Yeah. Volvo manufactures some of the most reliable vehicles in human history. What's funny is, most are afraid of purchasing a mid mileage used Volvo. (1-200K miles) Afraid of what Volvo dealers will charge them to change a freaking sparkplug. Long story short: Our used car lot commonly purchases mid mileage Volvos at auction for anywhere from $375 to 3K and resell them for 3-10 times purchase price. With very few coming back with mechanical issues. The same can't be said for Fords, Chevys, Cadillacs, Pontiacs Dodge Chrysler Lincoln Mercury HumVee/Chevy....ya gotta get an old Mercedes or BMW to hang with used Volvos. Or just get a 1987 Jeep Cherokee 4.0 and put 1/2 million miles on it going places monster trucks couldn't even go. Anyway, love your content @Big Car. Huge thumbs up again. Of course Toyota Honda duh.
@@a-manlordsoftime755 Good question! I picked a generic name that was easy to remember and matched the icon I chose. When I started my channel I didn't even think I'd do car videos exclusively.
Ive bought in 1987 a brand new white 740GL..with a typical blue interior. Drove it for 390.000 km, sold it in 2000 in favor of a new S80 2.4 170hp. That was a huge mistake....the old 740 let me never down..the S80, pffff And stranly enough..the S80 is scrapped already several years..the 740 still running around and hit nearly 700.000km. ( FIRST engine!!!) Legendary stuff
Jeah, volvos after 2000 are a bit strange, and thats why i still drive 1996 850 2.4 10v and xc 70 from 1999 2.5 turbo, and i kept my first car witch was 740 2.3 turbo/intercooler from 1985, and i am so happy that i didnt sell it, i kept it in a garage and restored it in about 7 years, soon it will be back on a road.
The Mechanic we did 760 lambazon Turbo in the 1986?? years, the lower models are crap, way toooo heavy! You do have Renault engine, cheap injection engine, slow.....NOT Legendary!!!! heavy weirdo crap cars!!!! Only the US Turbo models are still good now! They all need way toooooo many service, you have weirdo hobby?
@@lucasrem , Euh....ive owend a 740Gl redblock 2.3L 113hp. Slow....naaa ok, not the fastest thing in the world ,agree with that. But it just needed the basic maintenance...to go for ever. Never said...the 740 and the 760's been rockets. Surely the 760 PRV V6 engine was a real bummer....even in the Alpine 310.
I've had the opposite situation. I had a '90 760 with the 4 cylinder turbo. It was getting very expensive to repair and I replaced it with a 2002 s80 turbo 6. The 760 was replaced at 122,000 miles with a ton of problems and expensive repairs while the s80 has surprisingly few problems. The most expensive was a fuel pump needing replacement at around 150,000 miles. It's going strong now at around 160,000 miles.
Volvo is the most reliable car in the winter and sweden have alot of snow. Volvo does have its downsides such as being whatever but its still a good first car and it will start as long as you keep a normal maintence up.
I used to drive a 744 and 745T in Canada. They are great. One caution though, you need very good winter tires for a RWD car. Preferably studded Nokians.
I daily a 1990 780 Bertone and it is such a smooth ride that receives a ton of compliments! It really showcases Volvo’s good build quality back in the day.
I own a Volvo 940 Turbo (Stationvagon) It's been in my family since my father bought it in 2000. (Built in 1998) My father used to be a mechanic for Volvo and this was his baby. It doesn't have a singe particle of rust witch very unusual in my country due to all of the salt on the roads. We buy original parts for it threw Volvo. 20 years in my family, I hope (and think) we're going to get another 20 years.
Still have two old 740 2.3 litre turbo estates, high miles (200k) on both but the engines are perfect and are started every week and run for a few miles, sadly the fuel economy means they are going to the scrap yard, now driving a couple of older V70 D5 models which are good cars until the steering rack leaks when they have to be scrapped due to repair costs but I would still buy another D5, good economy from a reasonable large engine and great reliability which the 2.3 petrol turbo did not have.
I just sold my 960 3 litre, only sold it because it does 22mpg and I have a 2 hour commute eachday for my new job, should have lef the job and not the car.
This video got me thinking about my relationship with Volvos. My dad was shopping for cars in the mid-80's and we came so close to buying a silver 244GLE sedan (with dark blue velour interior - beautiful car). 3 test drives, multiple drive-bys of the dealership...But he passed on that. Then in 1987, I came home from school to find a beautiful soft metallic green 760GLE in the driveway (with really light tan leather interior). A stunner. That car went everywhere. It was even the car that my bride arrived in on the big day in Dec '93! That car was just such an awesome driver, just a bit heavy on the fuel bill! When I moved to Canada, we bought a 2002 S40 which I loved. An amazing highway car, especially in winter heading to the mountains. I loved the mystery "winter" button which slowed the revs to the drive, so you wouldn't spin the tyres from a standing start. Sadly, I had to sell her (to a buddy) when I moved provinces in 2010 and she was later written off in an accident (T-boned in an intersection but thankfully his wife was OK - good old Volvo engineering & safety!). I may have to look into continuing the family history with Volvo! Thanks for this video. Some good memories rekindled.
My parents bought a brand new Volvo sedan every 3 years from 1978 - 2015 in Australia here. Saab simply never held up under our harsh sun & their resale value was inferior.
Fun fact: The early 240s manufactured in 1975 are sought after in Sweden today! They we're not affected by the tougher emission regulations introduced in 1976, therefor the engine can be swapped for a turbo charged one from another model or even a V8. Great channel! Keep up the good work!
Christopher Jonasson Thanks you, you did build our 760 turbo we enjoyed in my family kid days! We, in Amsterdam, family people all loved the Polar models as kids! Family race car!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really appreciate your work! I'm 940 driver from South Korea. If you worked on 760s, does that mean you worked as a team car builder, but not on production line? I heard volvo had unique way of production back in 80s.
I had a 940 SE, I loved that car more than I have ever loved any car. I relocated to the other side of the world and had to sell it. Mine was one of the very last ever made, it was assembled in Bangkok as an export CKD and sold brand new in 1999.. ironically for a car made/sold in Thailand it still had heated mirrors. The engine was B230 FK which had the low pressure turbo. It was very very expensive, more than double the UK price, and it had the softer suspension as fitted to US cars and softer leather seats than the UK models. I upgraded the suspension. One it had done 120,000 km changed it to LPG before putting another 100,000 km on it, the engine still ran like new. To this day a hotel called The Dynasty Inn in Bangkok has two identical cars from the same batch, same spec, same colour, that are still used as courtesy cars. Both have over a million km each on them, one is on the original engine and the other has a replacement engine. Both run on LPG. I feel the 940's were amongst the best cars in their class ever made.
I had an early 940 in 1990. It had serious problems adapting to unleaded fuel and was very sluggish until at the third attempt the Servicing Dealer checked the throttle linkage and discovered I was only getting about 60%! I did do about 90,000 miles in the two years I had it. As for quality and reliability in mid 1991 the UK importer refused to accept anymore imports until the quality and reliability improved. It must have worked as I had a second in 1992 which was a different car in all respects.
Bought a 1988 740GLE in spring of 1989. Used with maybe 12,000 miles. 5 speed manual with most of the options. Kept it until January 2007 after 368,000 trouble free miles. Reliable like a hammer. She was rather boxy, but loved that car. Well done Volvo, really love your brand.
They really did an excellent job of this car. In the 80s and 90 there was almost a class of people who would own a Volvo. I remember being told to watch out for the Volvos on the UK roads at the time. And it was true, encountering one coming the other way on a dual carriageway and having another push me through a busy London intersection when my old car stalled at the lights. Volvo 7x0 owners seemed to have stories of when they crashed and how they drove home afterwards with all the other cars needing to be towed away.
I loved my 850 wagon. It saved my life on a dark rainy night when it ran into a ditch that flipped round three or four times into a farmer’s field. As I remember it had an in-line five cylinder engine.
The only two cars I ever really regretted moving on; a 960 with the lovely 3 litre straight six, and later a V70 2.5 turbo. Both were fantastic cars in their own right, and both unbeatable for covering long distance.
I love these Volvo 700/900-series cars. The air conditioners were the weak point of these cars, but they were superb in every other aspect. Rock solid build quality. Supreme comfort and safety. Powertrains that easily lasted 200k+ miles, with nary a fluid leak. Repairs were extremely easy. I miss these cars so much. I am one of those strange people who actually loves the boxy style. Quite handsome, especially the wagon version and the later 940/960 sedan. I personally owned a '94 940 Turbo sedan. My mother owned an '89 740 Turbo wagon and a '95 940 sedan. All 3 were extremely reliable, comfortable, with very little in the way of repair costs. The only real annoyance was the fuel economy. The non-turbo version could only manage 25mpg on the interstate and both of our turbo cars could only manage 21mpg interstate. Very thirsty, even for their time. The requirement of premium gas for the turbo made it worse.
@ JR. Elk is going through the windshield and won’t end up good for elk or driver. I live in Northern Canada and believe me I need air conditioning as much as heat.
You don't see so many of these around anymore (they were EVERYWHERE in the early 90s) but the ones that remain always look in decent condition - a testament to their superior build quality and simplicity of maintenance. Not something I expect many modern cars can replicate...modern Volvos included!
Volvo 850's weren't as well built as they used a Belgian factory that took a government grant to get up & running. The Dutch 360GLT was bad too & the 480 worse.
My stepfather bought a fully loaded blue 760 brand new in 1984. He handed down to me in '91 and by the time I stopped driving it in '98 it had almost 300,000 miles of rust-free, dependable service in the Texas heat. It had a quick turbocharged 4 cylinder engine and manual transmission with push-button overdrive, and black leather interior. Although we had to fix the sunroof and a few interior components after the first few years, overall it was a beautiful and solid car that I still miss driving even to this day.
Changes in production runs were usually done during the industrial holiday season when the entire country went on a collective vacation. So, the 940/960 was phased in during the summer of 1990 as MY91, while the 760 was phased out and the 740 was continued for another two years. The 850 was presented in 1991and phased in production during that summer as MY92. The oddballs here are the 740 and the 240, with a two year overlap for the 740 being phased out during the summer of 1992 and the 240 being phased out almost a year later during the spring of 1993. In essence the 240 survived its replacement with almost a whole year, overlapping production for an entire generation of cars. Fun thing is, this isn't the first time Volvo had such an overlap. In 1968 they had a triplet of estates in production with an overlap of the Duett, the Amazon, and the 145 estates. The 145 was presented in the summer of 1968 as MY69, the Duett was phased out during the winter of 68/69, while the Amazon Estate was phased out during the summer of 1969. Production of Amazon sedans continued another year until the summer of 1970.
I´m glad people are picking up on the reliability comment, enough to garner a pinned tweed. the 200 was really only a development of the 100 series which had though some pretty heavy development itself through its 8 year life (plus the extra year for the 164) and while the b21 engine was new, it itself was a development of the b20 engine and carried over the simple k-jet injection. from the windscreen back there were only minor tweaks and on top of that the 240 really wasn´t changed until around 79-80 shows that reliability certainly wasn´t an issue with them. as for the v6 engine, as i understand, problems only started showing up with those engines after a few years with oiling problems etc but that would be right around the end of the 70s and wouldn´t be fixed until the early 80s. for unreliable i think the video is confusing the 200 series with the 300 series which did have a lot of issues (and, strangely, was completely omitted in the video.) there were a few other small errors as well, eg the 260 soldiering on along side the 760 which was the case for less than a year. the last 264s were model year 1982 where the 1st 760s were 1982 models but very few were made. the 260 estate was kept as there was no 760 estate yet and volvo didn´t want to leave that market segment but as soon as the 700 estate was introduced the 260 estate disappeared. another comment about the lineup in the early 90s i guess could have been seen as slightly confusing but it was logical enough where the 900 series was in full swing by 1991 the 740 was kept on as a base model and both were available for only for 2 years (91 and 92.) it´s worth noting that that 240 and the 850 do cross over for 2 years, 1992 and 1993 so volvo had a rather large range for a period (240, 440, 460, 480, 740, 850, 940, 960.) a few other small errors and omissions but one of the big ones was why volvo was nearly bankrupt in the 70s and that was that the oil crisis happened in 73 and people were looking to smaller cars and volvo were really known for large cars. the 343 was introduced in 76 but not well received for the 1st few years and while there was the 66 that was really a niche car and a footnote for volvo. the price of oil was dropping again in the 1980s coinciding with the introduction of the 700 series so through basically luck it was a car at the right time for people to want it. a pretty good video otherwise with interesting points eg the 16v turbo 2 litre engine which is little known
I have to say my mum and dad had volvos when I was growing up. We had several 200 series and they were unbelievably reliable. We, as a family, often reflect back on our yellow 245 wagon with so much fondness we joke about it should have been gold plated and mounted on a wall…. It was well regarded by us all. Fantastic cars. Not the most inspirational of designs but functional and effective.
They made the 740 as a 2.3 litre car, or a 2 litre car for markets where tax conditions greatly favoured cars up to 2 litres. The UK had tax conditions that greatly favoured cars up to 2 litres, but Volvo used the 2.3 litre engine for the UK market. I never worked out why, but it must have really hurt UK fleet sales. There were 740s in UK showrooms in the fall of 1984. I bought a 740GL in the middle of 1985. Its serial number was something like 3000, and its manufacturing date was just a few weeks before my purchase. I was shocked when I saw such a low serial number. The production ramp must have been very slow. The car was early enough to still have a silly teething problem, that had to wait for a fix from the factory. A rather hard to miss tendency for the engine to stop when bringing the car to rest with more than fairly light braking. After that problem was sorted out (which was a serious nuisance, as it took several trips to the dealer), the car needed nothing more than regular service, tyres, battery and an exhaust over the 7 years I had it. I was amused by the colour name for my car. It was a deep lustrous red, that looked really good, and fooled many people into thinking it was a high end type of finish. Mundane car paints usually have wonderfully exotic names, but this lovely finish was simply called "deep red".
When I grew up, my parents had a 1967 Volvo 144S in "King Blue" with matching vinyl interior. We LOVED it. I worked for Hertz Rent-a-Car in Copenhagen Airport with the Volvo 760 GLE was launched. It was (and still is) an impressive car, stylish and aristocratic in its looks inside and out as well as riding. Nothing beats the 1st generation 760 GLE. Wish my parents could have afford it back then, when their 144S "died" in 1985. The 740 series came across as a cheaper version in any way.
My top pick for the 90s was the 97 965. With the premium sound system of course! As a kid, the stuff I pulled off in that car, there aren't words! As for the 05 V70R 6speed........ Almost got locked up, almost lost my license and now the 2018 V90, guess I'm all grown up now, but I hate the computer in the dashboard, I wish it was like the 960S
RIGHT! THAT'S IT!! I'M BECOMING A PATREON!!! Definitely the best video yet. The 850 video is practically within touching distance!! I haven't been this excited in years haha.
In all honesty - seeing a boxy Volvo on the road in 2020 raises a smile from myself and everyone I know. It's iconic styling and, if you ask me, has aged really well. At least in the sense that they look entirely different to anything on the road today, and stand out a mile when they're seen. I miss boxy cars. Last box I owned was a Citroen AX. Never had much of an eye for new Volvos, but as a lover of retro cars I adore an old Volvo. I've unfortunately never owned one, though that will change some day.
One of the big reasons for the 9xx series change was poor rollover performance on the 7xx series sedans. What looked like a style update was actually a significant structural improvement to the rear roof.
@@The1trueDave It even says there on the screen "From the 1990 film "Crazy people" with Dudley Moore" but i knew that anyway since i have seen the film a couple of times at least and thought it was pretty funny. It was quite a while ago that i watched it though, but i remember that fake commercial very well and im a Volvo owner (and a Swede) myself.
@@Stefan- Fair enough, I didn't spot that as I was busy reading the text! 1990 seems a bit late given that (a) they phased it out in '91 and (b) the narrator was talking about 1982 a moment previously, but maybe it was too good a reference to leave out? :-)
The 740 and 760 were stylish spacious practical and comfortable with room for 5 adults, a good amount of boot space for shopping or luggage, decent economy and a pleasant driving experience.
Proud owner of my 2nd 740 wagon. 1989 lasted me for many happy years. And, recently resarrected a 1991 wagon, after it sat for almost 4 years. Love these cars. Not fast but very reliable, if taken care of properly. JT Orlando, Fl
My grandad used to have a white Volvo 740 GLE saloon, I remember sitting in the back, loved that car, went all the way to 300,000 miles, they have a 2004 Volvo S40 2.4 now, still chugging along despite not being driven much
Forgot to mention that 1991 was an even more confusing model year because Volvo also had the 300 series (340/360) being sold concurrently with it's replacement, the 400 series (440/460/480) - at least in Europe since those cars never made it to the U.S.
I currently own a 940 GL and it's the best car I have ever driven. It's reliable and steady on the roads no matter if it's gravel, snow or asphalt. I really love how it is built.
The 7 series were great cars ,in the early 2000s I looked after a 740 estate 2.4td for a few years for a Swedish lady in the uk ,she brought it from new on a j plate in 1991 so was the face lift,after 350k we replaced the engine with a brand new unit and turbo and up till i left it I saw the lady in 2007 and it was over 700k miles and still in immaculate condition solid as a rock,fantastic car built to last ,I remember when the 850 came out I soooooo wanted a t5 and 850r but I was only 22 so it was just a dream lol,great video ,more great happy memories 👍😉
I had a 1994 850 GLT with a 5-speed (a rarity in the US), had to look hard for one with the desired equipment level. I LOVED that car, it was my favorite car out of all those that I've owned. I liked the way it looked, I liked the way it drove, it was comfortable and reasonably efficient, and it was generally very reliable as long as it was taken care of. Finally parted ways with it in 2010 with over 250,000 miles on the clock. Only the AC and and some dashboard lights had stopped working at that time (admittedly, the AC would have been expensive to fix.) Engine and original clutch were still strong! Can't say I was as excited about the 940/960 series, perhaps because rear wheel drive is a bit of an impediment in the snow belt where I live, but the familiar Volvo looks are a source of comfort and reassurance to my eyes. I don't look at Volvos quite the same way today, although the current S90 is quite the looker!
AC often is cheap to fix - the clutch wears out and you have to remove some shims to make it work again. Relatively easy to work on these cars. If you are inclined to do some stuff yourself: perfect cars!
jason9022 I think the ‘94s were better! :) Seriously, Volvo made quite a lot of adjustments after only one model year, although I doubt there were major changes to the engine. My 5-cylinder engine was wonderful, despite the Hoover-like sounds characteristic of this motor. No oil leaks. Ever.
I grew up in a 245 and then a 945. I have owned 3 240s (still have all 3...), a 740 GLE and my current daily driver is a top-spec 1997 960. All very good cars in their own way. The 740 had really good fuel economy. My personal best was 32 mpg.
I found your channel a couple days ago and I am so glad that I did! I Love how much historical value and knowledge you share in them. I am hopeful that you will continue to expand and share about other brands and models I care about :)
I had a 1985 740GL until about 4 years ago, and if the front suspension repair it ended up requiring hadn't been deemed to be more more expensive than the car was worth, I'd probably still be driving it today. At 30 years of age, it still looked like a new car, drove really nicely and was the most reliable vehicle I ever owned.
I love the boxy look of these cars. I loved them so much I bought a VW Fox because I couldn't afford a Volvo, but i wanted as much of the look as I could get. . Yeah, that was a mistake, but I was 20 and it was our first car.
Thanks for the very interesting video. I have driven 745 and 945 for 15 years, they were indeed very robust, simple cars, a dream to maintain. There were only few flaws, one being the overdrive gear in the early 740 models. The rear wheel drive was a lot of fun on snowy roads, however it was a pain in winter when you had to go uphills. But the space, oh the space. There were very, very few station wagons with this amount of space. Maybe the most outstanding factor was the ridiculously small turning radius for a car almost 5 meters in length. It was so much fun to maneuver in cities, especially in parking garages and on ferries.
Fun Fact: All big Volvos were fully galvanised since 1962. The Bertone made ones were the only ecceptions from that rule, them being the 262C and 780. Get your "fun facts" straight…
I love these old school Volvos. The 240 is legend - my family owned 2 estates - they were superb cars, and contrary to the early reliability issues, steady as a rock.. However, the 960’s replacement, the S90 and V90, were brill8ant. The V90 is possibly the nicest car I’ve ever driven - and I’m currently an Audi A6 driver.......
yep had 3 x 240 series in the early eighties young kids SAFETY , very reliable and the 242 GT was a real goer , moved onto a 535 and 735 and lots of BMW unreliability , those Volvo 4 cylinder engines were so tough .
Great vid ! Worked for a Volvo dealer in this time frame back in the day, they had a great line up of sturdy and reliable cars, remember buying a 14 year old pea green '76 240DL trade in for about 100 squid, it was completely clapped out mechamically I am sure it had been clocked but I fixed it up with the running gear and beige interior trim from a wrecked '82 GL. What a stonking car to be driving, made selling 740/760 range easy as I could point to my old banger as an example of the great reputation for reliability and longevity while pointing to the lovely edgy new model that had virtually the same running gear. Models to look out for from that period the 240GLT and the 960 with that fabulous straight 6, and independent suspension all round, though driving any of them could be good fun.
Bought my 1990 740 turbo wagon for 400 bucks, was initially a parts car cause I wanted the turbo motor for my 240 but ended up falling in love with it and now she's my daily driver over 250 thousand and still going. I pray ole black Betty never dies.
I wonder if they really tried to hide the origins from the market testers. Hellen Keller could tell that was a Volvo (or at least Volvo design) from 100yds.
Most manufacturers wish they had the same problem Volvo had with the 200 series. Initial investment has been paid off for years. No new R&D required. No new stamping is needed because customers actually want one that looks like previous models. And they keep selling as many as they make. Yes, they probably cannibalized some 700/800 series sales, but they weren't loosing them to a different company.
Wish I could have owned a 740 when new. I have owned 4 different 740s, two NA and two turbo. They all cost under $1500, cheapest was $450. They all looked great, even though over 20 years old and in maine where most cars that age have a lot of rust. Never had to work on the motor or trans, even though they all had over 200k miles. They had some electrical issues, and normal wear and tear. They handled great in the snow! Were fun even though low powered, due to being RWD. Get on some snow or dirt roads and drive around. The carried over 4cyl was tough, though not especially powerful, refined or fuel efficient. But damn, for under $1500 they were the best dang cars I've owned. The $450 one was a '91 740 turbo wagon with all the trimmings. Everything still worked, it could spin the tires and just felt like WAY more car than you paid for. It was really a shame when volvo ditched RWD and even worse when they sold to ford. I've owned a couple 850's and a V40...while not bad cars, they were not a tank like the 740.
Thank you for another excellent video , always liked Volvo and this was a fascinating chapter in their history. Really look forward to your videos , nice to come home tonight and find it waiting their foe me. (:
Still looks great,in my opinion.Classic design...Just like those classic Lincoln cars from the sixties,sometimes a few almost completely straight lines just work,and create a beautifully balanced shape,instead of being just a box. Seems really simple,but very difficult to achieve in reality.
Had several early 2 series Volvos...all were remarkably reliable. Their real problem was not enough weight over the rear axle and they were too thirsty. Had a 240gl estate that managed just 18mpg!
Had a '90 Volvo 740 Salon with the B234F engine and the 4+1 gear manual for over 5 years. I did most of the service myself, but had to sell it to somebody who could take more care of it than I could. A great car, still miss it a little bit. its boxy shape and because it is surprisingly narrow means you had no trouble finding parking space.
I had a 1990 740 Turbo 16V (B204FT) saloon many years ago. Sold it to a guy that wanted to restore it since it was the only original 740 T16v in Norway.
I still have my 1998 LPT Classic 940 estate that i bought in 2003, its the best car that ive ever had and probably ever will. Crazy reliable, never had any serious problems. Easy to work on, easy to find parts and cheap and the trunk has a lot of space.
Just a note about 240 vs 260 or 760 vs 740 or so. The 6s were always the nicer Volvos. Both were high quality and such and solid but I don't know if the shock damping was different or noise reduction, but the 6s had a premium, near luxury feel that the 4s didn't quite have. I was introduced to the 6s level (164E) and the 4s are decontented versions. The original 700 series was the 760, the lux version. The 740 came later and while nice, wasn't quite as lux as the 760 or refined feeling (although the 760 Turbo used a turbo 4 since the PRV 6 had issues). The 264s also felt nicer and smoother than the 244s as well.
@@mattmatt9971 Have had it four years, has about 34 000 Kilometers on it now. No trouble other than normal wear (have replaced shock absorbers and ball joints etc.). Only thing that happens once a year is the waste gate arm jumping out of its place on the turbo making it charge zero. It´s an easy 15 minutes fix though. Only negative thing a have to say about the car is the fuel consumption, but it is nothing spectacular.
I had a 2003 V70 non-turbo, 5 cylinder 2.4 for some years in England, it was an absolute gem of a car in every way. My only gripe was with the 17” wheels the turning circle was poor but that was a minor issue to deal with
Bought my first Volvo 122, in UK ,, in1968. Second car was a 142S in Sydney, then a Volvo 120 ex works rally car in 1971. Another 1960 ,120 , which was sold and restored. Next car was an 245 DL, and when sold , still had the original engine, with 760,000 kms on it. Had two 240 series cars, one being a wagon. After these, a 740 Gl ended up in the garage. Gave this car to an old penioner, who still has it today. Great car. Next was a lively 850 GLE , which n o w lives in my daughters garage. Next was an 850 GLT. Should never have sold it. Traded it on a S40 , which was then traded on a VW Golf. That was sold, and now have a nice and quick S40 Turbo. I think I love my Volvos !
Excellent video on an excellent car. Minor gripe: multi-link suspension in mass-produced cars dates back longer than you made it seam to be (12:21 time). E.g. the Mercedes W201 from 1982 had it, as had the W124 soon after. But it's minor, really. The 740/760 was such a hit back then, and so much different from the Audi 100 and Mercedes W124! Truly a modern classic. Keep up the good work!
My dad had an 86 760 turbo. I remember going with him and brother on weekend morning driving my brothers paper route. After we finished, he liked to open it up on the way home. Good times
they miss the fact that the 360 glt was one of the best handing small cars on the market i had 3 of them , but volvo could have sold more if they had fitted the 2.3 motor instead of the 2.0 , yes the 400 series was crap
I loved my 740, I owned a 760, it got terrible gas mileage, the 740 was awesome, but too light in the rear, I live in Columbus Ohio, driving up hills was nearly impossible....the classic B25-30 4 cyl engines were easy to work on. Also a problem of the older Volvo's was that the wires vinyl coating would succumb to weather and crumble causing shorts, keeping up with wiring and connections was something you eventually HAD to tackle....I never understood it, something as simple as wiring was a constant problem for them. I've been driving Volvo's for decades now, the highest mileage i got was over 400K on a 79 240. I'm driving a 960 right now...i refuse to buy a Ford made Volvo
Volvo could simply not build a bether car, then the 2/700 series. But.. You forgot about the 3/400 series, and Volvo didnt do that bad in the 70's. (remember ther was a resesion in the whole auto industry) 240/740/940s are stil common on the road in both Norway and Sweden.
I remember 1988, being 12 and fascinated and humbled by this imposing car that was parked in a road nearby our house: a bordeaux red Volvo 760. Sometimes I still recall those feelings when I see it
I mention the 240 was unreliable - in the first 1-2 years of manufacture. After that they solved the reliability problems.
Yeah. Volvo manufactures some of the most reliable vehicles in human history.
What's funny is, most are afraid of purchasing a mid mileage used Volvo. (1-200K miles) Afraid of what Volvo dealers will charge them to change a freaking sparkplug.
Long story short: Our used car lot commonly purchases mid mileage Volvos at auction for anywhere from $375 to 3K and resell them for 3-10 times purchase price. With very few coming back with mechanical issues. The same can't be said for Fords, Chevys, Cadillacs, Pontiacs Dodge Chrysler Lincoln Mercury HumVee/Chevy....ya gotta get an old Mercedes or BMW to hang with used Volvos. Or just get a 1987 Jeep Cherokee 4.0 and put 1/2 million miles on it going places monster trucks couldn't even go.
Anyway, love your content @Big Car. Huge thumbs up again.
Of course Toyota Honda duh.
@B Brunson
Yeah. Or '70 Plymouth Barracuda. Lol 340 6 pack.
Big Car why is your name big car ?
@@a-manlordsoftime755 Good question! I picked a generic name that was easy to remember and matched the icon I chose. When I started my channel I didn't even think I'd do car videos exclusively.
@@a-manlordsoftime755
Because tiny car was taken. And tests showed that ugly car wouldn't be so popular. Not to mention big fat car.
Still a common car In Sweden. Manny young driver started in a 740. The serviceability keep them on the road.
Manufacturers don't want their cars to be _so much_ reliable.
DuesenbergJ
most men left, Sweden is too liberal, cheap crap cars, way to big, fuel!!!!!!!!
Denmark people do understand!
Old volvos, saabs, mercedes and toyotas are almost only 80s cars you still see on road every day here in finland, they are so reliable cars
Still see many here in Austria too, I want one too
Similar thing in australia with the ford falcons, they are everywhere
Ive bought in 1987 a brand new white 740GL..with a typical blue interior. Drove it for 390.000 km, sold it in 2000 in favor of a new S80 2.4 170hp. That was a huge mistake....the old 740 let me never down..the S80, pffff
And stranly enough..the S80 is scrapped already several years..the 740 still running around and hit nearly 700.000km. ( FIRST engine!!!) Legendary stuff
Jeah, volvos after 2000 are a bit strange, and thats why i still drive 1996 850 2.4 10v and xc 70 from 1999 2.5 turbo, and i kept my first car witch was 740 2.3 turbo/intercooler from 1985, and i am so happy that i didnt sell it, i kept it in a garage and restored it in about 7 years, soon it will be back on a road.
The Mechanic
we did 760 lambazon Turbo in the 1986?? years, the lower models are crap, way toooo heavy!
You do have Renault engine, cheap injection engine, slow.....NOT Legendary!!!! heavy weirdo crap cars!!!!
Only the US Turbo models are still good now!
They all need way toooooo many service, you have weirdo hobby?
@@lucasrem ,
Euh....ive owend a 740Gl redblock 2.3L 113hp. Slow....naaa ok, not the fastest thing in the world ,agree with that. But it just needed the basic maintenance...to go for ever.
Never said...the 740 and the 760's been rockets. Surely the 760 PRV V6 engine was a real bummer....even in the Alpine 310.
i own a bycicle and its gone further thatn either of u
I've had the opposite situation. I had a '90 760 with the 4 cylinder turbo. It was getting very expensive to repair and I replaced it with a 2002 s80 turbo 6. The 760 was replaced at 122,000 miles with a ton of problems and expensive repairs while the s80 has surprisingly few problems. The most expensive was a fuel pump needing replacement at around 150,000 miles. It's going strong now at around 160,000 miles.
Just love that they went snowdrifting with three 740s in a commercial! In Sweden it's still the most popular car as winterbeaters.
Volvo is the most reliable car in the winter and sweden have alot of snow. Volvo does have its downsides such as being whatever but its still a good first car and it will start as long as you keep a normal maintence up.
@iLoveEbola yes
I used to drive a 744 and 745T in Canada. They are great.
One caution though, you need very good winter tires for a RWD car. Preferably studded Nokians.
@@lokelaufeyson9931 FR layout still works well enough in snow?
cant forget about saab being just as good of a winter car as volvo. volvo is just more popular
I daily a 1990 780 Bertone and it is such a smooth ride that receives a ton of compliments! It really showcases Volvo’s good build quality back in the day.
How long did the paint finish last?
As a Volvo owner I can confirm I have also been thoroughly confused by the lineup in the early nineties. Thanks for another great feature!
I was confused to, but figured all those models must be selling.
weird, it is very easy. 740/940/240 for the real people. 460/850 for the dumb motherfuckers
I own a Volvo 940 Turbo (Stationvagon) It's been in my family since my father bought it in 2000. (Built in 1998) My father used to be a mechanic for Volvo and this was his baby. It doesn't have a singe particle of rust witch very unusual in my country due to all of the salt on the roads. We buy original parts for it threw Volvo. 20 years in my family, I hope (and think) we're going to get another 20 years.
ahr332 Ram Vepsen
We love that 760 Polar Turbo in 1986 years!!!!!
only the Turbo Volvo cars were good, rest are too heavy crap!
My father kept the old 260 Turbo Polar, able to buy in the 1990 ish years!
We still have it
Still have two old 740 2.3 litre turbo estates, high miles (200k) on both but the engines are perfect and are started every week and run for a few miles, sadly the fuel economy means they are going to the scrap yard, now driving a couple of older V70 D5 models which are good cars until the steering rack leaks when they have to be scrapped due to repair costs but I would still buy another D5, good economy from a reasonable large engine and great reliability which the 2.3 petrol turbo did not have.
Do you still have it?
I don't need a new car. I own a 940 turbo and that's all I need.
same here
I miss my 760T! Damn fine piece of auto engineering.
big crap car, fuel!!!!!!!
I just sold my 960 3 litre, only sold it because it does 22mpg and I have a 2 hour commute eachday for my new job, should have lef the job and not the car.
@@themightydash1714 I regretted letting mine go, despite the fuel economy.
This video got me thinking about my relationship with Volvos.
My dad was shopping for cars in the mid-80's and we came so close to buying a silver 244GLE sedan (with dark blue velour interior - beautiful car). 3 test drives, multiple drive-bys of the dealership...But he passed on that. Then in 1987, I came home from school to find a beautiful soft metallic green 760GLE in the driveway (with really light tan leather interior). A stunner. That car went everywhere. It was even the car that my bride arrived in on the big day in Dec '93! That car was just such an awesome driver, just a bit heavy on the fuel bill! When I moved to Canada, we bought a 2002 S40 which I loved. An amazing highway car, especially in winter heading to the mountains. I loved the mystery "winter" button which slowed the revs to the drive, so you wouldn't spin the tyres from a standing start. Sadly, I had to sell her (to a buddy) when I moved provinces in 2010 and she was later written off in an accident (T-boned in an intersection but thankfully his wife was OK - good old Volvo engineering & safety!).
I may have to look into continuing the family history with Volvo!
Thanks for this video. Some good memories rekindled.
So what did your Dad buy instead of the Volvo 240 GLE? Do you remember?
My parents bought a brand new Volvo sedan every 3 years from 1978 - 2015 in Australia here. Saab simply never held up under our harsh sun & their resale value was inferior.
Fun fact: The early 240s manufactured in 1975 are sought after in Sweden today! They we're not affected by the tougher emission regulations introduced in 1976,
therefor the engine can be swapped for a turbo charged one from another model or even a V8.
Great channel! Keep up the good work!
Worked at the Gothenburg Volvo factory when 760:s production started
Christopher Jonasson that’s great! Do you drive one of the new ones?
Christopher Jonasson
Thanks you, you did build our 760 turbo we enjoyed in my family kid days!
We, in Amsterdam, family people all loved the Polar models as kids!
Family race car!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@hr9592 Naa, not so new we have a 2010 V70 d5 (polestar) and an old S70 (1997 ) with 350000 km on the odometer, still use it everyday
Nice! So did my Dad Stefan Philipsen from 1980 to 2014 at "bandet" and "på plan"
Really appreciate your work! I'm 940 driver from South Korea. If you worked on 760s, does that mean you worked as a team car builder, but not on production line? I heard volvo had unique way of production back in 80s.
I had a 940 SE, I loved that car more than I have ever loved any car. I relocated to the other side of the world and had to sell it. Mine was one of the very last ever made, it was assembled in Bangkok as an export CKD and sold brand new in 1999.. ironically for a car made/sold in Thailand it still had heated mirrors. The engine was B230 FK which had the low pressure turbo. It was very very expensive, more than double the UK price, and it had the softer suspension as fitted to US cars and softer leather seats than the UK models. I upgraded the suspension. One it had done 120,000 km changed it to LPG before putting another 100,000 km on it, the engine still ran like new. To this day a hotel called The Dynasty Inn in Bangkok has two identical cars from the same batch, same spec, same colour, that are still used as courtesy cars. Both have over a million km each on them, one is on the original engine and the other has a replacement engine. Both run on LPG. I feel the 940's were amongst the best cars in their class ever made.
I had an early 940 in 1990. It had serious problems adapting to unleaded fuel and was very sluggish until at the third attempt the Servicing Dealer checked the throttle linkage and discovered I was only getting about 60%! I did do about 90,000 miles in the two years I had it. As for quality and reliability in mid 1991 the UK importer refused to accept anymore imports until the quality and reliability improved. It must have worked as I had a second in 1992 which was a different car in all respects.
Among?! THE BEST cars ever made ! (and also the most beautiful ones!)
Bought a 1988 740GLE in spring of 1989. Used with maybe 12,000 miles. 5 speed manual with most of the options.
Kept it until January 2007 after 368,000 trouble free miles. Reliable like a hammer. She was rather boxy, but loved that car. Well done Volvo, really love your brand.
Boxy but good! lol
They really did an excellent job of this car. In the 80s and 90 there was almost a class of people who would own a Volvo.
I remember being told to watch out for the Volvos on the UK roads at the time. And it was true, encountering one coming the other way on a dual carriageway and having another push me through a busy London intersection when my old car stalled at the lights. Volvo 7x0 owners seemed to have stories of when they crashed and how they drove home afterwards with all the other cars needing to be towed away.
My first car was a 760 turbo. For a 1989 vehicle it really did have a sharp interior, lots of options, and nice handling.
I love the Volvo 700 Series. I've owned a 1990 740 SE estate since 2003, and it's been a wonderful car :)
turbo?
you never owned a new Volvo?
@@lucasrem The newest one I've so far owned was a 1997 V70.
I loved my 850 wagon. It saved my life on a dark rainy night when it ran into a ditch that flipped round three or four times into a farmer’s field.
As I remember it had an in-line five cylinder engine.
It did had a 5-cyl engine 😊 Every 850 and even V70 from 97 to 08 was 5-cyl only 😁
Were you injured in that accident? If yes, what was the injury? Car was totaled?
@jason9022 kind of fast, and yes it handles like shit haha. Still love it though, and talk to it every time I get in and get out.
these cars were absolute beasts. Saw them on the roads up till about 10 years ago. Very safe, very reliable, very good sheet metal.
Mostly galvanized or 'Zincrometal' was used on them from '87 on.
The only two cars I ever really regretted moving on; a 960 with the lovely 3 litre straight six, and later a V70 2.5 turbo. Both were fantastic cars in their own right, and both unbeatable for covering long distance.
I believe it. I pick through junkyards and when poking through the Volvos you can see the proper interiors with complete insulation unlike other cars
I really miss my S80 V8
Try recreating the ad with modern cars, it would break after the first bump
nah it wouldnt break, it would just go into a crash mode locking itself down to 30kmh and requiring you to go to the nearest certified service
@@sixunity1171 And a $150 service fee just to diagnose the problem!
I love these Volvo 700/900-series cars. The air conditioners were the weak point of these cars, but they were superb in every other aspect. Rock solid build quality. Supreme comfort and safety. Powertrains that easily lasted 200k+ miles, with nary a fluid leak. Repairs were extremely easy. I miss these cars so much. I am one of those strange people who actually loves the boxy style. Quite handsome, especially the wagon version and the later 940/960 sedan. I personally owned a '94 940 Turbo sedan. My mother owned an '89 740 Turbo wagon and a '95 940 sedan. All 3 were extremely reliable, comfortable, with very little in the way of repair costs. The only real annoyance was the fuel economy. The non-turbo version could only manage 25mpg on the interstate and both of our turbo cars could only manage 21mpg interstate. Very thirsty, even for their time. The requirement of premium gas for the turbo made it worse.
Air conditioners? What is that? we need a car that have a big heaters and can take a elk impact....
@ JR. Elk is going through the windshield and won’t end up good for elk or driver.
I live in Northern Canada and believe me I need air conditioning as much as heat.
You are not alone, i really like the way my 940 estate looks.
@@Bartonovich52 I lived in Georgia, USA at the time and air conditioning was mandatory for survival.
@@Bartonovich52 Isn't any part of Canada "Northern"? lol
You don't see so many of these around anymore (they were EVERYWHERE in the early 90s) but the ones that remain always look in decent condition - a testament to their superior build quality and simplicity of maintenance. Not something I expect many modern cars can replicate...modern Volvos included!
Volvo 850's weren't as well built as they used a Belgian factory that took a government grant to get up & running. The Dutch 360GLT was bad too & the 480 worse.
@BB-xx3dv Yep, they have where I live. Just mine is left!
I like Roy Axe’s comment: “It will look great - once they take it out of the packing crate”
😂
Bit harsh considering some his best efforts include..... Talbot Tagora, Talbot Horizon et al
My stepfather bought a fully loaded blue 760 brand new in 1984. He handed down to me in '91 and by the time I stopped driving it in '98 it had almost 300,000 miles of rust-free, dependable service in the Texas heat. It had a quick turbocharged 4 cylinder engine and manual transmission with push-button overdrive, and black leather interior. Although we had to fix the sunroof and a few interior components after the first few years, overall it was a beautiful and solid car that I still miss driving even to this day.
Changes in production runs were usually done during the industrial holiday season when the entire country went on a collective vacation.
So, the 940/960 was phased in during the summer of 1990 as MY91, while the 760 was phased out and the 740 was continued for another two years. The 850 was presented in 1991and phased in production during that summer as MY92.
The oddballs here are the 740 and the 240, with a two year overlap for the 740 being phased out during the summer of 1992 and the 240 being phased out almost a year later during the spring of 1993. In essence the 240 survived its replacement with almost a whole year, overlapping production for an entire generation of cars.
Fun thing is, this isn't the first time Volvo had such an overlap. In 1968 they had a triplet of estates in production with an overlap of the Duett, the Amazon, and the 145 estates. The 145 was presented in the summer of 1968 as MY69, the Duett was phased out during the winter of 68/69, while the Amazon Estate was phased out during the summer of 1969. Production of Amazon sedans continued another year until the summer of 1970.
I´m glad people are picking up on the reliability comment, enough to garner a pinned tweed. the 200 was really only a development of the 100 series which had though some pretty heavy development itself through its 8 year life (plus the extra year for the 164) and while the b21 engine was new, it itself was a development of the b20 engine and carried over the simple k-jet injection. from the windscreen back there were only minor tweaks and on top of that the 240 really wasn´t changed until around 79-80 shows that reliability certainly wasn´t an issue with them. as for the v6 engine, as i understand, problems only started showing up with those engines after a few years with oiling problems etc but that would be right around the end of the 70s and wouldn´t be fixed until the early 80s. for unreliable i think the video is confusing the 200 series with the 300 series which did have a lot of issues (and, strangely, was completely omitted in the video.) there were a few other small errors as well, eg the 260 soldiering on along side the 760 which was the case for less than a year. the last 264s were model year 1982 where the 1st 760s were 1982 models but very few were made. the 260 estate was kept as there was no 760 estate yet and volvo didn´t want to leave that market segment but as soon as the 700 estate was introduced the 260 estate disappeared. another comment about the lineup in the early 90s i guess could have been seen as slightly confusing but it was logical enough where the 900 series was in full swing by 1991 the 740 was kept on as a base model and both were available for only for 2 years (91 and 92.) it´s worth noting that that 240 and the 850 do cross over for 2 years, 1992 and 1993 so volvo had a rather large range for a period (240, 440, 460, 480, 740, 850, 940, 960.) a few other small errors and omissions but one of the big ones was why volvo was nearly bankrupt in the 70s and that was that the oil crisis happened in 73 and people were looking to smaller cars and volvo were really known for large cars. the 343 was introduced in 76 but not well received for the 1st few years and while there was the 66 that was really a niche car and a footnote for volvo. the price of oil was dropping again in the 1980s coinciding with the introduction of the 700 series so through basically luck it was a car at the right time for people to want it. a pretty good video otherwise with interesting points eg the 16v turbo 2 litre engine which is little known
I have to say my mum and dad had volvos when I was growing up. We had several 200 series and they were unbelievably reliable. We, as a family, often reflect back on our yellow 245 wagon with so much fondness we joke about it should have been gold plated and mounted on a wall…. It was well regarded by us all. Fantastic cars. Not the most inspirational of designs but functional and effective.
They made the 740 as a 2.3 litre car, or a 2 litre car for markets where tax conditions greatly favoured cars up to 2 litres. The UK had tax conditions that greatly favoured cars up to 2 litres, but Volvo used the 2.3 litre engine for the UK market. I never worked out why, but it must have really hurt UK fleet sales.
There were 740s in UK showrooms in the fall of 1984. I bought a 740GL in the middle of 1985. Its serial number was something like 3000, and its manufacturing date was just a few weeks before my purchase. I was shocked when I saw such a low serial number. The production ramp must have been very slow. The car was early enough to still have a silly teething problem, that had to wait for a fix from the factory. A rather hard to miss tendency for the engine to stop when bringing the car to rest with more than fairly light braking. After that problem was sorted out (which was a serious nuisance, as it took several trips to the dealer), the car needed nothing more than regular service, tyres, battery and an exhaust over the 7 years I had it.
I was amused by the colour name for my car. It was a deep lustrous red, that looked really good, and fooled many people into thinking it was a high end type of finish. Mundane car paints usually have wonderfully exotic names, but this lovely finish was simply called "deep red".
That color is also known as wine red here in Sweden
My wife had a 760 turbo when we met. Few cars match its seats in my experience. You forgot about the 400 series that came out in 1988
You did the right thing to marry her if she owned a 760 turbo when you first met!
@@Zedifier she must have had kids, needing Volvo!
When I grew up, my parents had a 1967 Volvo 144S in "King Blue" with matching vinyl interior. We LOVED it.
I worked for Hertz Rent-a-Car in Copenhagen Airport with the Volvo 760 GLE was launched.
It was (and still is) an impressive car, stylish and aristocratic in its looks inside and out as well as riding.
Nothing beats the 1st generation 760 GLE. Wish my parents could have afford it back then, when their 144S "died" in 1985.
The 740 series came across as a cheaper version in any way.
1:00 that's Elon Musk's Cybertruck damn it.
raulio81 No its the other way around. Swedish engineering is the mother of everything😌
👍🏻
My top pick for the 90s was the 97 965. With the premium sound system of course! As a kid, the stuff I pulled off in that car, there aren't words! As for the 05 V70R 6speed........ Almost got locked up, almost lost my license and now the 2018 V90, guess I'm all grown up now, but I hate the computer in the dashboard, I wish it was like the 960S
RIGHT! THAT'S IT!! I'M BECOMING A PATREON!!! Definitely the best video yet. The 850 video is practically within touching distance!! I haven't been this excited in years haha.
It's great to have you Karl! And your persistence may have been why I decided to go back and do this Volvo...
@@BigCar2 What a lovely comment. Thank you!! :D
In all honesty - seeing a boxy Volvo on the road in 2020 raises a smile from myself and everyone I know. It's iconic styling and, if you ask me, has aged really well. At least in the sense that they look entirely different to anything on the road today, and stand out a mile when they're seen.
I miss boxy cars. Last box I owned was a Citroen AX. Never had much of an eye for new Volvos, but as a lover of retro cars I adore an old Volvo. I've unfortunately never owned one, though that will change some day.
Loved my '89 760 wagon. One of the best cars I've ever driven.
One of the big reasons for the 9xx series change was poor rollover performance on the 7xx series sedans. What looked like a style update was actually a significant structural improvement to the rear roof.
8:45 The first and only time that the A.I.D.S. epidemic was used in marketing a car. 😊
yes sir
Yeah, but it was from a comedy movie.
@@Stefan- That explains a lot, it certainly looked pretty clumsy if you didn't know that!
@@The1trueDave It even says there on the screen "From the 1990 film "Crazy people" with Dudley Moore" but i knew that anyway since i have seen the film a couple of times at least and thought it was pretty funny. It was quite a while ago that i watched it though, but i remember that fake commercial very well and im a Volvo owner (and a Swede) myself.
@@Stefan- Fair enough, I didn't spot that as I was busy reading the text!
1990 seems a bit late given that (a) they phased it out in '91 and (b) the narrator was talking about 1982 a moment previously, but maybe it was too good a reference to leave out? :-)
The 740 and 760 were stylish spacious practical and comfortable with room for 5 adults, a good amount of boot space for shopping or luggage, decent economy and a pleasant driving experience.
Proud owner of my 2nd 740 wagon. 1989 lasted me for many happy years. And, recently resarrected a 1991 wagon, after it sat for almost 4 years. Love these cars. Not fast but very reliable, if taken care of properly.
JT
Orlando, Fl
My grandad used to have a white Volvo 740 GLE saloon, I remember sitting in the back, loved that car, went all the way to 300,000 miles, they have a 2004 Volvo S40 2.4 now, still chugging along despite not being driven much
I've always wanted a "turbo stick brick", or a 740 turbo station wagon with the 5 speed manual transmission.
Tyler hoovie got one has a few videos on it ,,hoovies garage
i got a 744 turbo with 5 speed (overdrive). its awesome but it makes alot of problems, like most old cars
@@davidpistek6241 I think his ex has it now! lol
Forgot to mention that 1991 was an even more confusing model year because Volvo also had the 300 series (340/360) being sold concurrently with it's replacement, the 400 series (440/460/480) - at least in Europe since those cars never made it to the U.S.
At least Volvo didn’t lie when they compare their car to Porsche 944.
BANDVIT Romania ios
Ford brought the Automobile Craiova plant, did they produced 944 too?
Family cars...Sad....
Actually Porsche did. The 944 never came with four doors.
I currently own a 940 GL and it's the best car I have ever driven. It's reliable and steady on the roads no matter if it's gravel, snow or asphalt. I really love how it is built.
2:36 ah yes, the cybertruck
The cyberminivan
Elon musk: write that down
The 7 series were great cars ,in the early 2000s I looked after a 740 estate 2.4td for a few years for a Swedish lady in the uk ,she brought it from new on a j plate in 1991 so was the face lift,after 350k we replaced the engine with a brand new unit and turbo and up till i left it I saw the lady in 2007 and it was over 700k miles and still in immaculate condition solid as a rock,fantastic car built to last ,I remember when the 850 came out I soooooo wanted a t5 and 850r but I was only 22 so it was just a dream lol,great video ,more great happy memories 👍😉
I love these videos! Please continue the Volvo story into the '00, especially the estate cars. Had a XC70 2003 for 14 years and loved it.
Very likely. I also had an XC70 around the same time in green. It was a great car!
Out of the 700 series, the 740 turbo intercooler estate was the best and most economical. Still drive one today.
I had a 1994 850 GLT with a 5-speed (a rarity in the US), had to look hard for one with the desired equipment level. I LOVED that car, it was my favorite car out of all those that I've owned. I liked the way it looked, I liked the way it drove, it was comfortable and reasonably efficient, and it was generally very reliable as long as it was taken care of. Finally parted ways with it in 2010 with over 250,000 miles on the clock. Only the AC and and some dashboard lights had stopped working at that time (admittedly, the AC would have been expensive to fix.) Engine and original clutch were still strong!
Can't say I was as excited about the 940/960 series, perhaps because rear wheel drive is a bit of an impediment in the snow belt where I live, but the familiar Volvo looks are a source of comfort and reassurance to my eyes. I don't look at Volvos quite the same way today, although the current S90 is quite the looker!
AC often is cheap to fix - the clutch wears out and you have to remove some shims to make it work again. Relatively easy to work on these cars. If you are inclined to do some stuff yourself: perfect cars!
@jason9022 mine didn't. But then, I did some maintenance now and then.
jason9022 I think the ‘94s were better! :) Seriously, Volvo made quite a lot of adjustments after only one model year, although I doubt there were major changes to the engine. My 5-cylinder engine was wonderful, despite the Hoover-like sounds characteristic of this motor. No oil leaks. Ever.
I grew up in a 245 and then a 945. I have owned 3 240s (still have all 3...), a 740 GLE and my current daily driver is a top-spec 1997 960. All very good cars in their own way. The 740 had really good fuel economy. My personal best was 32 mpg.
I found your channel a couple days ago and I am so glad that I did! I Love how much historical value and knowledge you share in them. I am hopeful that you will continue to expand and share about other brands and models I care about :)
Welcome aboard!
I had a 1985 740GL until about 4 years ago, and if the front suspension repair it ended up requiring hadn't been deemed to be more more expensive than the car was worth, I'd probably still be driving it today. At 30 years of age, it still looked like a new car, drove really nicely and was the most reliable vehicle I ever owned.
Great video. We had a 1989 740 Turbo Intercooler. It was magnificent.
As a 544, 740, 240 owner i absolutely love these videos. Thank you.
I love the boxy look of these cars. I loved them so much I bought a VW Fox because I couldn't afford a Volvo, but i wanted as much of the look as I could get. . Yeah, that was a mistake, but I was 20 and it was our first car.
First car I ever drove was a 1985 Volvo 240GL when I was 16. 16 years later, am the proud owner of a 940 Turbo and 940GL LPT.
I've owned 5 various 740 turbos in manuals and automatics. Currently driving another 740 turbo. I've got to say, these cars are fantastic lol
Thanks for the very interesting video. I have driven 745 and 945 for 15 years, they were indeed very robust, simple cars, a dream to maintain. There were only few flaws, one being the overdrive gear in the early 740 models. The rear wheel drive was a lot of fun on snowy roads, however it was a pain in winter when you had to go uphills.
But the space, oh the space. There were very, very few station wagons with this amount of space.
Maybe the most outstanding factor was the ridiculously small turning radius for a car almost 5 meters in length. It was so much fun to maneuver in cities, especially in parking garages and on ferries.
Fun fact: the 1982-1984 760's and 740's were such incredible rustbuckets they started galvanizing them in '85
Fun Fact: All big Volvos were fully galvanised since 1962. The Bertone made ones were the only ecceptions from that rule, them being the 262C and 780. Get your "fun facts" straight…
@@zweispurmopped these early 740's must be an exemption to this rule then, have seen plenty of them. Get your "fun facts" straight...
@Henry Discipline I highly doubt it
Yes, on Finnish Volvo site they said, that galvanizing started in mid 1980's (lower part of body). Full 740 galvanizing started perhaps 1989-1990.
Better to use stainless steel.
I love these old school Volvos. The 240 is legend - my family owned 2 estates - they were superb cars, and contrary to the early reliability issues, steady as a rock.. However, the 960’s replacement, the S90 and V90, were brill8ant. The V90 is possibly the nicest car I’ve ever driven - and I’m currently an Audi A6 driver.......
yep had 3 x 240 series in the early eighties young kids SAFETY , very reliable and the 242 GT was a real goer , moved onto a 535 and 735 and lots of BMW unreliability , those Volvo 4 cylinder engines were so tough .
Thank you for this in depth content! i really like your style and ammount of information you put in it! Keep up the good work mate!
Great vid ! Worked for a Volvo dealer in this time frame back in the day, they had a great line up of sturdy and reliable cars, remember buying a 14 year old pea green '76 240DL trade in for about 100 squid, it was completely clapped out mechamically I am sure it had been clocked but I fixed it up with the running gear and beige interior trim from a wrecked '82 GL. What a stonking car to be driving, made selling 740/760 range easy as I could point to my old banger as an example of the great reputation for reliability and longevity while pointing to the lovely edgy new model that had virtually the same running gear. Models to look out for from that period the 240GLT and the 960 with that fabulous straight 6, and independent suspension all round, though driving any of them could be good fun.
Its a damn shame they couldn’t put out that fastback variant as well
it exsisted for the 240 series. i think there is one in a volvo museum in australia. and i have read that only 2 were made
I had a 1989 Volvo 780 coupe turbo with the 2.3, so they did find enough room for the turbo. The 780 had the rear self leveling suspension too.
I swear big car makes these because he likes saying the Volvo designer's name
You've found me out.
@@BigCar2 it is a fun name though admittedly.
Bought my 1990 740 turbo wagon for 400 bucks, was initially a parts car cause I wanted the turbo motor for my 240 but ended up falling in love with it and now she's my daily driver over 250 thousand and still going. I pray ole black Betty never dies.
I wonder if they really tried to hide the origins from the market testers. Hellen Keller could tell that was a Volvo (or at least Volvo design) from 100yds.
Most manufacturers wish they had the same problem Volvo had with the 200 series. Initial investment has been paid off for years. No new R&D required. No new stamping is needed because customers actually want one that looks like previous models. And they keep selling as many as they make.
Yes, they probably cannibalized some 700/800 series sales, but they weren't loosing them to a different company.
Still driving my 1989 760 Estate - had 145 - 245 - GLT - all great!
Wish I could have owned a 740 when new. I have owned 4 different 740s, two NA and two turbo. They all cost under $1500, cheapest was $450. They all looked great, even though over 20 years old and in maine where most cars that age have a lot of rust. Never had to work on the motor or trans, even though they all had over 200k miles. They had some electrical issues, and normal wear and tear. They handled great in the snow! Were fun even though low powered, due to being RWD. Get on some snow or dirt roads and drive around. The carried over 4cyl was tough, though not especially powerful, refined or fuel efficient. But damn, for under $1500 they were the best dang cars I've owned. The $450 one was a '91 740 turbo wagon with all the trimmings. Everything still worked, it could spin the tires and just felt like WAY more car than you paid for. It was really a shame when volvo ditched RWD and even worse when they sold to ford. I've owned a couple 850's and a V40...while not bad cars, they were not a tank like the 740.
Thank you for another excellent video , always liked Volvo and this was a fascinating chapter in their history.
Really look forward to your videos , nice to come home tonight and find it waiting their foe me. (:
Still looks great,in my opinion.Classic design...Just like those classic Lincoln cars from the sixties,sometimes a few almost completely straight lines just work,and create a beautifully balanced shape,instead of being just a box. Seems really simple,but very difficult to achieve in reality.
Love to watch a video of Saab 9000, Alfa Romeo 164, Fiat Croma and Lancia Thema:
I'll most likely do one at some point.
Had several early 2 series Volvos...all were remarkably reliable. Their real problem was not enough weight over the rear axle and they were too thirsty. Had a 240gl estate that managed just 18mpg!
Please, please do the 850/S, V, C 70 with a focus on the 5 cyl white block. Love your work.
I probably will.
Had a '90 Volvo 740 Salon with the B234F engine and the 4+1 gear manual for over 5 years.
I did most of the service myself, but had to sell it to somebody who could take more care of it than I could.
A great car, still miss it a little bit. its boxy shape and because it is surprisingly narrow means you had no trouble finding parking space.
I had a 1990 740 Turbo 16V (B204FT) saloon many years ago.
Sold it to a guy that wanted to restore it since it was the only original 740 T16v in Norway.
I'd love me a tidy 780 as an everyday driver today. And I'm an S60 driver...
S60 is still produced now, wow, 3th gen
same car as 20 years ago, the next 240 DL?
I still have my 1998 LPT Classic 940 estate that i bought in 2003, its the best car that ive ever had and probably ever will. Crazy reliable, never had any serious problems. Easy to work on, easy to find parts and cheap and the trunk has a lot of space.
Next up, the P1800, the 480 and the C30
Just a note about 240 vs 260 or 760 vs 740 or so. The 6s were always the nicer Volvos. Both were high quality and such and solid but I don't know if the shock damping was different or noise reduction, but the 6s had a premium, near luxury feel that the 4s didn't quite have. I was introduced to the 6s level (164E) and the 4s are decontented versions. The original 700 series was the 760, the lux version. The 740 came later and while nice, wasn't quite as lux as the 760 or refined feeling (although the 760 Turbo used a turbo 4 since the PRV 6 had issues). The 264s also felt nicer and smoother than the 244s as well.
Still drivning my Volvo 940, daily!
Nice. Whats the mileage and have you gotten any trouble with it？Thinking of.getting a 4speed manual one
@@mattmatt9971 Have had it four years, has about 34 000 Kilometers on it now. No trouble other than normal wear (have replaced shock absorbers and ball joints etc.).
Only thing that happens once a year is the waste gate arm jumping out of its place on the turbo making it charge zero. It´s an easy 15 minutes fix though.
Only negative thing a have to say about the car is the fuel consumption, but it is nothing spectacular.
I had a 2003 V70 non-turbo, 5 cylinder 2.4 for some years in England, it was an absolute gem of a car in every way. My only gripe was with the 17” wheels the turning circle was poor but that was a minor issue to deal with
v70 mk2 are notourius of the fwd titanic turning range
One of my favorite owned cars, along with a Miata that complements it very, very well... Thanks for the nice video.
My dad owned a white pre-facelift 740 when I was around 10 years old. I loved that car.
They are still around !
Bought my first Volvo 122, in UK ,, in1968. Second car was a 142S in Sydney, then a Volvo 120 ex works rally car in 1971. Another 1960 ,120 , which was sold and restored.
Next car was an 245 DL, and when sold , still had the original engine, with 760,000 kms on it. Had two 240 series cars, one being a wagon. After these, a 740 Gl ended up in the garage. Gave this car to an old penioner, who still has it today. Great car. Next was a lively 850 GLE , which n o w lives in my daughters garage. Next was an 850 GLT. Should never have sold it. Traded it on a S40 , which was then traded on a VW Golf. That was sold, and now have a nice and quick S40 Turbo. I think I love my Volvos !
I'm on the lookout for a 700 series. Lovely classics...👌
I have 2 great cars
Excellent video on an excellent car. Minor gripe: multi-link suspension in mass-produced cars dates back longer than you made it seam to be (12:21 time). E.g. the Mercedes W201 from 1982 had it, as had the W124 soon after. But it's minor, really. The 740/760 was such a hit back then, and so much different from the Audi 100 and Mercedes W124! Truly a modern classic. Keep up the good work!
Another great video & the Volvo 850 R was the beautiful!
Can confirm. My red 850R still has people coming up to me in the street to talk about it, which I always happily do. Not bad for a 24 year old Volvo.
Karl Hamilton the 850R in flame red is divine & thee in a red one in Maidstone with the number plate. VRN THE 850R what a belter 😊
Family car, beautiful?????
Old boomers!!!!!
lucas rem I loved the design & it was the most attractive estate car there was 👍
My dad had an 86 760 turbo. I remember going with him and brother on weekend morning driving my brothers paper route. After we finished, he liked to open it up on the way home. Good times
4:58 What is Rodney doing there? Otherwise, great series, respect to your work 👊🏾
I had a silver Volvo 940 estate in the mid 90s, loved it! Especially the viscus fan noise.
I thought I’d recognised the stock photo used for the Volvo petrol station! Now a small housing estate in Larkfield, Kent
I had my dads 'signal red' Volvo 740 estate. We had it from 1990 to 2012. 1986cc engine with 121bhp. The seats were very comfortable...!!! 🙂
You never touched on the Dutch DAF tie up that saw a rebadged DAF become the 300 series which was followed by the truly horrid ‘nedcars’ the 400s.
they miss the fact that the 360 glt was one of the best handing small cars on the market i had 3 of them , but volvo could have sold more if they had fitted the 2.3 motor instead of the 2.0 , yes the 400 series was crap
jason9022 no
I loved my 740, I owned a 760, it got terrible gas mileage, the 740 was awesome, but too light in the rear, I live in Columbus Ohio, driving up hills was nearly impossible....the classic B25-30 4 cyl engines were easy to work on.
Also a problem of the older Volvo's was that the wires vinyl coating would succumb to weather and crumble causing shorts, keeping up with wiring and connections was something you eventually HAD to tackle....I never understood it, something as simple as wiring was a constant problem for them.
I've been driving Volvo's for decades now, the highest mileage i got was over 400K on a 79 240. I'm driving a 960 right now...i refuse to buy a Ford made Volvo
Volvo could simply not build a bether car, then the 2/700 series.
But..
You forgot about the 3/400 series, and Volvo didnt do that bad in the 70's. (remember ther was a resesion in the whole auto industry)
240/740/940s are stil common on the road in both Norway and Sweden.
I remember 1988, being 12 and fascinated and humbled by this imposing car that was parked in a road nearby our house: a bordeaux red Volvo 760. Sometimes I still recall those feelings when I see it
3:50 LOL they nearly invented the Chevy Celebrity!
I bought a used 87 740 Turbo wagon.......loved that car!! Drove it to 265,000 miles