240 Worth It? Opinions Wanted!

I don't care what the previous owner claims, if I acquire a used Volvo, it's getting: Timing Belt, Seal, Water Pump, and a Radiator, if it has any plastic on it. Hoses and drive belts. Battery. Plug wires. IPD Sway Bars.

Judgement call. I will always put a set of Michelin X-Radials on any car I drive. Michelin tires have saved my life more than once.

There is a well-known problem in many years, the A/C control unit has various issues. If you're sure the pressure is good in the AC system, (and you're sure you are sure), then it is possible that there is a grounding problem, or even, a cold solder on the control circuit. Best solution? Replace it with a later one. Costs about $300, ouch, but there it is. Problem exists on many, many, many Volvos.

Blower motor blows strong right? Reason I ask, it takes an act of congress to change it. True for every model of Volvo, ever. They put the motor in, then build the car around it, literally.

Yeah! It sounds like you got a good deal. The stuff that's being suggested by your mechanic is pretty standard for any used car. On a Volvo, there are a couple of specific things, I'll risk repeating here:

1. Plastic radiators. Some models for the US market had plastic radiators. Bad for the second owner. Get rid of it. Get a new thermostat and hoses while you're swapping this for an all-metal one.
2. Timing belt. Bite the bullet. Change the belt. While the mechanic has it apart, replace the front seal and the water pump. This maintenance is the difference between a car that dies after 100,000 miles, and the car that lasts forever. (Well, besides rust and bad driving).
3. IPD sway bars. The stock suspension is not bad, but it's so much better if you beef it up with these.

Enjoy your car.

Thanks. They are replacing the timing belt and the drive belts and the thermostat. Yes, the blower is strong (and I'm aware of the problems they can have, having experienced it on a previous 240). The AC I won't worry about until spring. The car currently has 190,000 miles on it, and still seems to be going very strong. I ordered seat covers for the front today as well. There's nothing wrong with the seats currently, but I'd like to keep them that way. I was able to get a pair of custom made covers quite inexpensively, so I figured, why not? Let the covers take the wear and tear of my backside rather than the nice leather.

Thanks everyone for your input. You've reassured me that this time I made a good deal.

Sounds like about 5x what it would cost me to do it all myself but then the mechanics have to eat and pay for the shop overhead as well.

Not every model Volvo, in the 700 series cars a blower motor replacement is actually very easy, shouldn't take more than an hour even the first time around. The 240 though is a rather involved job.

Yes, well, you could put me and all those Shakespeare typing monkeys in a fully outfitted garage with that car and give us from here until all eternity and together we'd still never be able to make a start on accomplishing these fixes, so I guess I'd have to say the mechanics are well worth their $85 an hour.

$1250?!?! That had better be one heck of a tuneup! I meant with all new sensors (air mass especially, ASK THEM), new cap, plugs, wires, roors, etc.

Oil change $25 at any quickie place; tranny service sounds scary but is a drain and replace filter most likely, a $100 job tops; Throttle body, I dunno; belts, including timing belt, is a $150 job cooling flush is a $60 job;

So that's a... what... $900 dollar tuneup? Like I said, that had better be one "major" tuneup, with all the frills. If it is, that's not exorbinant but does seem a little high. What you are describing strikes me as $900 worth of work, total, at my local shop, max.

-jeff

I don't take my car to "quickie" places. It's worth the extra $18 for me to have the oil change done by a mechanic I know and trust who knows my car and specializes in imports.

$188 actually.

Cleaning the throttle body is included in the full tuneup, which is $298.

$374.

With thermostate, $135.

and if I needed pelvic exam, I'm fairly confident that I could get any number of men to put on a white coat and give me a look-see for far cheaper than my gynecologist. But I'm probably not going to do that. When it comes to things that are important to me, I'd prefer to pay the going rate of my trusted specilist rather than cheap out and probably run into problems later.

Is there a way to remove the UV absorbed (oxidation) that seems caked from with in the lens, I tryed it and it somewhat worked, problem being I had dificulity sealing the lens back to housing they or it began to leak moisture inside it which then distorts the light beams?

Dan

Replace the water pump as well, since they won't charge you twice for taking the front of the engine apart.

Funny you should say that! They called yesterday and said that normally when they're doing some of the other stuff they also do the water pump, seals, and tensioner. It's going to cost an extra $390, but will be cheaper to do it now than to wait until there's a problem. I swallowed hard and said, in a sheep's voice, "Okay."

You are aware that playing doctor isn't just for kids, don't you?

$390 is a bit steep, actually. Make sure it's not a cheap no-name water pump.

These guys don't do cheap, no-name. I picked up the car last night. They quoted me $1640 for all the work, but ended up charging me only a little over $1300. For the last minute water pump, etc., stuff, they ended up only charging me for parts, no labor. This is why I like taking the car to folks I have a relationship with.

Nice find there. :)