The Volvo 240 is not for everyone | Buyer’s Guide

Hagerty’s Editor-at-Large Sam Smith explores what makes the Volvo 200 Series a beloved icon. Although not a collector car by any means, the 200 Series is vintage Volvo -- it’s safe, durable, usable, and quirky enough to get under your skin. Sam will detail what you need to know about buying, owning, and maintaining this lovable classic.


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Episode chapters:
00:00 Introduction - 1992 Volvo 240
00:24 How the 240 changed Volvo
01:58 Safely satisfying
02:23 Vehicle overview - 200 series
03:17 Engine details
05:00 Know the interchangeable parts
05:49 The headache of headlights
06:22 Shop talk
07:23 The axle for all time
08:04 Hagerty Valuation Tools
09:01 Sam Smith’s final thoughts

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[rightlanehog]

It was a compact, reliable, safe, RWD wagon with available manual transmission. IN ITS DAY it was was one of the best cars in the world. What's not to like?

[rjpaulisick]

Still driving my wagon since it arrived from Sweden to the Port of Baltimore back in June 1988. If I had a nickel for every 'call me when you wanna sell' note left on my windshield! One of the most lovable cars ever made. It's not the most valuable classic out there, but to me it's priceless.

[caesar]

240s and 740s were Cars with such a personality. Even on the parking lot, you could easily spot yours.

[fossil-bit]

I bought a 90 240 dL about 5 years ago. I never thought I’d ever own a Volvo. I just need a cheap reliable car. And this popped up for $1, 200. Very easy to work on for the most part. It’s been a great car. 235k and still going strong!

[Fottow]

I have to say, as a person form Gothenburg, Sweden (the home of Volvo) with many family members who have worked in the Volvo factory through out the years - this warms my heart. To see the love for the 240 and other Volvos is very nice. I may have only worked indirectly for Volvo, but I'm still very proud.

[panzerkami]

In the very north of Sweden in the early to mid 80's there were basically only two cars to be seen, namely the Mercedes E-class and the Volvo 240. The reason was that both were over-engineered and robust, both had excellent heating systems and could handle extreme cold and in both you could survive a head-on collision with a Moose (I know that for a fact as I was a passenger in a Volvo 245 hitting a 600 kg moose at 140 km/h and here I am to tell the tale).

[CaptainThirdGen]

"if you can get along with a cars way of doing things, it is delightful" is a wonderful way to put it. Sums up why I love Buicks

[shoom]

One winter in Sweden in the 90's my dad was driving me home from school and an oncoming car lost control and skidded into our lane, to avoid a head-on collision my dad made a split-second decision and steered our 740 off the road, we went tumbling down a rather steep roadside hill at around 80km/h, rolled over 2 times and ended up on the roof in a ditch, I remember hanging upside down in my seatbelts, both of us made it out without a single scratch, partly due to all the snow that cushioned our fall and partly due to the robustness of these old Volvos.

[lowlightbw]

My first car was an 86 240 wagon. Absolutely loved that car. My parents bought it in Germany when my Dad was stationed there, we brought it back over to the States, and I got it in '98. I then drove it to almost 300, 000 miles back and forth 500 miles to College. It had an FM radio, dead AC, and roll up windows. Loved it. Never let me down.

[dannyzuehlsdorf]

I had a 240 sedan with 365, 000 miles on it. Motor NEVER opened up for major repair. It only stopped running when it was in a traffic accident. Great car.

[cartilagehead]

About six years ago I was killing time on Autotrader and stumbled on a babied 240 wagon with a 5 speed that had supposedly lived an easy California life. Clean blue exterior and clean buttercream interior with all four original floor mats. I think they wanted like $5k and I passed. Still haunts me a bit to this day.

[bayareanewman]

So I had a more modern version of this basic same vehicle. I had a 2007 Volvo V70. Mine was fully loaded. Leather, power everything, a GPS that popped up from the dash (quite dramatically I might add) a DVD system that was factory installed in the back of the headrests (2 of them, each with their own DVD player! (Significant distinction because older models had 1 DVD player that played from the 2 screens) ) it had a turbo charged 5 cylinder gas engine, Crome rims, moon roof, and a really nice stereo.I bought it brand new. It was wonderful to drive, handled great in the twisty mountain roads (believe it or not, and contrary to their reputation of being boring) So I had the car about a year and a half. It’s a Sunday, beautiful day. I’m at a 4 way stop (with stop signs ONLY not stop lights) it’s one of those intersections that should be a stop light but isn’t. There are dedicated turn lanes. So anyways this particular Sunday is really busy at this intersection. I have my wife in the passenger seat and my 2 very young kids in the back (1 and 3 years old, in their car seats) I’m waiting my turn behind a line of cars. It’s my turn, I go, and out of nowhere a drunk driver T bones us on my wife’s side! He was going 45 and had run the stop sign! I was okay and my kids were fine but my wife basically broke everything on her right side. It was bad and they had to take her out with the jaws of life. The firefighters said that had we been in ANY other car, she would have been dead. So I have to say, sincerely, that Volvo saved my wife’s life. I’m a Volvo person for life.

[allwheeldrive]

One of the best *real* cars made. Super reliable, easy to work on, easy enough to get parts. Very handy for people and cargo hauling. Sam described the handling as docile, but not up to today's levels of grip, etc. Four things you should know: 1) It's a *great* handling car; very balanced. Grip = new tires and sway bars. 2) The brakes are exceptional. Modern pads and good tires make a difference. 3) Yes, they are slow. But, the aftermarket is ready to help to whatever level your bank account can handle. A few small tweaks and it's more than adequate, plus it'll last forever. And, 4) The interior plastics get brittle, making finding replacements the biggest ownership challenge. 250K miles is NOTHING if they are maintained. I've owned three 240 sedans, one 850 wagon, one 940 wagon, two P1800s, and one 122S (which is still in the family).

[bengarrido]

as a 26 year owner of 240's and multiple cars this is one of the best 240 series programs I have seen. We all know the info but it's good to watch. It's like watching a biography about one of your favorite people.

[dak]

HA I LITERALLY JUST BOUGHT A PRISTINE ONE

Its a silver 87 5 speed sedan

[sean]

Just sold my 1992 244 MT after 5 years of ownership. Genuinely one of the most loveable, charming and cozy vehicles on the road. I will miss it every single day, I just couldn't bare another summer without AC.

[ktober]

These things still go for over 1500 € (~1700 USD) in Finland, even with 400k (km) on the dash. Got mine for free as my granny got her license revoked due to old age.
Oh, and fun fact - she got hit by a bus in a highway with a similar 240, the car got absolutely crushed and bent but she and gramps survived, although a lot of their skin, limbs and / or muscles were replaced with donor ones. Surprisingly, they made full recovery and lived their lives like nothing ever happened.
And they bought another 240, since the previous one saved them from a certain death. That's the car I inherited in advance, haha.

[Dogsfortruth]

I just bought one. You feel so relaxed when you drive it. Lovely car. Greetings from Denmark.

[madfzr]

I was very fortunate to have one gifted to me as my first car. 1979 242DL coupe B21F. So that was my foundation for how a car was. It was over Engineered quality built lasted forever. Not fast but got your anywhere very cozy and a joy to drive. I picked up a late 78 242 DL a few years ago, and it was like putting on an old hat or meeting up with a friend again. All the familiar feels. I need to get one again.

[manuelweiss]

I love these square large windows. You can see everything what happens around you and there's a lot of light in the car. That's something I as a tall person miss on nowadays cars.