Volvo 940... do I or don't I?

[Soundwave]

OK, I'll try and keep this as brief as I can. I've been offered a Volvo 940 from the space year 1992, seller wanted £500 but they've provisionally agreed to accept £400 if I wanted it. It's an old chap who's giving up driving due to age, so for the last few years it's just been used to potter around town in a gloriously boxy fashion. Has some paperwork although I don't known precisely what. Has a very short MOT, and it was being advertised as a parts car despite no major faults on its last MOT. Have confirmed with the seller that it still runs and drives and no other faults have presented themselves since. Body has a few bubbly bits but no structural rot recorded on any of its recent MOTs. Only 116k too, which is low for one of these.

Now, here's the kicker - it's the least desirable of all 940s. It's a base spec, non turbo, 2 litre manual saloon. It's the sort of thing even the Volvo community wouldn't touch with a 5-foot moose antler. No potential for big powAr, glacial performance and no estate practicality. I'm oddly endeared by it, but I'm also aware moving it on could be an issue. I'm all for loving the unloved, but this really is the shite's shite, from what I've read.


So my question is... would you do it? Am I about to pay actual money for a car which is literally worthless to everyone, enthusiast or otherwise? I'm not aiming to be Mike "fucknut" Brewer here, profit isn't a major concern, but I'd also rather not saddle myself with 1.5 tons of literally unsellable nothingness if that's the case. Any thoughts? Are there some cars which are literally not worth saving, and it'll be better off meeting its end at a breakers or on the banger oval?

[Supernaut]

As the owner of the Saab equivalent of this car, also a K plate, I say do it.

I may be somewhat biased, though.

[Floatylight]

A car with apparently minimal redeeming features, BaSE spec.

This is AS man! Of course we would..

[SmokinWaffle]

If it was an estate I'd do it - but you knew that already by the sounds of it.

As a desirable car? Give it a miss. As a piece of autoshite? Hell yes.

Although if it's got a short MOT I'd want it for £200, or as close to scrap money as I could. People probably aren't bashing his door down for it.

[Cooper1]

I'd snap his arm off... 

 

Love a good vulva... 👌 

 

[egg]

19 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

As the owner of the Ford equivalent of this car, also a K plate, I say do it.

I may be somewhat biased, though.

Edited for me.

It would probably roffle.

[DoctorRetro]

I'd have it just because it is a big comfy Volvo, but it will be tough to move on. It will probably MOT fairly easily*, but it's never going to be worth more than 4-500 quid max. 

 

[beko1987]

Proper heart over head choice this! Glad I don't have to make it... It'll always be utterly worthless, but probably very reliable and comfy 

[Spiny Norman]

The only risk is in whether it would MOT without too much expense.
Far too many people saying it's worthless, this is Autoshite FFS, since when did that have anything to do with it? Nothing wrong with the base NA 2 litre either, it'll go on literally for ever with minor maintenance and the DIY gearbox will help make the most of what little power it has.

£400  might be a tad rich with the few weeks MOT but you'd need to see it and drive it to decide that.
A gentle reminder that the scrappy will give him £150 at best might encourage a price drop, especially if he knows it'll go to a good home and not end up on the track, then if it gets a MOT and you don't want it polish the living fuck out it and stick it on C&C for £1500.

[Amishtat]

Buy it, look after it and it'll look after you. Years of life left in that yet, who cares if it isn't particularly fast? Big enough too if you don't routinely move settees or grandfather clocks. Just buy it and enjoy ride comfort and durability unimaginable to your pcped neighbours for one of their monthly payments on a white appliance. 

[Ghosty]

So it's not an estate, it's still a really nice car for a good price. I say go for it. 

[juular]

1 hour ago, Soundwave said:

1.5 tons of literally unsellable nothingness

That is AS manifesto material.

Gifb.

There is something about a shit old Volvo that is kind of warm and comforting. And it will probably never die. When the breakdown of society comes you basically have an armoured car to push through the zombie hoardes.

Driveable for £400 with no major rot sounds alright to me. But then I'm biased being from Scotland which seems to have become the Volvo animal rescue centre of the world.

Then there's the fact that at £150 scrap value you're only risking £250 on what could be a gloriously boxy years sauntering around playing cassettes. What's not to love?

[HMC]

Pragmatism be dammed.

Do you need it ? No.

Do you want it? Only you can answer that.

[Soundwave]

52 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

Proper heart over head choice this! Glad I don't have to make it... It'll always be utterly worthless, but probably very reliable and comfy 

That does indeed sum it up... it is heart over head. Another aspect is that I don't actually need another car - I have a modern daily (purchased outright, no PCP nonsense for me!) and a couple of moneypits already. If I bought this, it wouldn't be a daily since my Fabia already does that. I'd be buying it for two reasons 1) Scratch an itch. Big Volvos have intrigued me so I'd like to sample one even if it's just for a little while 2) Stop it being bangered or broken because I'm a soft bastard.

And I'm honestly not sure either of those two reasons are quite enough to justify it. The plan would be to buy, drop-kick it through an MOT, run for a month or two, then move it on with a decent length MOT on it. Probably wouldn't lose too much money in the process, but with a recession about to slap us in our collective chops, can I really be throwing money away on frivolous nonsense? But then again, you only live once... 

Why do I do this to myself? 😆

[New POD]

I'd be saying £400, if it passes an MOT which I'll pay for.  If it fails on any thing spectacular, I won't want it, but if it fails on something trivial, I'll stump up the £400. 

That way £50 risk rather than £300 risk (assumes scrap value to be £100) 

[eddyramrod]

The only thing against it for me is the manual box.  But then I'm not being asked to buy it, you are.  If you can live with that, then go ahead.  It'll be a faithful old tool for years yet.  Don't worry about lack of power, you won't be racing Jags anyway.  Just enjoy the comfort.

[Soundwave]

7 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

The only thing against it for me is the manual box.  But then I'm not being asked to buy it, you are.  If you can live with that, then go ahead.  It'll be a faithful old tool for years yet.  Don't worry about lack of power, you won't be racing Jags anyway.  Just enjoy the comfort.

That's a plus point for me. Every car I've ever owned has been a manual, I occasionally have to drive an auto at work and it does my head in. I decide when I change gears, not the car. 😄

[eddyramrod]

In that case, I expect to see the word Collection added to this thread by teatime! 😁

[sierraman]

I like those old Volvos but it’s £200 scrap with no test and he knows it. You could chuck £50 at it for a test then you’ve lost not a lot then. 

[big_al_granvia]

get it bought, every shiter has to have a ovlov in their life

[danthecapriman]

I say go for it. They’re excellent cars even in base form and will easily carry on indefinitely and you can do pretty much everything on them yourself at home to keep them going. The fuel economy isn’t great on them, but you’ve already said your not using as a daily so not really a problem. I wouldn’t worry about it being the 2.0 tbh, I’ve got a 2.3 and it’s not exactly fast! They’re more like a big hard simple car that just plods on and on and on and... they’re very comfortable cars too, mines one of the few cars I can drive for hours at a time and not get uncomfortable or ache, and my backs fucked! 
The biggest hurdle will be what it needs to get a new test. Personally I’d take it regardless and fix it even if it is basically fucked as I love these cars but that going to be your decision! I think you’ll probably be ok though.

[outlaw118]

1. Buy AS Spec Volvo @£400

2. MoT & sundries £100

3. Smoke it about like a winnar

4. Roffle @ £10 a ticket / send it to Scotchland.

Sorted.

[tooSavvy]

I only pop up here to, sagely, ponder the reason behind buying what was the undisputed champion of 'Grandads Slippers' sloth....

1.0i + Badermatic..... He groans 😕

Like .. A .. Dog .. At .. Broth .. 

*that is why we are all logged in here?

[2MB]

Had a 240 with the same engine and it had enough power to do third gear drifts at 70 mph. It’s all about commitment, and even 2.3 turbos aren’t anything close to being fast by today’s standards. They are, however, reliable, comfortable and spacious as well as being enjoyable to drive sedately. Offering to put it through a test does seem to make sense. 
Thoroughly enjoyed my old 940 but some of that may have been down to it being a turbo estate

[loserone]

Have you bought it yet?

[Cord Fourteener]

Would I? If I had £400 that wasn't ear-marked for bills and kids shoes etc and an offer of a 940 for £400 then yes.

Volvos aren't about burning streets, they are about turning up at the other end of a journey fresh as a daisy and calm and collected. Ok so you might not overtake the elderly sight seer in the Honda Jazz so easily but are you in that much of a rush?

For £400 and the MOT if you get a year's motoring out of it you are winning with any car, let alone with a piece of Swedish timeless classic engineering.

 

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Get the Volvo.  Do it.  Do it yesterday.

[Austin-Rover]

To echo points above, you'd be able to circumnavigate the world, and arrive with no drama and feeling like you'd just popped to the shops. It'll always be worth 'nothing' simply by being a saloon and not an estate. At £400 it's a bargain simply for the sheer size of car you'd be buying. Even being a lowly model, the sense of superiority over your fellow motorist and the relaxing 'waft' factor will bring a smile to your face.

[seacow]

Got any more pics?  Looking at mot history suspension corrosion is thing to watch but been there a couple of years. As others have said its mot roulette but I say go for it!

[BeEP]

I'd just check the rear suspension arms (advisories on the last two MOTs) and provided they haven't dissolved too much then buy it!