Faults:

The usual Parts that wear out:

- The clutch at 230.000 Km

- Braking disks all 4 replaced. 230.000 Km

- Exhaust, some parts. 180.000 Km

-Suspension bushings replaced. 230.000Km.

Other parts

- Broken crankshaft position sensor, car wouldn't start. Replacement was 20 euro. Usually installed in 45 min.

-Oil seal from the engine replaced.

-Headlight reflectors replaced.

-Monroe overload suspension dampers, air pressurized.

General Comments:

Overall quality is very high.

The car is very safe and the bodywork is also quite strong. When I reversed into a big three a few years ago (with 15 km/hr), no damage was done! Other small crashes with cars and road signs, not a scratch.

The engine runs smooth and has lots of torque and it gives a decent acceleration. The fuel consumption is also quite good. 1 liter for 13 Km is not bad for such a large and old car. The engine uses no oil or coolant, and it requires very little attention.

The gearbox shifts smooth, but the stroke of the gear leaver is rather long compared to modern cars. Sometimes the gearbox wouldn't shift to the first gear, but after a small repair that was fixed.

The road holding of a standard Volvo 240 isn't that great (huge improvements can be made with aftermarket parts though). It is a very comfortable cruiser, but not really fast on the mountain roads.. The suspension makes the car float over the bumps of the road. The high riding height makes it possible to go where other cars can't. The turning circle is very small for such a big car.

The brakes are very good. With its ventilated front disc's and solid rear disc's, and a triangle divided braking system (Even when a brake line snaps, the car maintains it's stopping power), the brakes never let you down.

A very nice car, a future classic and a very suitable car for transporting heavy goods.

Faults:

Directly after I'd bought the car the spark plugs, ignition rotor, oil filter, and air filter where replaced.

It also would not shift into 1st gear.

After replacing the coupling between the gearbox and shifter rod it shifted well. replacement costs +/- 5 euro at the junk yard)

The chassis of the car is corroded which I'm working on.

General Comments:

After 275000 Km The Volvo starts immediate, also at -10 degrees celcius.

Though it's not a fast car, it drives perfect, the brakes are working great, and I've never got feeling that I've lost control.

It's a great car, and I love driving it.

Faults:

In fact this model didn't exist. When I got it, the engine was totally worn out. The space between the pistons and the cylinders was quite suitable as a mailbox, newspaper size.

I started to replace the original 1900 engine (B19K) for an engine of an 740 (B200K). There was very much work to do to make this engine suitable for the 240. We had to remove the ignition from the back of the engine and put another type in the place where it has to be on a 240. We did a lot of modifying on the ignition, the carburetor and the vacuum system. We put Koni load adjusters instead of the original shock absorbers on the back and so on. When it all was tuned, the car ran about 200 kilometers an hour. And it still looked like a standard 240!

The car could run on petrol and on Liquid Gas (LPG). When I look through the years, the total cost of ownership was just a 22 Eurocent per kilometer!! Off course, doing the maintenance almost by myself, it's not quite fair in comparison with the cost of ownership of a car that regularly is visiting the garage, but subtract the amount of money for the costs that are not the costs of the spare parts, and you will see the light. There's the truth!

I kept a database of every repair and all the spare parts needed. Some remarkable facts turned up.

At 580.00 kilometers, the cylinder head needed a revision.

I replaced the gearbox for another (second hand) one at 520.000 kilometers, and we replaced the floor of the car underneath the front seats. This was due to a leaking rubber on the place where the electrical wiring came into the interior. I replaced at that time also the electrical wiring on and around the engine. This was a poor construction; due to the temperature of the engine, the insulation of the wires was just crumbs. I made a new cables around the engine on the body with cables from the body to the engine. Much better. In later types like the 940, Volvo did the same thing.

Following the maintenance scheme; oil changes, spark plugs, belts and so on were replaced. Never one problem. I found out one thing, just like the former Volvo's I owned. Spare water pumps last longer than 20.000 to 30.000 kilometers. Only the original Volvo water pump lasts longer than 180.000 kilometers.

Using original spare parts is essential for good functioning. Third party gaskets always caused trouble, only original brake pads or pads from Lucas (which are made under the name Volvo too) were satisfying. The best tires for overall comfort and safety turned out to be Kleber tires.

I'd liked to make at least one million kilometers with this car, but my White Lady died in an unfortunate accident, in which she saved the life of her owner. There were three cars fully destroyed, I was the only one who came out healthy, with not even a scratch. The front and the back of the of the car took the trouble, but the doors opened and closed like new ones.

There was too much repair to do, so I bought a 940. The 240 sedan is hard to become in Holland. But this special one, which made 50.000 kilometers a year without serious troubles on the road will last in my memory forever. The 240 is one of the safest and greatest cars I know.

Faults:

The car (station wagon) is regularly moth balled as I work abroad.

Once I had a leaking water pump seal. I believe because it did not run for a years and there was some corrosion.

The whole exhaust is still original after 15 years.

General Comments:

Its an extremely reliable car.

It does not corrode. After 15 years the only corrosion spot is inside and a pinhead size.

It gives a very solid and safe feel.

The seats are as in no other car I had, they support the back very well and you don't get tired.

The alluminium wheels are difficult to keep clean and corrosion took its toll too early.