I've decided to sell my 1984 Volvo 240 diesel, 130,896 miles, which is also not an easy decision for me, as this, while not in the best condition, is the most reliable,dependable car I've ever used, and amfond of this one. I knew a mechanic who said he once owned a Volvo 240 diesel stick shift wagon, that he used to 540,000 miles. With 410,000fewer miles, I've nodoubt this car can achieve that, too. I went in the 1986 740 to South Carolina to see it 3 years ago, and purchased it as I wanted the stick shift w/ electronic 5th gear overdrive as a replacement for an earlier 740. It was never in the same condition as my 740, but is the most reliable car I've ever seen. The person I bought it from said it was once white, as Black/Blue seemed anunusual color for this. My history with it--I bought it in 2013 from South Carolina (it is from Florida, have some papers as well; I know myself to be thethird owner), andreceived it literally the day my 1990 740 wasdestroyed in an accident. I had plans to repaint and restore, but could not afford that with a second car.
This vehicle is a monster. It sounds like a truck, has been rear ended by a new plastic Honda without even budging from the impact, while the Honda's plastic grille, bumper were strewn on the ground (I bought it from a Russian man in South Carolina, who said Hondas are notpopular in Russia, wherethey're considered inferior cars, while these vintage Volvo diesels arecoveted. I told him about the Honda wrecking itself on my Volvo, days after getting it, which he said proves the Russian opinion of old Volvos vs. Hondas) two years ago, it still drove withoutoil and coolant, and never seized; I even had a friend's son run in fear of the sight and sound of it; the mother said this car intimidated both him--and her, and said it should have been in 1983 movie "Christine." I was complimented by this, and said I wanted to have it repainted with new black paint and red stripe,making it look like the A-Team van. In the blizzard of 2014, it bulldozed out of 4-6 inches of snow, while the 740 was stuck. I've used it inheavyrain and snow--I even considered having a snow plow and towing hitch added to it, but was told it could not bear that weight (let alone weight of another car), and of coursewould have been veryexpensive. It is slower than the 740, not having its turbocharger, but is very strong and durable. This has always been a back up car for me at times even an afterthought, where I nearly forgot I had it, as the 740's always been theprimary; now using more regularly. I've had it long enough where this is second nature,andeasily overlooked--the car shifts smoothly, and runs smoothly. I compare this car to a small truck, relative to the 740, but that refers to its slowness and lack of additional powerrelative the 740'sturbocharger, which this ofcourse, does not have. But the shifting if smooth, easy, and requires no effort, which I realize is thereason its never an uncomfortable orimpractical intraffic jams; you will never tire from clutching and shifting in this car; I don't.
These were rare cars in their own time, and even rarer, today. It has a blue cloth interior with two tears, a covered dash (came in the car when I bought it). Has a 1 1/2 year old battery. The car handles in snow very well, which I credit the stick shift and bigger tires for. It has theoriginal steel rims,which I have plastic 1990 hub capsover, and came with the car from South Carolina. Has good brakes, has never needed radiator work, though temp gauge isinaccurate, though it always read normal mid range; gauge risesbecause of a regulatormechanisminsidethe instrumentpanel independent of thermostat, as mechanic has tested withinfraredthermometer,told me; his test showed normaltemperature of 77-116 degrees.
I've always used this car as secondary, as its in rough shape, but have since grown fond of it for itsincredibledurability, simplicity and stick shift. Its also a great, fun pleasure to drive--the stick shift is a blast, operates very smoothly, easily, effectively has more power than an auto, andthe electronic overdrive works perfectly and immediately; even the man I bought it from didn't know how to use it. These engines were originally used in trucks, and this engine has a truck-like feel and sound to it, which is why I once considered a plow and tow hitch for it. For such a 'small' car, it feels quite heavy; doors are heavy, hood is heavy, even had amechanic refuse to dooil change, as he said it was too heavy for the lift.Also, it has the dense, hard, heavy gauge steel exhaust and tail pipes the 240 diesel had; not the standard quality metal that I've seen on other cars. This heavy metal exhaust also gives it adistinctive 'tinny' soundunique to 240s. The exhaust isoriginal, firm, and no part of it has ever neededreplacement. Extremely reliable, drive it everywhere from Lancaster, PA, to VA, with no problems. Very sturdy, strong, if slow, being a regular diesel. It has good fuel economy, and in fact was intended as an economy car, even when fuel was cheap (I bet in '84 it cost as little as $6 to fill!); I've never needed more than $20 to get a full tank, while the 740 has cost twice, even three times as much during times of highest fuel prices. The fuel economy is such that when 1/4 appears on the gauge, there is actually 1/2 tank, and little as $5-$10 can fill to half tank; I've heard this described as 'feedback fuel system.' This makes analready utilitarian car even more useful on long trips, as I've used it; I've used it forspontaneous interstate trips, as one would go around the block. And even in traffic jams and rushhour traffic, I'm never bothered, bored by the stick shifting. It has new electric fuel pump, new alternator (two tears ago, it actuallydrove for a day *without* an alternator belt--that's how strong it is) new front tires, new hood hinges, a new driver's window, and some of the tail the lights were repaired last week. Until 1987, these cars weredesigned with wiringharnessesthat predeceasedthe cars. The wiring in this one is great, not frayed, and was improved by previous owners.
This is a base model car, has old manual crank windows and was not designed with airconditioning, (but has great heat) which 2nd owner had been graduallyadding, when I came by it. I should say the car in factdoes not need airconditioning; the cloth seats never get hot, the interior is spacious, the windows open wide enough, as to provide more thanenoughventilation. I've neverbeen uncomfortable in it even on 90degree days. In the trunk is adetachable plug-in car fan, which I'll include, but I'm never uncomfortable enough to need it, and forgot it was there, until I saw it today.The base modelsimplicity is thefeature Icredit for its longevity andreliability--fewer parts/features to break down. Some a/c, lines/hoses are included in the trunk; infact, 740's sparecompressor is compatible, though I purchased for it. It has the doorpockets, though not attached and on the back seat,as well as some of the weather moulding included in the trunk (this was in the car when I got it, left over from the white-black repainting, I was told). There is a full box of various spare parts that came with the car when I got it from South Carolina. Also the valve and timing covers had been painted green by the second owner, I was told, in imitation of a John Deere tractor.
The car has been broken into before, which is why the driver's window wasreplaced. The inner doorhandle was pulled out in a break-in, and the trunk wasalso broken into, hence the missing lock, and the radio/speakers, which were stolen. Its finewithme, as the engine is the music to my ears. Dome light does not work. Isuspect the reason the car itself was never stolen in those break-ins isbecause it is stick shift, which fewer people know how to drive, (let alone figuring how to put this one in reverse because of the detent collar) this in itself may be a theftdeterrent--I've read that of allcars stolen herein the last 3 years, only 7 were stick shift. The car has rust on the hood andfloors, is NOT in perfect cosmeticcondition, which I'dhoped tofix, but can no longer afford the restoration, and havedecided if I can't restore it, pass on to one who might. I loaned it to asibling as well, and he said it would not even very expensive to restore (mainly new hood, new paint, rustpatching), I've no more time, means for that. May not be the best looking car, but utterly reliable; have never seen a car tocompare indurability. If the body needsrestorative work, the engine needs no work at all, unless you count the lack of a/c, which it never had to start with.

As this is a 32 year old car for private sale, I cannot offer any warranties, of any kind. Should there be a winner, I can recommend a reasonable auto shipper as buyer'sresponsibility, in fact, the one that shipped this to me 3 years ago, should buyer want to transport it.