In a world where today’s Volvos are full-fledged luxury vehicles, it’s hard to imagine a time when most Volvos did not feature fine Nappa leather-covered seats with so many electronic adjustments, they cannot all even be fit on the side of the seat, requiring some to be accessed through a touch screen. Volvo’s escalation in luxury in recent years is due to shifts in industry trends and consumer preferences, but indeed there was a time when Volvos exuded a some what more utilitarian, comfort without excess image.
Vehicles like the new XC90 and V90 still offer plenty of useful utility, and while I’d be happy to load one up after a trip to Costco, I’d feel much less guilty dirtying an old gal like this 240 for a trip to say, Home Depot to buy plywood or topsoil, or throw my kayak on top of, courtesy of the appropriately Swedish Thule racks. Is it only appropriate that this now-classic 240’s organized owner has a bin labeled “240’s transport bin” in the trunk?
Photographed: Hingham, Massachusetts – February 2017
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When my eldest son was beginning the search for a car a some years ago I found one of these for sale in my neighborhood. It was priced just a touch over his stated limit but bore all of the hallmarks of a longtime owned/cherished member of the seller’s family. He refused to even go look at it. “It’s you who loves station wagons, Dad – not me” was his verdict.
Although I am far from the stereotypical demographic for these, I continue to have a quiet love for them. I am not sure that it is high enough to make my bucket list, but you never know.
I totally see you in this or one extremely similar. Well, maybe not today, but back when it was new or new-ish? Absolutely. (That’s not a bad thing, btw)
It’s hard to see from that angle — is that badge next to the Swedish flag one of those Volvo high-mileage badges? I haven’t seen a Volvo sporting those in ages. Does Volvo even still offer them?
Yes. http://volvo.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9333/~/volvo-heritage-club
While not a great Volvo fan, I do have a long-standing respect for their products of this particular era. These, the 700-series, and the 900-series just seem to have a certain aura about them; a sort of quiet competence. I’ve always viewed them as somewhat stoic and sturdy, and that in itself is what I find appealing about them. They’re not flamboyant, and form definitely follows function. You get the keen sense the engineers had the final say in the production of these cars, over the stylists and bean-counters.
+1 …….. well said, Chris.
High time these classic workhorses are earning their respect – and prices are beginning to reflect that.
At least here in the salt-ridden midwest, good luck finding a clean one! Sedans are more prevalent and affordable but the wagons are on another level.
I had a 1979 242 DL that was a small “beast” of a vehicle. Great in snow, even with the rear wheel drive. A no-nonsense, solid, firm but comfortable vehicle. Could easily drive non-stop until the tank was on fumes, fill up and keep going until it was fumes again… picked it up in NC and drove it home to NH.
That is a very nice one – especially if it has the manual transmission.
I like these Volvo wagons along with the Mercedes W124 wagons. Though I think the Mercedes looks better and is nicer to drive, the market tells me that the Volvo brick wagons are the more desirable car. I’m usually surprised by the prices asked and paid for these Volvos.
The W124 wagons have air suspension though; that’s one thing the Volvos lack.
Antique dealers and some tradesmen I knew used to drive the 240 wagons and they could hold plenty of stuff, just not so much weight.
A Peugeot 504/505 estate would be better than the Volvo at load carrying too. I like the Volvo 240s but wouldn’t want to own one.
I’ve owned something like 40 of these, as outlined in several COAL posts I’ve made.
According to ME, the Volvo 240, along with the MB W123-chassis cars, are the best cars made anywhere ever.
JPC: Ditto. I wanted my son to have a “brick” -safe, slowish, relatively reliable – but he said no way. (At least he did demand a manual though.) But now he is changing his tune a little. Perhaps there is hope for the younger generation!
Brendan: WRT ” utilitarian, comfort without excess image”, that sums up the Swedish concept of “lagom”, which has no direct translation in English (or any other language AFAIK). Google it; lagom has even become the theme of a number of recent US self-help books…
The lagom ethos carries cache into the furniture market as well. There are scandinavian high end furniture companies that sell very expensive, modern, and otherwise austere looking recliners for a very high price. On the mass market level, one only needs to look at how Ikea has taken over in home furnishings. Simple, comfortable, and affordable, yet has an image that conveys both fashion forward and hip. Image, but not excess image.
These brick Volvos are the epitome of that lagom ideal, and I think that the Geely Volvos may come close if they do not hit the mark completely.
Rumors say AwtoWas in Russia, the manufacturer of Lada was interested in buying the assembly line of the 240 Volvo in the early 90s. They were looking for a solid car to replace the Fiat 124. But the swedes were startled. Perhaps they were afraid a russian reissue could jeopardize the sales of the then current models 😉
Back in the 1980’s to early 2000’s you could drive down through wealthy neighborhoods and there would be a Volvo 240 wagon out front of a lot of homes. It was a status symbol on par with the Grand Wagoneer.
My 1990 Volvo 240 station wagon was top of the line for that year(It was bought originally from that Volvo tourist & Diplomat program that Volvo offered)
It still was very tractor like (which was still pretty cool)
It took everything that I throw at it.
I would buy another one if I find the right one
The comparison to the Grand Wagoneer is strangely accurate! I never thought of that, but it’s very true.
Leon writes: “It was a status symbol on par with the Grand Wagoneer”.
Indeed!
Back in the day when I was into racing J24 sail boats in NYC harbor, I read a couple of William F Buckley’s books about his sailing adventures (much bigger boats – much more exotic locals). His personal vehicle was a Volvo station wagon much like the one pictured above. In one book, there was a picture of his family in the Volvo, loaded up for a trip, and heading for the docks.
I’ve commented on this before in Evan Reisner’s COAL (https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cars-of-a-lifetime/coal-1980-volvo-244-gl-nora-the-first/), but Brendan’s write up seems an appropriate place to say it again.
The J24’s are still here, just on the NJ side of the river.
Another celebrity connection. In the fall of 1977 Frank Sinatra hosted the Tonight Show for the one and only time. Tom Snyder, host of the “Tomorrow Show” (remember that) mentioned on his show that followed that it was an unusual day at the NBC Burbank studio. Everyone was typically nonchalant regarding celebrities but there was a special buzz with the anticipation of the arrival of Sinatra. Snyder was expecting a limo or some other flashy car, but was surprised when he pulled up driving his own 240 wagon.
The Volvo was an expensive car in its day for what you got, it attracted the type of buyer who wanted more of the philosophy than anything else. A 240 was comparable in price to an Olds 98 or a Buick Lesabre, cars that featured a V6, leather, and power everything –
features all either optional or N/A on the 240. Not to mention a more floaty ride. But there is always something mystical about that Volvo… With its solid lines and sensible construction. I fell for those, er, angles twice before… and I may do so again. (87′ 240DL and 91′ 940SE Turbo)
When you put it this way, the Volvo of the 80s was almost like the smaller Mercedes of the late 50s to the mid 1960s – expensive but not crazy expensive. And slow, but well built.
I was having a similar thought. In both cases, they are not necessarily a “Luxury” car, but rather a “Quality” car.
The Volvo 240 did have an option of heated seats. Of course this might have been standard as I cannot remember not seeing a 240 without heated seats(even on the manual transmission/ hand crank windows version) during my junk yard diving days looking for parts for this car.
The Volvo was expensive, but disagree with the philosophy was the main reason to buy one , at least in Europe, although it was the car in drive of many well off people
What you bought was a practical, well made car with intelligent design that was extremely durable and capable of intergalactic miles. An additional bonus was that it was not vulgar or showy, a lot of people in the UK simply don’t want to show off, you could roll up anywhere in a Volvo
My father, a working man, had a 240 estate which he loved, after that came a 740 salon that kept passing the annual MOT and refused to die. Then came an S70 which he still has, I would say that the S70 has more built in quality than the great majority of American cars I have encountered and the 2.5 5 cylinder engine has power and character
Since the decline of Mercedes Volvo has become one of my preferred makes, I keep my eye out for a mint C70 coupe to replace my Peugeot 406 Coupe
Our family had a 242DL for a little while. My dad bought the official Volvo service manual and an official Bosch fuel injection manual from a used book store. Bosch really writes a wonderful manual.
I guess luxury is relative. When my mom bought her 240 wagon in 1986, after owning a 122S for 22 years and a 544 before that, she had trouble adapting to all those fancy features like power steering, central locking, FM radio, and air-conditioning. Her’s still had roll up windows and the 4 speed + overdrive transmission however.
That’s a nice one you found, Brendan. Looks like the owner takes fastidious care of it, though must not drive much at night—the headlamps are in fine condition, but they’re the horrifically useless US-spec items, but the owner has replaced the US-spec “VOLVO” fender badges with rest-of-world turn signal repeaters. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
One of the many great things about a Volvo 200-series: like all its predecessors, it has an astonishingly short turning circle. Feels like it can almost spin about its own vertical axis. Don’t know if the 700-series can do that trick, but it’s on the list of the many things a rear-drive Volvo can do that today’s Volvos cannot.
But today’s Volvos can make their buyers feel like they’ve chosen something way, totally, completely different to a Mercedes, BMW, or Audi, so mission accomplished, I guess. 🙁
I AM a Volvo fan- at least if they’re square, have the engine in the front and the drive wheels in the back. Swedish brick fan, in other words. Folks bought me a new ’71 142- $3150 OTD in California. Back then, that barely bought a decently equipped Malibu. Looking back, that car was an absolute steal for what it offered and what it cost. It impressed my dad so much, he bought a new 164E and picked it up in Gothenburg. I think it was around $5500 then, including shipping back home. Also a steal for what the car was- especially when compared to the Mercedes dad was considering. Then the wife and I bought a new ’87 245GL. Not cheap by any means (damn near Cadillac money), but a solid value compared to other European competitors.
Funny, I never looked at those Volvo’s as luxury cars. They were solid, reliable, durable, and safe. It took a particular mindset to appreciate them. Not at all like the cars they market today. Although I will admit, the new XC90 is a knockout.
“Funny, I never looked at those Volvo’s as luxury cars. They were solid, reliable, durable, and safe. It took a particular mindset to appreciate them. Not at all like the cars they market today. Although I will admit, the new XC90 is a knockout.”
Exactly the things I value. Fluff and flash are more trouble than they are worth in the long run. Unfortunately, many would prefer that to a solid, well made car today. Ergo, you have Volvo transition from their 240 to today’s offerings and Mercedes from their W123 and 124 to today’s offerings thereby tarnishing their nameplates.
Which also explains the ’16 Camry sitting in our garage. It’s everything those Volvo’s were… and were not. Built like a Rolex, but a non-statement for the prestige set.
A MA 5-digit license plate usually indicates the plate has been in the same family for decades. This is probably the third Volvo wagon, having been preceded by a 145, and before that an Amazon. I could image this car lives at a old, rambling house near the center of town. The house has lots of filled bookshelves and in winter you can find an aging Labrador Retriever lying in front of the fireplace.The owner was on the town zoning board and has now retired to the recreation committee.
The owner is a retired MA Government worker, judging from the sticker on top of the 3rd light on the tailgate window.
I have had a couple of brief experiences with the 240 and 740 when I was flipping cars. The 240, particularly, reminds me of a Swedish made (old) Dodge Dart; stolid, solid, simple, and will last forever given a modicum of care and maintenance. Absolutely no frills on it and not sexy but space efficient, and easy to work on. For whatever reason, the body/paint quality really seemed to decline between the 240 and 740; all the 240s I see look like they rolled off the assembly line within the last few years and all the 740s look like they were chewed by Clifford the Big Red Dog. Just the right amount of useful space inside, in a relatively compact exterior package.
Mechanically, the philosophy seemed to be, if it’s not there, it cannot break, so they are really simple cars with vast engine bays and a tiny, robust iron engine with easy access to everything. I think they are less complicated to work on than some lawnmowers. There’s not a lot to squeak or rattle either. Of course, if you build basically the same car for 20+ years, you get all the bugs worked out.
The bodies on these cars and mechanicals were extremely high quality but the interior plastics were something below soviet grade. Cheap, hard, thin, and fragile.
I’ll wager that the fact that these cars were so expensive new had a lot to do with their longevity. The kind of person who pays that much for a rather spartan car is willing to invest in upkeep and repairs and doesn’t throw the car away at a $500 repair bill. I’ll wager that a Caprice wagon, given the same care, would last just as long and dependably and be more comfortable.
This is the car that made Volvo, like the Beetle made VW, and Volvo has yet to come up with a worthy successor. The FWD 850 was troublesome and everything thereafter has been expensive, troublesome, and doesn’t have that stolid Swedish goodness that characterised the 240 and 740.
Dead accurate summary. Your second-last para accounts for the super-quality myth of these and the Mercedes w123, and I’d add this: if rust isn’t involved, the bodies of these (and the Mercs) do not age, feeling as-new when really used. But everything else that works has been replaced or repaired, so that ofcourse it feels terrific at 400,000. I really like these heavyset barges, but reality is that there’s many a dull n’ flimsy Toyota that’s done more mileage on no repairs at all.
There was a discussion once about having a special SCCA event at Lime Rock, racing only those wagons. The conclusion was that each car would need to carry a couple of papier-mâché Labradors in the back, and that every 20 laps or so all the cars would stop for a break to pledge donations to the local public radio station.
CC effect – I saw a 1992/3 240 estate on the road tonight. Not my favourite as you may know, but I can see a certain appeal.
They mayn’t have been luxurious as such, but these were always pure snob-chariots here, mainly because of the high prices (despite local assembly). Locals were happy enough to buy expensive Swedish Electrolux vacuum cleaners but couldn’t understand why someone would drive a car that looked like one, especially when they could buy a curvy, chromey, good-looking Ford or Holden with V8 and plenty of trimmings for the same price as a 140 or 240 with nothing more than birch seats fitted. 10% were bought by people with knowledge of them as fairly decent, long-lived cars; 20% by well-off folk who understood the safety stuff; and the remaining 70% by utter snobs whose terrible driving meant they must’ve relied on the values the middle 20% had bought them for.
Personally, I like them, and have always found their aesthetic interesting rather than offensive. Later 245’s like this one are much better to drive than stodgy reputation suggests too, with sharp steering (bit over-assisted), lovely seats, good grip, surprisingly low wind noise, good brakes and even not-bad performance, (accompanied by lots of NVH and heavy fuel use).
These never made the later-age transition to eco hippy-mobile here. I reckon they had started life just too far up the consumerist ladder for any decent anti-materialist to accept.
Yes, when my Dad bought a near new 244DL back in the late 70s my mum was very concerned that people would think they were getting above themselves.
The safety reputation was the reason for the purchase.
I was about 15 at the time couldn’t see what the fuss was about.
I would have much preferred a “curvy, chromey, good looking Ford or Holden. or even a Valiant.
The door trims used to vibrate and rattle, drove me crazy, I think Dad used to pretend he couldn’t hear them.
It was a good reliable car , replaced in the late 80s by a Toyota Corolla
I bought a 93 in 2003. A very useful vehicle for music gear moving. Slower than I expected, though – probably all that glass.
We bought a new 245DL in 1985 when our second child was on the way… the ’82 Accord wasn’t going to handle trips with two car seats plus a retriever. Great, solid car that did everything we needed. Clutch was smooth as silk, steering good (turning circle amazing), power adequate for the day, handling reliable, decent snow performance (we used snow tires)… all in all no luxo-ride but it filled the bill. Kept it for ten years and it sold in mere hours the same day I listed it, for more than we were asking.