240 Worth It? Opinions Wanted!

Discussion in 'Volvo 240' started by PButler111, Aug 25, 2004.

  1. PButler111

    PButler111 Guest

    Since I'm finally in the same room with the list of things my "new" car needs
    done, let me throw it out there, FYI. If you recall (and why would you?) my
    mechanics say the car needs $1250 of work done to bring it up to snuff. Here's
    the list:

    --Oil change
    --Tune up
    --Transmission service
    --Clean throttle body
    --Replace wrong timing belt with correct one
    --Replace drive belts
    --Cooling flush with thermostat

    In addition, they think it should have new tires before winter. One problem
    that's not included above that I'm not going to worry about until next year is
    the air conditioning. The AC is fully charged, but it's only blowing coolish.
    My mechanic thinks there might be some overlapping going on between the AC and
    heating that's causing the problem. Since we're cruising into cool weather
    here, and since I'm already laying out a lot of money for the other repairs,
    I'm going to leave that as a project for the spring.

    Does that all sound about right?

    Thanks again,
    Patricia
     
    PButler111, Sep 7, 2004
    #61
  2. as part of timing belt job-40-50
    1200 sounds right
    suggest this one--
    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...7SR4BT70S&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes

    say 250 for tires and 50 for the mounting and balance, and 50-75 for an
    alignment
    350-375

    One problem
    sounds good to me
     
    Steve n Holly, Sep 7, 2004
    #62
  3. I don't care what the previous owner claims, if I acquire a used Volvo,
    it's getting: Timing Belt, Seal, Water Pump, and a Radiator, if it has
    any plastic on it. Hoses and drive belts. Battery. Plug wires. IPD
    Sway Bars.
    Judgement call. I will always put a set of Michelin X-Radials on any
    car I drive. Michelin tires have saved my life more than once.
    There is a well-known problem in many years, the A/C control unit has
    various issues. If you're sure the pressure is good in the AC system,
    (and you're sure you are sure), then it is possible that there is a
    grounding problem, or even, a cold solder on the control circuit. Best
    solution? Replace it with a later one. Costs about $300, ouch, but
    there it is. Problem exists on many, many, many Volvos.

    Blower motor blows strong right? Reason I ask, it takes an act of
    congress to change it. True for every model of Volvo, ever. They put
    the motor in, then build the car around it, literally.
    Yeah! It sounds like you got a good deal. The stuff that's being
    suggested by your mechanic is pretty standard for any used car. On a
    Volvo, there are a couple of specific things, I'll risk repeating here:

    1. Plastic radiators. Some models for the US market had plastic
    radiators. Bad for the second owner. Get rid of it. Get a new
    thermostat and hoses while you're swapping this for an all-metal one.

    2. Timing belt. Bite the bullet. Change the belt. While the mechanic
    has it apart, replace the front seal and the water pump. This
    maintenance is the difference between a car that dies after 100,000
    miles, and the car that lasts forever. (Well, besides rust and bad
    driving).

    3. IPD sway bars. The stock suspension is not bad, but it's so much
    better if you beef it up with these.


    Enjoy your car.
     
    james of tucson, Sep 7, 2004
    #63
  4. PButler111

    PButler111 Guest

    Subject: Re: 240 Worth It? Opinions Wanted!
    Thanks. They are replacing the timing belt and the drive belts and the
    thermostat. Yes, the blower is strong (and I'm aware of the problems they can
    have, having experienced it on a previous 240). The AC I won't worry about
    until spring. The car currently has 190,000 miles on it, and still seems to be
    going very strong. I ordered seat covers for the front today as well. There's
    nothing wrong with the seats currently, but I'd like to keep them that way. I
    was able to get a pair of custom made covers quite inexpensively, so I figured,
    why not? Let the covers take the wear and tear of my backside rather than the
    nice leather.

    Thanks everyone for your input. You've reassured me that this time I made a
    good deal.
     
    PButler111, Sep 8, 2004
    #64
  5. PButler111

    James Sweet Guest


    Sounds like about 5x what it would cost me to do it all myself but then the
    mechanics have to eat and pay for the shop overhead as well.
     
    James Sweet, Sep 8, 2004
    #65
  6. PButler111

    James Sweet Guest


    Not every model Volvo, in the 700 series cars a blower motor replacement is
    actually very easy, shouldn't take more than an hour even the first time
    around. The 240 though is a rather involved job.
     
    James Sweet, Sep 8, 2004
    #66
  7. PButler111

    PButler111 Guest

    Subject: Re: 240 Worth It? Opinions Wanted!
    Yes, well, you could put me and all those Shakespeare typing monkeys in a fully
    outfitted garage with that car and give us from here until all eternity and
    together we'd still never be able to make a start on accomplishing these fixes,
    so I guess I'd have to say the mechanics are well worth their $85 an hour.
     
    PButler111, Sep 8, 2004
    #67
  8. PButler111

    Handywired Guest

    --Oil change
    $1250?!?! That had better be one heck of a tuneup! I meant with all new
    sensors (air mass especially, ASK THEM), new cap, plugs, wires, roors, etc.

    Oil change $25 at any quickie place;
    tranny service sounds scary but is a drain and replace filter most likely, a
    $100 job tops;
    Throttle body, I dunno;
    belts, including timing belt, is a $150 job
    cooling flush is a $60 job;

    So that's a... what... $900 dollar tuneup? Like I said, that had better be one
    "major" tuneup, with all the frills. If it is, that's not exorbinant but does
    seem a little high. What you are describing strikes me as $900 worth of work,
    total, at my local shop, max.

    -jeff
     
    Handywired, Sep 8, 2004
    #68
  9. PButler111

    PButler111 Guest

    Subject: Re: 240 Worth It? Opinions Wanted!
    I don't take my car to "quickie" places. It's worth the extra $18 for me to
    have the oil change done by a mechanic I know and trust who knows my car and
    specializes in imports.
    $188 actually.
    Cleaning the throttle body is included in the full tuneup, which is $298.
    With thermostate, $135.
    and if I needed pelvic exam, I'm fairly confident that I could get any number
    of men to put on a white coat and give me a look-see for far cheaper than my
    gynecologist. But I'm probably not going to do that. When it comes to things
    that are important to me, I'd prefer to pay the going rate of my trusted
    specilist rather than cheap out and probably run into problems later.
     
    PButler111, Sep 8, 2004
    #69
  10. PButler111

    Daniel Guest

    Is there a way to remove the UV absorbed (oxidation) that seems caked
    from with in the lens, I tryed it and it somewhat worked, problem being
    I had dificulity sealing the lens back to housing they or it began to
    leak moisture inside it which then distorts the light beams?

    Dan
     
    Daniel, Sep 8, 2004
    #70
  11. Replace the water pump as well, since they won't charge
    you twice for taking the front of the engine apart.
     
    Joseph Oberlander, Sep 9, 2004
    #71
  12. PButler111

    PButler111 Guest

    Subject: Re: 240 Worth It? Opinions Wanted!
    Funny you should say that! They called yesterday and said that normally when
    they're doing some of the other stuff they also do the water pump, seals, and
    tensioner. It's going to cost an extra $390, but will be cheaper to do it now
    than to wait until there's a problem. I swallowed hard and said, in a sheep's
    voice, "Okay."
     
    PButler111, Sep 9, 2004
    #72
  13. You are aware that playing doctor isn't just for kids, don't you?
     
    Steve n Holly, Sep 9, 2004
    #73
  14. $390 is a bit steep, actually. Make sure it's not a cheap no-name
    water pump.
     
    Joseph Oberlander, Sep 10, 2004
    #74
  15. PButler111

    PButler111 Guest

    Subject: Re: 240 Worth It? Opinions Wanted!
    These guys don't do cheap, no-name. I picked up the car last night. They
    quoted me $1640 for all the work, but ended up charging me only a little over
    $1300. For the last minute water pump, etc., stuff, they ended up only charging
    me for parts, no labor. This is why I like taking the car to folks I have a
    relationship with.
     
    PButler111, Sep 10, 2004
    #75
  16. Nice find there. :)
     
    Joseph Oberlander, Sep 11, 2004
    #76
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