volvo 740 retro brick....
Discussion
Wasn't particularly looking to buy a classic volvo but when I saw this for sale locally at a very good price I couldn't say no. 1988 740, 1 owner with fsh (like 25 stamps, sometimes 700 miles between them with invoices). If I went to see a 2 year old car I'd be over the moon if it was in this condition.
Not quite sure what I'm going to do with it yet but at least it's in my garage now to decide........
Not quite sure what I'm going to do with it yet but at least it's in my garage now to decide........
Edited by irish boy on Wednesday 13th November 12:06
Thread update, decided I liked the car so much I'd put it into daily duty. At the end of the day the total price of the car is less than a new car would lose upon collection so if it's devalued a bit that's ok as I'm getting maximum enjoyment out of it and do tend to be overly fussy driving/maintaining/looking after my cars anyway.
So bought mid november with 38.5k miles, now 44.5k. Proper 30k per year service. How's it been? Faultless. Genuinely. Not even a rattle. Had a full service and timing belt done when I got it (pretty much the first non volvo service it's had) and will get a oil service done next week and hasn't used a drop.
Driving it is still a bit of an event, I've realised there is pretty much no 80's cars being used daily and very few 90's. The plush heated seats are still piping hot after 26 years, gets a lot of looks, probably not all good as people seem to love it or hate it. The engine has a ball of torque but is not quick to rev if that makes sense, still at 121 bhp it keeps up very well and eats up motorways at 80 @3k rpm in silence. 32mpg combined over the last 6k miles. Using it has done it the world of good, starts instantly now hot or cold and pulls better across the gears.
Here's to the next 6k.
gratuitous pic of the miles clocking up……
So bought mid november with 38.5k miles, now 44.5k. Proper 30k per year service. How's it been? Faultless. Genuinely. Not even a rattle. Had a full service and timing belt done when I got it (pretty much the first non volvo service it's had) and will get a oil service done next week and hasn't used a drop.
Driving it is still a bit of an event, I've realised there is pretty much no 80's cars being used daily and very few 90's. The plush heated seats are still piping hot after 26 years, gets a lot of looks, probably not all good as people seem to love it or hate it. The engine has a ball of torque but is not quick to rev if that makes sense, still at 121 bhp it keeps up very well and eats up motorways at 80 @3k rpm in silence. 32mpg combined over the last 6k miles. Using it has done it the world of good, starts instantly now hot or cold and pulls better across the gears.
Here's to the next 6k.
gratuitous pic of the miles clocking up……
Good adventure today, friend who normally drives a land cruiser has taken a shine to my car and decided he wanted one. We found one in Kilkenny which is right at the bottom of Ireland, a 740 turbo diesel manual, 1 owner from new and 80k. 400 mile trip later and we were on the way home with it. The 2 cars sat at 80+ the whole way home never missing a beat. The td engine is loud but has a lot of character.
One of the guys in work has put his twin cam on the road again for the summer with the good weather. Absolutely stunning condition. Funny to think only a year separates the 2 cars….yet they couldn't be more different in character, and I'd imagine very different people bought them new!!
Pulled the old girl out yesterday after an extended storage. Needed the brakes freed up, a new battery and the tyres blown up but got a good clean done and a good few miles and it's still looking/driving like new.
Having recently driven a couple of similar age cars from the 80's it's amazing how modern the Volvo feels and how comfortable it is at higher speeds. A very underrated machine in their day. I've taxed it today as it will benefit from 1 or 2 thousand miles stuck on it.
Having recently driven a couple of similar age cars from the 80's it's amazing how modern the Volvo feels and how comfortable it is at higher speeds. A very underrated machine in their day. I've taxed it today as it will benefit from 1 or 2 thousand miles stuck on it.
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