Faults:

The strut arm bushings wore out around 110,000 miles. The leather seats cracked and went bad. They had to be replaced.

General Comments:

This is a heavy car. It's not the most economical car on the road, but it's heavy, safe, and it will last forever. The 4 cylinder version has some pick up, which is amazing due to the weight of the car. It has a great ride and it also handles extremely well in the snow for rear wheel drive.

Faults:

In-tank fuel pump inactive. Car runs well if fuel level above half.

General Comments:

Great handling.

Nearly no rust for a 16 years old car, and it's a car from Quebec!

Robust construction.

Performance lack luster, but not too bad considering weight of vehicle and only 4 cylinders!

Classic looks, rugged charm!

Faults:

Fuel pump would cut out regularily... nobody could find the cause... this is why I got rid of the car.

General Comments:

Despite a bizarr technical fault which was the demise of my car, the Volvo 740 is the best car ever. The man responsible for the design of this car should have been instantly promoted, and given everything he asked for.

Faults:

Rear Brakes.

Headliner starting to drop off.

Starter Motor.

ABS sensor fault.

Power Windows.

Water Pump.

General Comments:

The engine is very good and reliable.

In a 4 year span, since I own the car, it is simply the cheapest, most fun and my favorite car ever owned. I really feel like treating the car right and refuse to change it.

I'm not a performance freak, however I really like the rear wheel drive + turbo feeling and whenever driving another type of car I totally have no fun.

I would suggest this car to anybody willing to reapir a bit by themselves or if you have a decent Volvo specialist shop in your area. These cars often have some small glitches that can be easily repaired by yourself. But taking it to the dealer or an unexperienced mechanical can end up being very expensive.

The car is winter driven in Canada, always filled with nothing less than 91 octane fuel, change oil every 5,000 km. The car is a tank.

Faults:

Had to replace head gasket. Car overheated (bad thermostat) and warped the head gasket.

The air conditioning runs, but won't hold a charge. It has been checked many times, but I'm always told that there are no leaks.

The sunroof leaks and has stained the headliner. The head liner is also falling apart and the foam backing is disintegrating and creates dust in the car.

General Comments:

What a reliable car! As old as it is, it just keeps going.

I have the Turbo Station Wagon and, believe it or not, I still get comments on what a good looking car it is. The paint has really held up well and still has a nice shine. Its actually pretty sporty looking with nice rims and wide tires and no ugly luggage rack to make it look like Grandma's car.

I love the turbo. I get a kick out of coming off an off ramp and accelerating (FAST!) to get past the car that won't let me over. Sometimes I'm amazed that the car is only a 4 cylinder.

My 1988 Volvo has more options on it than my 2000 Subaru. Leather, power, heated front seats; good stereo; A/C; power windows, locks, and antenna; air bag; ABS brakes; sun roof; and huge cargo area.

My biggest gripe would be the fact that I can't drive this car in the snow (what's the point of the heated front seats?). It's an accident waiting to happen. The rear wheel drive with the light rear end makes for a driving nightmare on wet or snowy roads. It fishtails with the slightest acceleration or tap of the brakes.

Although my leather seats have held up very nicely, many other interior components are showing their age. The carpet is worn, the dash has a crack in it, the dome light is falling off, and the headliner is a mess. Everything is rattling and loose.

Mechanically it is still going strong.