I hear that Volvos really aren’t as reliable as everyone says. But I love the way they drive. I’m in the market for a CHEAP older car. Should I go with an old Volvo wagon, or is that a bad idea?

It’s near impossible to make a recommendation on an older car, no matter who makes it. One does not know how it was driven or maintained so it could be a peach or a heartbeat away from the car crusher. Normal wear and tear items are in-line price wise with other cars and odd parts that are needed c…

I would not suggest that they have more problems, but repairs do tend to be more expensive. On any older car, the repair issues, are far more related to how the prior owners took care of maintenance and how they drove it than the make. I would not rule them out or in based on the make.

There’s no such thing as a “cheap” Volvo.

I think your question is a little simplistic. The reliability of any older car depends on it’s previous maintenance. I’m sure there are are some old volvos that have been beat to death by idiots and others that are in very good condition. Volvos are certainly capable of a good long life, but they…

I don’t think Volvo’s have ever been a reliable. Maybe a little better then US made vehicles in the 70’s and early 80’s. Then the rest of the market passed them and their quality in the late 80’s and 90’s was inferior to most cars. Then Ford bought them and brought their reliability up to Fords stan…

I would only buy a pre-ford volvo, if I was in the market for one. Hopefully, there will be post-ford volvos available in the near future. For maximum “reliability” (using the “consumer reports” disposable car definition of reliability) I would just buy some ricer (who cares which one?). Obviousl…

Volvos gained their reputation in the 50s and 60s for having tough, rust-resistant bodies, and near-indestructable engines. US cars were real rustbuckets at this time. By 1974 things stated falling apart, when high inflation in Sweden drove up the price and the newly introduced fuel injection and ot…

A used car, any make, is only as good as the maintenance and owner driving habits allowed it to be. When someone says that Volvos (or any other make) aren’t any good or whatever, then simply ask “How many have YOU owned?” and if someone claims to have multiple problems then those problems need to b…

If you want a cheap older car a Volvo is probably not a good choice. Yes, you can find cheap old Volvos, but they will be in pretty rough shape. The ones in good condition have a higher price tag. Now, the good part is that a lot of the problems with the old 240 series is their interiors fall apa…

Volvos good or bad?

Maintenance/Repairs

pleasedodgevan November 2, 2007, 4:04am 3

Bad and expensive both. Some used ones were rated well but not all. It varies from year to year. Everybody, collectively, can’t make a car buying recommendation. Get your own copy of the reference that has pictures in the Annual Automotive Issue. Consumer Reports recommandation beats everybody, collectively. Did I mention the pictures?

Topic		Replies	Views
Volvo reliability and cost of ownership General Discussion volvo	52	115451	January 5, 2018
Volvos Maintenance/Repairs	31	2769	December 20, 2010
Used Volvo vs. New Honda/Toyota/Subaru/etc? General Discussion	23	5921	June 16, 2012
Volvos- are they a good used car purchase? General Discussion volvo	21	4322	October 2, 2020
Older Volvos? General Discussion	8	1246	February 17, 2009

Volvos good or bad?

Related topics