The fantasic condition of that old Volvo is a testament to its build quality and years of careful ownership. It dates from a time when planned obsolescence wasn't the norm that it seems to be nowadays.
That's a romantic view. It's a testament to the amount of them that were built. Any car will last if it gets "years of careful ownership". That goes for cars then, and for cars now. We just ask more out of new cars - things like half-decent fuel economy. You know - how a recent gasoline Volvo will use almost half as much fuel per km as does the old 245's. If you barely ever use your car - yes, the old 245 will be a good environmental choice. If you use your car daily... Even a Volvo 845 would be a MAJOR environmental upgrade. Not to mention the benefits for the daily user if you go used electric (eg a Leaf) for the same price you paid for the old gasoline volvo. :P
I drive 30,000-40,000 miles a year for my work and my daily driver is a 1994 Volvo 940 wagon with 300,000 miles on it. It looks like hell, but if drives like new and is safe and comfortable. My god these things were built! Most reliable car I’ve ever had, new or used. Runs on cheap gas, cheap tires and cheap maintenance. The car is so robust and simple that the rare occasional repair is also cheap. I wish it looked nearly as good as your 240, but I might blow some money to refurbish it. It would beat blowing in in a down payment for a new car. You’re totally right about recycling by driving and maintaining these old cars. 🥰
People desperate to mortgage themselves to buy a new six-figure EV don't know the incredible waste and pollution involved in making- and disposing of- those things.
I believe that was a Ross Converse wagon? he used to build them with blown 302s and Tremecs for celebs like Leno, Seinfeld, Tim Allen etc. and his sales quote was "from 20 to 100, you can chew anyone's ass."
My 2000 V70 averages about 30mpg too. It’s my 4th old 70 series and 5th Volvo. My 2010 xc90 got a whopping 16mpg on a good day, always needed something, usually maintainance, which I babied it like my other Volvos and it died of engine failure at 155k miles anyway. So I went a replaced it with a 25 year old volvo and couldn’t be happier
I had the same model with the turbo and it was a hoot. I've owned two cars from new in my life, but no more. A well-maintained used vehicle from a quality brand is cheaper to buy, register, insure, and maintain. With TH-cam, no one should be afraid to tackle simple maintenance and repair projects.
Couldn't agree more. I drive a 96 subaru wagon. I've driven all across the US, and I car top a small boat, and occasionally sleep in it. 28mpg with the boat @65mph. 257k miles. I was a mobile mechanic for about 7 years, and I did it all out of this wagon. plenty of room for everything.
You are the perfect example! I do also believe that these older cars pushes you to drive more 'defensively' and thus have better mpg numbers. There is obviously no concrete proof of that, just the feeling I have with my 240 :) Thanks for sharing and commenting mate. God Save the Wheels
Proud owner of a 1988 Volvo 245 Wagon and a 1991 Toyota MasterAce Surf 4WD turbodiesel...both vehicles are very comfortable, useful, with great space, engines tough as nails and with very low maintenance costs. Love'em both! ❤
@@godsavethewheels Amazing 240, by the way. I spent a few years trying to convince my wife we should get a 940, but just recently we ended up getting a 2006 V50... whose block cracked 150km into ownership. I'm getting that one fixed, already started looking at potential replacements with my mechanic because the car is in pretty good shape, and the looks grew on me. But man, do I regret not going for a 940.
I've owned two Teslas (see my older videos). You are correct, EVs are not saving the planet. Modern cars especially Teslas are utterly disposable by the 10-15 year mark as battery replacement is insanely expensive. Old Volvos rock.
Seeing this video reminds me of my dad's old Peugeot 505 break that I learned how to drive in. It had done over 300k kms and was still going strong. He also had a 504 break with 402k kms. I miss the days when companies made quality cars that could last for years. Electric cars will barely last, they will depreciate very badly and are not as environmentally friendly as most people assume.
Can only agree with you... Love that your dad was a Peugeot guy (I am French obviously...), and a break enthusiast! Although back then, breaks were the family cars, then replaced by the vans and SUVs :( Thanks for sharing !
Love those T3 ! I used to have a T3 Adventurewagon and loved it SO MUCH!!! Syncro is such a great spec though. Thanks for your support! God Save the Wheels
I come from a family of Volvo lovers, personally had 4 of my own, 3 being P80s: 2 V70s, and an S70 glt. Best cars. My dad had an 98 v70 that wasn’t maintained and was beat to hell, used for marble/granite work. It made 5 cross country trips, only needed one tow and was fixed the day of. My aunts newer xc60, didn’t make one long trip without having to stop at the dealer along the way for some sort of fix. My current daily was an old lady owned 2000 V70 in mint shape, man I LOVE that car. I especially love that it doesn’t have a massive touch screen tablet on the dash blinding me at night like a spotlight 😂
Agreed. I have a 1990 Volvo 240 sedan. Runs and drives perfect. I have learned so much working on it. Has opened up new perspective on what is possible in cars.
Great Volvo. I have Saab 900 1989 and it does everything necessary. Maintenance is dirt cheap and spare parts are available everywhere. Catalytic converter and biofuel helps to decrease environmental impact
Hey there! 🚗💨 I just stumbled across your channel and really appreciate how you spotlight the value of preserving older cars over buying new ones. It’s good to see someone so passionate about their philosophy on car conservation. I’m intrigued by what your approach must be to finding and selecting the right car. As someone who has been interested in the vintage car movemen, I find the acquisition part especially fascinating. For instance, I recnetly picked up a mint 1997 Honda del Sol from California. I also once bought a '72 buick skylark Grandma car in 1992 and drove it for nearly 100k miles. It’s the aquisition and the stories behind each car that add so much to the experience for me. Could you share more about how you discover and decide on your car purchases? Your insights could seriously help others (like me) who are keen, but might not know how to find the best cars. Keep up the awesome work-I’m excited to see where your channel goes from here! 👍
Thank you so much for your words Mate! What you are describing is pretty much my job, being a collectible car broker/appraiser. I love car stories as they are pretty much always people stories too. Finding a great one-owner car that is 30 years or older is such an amazing feeling. What I love about Volvo 240s (especially wagons) is that they were enthusiast cars 'from new' so generally kept in great condition for long ownerships. The one I have is a 2-owner car, definitely one of the factors that I loved and made me go with this one. I talk a lot about the questions you ask in my other videos - th-cam.com/play/PLijQx0khfFHTDlors-794U_AFGh1JSvqK.html - especially in that playlist. Again, thanks so much for the support! God Save the Wheels
I've owned 2 of those 240s in my life. 1988 Volvo 240 DL wagon and a 1979 Volvo 242 GT...both manual. My wagon had the same navy vinyl interior. I miss that car! Sold it at almost 300k miles.
Those are the cars we always end up missing once we sell them… :( I know I will miss mine the day I’ll sell it. Hands down one of the favorite cars I’ve owned!
I just picked up a nice 01 VW Cabrio with 80k. I had to put $3500 into maintenance. It was due for timing belt, waterpump, shocks/struts, trailing arm, some seals, etc. I plan to live it and keep it up.
Hi from Sydney, Australia. I'm 68 yrs old now, but have been driving the same "fleet" of older cars now for FOUR DECADES. I have an old mk10 Jaguar from 1967 that I've been driving since 19 yrs old, and 4 x Aussie built US CKD Kit cars (completely knocked down) i.e. sent as parts as they needed to be not only right hand drive , but also compliant to the Australian Vehicle Design Rules. There is both a 1972 & 1974 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham and a pair of Lincoln's , a 1972 mk4 Conti' Coupe and a 1979 Collectors Series town car. In 1974 Australia went metric, my black '74 Fleetwood Talisman, now has 706,000 kilometres on it when I bought it on sept 7th 1982 it had a mere 102.700k's on it , so I've added 600.000 odd k's, (706,000ks is about 450,000miles) it's been loved, cared for and still looks like new, and I mean like new. As a doctor, I'd registered it as business use, and have been able to claim ALL running costs against tax. I will keep driving them as long as I can buy petrol to make them run. I have seen what friends and colleagues have paid out over 40 odd years on new cars all the time and the mega depreciation and I could never do that to myself. EV's are even worse , their resale value is near zilch , nobody wants them
Great video. Your environmental arguments make a lot of sense! I'm from Sweden and grew up with these old volvos. These cars are tanks and will survive any tesla. And I would argue they are more comfortable and better in so many ways!
Hahah that was the other car I was thinking of! Just harder to find in the US with manual gearbox and I really wanted that so ended up going with the 240 :) God Save the Wheels
Great video GSW, thank you! The 240 was produced by a thoughtful organization within Volvo that cared for the buyer. That will probably never be allowed to happen again. This is evident from the closing ceremony of 240 production - see video at th-cam.com/video/hiIpdgdbCXg/w-d-xo.html My 1984 Volvo 240 wagon has 422k miles and still passes regular CA emissions testing here in Los Angeles.
I drive my Mercedes 500E from 1993 that I inherited from my father, he bought it in 2008. That car will live long I hope, and I think it’s better to use what’s already manufactured instead of buying something new. And the 500E’s got soul, and was built to last. Why on earth would I trade it for a new car? And I dig the Volvo, especially the 240 series, something us Swedes are proud of! 😊
People have no idea how much more enjoyable 90s cars are to drive. I own a 95 f150, 95 525i, 99 cherokee xj. I have a really tough time deciding which to drive because they are all equally an absolute blast. I find if it makes you smile like a wacko the whole time, buy it. Youd have to pry the keys from my cold dead hands to make me trade on a new car.
While old volvos are cool, I think there are quite a few negatives for trying to keep a vehicle with an engine that old running, including: - Emissions - A car that old would have worn rings, and short of doing a costly full engine rebuild, you'd be burning oil and leaving a smoke trail down the road. - Maintenance - Parts for a vehicle that old would be getting harder and harder to find, which increases the cost to keep it on the road. - Safety - Extending on the maintenance concern, if the vehicle is not properly maintained and there are issues with parts of the steering and suspension, it could be dangerous to drive on the road. Additionally, despite being a Volvo who touted themselves as having the safest range of vehicles you can own, but safety systems have greatly improved since they came out. - Alternative options to a Tesla: EV conversion - While suggesting that buying a Tesla would be a bad idea due to build quality concerns (which have improved greatly since the Model 3 came out in 2019, and there are plenty of Tesla's that have been used as rideshare or hire cars which have done over half a million miles, no major issues), there are a wide range of companies that now recycle components from accident damaged EVs to put into classic vehicles, extending the coolness of the old cars well into the future.
@JamieLovick thank you so much for your comment! My answers point-by-point: 1) You are right, hence why I say people should be incentive to take care and maintain their car properly; also, coming back on the $7,500 a state la CA offers to buyers of new EVs, this would be more than enough to mechanically restore such a Volvo. 2) These popular cars were usually built in huge number; the Volvo 240 for example was made to almost 3M examples, so between this and after-market parts producers, no shortage of parts. 3) You are correct, same answer as point 1); also, yes, a car from the 1990s cannot be as safe as one from the 2020s. I personally ride motorcycles as well so while safety is important, I do not make it as my first criteria! 4) Retrofitting is absolutely not my taste, but I can understand people may like it; however those are a bit of Frankensteins IMO, and very very costly as the entire chassis has to be rebuilt.
@@godsavethewheels Covering your retrofitting response, you're incorrect that the who chassis needs to be rebuilt. While that seems to be a popular path for some custom shops to use, by simply building a new chassis around an existing battery box, as companies like EV West and others around the world have show, particularly in the UK and Australia where chassis modification extremely difficult to certify, battery boxes can be built into existing spaces using existing mount points. Yes, it can be expensive, but it does allow for re-use of EV components to improve the reliability of classic vehicles.
Look into lithium mining before complaining about environmental impact. Or the fact that over 80% of the power generated in the US comes from burning fossil fuels- natural gas and coal, or nuclear. Not to mention the atrociously bad recycling of used lithium batteries.
@@h5mind373 being in Australia, where a substantial amount of the world's lithium is mined, I'm aware of the processes, and the ones used in South America and some other countries. Compare that to oil and coal mining, not to mention the leaking pipelines and the material they pump into the ground to extract gas that leaches into the water table, polluting water supplies. All industries have an impact, but at least Lithium batteries can be recycled, unlike fossil fuels that are burnt and impossible to recycle. Redwood Materials and many other companies recycle batteries.
Bonjour, I support the idea of keeping older cars on the road ONLY in jurisdictions which require regular safety and emission testing. Unsafe, heavily polluting vehicles being driven on public roadways are societal problems but across the USA and Canada we are hopelessly inconsistent in maintaining high standards of road worthiness. 🤨
My newest car is from 1991 as well... But please differentiate your environmental issues and thoughts between: 1) Polluting your local environment with the exhaust gasses, chemicals and particles, which it absolutely does. and 2) Contributing to bringing down global CO2 emissions, which is doubtful within a certain distance driven.
Your 1) point is definitely true although I do sometimes have a sour taste with the whole hypocrisy around it; in the 1990s and 2000s, diesel started to be pushed (to some extent in the same way that EV is pushed now) claimed to be much cleaner and better than gas. This opened the door to scandals like VW and their Diesel. Just another proof that a mix of marketing and country policies are not always for the greater good. Your 2) point is up to belief rather than knowledge... I do believe A LOT of the current EVs will not last more than 100k miles and that recycling those will be a huge problem especially as we do not really have solutions for batteries yet. Cybertrucks are already rusty which kind of tells you a lot about how they will age.. Again this is beliefs more than knowledge and I just want to express my view about it :) Thanks for your comment and if I may ask - what is your 1991 car? :) God Save the Wheels
Curious to see if any Tesla can make 200000 miles? 😂😂😂 You are funny. There must be thousands. The highest milage Tesla passed two million kilometers a while ago.
LOL With 4 batteries and 13 electric motor. The guy who did that PURPOSELY wanted to do that. Anyone with any car can do that if you replace everything every X number of miles… The one thing I will give you (because I’m not here to point fingers at anyone, just giving my opinion and opening the debate) is that the record was made with a Model S from 2014 and 1) Model S are generally much better built than Model 3; 2) in 2014 when Tesla was not yet in a mass production mindset, the quality of production was better; 3) I am more pointing fingers at mass production of cheap cars, than directly at electric, although I am certain that electric and electric alone cannot be a viable solution; 4) lastly, I personally think hybrids may be the best solution and the best of both world. Thank you for your comment though!! I know my opinion cannot work with everyone…!
@@godsavethewheels Sorry, but you just continue to underline the fact that you have no idea what you are talking about here. First of all, yes it is true he replaced batteries three times. But if you do some quick math, you realise that each battery lasted at least 300000 miles on average. That's not all, because the batteries get better. The last battery wasn't brand new when he got it, but it is still in use after nearly 500000 miles in his car. Secondly, it is well known that the quality of early Model S are the worst of all Teslas. The number of replaced motors is just one example. Everything breaks down on those models. The batteries saw a great improvement around 2016, but overall Model S and X up until the refresh a few years ago are very problem heavy cars. The Model 3 and Y on the other hand are much much better.
….and you just keep arguing on what you want to argue. You’re bringing the 2M miles Tesla, I can bring the +3M Volvo P1800 - all of that does not matter, it’s record setting and not representative of regular use of a car. Yes - the early Tesla were maybe less reliable than current Model 3. But there is a difference between reliability and quality of build; I have both driven and ridden in a Model S and a Model 3 (I’m sure you have too), and saying that the Model 3 is a better built car would objectively be untrue. Again - all in all I equally criticize mass producing which is a highly polluting process, as the idea that all electric for everyone is the solution. If you don’t concede the fact that there is a big factor of consumerism and marketing into buying these Tesla + all the craze about electrics (and making gas-powered cars obsolete), this is either a lack of objectivity or being naive. I believe a switch to all electric would be a highly polluting process to which we do not have the resources to cope with. I believe maintaining older, well build cars properly instead of junking them while mass producing, makes more sense. Finally, I believe it should be a good mix of both, but just not fully one side rather than another. Hence my view on hybrids too.
@@godsavethewheels I was just answering to your assumptions in the video that a Tesla could not make it past 200000 miles. The perception of build quality when driving the car and how reliable the car is in the long run are two completely different things. I think we can agree on that? I'm not arguing about the point that producing cars create pollution at all. But if we go there, there are many research papers showing a BEV is better over the full life cycle than a combustion car. In many cases it is even better than an existing combustion car, unless you drive very little. A simple fact is that most of the materials that go in an EV can and will be recycled eventually, which will further reduce the environmental impact of producing new cars. Burnt diesel and gasoline on the other hand can not be recycled at all, and producing it get increasingly difficult, expensive and worse for the environment as time goes by. That said, by all means keep your old Volvo alive. The most important thing is that all the millions of people that do buy brand new cars every year make the right choice and don't buy more cars that need to burn stuff for another 20+ years.
I can only agree with you there! Modern cars are much more protective than now 30+ years ones. The 240 Wagon was the safest car in the 1990s though, with some very interesting innovations like engine mounts that would get the engine go below the car in case of a frontal crash. I also ride motorcycles, so obviously while safety is a top priority, I decided to make a pact with the devil and trust myself to keep me safe. Thanks for your comment and watching :) God Save the Wheels
Considering the pollution of a car simply by its CO2 emissions is like measuring the size of an ocean to as far as you can see. Do not forget all the energy used and pollution rejected by the whole production process, testings, electricity needed (especially for EVs), etc... YOU ARE RIGHT in saying that older cars smell bad in densely populated areas. I cannot deny that, although it also depends on how well those vehicles are maintained, hence my reflexion of helping people maintaining their cars properly. Thank you for watching though! I know my videos and beliefs are not for everyone, but I appreciate your comment! God Save the Wheels
@@godsavethewheels of course production distribution etc of a new car emits CO2 and yes, it's hard to tell but come up with an upper bound, a worst case. 1TON, 10, 100, 1000. We know how much a euro 6 produces per mile and how many mile an average car gets us.
@@Mastermindyoung14 Do you really think coal plants are the only source for electricity? It is the worst example. The reality is rarely equal to the worst case.
That Tesla production environmental impact is gone after 50k km’s. Your propaganda to keep driving old gas guzzlers to save the planet is beyond rediculous and ignoring all science involved (calculating well to wheel impact)
That is blatantly untrue. Any EV you can buy today is not going to be viable transportation 20 years from now. Where do you think they’ll go? They’ll be “recycled” which is what the developed world calls it when they ship their trash to third world hellholes, where that trash can be burned or buried without regulation. Gasoline cars have seen massive leaps forward in pollution control and economy in the last 10 years, stopping development on them now to pursue EVs is asinine.
Thanks for your comment! I disagree with you but appreciate you sharing your opinion. By no mean I am trying to make a 'propaganda' since I am simply expressing my opinion, opening a debate and trying to get people to think about it. My belief is that a personality like Elon Musk and all his minions create more of a propaganda around EVs and their positive effect on the environment... While producing cars that get rusty just days after their deliveries (cc Cybertruck) and creating rockets to send people in space... If you feel fine giving millions to this guy without even thinking about it all twice, this is up to you, and my channel is probably not for you! If you ask me, I think we are replacing Hybrids a little too quickly to put EVs instead. And we are not ready for the electricity needs if everyone was switching to EVs - big risk in my view. Thank you for watching though! I know my videos and beliefs are not for everyone, but I appreciate your comment! God Save the Wheels
@@pawesmola7635 You would be green(er), yes. That coal power plant is much more efficient in generating energy than your car engine is. If you put that electricity in your electric car, 95% of energy is used for movement... in a gasoline engine, 70% of the energy is turned into heat instead of movement. Fossil engines are hopelessly inefficient.
And I can only tell you you are right about this :) To each their own compromises I guess... I am a car enthusiast and could see myself taking my kid(s) on drives with an older car, simply because I think the experience of it is amazing and that they would probably love it as well! Thank you for your comment Mate! God Save the Wheels
You have nailed it. Longevity of use is a big factor in reducing carbon footprint. I pride myself in caring for my 240 as I know if looked after it will continue to provide reliable transport for as long as it is allowed to.
The fantasic condition of that old Volvo is a testament to its build quality and years of careful ownership. It dates from a time when planned obsolescence wasn't the norm that it seems to be nowadays.
That's a romantic view. It's a testament to the amount of them that were built. Any car will last if it gets "years of careful ownership". That goes for cars then, and for cars now. We just ask more out of new cars - things like half-decent fuel economy. You know - how a recent gasoline Volvo will use almost half as much fuel per km as does the old 245's.
If you barely ever use your car - yes, the old 245 will be a good environmental choice.
If you use your car daily... Even a Volvo 845 would be a MAJOR environmental upgrade. Not to mention the benefits for the daily user if you go used electric (eg a Leaf) for the same price you paid for the old gasoline volvo. :P
I drive 30,000-40,000 miles a year for my work and my daily driver is a 1994 Volvo 940 wagon with 300,000 miles on it.
It looks like hell, but if drives like new and is safe and comfortable. My god these things were built! Most reliable car I’ve ever had, new or used. Runs on cheap gas, cheap tires and cheap maintenance. The car is so robust and simple that the rare occasional repair is also cheap.
I wish it looked nearly as good as your 240, but I might blow some money to refurbish it. It would beat blowing in in a down payment for a new car.
You’re totally right about recycling by driving and maintaining these old cars. 🥰
People desperate to mortgage themselves to buy a new six-figure EV don't know the incredible waste and pollution involved in making- and disposing of- those things.
Paul Newman had a manual Volvo wagon like yours to drive around town in Connecticut. Except he put a LS-1 Corvette engine in his for fun.😮
Hahaha that must be wild !!! But I was not aware of that, thanks for sharing 😊
I believe that was a Ross Converse wagon? he used to build them with blown 302s and Tremecs for celebs like Leno, Seinfeld, Tim Allen etc. and his sales quote was "from 20 to 100, you can chew anyone's ass."
My 1996 Volvo 850 Wagon gets 30mpg - lot's of room and all the comfort I need. Exceptionally well built, relatively easy to maintain. Love it ❤️
Thanks for sharing Mate :) God Save the Wheels!
My 2000 V70 averages about 30mpg too. It’s my 4th old 70 series and 5th Volvo. My 2010 xc90 got a whopping 16mpg on a good day, always needed something, usually maintainance, which I babied it like my other Volvos and it died of engine failure at 155k miles anyway. So I went a replaced it with a 25 year old volvo and couldn’t be happier
I had the same model with the turbo and it was a hoot. I've owned two cars from new in my life, but no more. A well-maintained used vehicle from a quality brand is cheaper to buy, register, insure, and maintain. With TH-cam, no one should be afraid to tackle simple maintenance and repair projects.
So true man!! Thanks for sharing :)
Couldn't agree more. I drive a 96 subaru wagon. I've driven all across the US, and I car top a small boat, and occasionally sleep in it. 28mpg with the boat @65mph. 257k miles. I was a mobile mechanic for about 7 years, and I did it all out of this wagon. plenty of room for everything.
You are the perfect example! I do also believe that these older cars pushes you to drive more 'defensively' and thus have better mpg numbers. There is obviously no concrete proof of that, just the feeling I have with my 240 :)
Thanks for sharing and commenting mate.
God Save the Wheels
Proud owner of a 1988 Volvo 245 Wagon and a 1991 Toyota MasterAce Surf 4WD turbodiesel...both vehicles are very comfortable, useful, with great space, engines tough as nails and with very low maintenance costs. Love'em both! ❤
Daily driving a 1991 Renault 4 until it dissolves into a pile of rust around a perfectly good Cléon-Fonte engine.
As a Frenchman myself, I can only approve this haha!!
God Save the Wheels
@@godsavethewheels Amazing 240, by the way. I spent a few years trying to convince my wife we should get a 940, but just recently we ended up getting a 2006 V50... whose block cracked 150km into ownership. I'm getting that one fixed, already started looking at potential replacements with my mechanic because the car is in pretty good shape, and the looks grew on me. But man, do I regret not going for a 940.
I've owned two Teslas (see my older videos). You are correct, EVs are not saving the planet. Modern cars especially Teslas are utterly disposable by the 10-15 year mark as battery replacement is insanely expensive. Old Volvos rock.
Thanks for sharing mate !! :)
I’ll take good care of the Volvo !
Seeing this video reminds me of my dad's old Peugeot 505 break that I learned how to drive in. It had done over 300k kms and was still going strong. He also had a 504 break with 402k kms. I miss the days when companies made quality cars that could last for years. Electric cars will barely last, they will depreciate very badly and are not as environmentally friendly as most people assume.
Can only agree with you... Love that your dad was a Peugeot guy (I am French obviously...), and a break enthusiast! Although back then, breaks were the family cars, then replaced by the vans and SUVs :(
Thanks for sharing !
The first line of the script says it all. Big thumbs up ! Running a 1990 VW T3 Syncro here, as my daily driver.
Love those T3 ! I used to have a T3 Adventurewagon and loved it SO MUCH!!!
Syncro is such a great spec though.
Thanks for your support!
God Save the Wheels
I come from a family of Volvo lovers, personally had 4 of my own, 3 being P80s: 2 V70s, and an S70 glt. Best cars. My dad had an 98 v70 that wasn’t maintained and was beat to hell, used for marble/granite work. It made 5 cross country trips, only needed one tow and was fixed the day of. My aunts newer xc60, didn’t make one long trip without having to stop at the dealer along the way for some sort of fix. My current daily was an old lady owned 2000 V70 in mint shape, man I LOVE that car. I especially love that it doesn’t have a massive touch screen tablet on the dash blinding me at night like a spotlight 😂
Agreed. I have a 1990 Volvo 240 sedan. Runs and drives perfect. I have learned so much working on it. Has opened up new perspective on what is possible in cars.
Great Volvo. I have Saab 900 1989 and it does everything necessary. Maintenance is dirt cheap and spare parts are available everywhere. Catalytic converter and biofuel helps to decrease environmental impact
I love those… will most likely own one one day haha 😂 Thanks for sharing !
Hey there! 🚗💨 I just stumbled across your channel and really appreciate how you spotlight the value of preserving older cars over buying new ones. It’s good to see someone so passionate about their philosophy on car conservation. I’m intrigued by what your approach must be to finding and selecting the right car.
As someone who has been interested in the vintage car movemen, I find the acquisition part especially fascinating. For instance, I recnetly picked up a mint 1997 Honda del Sol from California. I also once bought a '72 buick skylark Grandma car in 1992 and drove it for nearly 100k miles. It’s the aquisition and the stories behind each car that add so much to the experience for me.
Could you share more about how you discover and decide on your car purchases? Your insights could seriously help others (like me) who are keen, but might not know how to find the best cars. Keep up the awesome work-I’m excited to see where your channel goes from here! 👍
Thank you so much for your words Mate!
What you are describing is pretty much my job, being a collectible car broker/appraiser. I love car stories as they are pretty much always people stories too. Finding a great one-owner car that is 30 years or older is such an amazing feeling.
What I love about Volvo 240s (especially wagons) is that they were enthusiast cars 'from new' so generally kept in great condition for long ownerships. The one I have is a 2-owner car, definitely one of the factors that I loved and made me go with this one.
I talk a lot about the questions you ask in my other videos - th-cam.com/play/PLijQx0khfFHTDlors-794U_AFGh1JSvqK.html - especially in that playlist.
Again, thanks so much for the support!
God Save the Wheels
I've owned 2 of those 240s in my life. 1988 Volvo 240 DL wagon and a 1979 Volvo 242 GT...both manual. My wagon had the same navy vinyl interior. I miss that car! Sold it at almost 300k miles.
Those are the cars we always end up missing once we sell them… :( I know I will miss mine the day I’ll sell it. Hands down one of the favorite cars I’ve owned!
I have a 1973 Mustang Mach One. It's my gift to the planet. It has a comfortable ride and personality.
Love that!
I race a 65' Mustang 289 and these car do have such an amazing soul.
God Save the Wheels
@@godsavethewheels 65', NICE! I have the 4V 351 Cleveland, mild build, cam & headers. New cars have no soul, wind tunnel clones.
I just picked up a nice 01 VW Cabrio with 80k. I had to put $3500 into maintenance. It was due for timing belt, waterpump, shocks/struts, trailing arm, some seals, etc. I plan to live it and keep it up.
Sweet Volvo. I've had a few. I love older wagons. Seen as uncool in the States but then it's the stupidest vehicles that are "cool" .
Wagon are not popular in the US vs almost like a holly grail in EU haha
That was before the rise of SUVs though!
Hi from Sydney, Australia. I'm 68 yrs old now, but have been driving the same "fleet" of older cars now for FOUR DECADES. I have an old mk10 Jaguar from 1967 that I've been driving since 19 yrs old, and 4 x Aussie built US CKD Kit cars (completely knocked down) i.e. sent as parts as they needed to be not only right hand drive , but also compliant to the Australian Vehicle Design Rules. There is both a 1972 & 1974 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham and a pair of Lincoln's , a 1972 mk4 Conti' Coupe and a 1979 Collectors Series town car. In 1974 Australia went metric, my black '74 Fleetwood Talisman, now has 706,000 kilometres on it when I bought it on sept 7th 1982 it had a mere 102.700k's on it , so I've added 600.000 odd k's, (706,000ks is about 450,000miles) it's been loved, cared for and still looks like new, and I mean like new. As a doctor, I'd registered it as business use, and have been able to claim ALL running costs against tax.
I will keep driving them as long as I can buy petrol to make them run. I have seen what friends and colleagues have paid out over 40 odd years on new cars all the time and the mega depreciation and I could never do that to myself.
EV's are even worse , their resale value is near zilch , nobody wants them
You have a nice herd ! I would add that these cars bring so much more emotion and memories than modern/new ones…
Thanks for sharing 😊
Great video. Your environmental arguments make a lot of sense! I'm from Sweden and grew up with these old volvos. These cars are tanks and will survive any tesla. And I would argue they are more comfortable and better in so many ways!
Thanks for you words and support Mate :)
God Save the Wheels
Isnt that a 245? (My daughter drives a -89 Volvo 240 here in sweden as a EPA - 30km/h car.. :) its a tank.)
Not necessarily. They changed naming at some point selling them both as 245 and 240 Wagons.
@@ShootOnFilm okey thanks for info!
great video, i love the 240, driving a w123 myself
Hahah that was the other car I was thinking of! Just harder to find in the US with manual gearbox and I really wanted that so ended up going with the 240 :)
God Save the Wheels
Great video GSW, thank you! The 240 was produced by a thoughtful organization within Volvo that cared for the buyer. That will probably never be allowed to happen again. This is evident from the closing ceremony of 240 production - see video at th-cam.com/video/hiIpdgdbCXg/w-d-xo.html My 1984 Volvo 240 wagon has 422k miles and still passes regular CA emissions testing here in Los Angeles.
LOVE the old Volvos. They are tanks
I love that it looks like a hippie car as much as it looks like an engineer car!
100% agree. Teslas are saving nothing.
My issue is just that I’m tired to put dollars in the asses of all the OPEC clowns!
I want that my country becomes independent of this mafia!
I will never stop driving my Volvo 240s!!!
I drive my Mercedes 500E from 1993 that I inherited from my father, he bought it in 2008. That car will live long I hope, and I think it’s better to use what’s already manufactured instead of buying something new. And the 500E’s got soul, and was built to last. Why on earth would I trade it for a new car? And I dig the Volvo, especially the 240 series, something us Swedes are proud of! 😊
I love 500E so much !!!!! Those are great modern collectible in my view :)
87 300d driver says hi
Damn im starting to really lust for an old square volvo. Better than anything new
GO FOR IT 😊 You won’t regret!
I had an audi 100 anf it was one of my best Cars
You'll find another one at some point... :)
People have no idea how much more enjoyable 90s cars are to drive. I own a 95 f150, 95 525i, 99 cherokee xj. I have a really tough time deciding which to drive because they are all equally an absolute blast. I find if it makes you smile like a wacko the whole time, buy it. Youd have to pry the keys from my cold dead hands to make me trade on a new car.
100% agreed!! They bring much more emotion and memories 🙏🏼
While old volvos are cool, I think there are quite a few negatives for trying to keep a vehicle with an engine that old running, including:
- Emissions - A car that old would have worn rings, and short of doing a costly full engine rebuild, you'd be burning oil and leaving a smoke trail down the road.
- Maintenance - Parts for a vehicle that old would be getting harder and harder to find, which increases the cost to keep it on the road.
- Safety - Extending on the maintenance concern, if the vehicle is not properly maintained and there are issues with parts of the steering and suspension, it could be dangerous to drive on the road. Additionally, despite being a Volvo who touted themselves as having the safest range of vehicles you can own, but safety systems have greatly improved since they came out.
- Alternative options to a Tesla: EV conversion - While suggesting that buying a Tesla would be a bad idea due to build quality concerns (which have improved greatly since the Model 3 came out in 2019, and there are plenty of Tesla's that have been used as rideshare or hire cars which have done over half a million miles, no major issues), there are a wide range of companies that now recycle components from accident damaged EVs to put into classic vehicles, extending the coolness of the old cars well into the future.
@JamieLovick thank you so much for your comment!
My answers point-by-point:
1) You are right, hence why I say people should be incentive to take care and maintain their car properly; also, coming back on the $7,500 a state la CA offers to buyers of new EVs, this would be more than enough to mechanically restore such a Volvo.
2) These popular cars were usually built in huge number; the Volvo 240 for example was made to almost 3M examples, so between this and after-market parts producers, no shortage of parts.
3) You are correct, same answer as point 1); also, yes, a car from the 1990s cannot be as safe as one from the 2020s. I personally ride motorcycles as well so while safety is important, I do not make it as my first criteria!
4) Retrofitting is absolutely not my taste, but I can understand people may like it; however those are a bit of Frankensteins IMO, and very very costly as the entire chassis has to be rebuilt.
@@godsavethewheels Covering your retrofitting response, you're incorrect that the who chassis needs to be rebuilt. While that seems to be a popular path for some custom shops to use, by simply building a new chassis around an existing battery box, as companies like EV West and others around the world have show, particularly in the UK and Australia where chassis modification extremely difficult to certify, battery boxes can be built into existing spaces using existing mount points. Yes, it can be expensive, but it does allow for re-use of EV components to improve the reliability of classic vehicles.
Look into lithium mining before complaining about environmental impact. Or the fact that over 80% of the power generated in the US comes from burning fossil fuels- natural gas and coal, or nuclear. Not to mention the atrociously bad recycling of used lithium batteries.
@@h5mind373 being in Australia, where a substantial amount of the world's lithium is mined, I'm aware of the processes, and the ones used in South America and some other countries. Compare that to oil and coal mining, not to mention the leaking pipelines and the material they pump into the ground to extract gas that leaches into the water table, polluting water supplies. All industries have an impact, but at least Lithium batteries can be recycled, unlike fossil fuels that are burnt and impossible to recycle. Redwood Materials and many other companies recycle batteries.
Bonjour, I support the idea of keeping older cars on the road ONLY in jurisdictions which require regular safety and emission testing. Unsafe, heavily polluting vehicles being driven on public roadways are societal problems but across the USA and Canada we are hopelessly inconsistent in maintaining high standards of road worthiness. 🤨
Very true, hence my vision of a better funding for maintenance rather than trashing/buying new!
I just bought a second volvo 240 and i love it
I recently got a 940 and so far I love it
Volvo knows how to do it right :)
That,s true!...i have a 1984 volvo 740 sedán and i don,t want to change for a New trash car😮
Mint condition 2006 corolla here. I’m ready for when the ev crisis comes to a head. I’m prepared to push back.
Those will most likely never die !!
My newest car is from 1991 as well...
But please differentiate your environmental issues and thoughts between:
1) Polluting your local environment with the exhaust gasses, chemicals and particles, which it absolutely does.
and
2) Contributing to bringing down global CO2 emissions, which is doubtful within a certain distance driven.
Your 1) point is definitely true although I do sometimes have a sour taste with the whole hypocrisy around it; in the 1990s and 2000s, diesel started to be pushed (to some extent in the same way that EV is pushed now) claimed to be much cleaner and better than gas. This opened the door to scandals like VW and their Diesel. Just another proof that a mix of marketing and country policies are not always for the greater good.
Your 2) point is up to belief rather than knowledge... I do believe A LOT of the current EVs will not last more than 100k miles and that recycling those will be a huge problem especially as we do not really have solutions for batteries yet. Cybertrucks are already rusty which kind of tells you a lot about how they will age..
Again this is beliefs more than knowledge and I just want to express my view about it :)
Thanks for your comment and if I may ask - what is your 1991 car? :)
God Save the Wheels
Great video. Let me know if you ever want to sell it. 😊
Fixing Volvo wagons is a disease , fear not you are not alone.
you should install lpg on it, thats like the ultimate killer argument for those dumb eco friendly people
Bilstein struts 👌
Exactly...
Take an old car, convert it to electric l, and you get the greenest vehicle possible
if only we would change to HEMP fuel and Hemp diesel and HEMP charcoal instead of poisonous oil products we would not be having this problem.
Another important thing is in my opinion the Old Car has style and character a Tesla dont
I can only agree with you there :)
Let’s bring back horse and buggies, because we’re luddites. 😂
Don't push me hahah
Um, no 😂
Curious to see if any Tesla can make 200000 miles? 😂😂😂
You are funny. There must be thousands. The highest milage Tesla passed two million kilometers a while ago.
LOL
With 4 batteries and 13 electric motor. The guy who did that PURPOSELY wanted to do that. Anyone with any car can do that if you replace everything every X number of miles…
The one thing I will give you (because I’m not here to point fingers at anyone, just giving my opinion and opening the debate) is that the record was made with a Model S from 2014 and 1) Model S are generally much better built than Model 3; 2) in 2014 when Tesla was not yet in a mass production mindset, the quality of production was better; 3) I am more pointing fingers at mass production of cheap cars, than directly at electric, although I am certain that electric and electric alone cannot be a viable solution; 4) lastly, I personally think hybrids may be the best solution and the best of both world.
Thank you for your comment though!! I know my opinion cannot work with everyone…!
@@godsavethewheels Sorry, but you just continue to underline the fact that you have no idea what you are talking about here.
First of all, yes it is true he replaced batteries three times. But if you do some quick math, you realise that each battery lasted at least 300000 miles on average. That's not all, because the batteries get better. The last battery wasn't brand new when he got it, but it is still in use after nearly 500000 miles in his car.
Secondly, it is well known that the quality of early Model S are the worst of all Teslas. The number of replaced motors is just one example. Everything breaks down on those models. The batteries saw a great improvement around 2016, but overall Model S and X up until the refresh a few years ago are very problem heavy cars. The Model 3 and Y on the other hand are much much better.
….and you just keep arguing on what you want to argue.
You’re bringing the 2M miles Tesla, I can bring the +3M Volvo P1800 - all of that does not matter, it’s record setting and not representative of regular use of a car.
Yes - the early Tesla were maybe less reliable than current Model 3. But there is a difference between reliability and quality of build; I have both driven and ridden in a Model S and a Model 3 (I’m sure you have too), and saying that the Model 3 is a better built car would objectively be untrue.
Again - all in all I equally criticize mass producing which is a highly polluting process, as the idea that all electric for everyone is the solution. If you don’t concede the fact that there is a big factor of consumerism and marketing into buying these Tesla + all the craze about electrics (and making gas-powered cars obsolete), this is either a lack of objectivity or being naive.
I believe a switch to all electric would be a highly polluting process to which we do not have the resources to cope with.
I believe maintaining older, well build cars properly instead of junking them while mass producing, makes more sense.
Finally, I believe it should be a good mix of both, but just not fully one side rather than another. Hence my view on hybrids too.
@@godsavethewheels I was just answering to your assumptions in the video that a Tesla could not make it past 200000 miles.
The perception of build quality when driving the car and how reliable the car is in the long run are two completely different things. I think we can agree on that?
I'm not arguing about the point that producing cars create pollution at all. But if we go there, there are many research papers showing a BEV is better over the full life cycle than a combustion car. In many cases it is even better than an existing combustion car, unless you drive very little.
A simple fact is that most of the materials that go in an EV can and will be recycled eventually, which will further reduce the environmental impact of producing new cars. Burnt diesel and gasoline on the other hand can not be recycled at all, and producing it get increasingly difficult, expensive and worse for the environment as time goes by.
That said, by all means keep your old Volvo alive. The most important thing is that all the millions of people that do buy brand new cars every year make the right choice and don't buy more cars that need to burn stuff for another 20+ years.
What if I'm in a car crash? Is this shit safer than my new Tesla? Oh, I thought so. So thanks but no thanks.
I can only agree with you there! Modern cars are much more protective than now 30+ years ones.
The 240 Wagon was the safest car in the 1990s though, with some very interesting innovations like engine mounts that would get the engine go below the car in case of a frontal crash.
I also ride motorcycles, so obviously while safety is a top priority, I decided to make a pact with the devil and trust myself to keep me safe.
Thanks for your comment and watching :)
God Save the Wheels
The safety of your driving should be of much greater concern than the safety of any given vehicle so long as it is properly maintained.
Tell us the numbers. How much co2 is a new car, how much it saves. The exhaust of old car is aweful to the smell, in densely populated areas
EV just puts the pollution at the coal plant. TOTALLY different air 👌
Considering the pollution of a car simply by its CO2 emissions is like measuring the size of an ocean to as far as you can see. Do not forget all the energy used and pollution rejected by the whole production process, testings, electricity needed (especially for EVs), etc...
YOU ARE RIGHT in saying that older cars smell bad in densely populated areas. I cannot deny that, although it also depends on how well those vehicles are maintained, hence my reflexion of helping people maintaining their cars properly.
Thank you for watching though! I know my videos and beliefs are not for everyone, but I appreciate your comment!
God Save the Wheels
@@godsavethewheels of course production distribution etc of a new car emits CO2 and yes, it's hard to tell but come up with an upper bound, a worst case. 1TON, 10, 100, 1000. We know how much a euro 6 produces per mile and how many mile an average car gets us.
@@Mastermindyoung14
Do you really think coal plants are the only source for electricity? It is the worst example. The reality is rarely equal to the worst case.
That Tesla production environmental impact is gone after 50k km’s. Your propaganda to keep driving old gas guzzlers to save the planet is beyond rediculous and ignoring all science involved (calculating well to wheel impact)
That is blatantly untrue. Any EV you can buy today is not going to be viable transportation 20 years from now. Where do you think they’ll go? They’ll be “recycled” which is what the developed world calls it when they ship their trash to third world hellholes, where that trash can be burned or buried without regulation. Gasoline cars have seen massive leaps forward in pollution control and economy in the last 10 years, stopping development on them now to pursue EVs is asinine.
I am leaving in area whe 90,,% of electricity is made by coal energy plants. If I charge it , am I green? I do not emote CO2 ?
Propaganda is a funny word... 🧐
Thanks for your comment!
I disagree with you but appreciate you sharing your opinion. By no mean I am trying to make a 'propaganda' since I am simply expressing my opinion, opening a debate and trying to get people to think about it.
My belief is that a personality like Elon Musk and all his minions create more of a propaganda around EVs and their positive effect on the environment... While producing cars that get rusty just days after their deliveries (cc Cybertruck) and creating rockets to send people in space...
If you feel fine giving millions to this guy without even thinking about it all twice, this is up to you, and my channel is probably not for you!
If you ask me, I think we are replacing Hybrids a little too quickly to put EVs instead. And we are not ready for the electricity needs if everyone was switching to EVs - big risk in my view.
Thank you for watching though! I know my videos and beliefs are not for everyone, but I appreciate your comment!
God Save the Wheels
@@pawesmola7635 You would be green(er), yes. That coal power plant is much more efficient in generating energy than your car engine is. If you put that electricity in your electric car, 95% of energy is used for movement... in a gasoline engine, 70% of the energy is turned into heat instead of movement. Fossil engines are hopelessly inefficient.
Tesla is the safest car on the road. I’ll put my family in one of those than these 70’s death machines
And I can only tell you you are right about this :) To each their own compromises I guess... I am a car enthusiast and could see myself taking my kid(s) on drives with an older car, simply because I think the experience of it is amazing and that they would probably love it as well!
Thank you for your comment Mate!
God Save the Wheels
70's death machine? Kickass! Where can I get one?
You have nailed it. Longevity of use is a big factor in reducing carbon footprint. I pride myself in caring for my 240 as I know if looked after it will continue to provide reliable transport for as long as it is allowed to.
I automatically sub channels about 240s 🧱
My '84 Volvo 242 was my first car in '02. I still have it on the road. That's more environmentally conscious than buying any new EV will be.
This is what I believe as well!
Thanks for watching and sub :)
God Save the Wheels