Should I drive it the 3000 miles?

I got a 1992 Volvo 240 Wagon, with 165K on it. It is usually just used
for around town trips, I have only owned it two months, but in the two
months I have taked a few 100 mile day trips, a 300 mile day trip, and
a 700 mile weekend trip, I changed the oil, serviced the transmission,
and the car seems to do fine, although a little underpowered on the
highway, and it does ping if I put less thank high test in it. Anyway,
we have to drive from Central FL, to Michigan and back, I am a little
nervous about driving the Volvo, but my other car is a 1972 beetle, I
have no doubt about the beetle making it, it is just too small and
uncomfortable.
Is there any reason I should doubt the Volvo, any things I should look
for or check out before the trip?
I plan on buying a AAA plus membership before leaving.
Jerry
Daytona Beach

 

I'd also check tires, belts and hoses. Long trips seem to build up
heat and find any weak spots, although if you are in FL they
are probably OK. I'd definitely pick the 240 over your Beetle,
and I've driven long trips in older cars without incident.

 

I am also planning on changing the timing belt, I don't know when it
was last changed, but it dawned on me that the pinging and
sluggishness could be from a jumped tooth, I will change the belt, set
the timing, replace the knock sensor if needed, and I am starting to
feel better..

 

Take the Volvo, chances are it'll make it just fine. I took mine on a few
2,000 mile trips when it had well over 230K on it and never had a problem.
Just be caught up on maintenance before you leave, make sure the timing belt
has been replaced within the specified intervals.

After the experience I've had with air cooled VW's I can tell you there's no
way I'd take one on a trip like that, yeah they're simple and anybody with a
few wrenches can work on one, but reliability is not one of their strong
points. Safety and as you say the comfort of the ride on a long trip would
definitly nix that one.

 

You shouldn't be able to adjust the ignition timing on a '92, but you do
need to make sure the timing belt is correct, off by one tooth will
definitly make it run poorly.

 

I agree that a car that will make 300 miles is ready for 3000. The last car
I had that couldn't make long trips was a Nissan with a coolant leak I
couldn't get to with the engine in the car, so it could only be driven until
the coolant got too low - about 200 miles.

It might not be wise to stir up the evil spirits too soon before the trip.
Changing the timing belt, belts and hoses are all Good Things but I avoid
touching anything except fluids for at least a week before a long trip. My
theory is that it has gone this long on what it has, so the odds of it
surviving another few thousand miles are decent. New parts worry me a bit.

Mike

 

Not so much new parts but the old parts you disturb putting those new
parts on- best example is the tanks and fittings on the radiator if
you change a hose.

I second your statement about the 300 mile day trip.

I'd think of getting a full sized spare. It is great peace of mind
for long distance driving- if I get a flat tire anywhere, I can still
complete my trip on schedule. I bought an old wheel and used one of
my old tires. Tire shops will refuse to mount an obviously unsafe
tire, but mine was still in good condition with some tread depth left.

 

Exactly. Thanks for putting it more clearly than I did.

Mike

 

"After the experience I've had with air cooled VW's I can tell you there's
no
way I'd take one on a trip like that"

There's a lot of people who wouldn't even take a new water-cooled VW on a
long trip (lots of owner horror stories on the VW forums... tho far less
then a few years ago), let alone a 30-40 year old air-cooled one... I'd
prefer my 93' 960 to my 99.5 VW Golf on a long trip - the Volvo isn't as
fuel efficient, or as safe - but the Volvo cruises easier, is more
comfortable and is a larger car... and it's much quieter... These are all
the key items you want on a long distance trip... loud uncomfortable cars,
that are cramped SUCK on long distance trips (Toronto to Ottawa in a 1991
Golf with no A/C in the middle of summer proved this for me a few times).

I wouldn't worry about either one of my cars breaking down though, or your
240... My Volvo is a 93', original posters is a 92'... so hardly any age
difference, and pretty much anyone will say a 240 is more reliable, so take
the 240 for your trip! (though the only thing unreliable about our 960 is
the air-con which was still way better then that in our 240's and 740's).

 

Hello Jerry:

Hope all is well in Florida.

I just put a 1993 240 wagon on the road April 20th that I'd bought for
$500 in late December. It needed a waterump so I did that and replaced
the timing belt as well.

Also did rear rotors and pads, a tranny service (including changing
fluid and filter.

Next I had to do ball joints and a lot of electrical work for it to
pass NYS inspection, but got that done.

Replaced the Air Mass Meter with a used unit I got at Pick N Pull and
did the air filters etc and all looked well and the car ran great. MPG
went from 17 to 27.5 in town, 31 on the highway.

Started taking longer trips, 50 miles each way or so. Good thing I was
back in the city last Tuesday. CAr died and a nice guy stopped by and
said he had Volvos and saw the hood up and could nbever pass by a
stranded Volvo. He gave me a jump and it died not long after he left.

I knew then it was either a flat dead battery or hopefully only the
alternator.

Got a new battery just to get home and did fault analysis. Needed an
alternator too.

Car is running well now and I am confident but should offer this
advice: At 150K plus it's nuts not to just replace the alternator on
a 240 if it has not been done before and one is going on a long trip.

I'd also replace the fuel filter.

My '93 is coming along nicely and I plan a longer trip soon.

Will have to buy some sort of seat cover for the passenger side and my
elderly Welsh Terrier slips all over the leather.

I'm attaching a few pics.

Regards,

Doc

 

Check the tire condition and air pressure (including the spare, and
check to make sure that the spare tire changing tools are there). Make
sure that the tires are the correct size -- 240 wagons often have the
incorrect size tires installed on them.

Check brake pad thickness and the level and condition of all fluids
(e.g. oil, brake fluid, coolant, windshield washer). Replace or top up
as needed.

Compare previous maintenance history with the checklist in the owner's
manual and see if anything needs to be done (due to being too long since
it was done, or no records). Try to do any needed catch up maintenance
some time before the trip, so that anything else disturbed during that
maintenance (or any errors made during that maintenance) will be noticed
before the trip.

 

Yeah definitly check the spare, I had a flat tire once, then put the spare
on only to realize it too was flat! At least it didn't have a nail in it so
I was able to walk it to a nearby gas station.