In your opinion, what is the BEST Volvo for the money? (New &/or Used)..?

Question

also..any particular models/years to steer clear of?

Answer 1

All 240s are good and considered the best among Volvo owners.

I own a 740 and it has been the cheapest car (whole package, to buy, insure, fuel, and maintain) I've ever owned. It still runs like a top after 22 years and 230,000 miles.

As you get into newer models, the strikes start to go against Volvo.

Introducing the 16V engine on the 740/940s. Increase in maintenance headaches with no perceivable performance gain. Strike one.

The terrible Peugeot-Renault-Volvo V-6 on the 760/960s. Strike two.

Getting rid of the solid rear axle to have a complicated and failure prone multilink rear suspension with CV joints on the 700/900 series. Strike three.

Going to five cylinder, front wheel drives (pretty much anything after 1993 like the 850/S70/V70/C70/S60/S80, etc) with fancy electronics that nobody outside a Volvo dealership can work on. You're out Volvo!

Answer 2

Best Volvo Models

Answer 3

The best Volvo ever was the 240 series, virtually bulletproof. Second best was the 740/940. The historic Volvo reliability fell off after the 940.
Stay away from early S80 series cars. They were beset with electrical and transmission problems. In all honesty, I would not recommend any Volvo later than the 940. The later model Volvo I had was a nightmare and I'll never have another new one. I still have my '66 which will probably outlive me.

Answer 4

Same opinion as above. Worked on Volvo cars for years and I prefer older Volvo cars. And I can tell you well maintained Volvo 240/740/940 will last longer than S60, S80,... of any of new model Volvo cars. Most of the Volvo cars had 200K+ when I finally decided to ditch it and get a different car (just because got tired of driving the car, not because of any kind of mechanical failure that I could not fix)

Answer 5

I have a 1995 960 inline 6 and yeah its an all aluminum engine but if you dont romp on it all the time like i do then you should have no problems. and i dont have any problems. this car is the safest car ive been in. i have ran into the back of a full replacement diamond plated bumber going 25 and it took every bit of the shock out of the cab. i didnt hurt the other car because my car absorbed the impact. and after that i got all after market stuff all i needed were lights and a new hood, kept the old bumper and i fixed it myself under 2,500. all around great car and the 60 to 100 time is increadible. and the seats in the car are so luxurious. ok im gonna stop now cause i could go on and on. i got the car a year ago and it only had 45,000 miles on it, and i bought it from a toyota dealer ship in boerne tx for 6,750. so yeah deffinately worth 7 grand to me :]

Answer 6

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
In your opinion, what is the BEST Volvo for the money? (New &/or Used)..?
also..any particular models/years to steer clear of?

Answer 7

Any 4 cylinder RWD, or 5 cylinder FWD. I would stay away from the "Peugeot Renault Volvo" V6 models (260 and 760).

Answer 8

In my opinion I would look for the 2008 Volvo S80 with the V8, the S60r's, S60 T5, or a 2004.5 Volvo S40.

Answer 9

pre '85 240s had a b23.... an excellent motor, they changed the motor in '85 to the b230, also an excellent motor, the 740s and 940s had this motor as well. I love the 240 you can make this car do anything. you can find older 240s real cheap anywhere in the US, the only thing to be weary of is rust on the older ones, also if purchasing an early '80s 240 try to avoid the crysler ignition.

Answer 10

The older turbo cars were the best ones, What ever you do, don't buy a 760 Volvo with the PVR alliance, all-aluminum six cylinder. It was total "yunk, yeah"