
The only thing that can kill it is rust, but man these thing are really solid
1:36. The 4-wheel disc brakes were actually pretty sophisticated. The front calipers had 4 pistons each and the rears had 2 pistons each. If you had a hydraulic brake failure, rather than losing your front or rear brakes, you'd lose 2 of the 4 pistons on each front brake, nothing on one of the rear brakes, and everything on the other rear brake. As I recall, there were 8 bleeder screws! 3:23 They actually came from the late 1960s as the Volvo 142 (2-door). 144 (4-door), and 145 (5-door wagon). These cars were introduced from 1966 to 1968. In 1974, I purchased a 1967 4=speed manual 144S for $650. It had a rough life as a Chicago car with hundreds of paint chips down to the bare metal but NO RUST! (There was one rust spot in the back of the rear door jamb that could not be seen with the door closed.) The car was bouncing around so much that when I went to install a set of Konis in the rear, I discovered that one of the shocks was missing! 8:36. 7:48. There's one word that describes the trunk. GIGANTIC! A European station wagon was referred to as a shooting brake. 11:45. Sorry, but most modern cars do have tow hooks. Many thanks for making this video.
Tommy has become quite a great presenter. Great video!
the 240 was optimized to be driven on slippery roads, a well kept secret is that were fun to drive despite of limited engine power
that car equipped with a manual gearbox is another beast to drive.
good video.
I daily drive a 1990 240 DL and absolutely love it. Easy to fix and parts can be had easily.
Such a great car. Sure miss my old Volvos.
This era of Volvo were comfortable, easy to drive, and practical. They also have a 50/50 weight distribution and a solid rear axle. I noticed that when headed up hill in the snow, a little bit of a slide helped with keeping momentum
The one Volvo that wanted to look almost alike the w123 Mercedes. Those were great little cars. I believe my favorite Volvo is the 850R
I owned the 850R wagon in black. I loved that car. It was NOT fast off the line, but what a highway cruiser. When my mother passed, I got her V70 wagon and drove it because less miles. Sold the 850R for a song. What a mistake.
Volvo 240 and mercedes w123/124 are unbreakables…
Even i as a swede were suprised it cleared some of the courses, lol. Do a 1st gen xc70 or even a fwd v70 next, would be interesting to see its offroad capabilities.
I used to take my 164E off road. Followed my buddy in his Chevy S-10 4x4. Nearly got stuck in sand once. Hit a rock with the transmission crossmember. Bent it back with a crowbar. Fun Times!
Kudos to you for trying that mud pit, Tommy. You're a braver man than me.
We had a Tempo when I was a kid, it went lots of places, just needed some Nathan style encouragement with the momentum😏
The Tempo was the one car I have owned that I absolutely hated. No power and the curved doors made entry and exit an obstacle course. Ironically I sold it to my brother and he put nearly 300,000 miles on it.
When I was 18 I had a 1986 two door GL with the High Swirl Combustion 2.3 and a 5 speed and it was a little rocket. VERY good and fun car til I totaled it in a pond. I have missed it many times over the years.
I have currently have 92 240. While I've put much money and effort IPD Springs and sway bars making fun on the street I've seen other builds where they're raised with A/T tires and I gotta admit I'm a little jealous. I'm sure they're totally capable.
1986-1985 I sold VOLVOs, first at Westcott Volvo in National City, and then at San Diego Volvo. I fell in love with Volvo while selling Chevy's at City Chevrolet in San Diego. An old codger traded in his '81 oe '82 Volvo DL, and I made it my practice to familiarize myself with cars that were traded in so that I could sell them. I fell in love with that car. I later (while working at Westcott Volvo) bought a pre-owned '83 Volvo 244 DL, in Sand Beige. When we moved to Missouri in January 2000, I drove Sandy without any trepidation, and continued driving her for something like 375, 000 miles, till 2003 or 2004, when she died taking me to the airport. I had also purchased a 1988 Volvo 244 DL. I've owned quite a few cars over the years, but none of them even came close to my 1983 Volvo 244 DL.
My first car was a 63 122S. I have been a fan of the RWD Volvos ever since.
Back in the olden days, we used the glove box cup holders at drive-in restaurants. No need to hold your drink between your legs with that modern feature!
i learn how to drive with a manual gear 244 GL and my dad gave that car to me. it gozle gas like heal but that thing never ever break down. i was 13 years old when my dad gave it to me and it never ever broke down. Just that it consumes alot of gas.
I've owned one of these for a short period, about 22years ago. Was something like 4cyl, over 2liter engine (2.4?!- anyway was pretty sloooow) as i remember, brake discs all 4, i can't remember if was fuel injected or carburetor (but i do remember she does drink A LOT of fuel), manual gearbox 4gears + overdrive (some kind of button on shifter for cruising speed).
VERY reliable, VERY well balanced car (engine position was ideal, no understeering at all) AND.. most of all.. was RWD, not those overshitty FWD which is build now by volvo (no matter if they had a haldex on rear, they are still fwd all the time and understeering all the time)
Lol. The "No parking Any Time" sign is a nice touch to the course
I was really hoping you guys would restore this car to its former glory, not trash it. I know it's a beater, but these were great cars. Built like a tank. I had a 1985 240 DL. I loved it! They certainly don't build cars like that anymore. The roots of this car date back to the 1966 Volvo 140. In the 70s they extended the length of the front end to accommodate a V8, which never saw the light of day due to the 70s fuel crisis. Volvo instead opted for a 4cyl. It carried on with tweaks and improvements until 1993. It's a special car with a lot of history behind it. They are iconic.
I have one of these waiting to get restored, its absolutely badass!
The Volvo 240 is an excellent car in terms of durability and ease of maintenance. Had one for 3 years.
So the glove box lids with shallow cup “coaster” are tea shelves. Still in the days of no beverage consumption while driving. Your supposed to use to tea shelf stopped on a drive taking in the scenery on a short or long trip. Spot for your tea, sandwich and Grey Poupon. Nowadays you could probably 3D print a decent cup holder to bolt in to that shelf.
Hey, those are not cup holders. They are cup stands for your roadside picknicks.
Some of the later 740's and the 940 has a fold-out cup holder hidden in the arm rest. These arm rests can easily be retro fitted (held in place by two screws), but one of those arm rests go for about $100 on eBay.
Love the videos my friend in hischoool had a 240 wagon 4 speed with of while no hot rod it was a trooper
You missed showing one of the best features of the car, the spare tire. It's pretty special and it especially shows if you drive in freshly fallen snow.
My 92 is near mint with 44K REAL miles on it! There's still a lot of life left in that one if ya'll don't destroy it.
Saw one today in Chicago still some of these around down here .
How would you compare this to the W123 diesel you had?
The 144/145 series from 60s provide underpinnings that carried over into 90s - amazing cars so solid with rwd and live axle could be fun but I liked the luxury 264/265 with the smoother v6 and o/d manual box
I loved my 1976 4dr 4cyl with the manual. It was a tank. It saved me when I got T boned by a red light runner.