Can You STILL Buy a Road-Worthy Car for $500 That Actually Runs & Drives? I Find Out The Hard Way!

[@Spoolingturbski]

The Volvo 240 was originally designed to last 25 years. What Volvo did was build something that is now regarded as the most reliable vehicle ever made. That includes any Toyota, Honda…. Etc. Also the highway safety institute were so blown away by its safety, they bought 20 of them to test and make the new standard.

[@garysarratt1]

I think Ford doomed Volvo.

[@MikeB4pl]

@@garysarratt1 In 1993 they wanted to merge with Renault :D They finally sold cars division to Ford to buy 5% of Mitsubishi :D in 1999. They've produced already the WORST Volvo Ever (Rust like hell) - the first S40/ V40 on the Mitsubishi Carisma platform -- and rust/weather proofed like a cardboard from 1995. This car ruined Volvo reputation. The bigger S60 etc. cars had no problems and were reliable ... Now they are Chinese owned.

[@Queensizemusic]

@@MikeB4pl “As of December 2020, Volvo Cars employed approximately 40,000 (41,500) full-time employees. Volvo Cars' head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars' head office for APAC is located in Shanghai and for Americas in Mahwah, NJ. The company’s main car production plants are located in Gothenburg (Sweden), Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu and Daqing (China).”

[@danielzhang1916]

my dad had the station wagon for a few years, great car and drove smoothly, felt very safe on the road

[@RichieRouge206]

The 240 is one of the most iconic cars. I’m a huge Volvo fan anyway but yet to own a 240. So incredibly happy you saved this old girl 😊

[@kenj7153]

they saved it to send it to slaughter later. They said they are turning it into a rally car. I can hear the sawzaw buzzing away already!

[@patrickperry6945]

This guy is just going to tear it up. Don’t get all sentimental.

[@neoskater420]

@@patrickperry6945 You mean fix it up with aftermarket parts and use it? At least it's not getting destroyed in a junk yard or wasting away somewhere.

[@05Forenza]

I bought a 1991 Honda Accord wagon for $500 last year and drove it 140 miles (about 2.5 hours). It had 317k miles and had sat in a field for years. It made it with no issues! Tires felt square, but whatever. After that trip however, it puked oil. Trying to still fix that lol

[@amatureskater15]

Honda always gets you home. so long as the rod bearings exist lol

[@thomassims3860]

I bought a 400 dollar dodge Dakota, tires from 2008 and drove it daily for while. Still drive it, but it has new tires.

[@01gtbdaily30]

My friend had a manual trans 240 when we were in high school and he loved it so much he bought a 2004 Volvo S60R with orange interior. He owned that S60R for 10 years and had minimal issues .

[@dalejones4322]

Great video. Maybe get Toby to check the whole thing out and see what it would take to get it back to running order. Then do all the standard tests like mpg, 0-60, and maybe even a tow free Ike lol. I think that'd be a fun video

[@shaneh734]

It would be great to see a budget restoration! Complete detail inside and outside , new tires, brakes, replace all the missing trim inside and outside and have it repainted by MAACO!!

[@meatrocket1]

I do that 👍🏻

[@C10sRule]

You will never recover even 1/2 of those costs. The vehicle has nowhere near that value.

[@LafemmebearMusic]

@@C10sRule thanks party 💩 r

[@C10sRule]

@@LafemmebearMusic - the facts are a party pooper thing?? Why not “Thanks, I didn’t know that?”

[@AndrewAMartin]

Don't waste the $ on a full repaint, just wrap it -- and if they do go with a rally motif, the wrap makes even more sense...

[@palebeachbum]

As soon as I saw that distinctive silhouette in the video thumbnail I knew it had to be a Volvo 240! In 2001 I bought a mint condition 1985 Volvo 240 with 134k miles for $2,500. Worth every penny. Even after 21yrs and having owned 13 vehicles, it still ranks up near the top for me. Safe, comfortable, dependable, and roomy. I felt special driving something so iconic that looked like a creampuff antique. It got quite a few questions and compliments from people. I hope you guys make a whole series of videos on this car while you have it. It's iconic and they are becoming rare. There's definitely something very wrong with that car though to be so weak on power. As for the brakes, I bet it's either warped rotors or a bad tierod. I had both issues on mine.

[@danielzhang1916]

yeah my dad had the station wagon, safe comfy roomy just like you said, great and safe car on the road

[@bustercurtis3184]

I had a 240 back in 04 that i traded in for a new Dodge Ram. The dealer didn't want it, but the salesman wanted the sale bad enough that he paid me $800 for it and said he would give it to his daughter. We had some good times in that car. As for the fate of this one... I love the rally car idea. No matter what you decide, this episode was suprisingly fun! Thanks TFL!

[@robertmorin1454]

Not bad at all for $500! I think you have a burnt out brake light hence the warning light on dash when you stop. New pads maybe rotors and a brake bleed and your good ! 👍🇨🇦

[@farmereliza770]

My dad had one of these from 1990, we bought it in Sweden new. It never had a radio and the AC never worked😂. Radio was an option my dad didn’t select, so there was just an empty spot in the console. No need for AC in Northern Europe.

[@STho205]

Yet

[@beatermotorsports]

I think it deserves to live up to it's rally heritage. I had one just like this, and I found that someone makes a kit to swap in a tremec t5, and these engines are massively understressed so it's not impossible to get blood from that stone. Also if you look at the Drifts 'N Lifts channel you could see another option...

[@volvo09]

I had a 93 940 turbo wagon that I swapped the tremec T5 into... awesome car, should have never sold it. I miss it almost 20 years later. I just have to find a decent flatbed car trailer for my truck so I can pick up a nice southern project car.

[@beatermotorsports]

I just picked up a 1973 mk1 Jensen Healey, my advice is to get out there. I've wanted a classic car for years and finally pulled the trigger and I wouldn't change a thing. If you have the means, get on it. Life's too damn short.

[@vandecar15]

Save it! Don't beat on it. I restored a 1991 244 and it's the best simple summer car. Converted it from a 4 speed auto to 5-speed manual. Hope you guys don't butcher the poor old girl. Tune up, tires, brakes, maybe paint it a fun color. Have a good little fleet car or sell her on.

[@tylermelton2467]

I bought an ‘85 244DL for $255 in 2016. Aired up the tires and drove her home, then used it as a second car for a while before selling it for a profit

[@mahabir_navin]

For all of us who had a 240 in our 20s (mine was an '81 240 DL with 4spd manual and OD in "salmon") and are still nostalgic, we appreciate you saving it

[@KJ-iq7fm]

8:50 How do you not know the state of the oil (or brake fluid) when you can simply check via the dipstick...🤷🏻‍♀ (clearly visible with the hood opened at 6:15)❓

[@OldThomMerton]

Those older Volvos were tough . . . my brother had an 80 or so wagon for his wife during the late 80's though the early 90s. I used it to help them move and it had some power . . . but we live at sea-level.

[@number1heatrocka287]

“I wanna turn it into a rally car” …also… “strapping down the battery is beyond my ability” 🙃

[@riley_swan]

The brake vibration might just be a sticking brake caliper because it heats up on the highway and vibrates when you're braking.

[@caseymcculloch5027]

This is one of my Favorite vidoes with tfl, This type of buying old cheap cars is great content

[@robertusa1234]

Minum price today is 2500. I just bought a 900 Ford ranger. It need 1100 worth of parts to pass inspection. 600 just in tires

[@CaptainSeamus]

I wish I could have found one like this... I've had a dozen 240s over the years - only 1 or 2 went to salvage - the rest were sold off still running... but trying to find a clean one is getting harder and harder... love those old bricks.

[@esteban1973]

The odometer issue is usually caused by a little broken plastic gear in the dashboard. Easy fix if you don't mind taking the dashboard apart.

[@isaacgonzo3986]

Great video. Most kids wouldn’t buy something like this. Those day are gone. It would be a good entry for a demolition derby. We have an annual charity one. Most entries are teenagers. There are around 5 weight brackets. My favorite brackets are the compact and large SUV, van, and pickup. Cheap entertainment and county fair type food. Fun for the whole family.

[@joea55]

There is a lot options to make the car quicker. A rally car would be a fun project. Currently I have 6.0 liter GM V8 out of HD2500 Silverado and added a turbo. I also went the junkyard turbo route where you can just pull parts off of a 740 Turbo around the same year and bolt it onto the existing motor in my previous build. Even an IPD camshaft will help with these if you don’t go too crazy with it. Nice find!

[@seanclark5613]

I bought my 2013 Volvo XC90 AWD five years ago with 90,000 miles. It was my first taste of owning an imported car and now that it has 185,000 mile, I don’t think I will ever want to replace it. I am now a huge fan of Volvos and would love to get my hands on a late 80s, early 90s model that I can enjoy driving on the road and restore over time while doing so.

[@johna5563]

Brendan and Andre seem like fun people to hang out with! Keep up the great work! Would love to see the restoration on this Volvo, S10 and any others you get from the auction!

[@honestaquarian1]

The odometer fail is common on these cars. It’s a simple repair that is a small gear. IPD and FCP Euro have the replacement gear.

[@nelsondejesus5123]

A few years ago I picked up a 1998 Ford Escort 2.0 sohc with 77,345 miles on it from Craigslist for $500. It had a new battery and it ran. Drove it 20 miles home without any issues. I love my little blue Escort. I do all the work myself and enjoy doing it. I won't get rid of it, it now has 100k and gets about 32 mpg hywy and 22 cty. I affectionately named her Pepsi being a blue 2 ltr lol.

[@TheMeanmarine13]

Yes! I love this! I bought a $500 1993 miata that sat for 2 years. It started with two-year-old gas after multiple attempts. It didn't have any brakes and the top was completely ruined but it's a project car 🤷‍♂️. It wasn't street legal so it had to be trailered home. But 500 bones!

[@bosse641]

My first car back in 1987 was a Volvo 240 wagon. Automatic. I later owned a Volvo 142. Love the old Volvo's. 🙂

[@trabertgraneau3323]

For $500, this is a bargain. If he changes his mind about using it as a rally car, he can probably give the Volvo a fresh body job, or he can use it as a daily driver

[@GoatOf731]

my 99 accent i bought almost 3years ago for $400 is still going drove it from NJ to TN with no problems only thing it needed was a battery and a new belt its still going strong with 116k and is one of my favorite cars ive ever owned

[@ReadyDriverOne]

There is SO MUCH rare stuff on this volvo. Unbroken door pockets, tan center console, tach, etc. You STOLE this one. Currently I'm dailying a 92 240 wagon I dragged out of the woods for 600 bucks.

[@docsaaab]

when i Do my army Service in Germany I own this car. 2.3 Automatic goes nearly 100 mph on the Autobahn 😀 with AC off the Warning light teils you .... the Brake light is not working! I think I see the right one

[@ChicagoOutfit1900]

This video is so freaking cool! Thanks for bringing us along this journey.

[@NorthFloridaAirGunner]

I bought a $500 1995 2.3 standard shift ranger that I've been daily driving and hauling pretty heavy loads for going on 3 years now. Get about 126 miles highway on a quarter tank of gas, don't smoke, don't knock, it's been great.

[@bwill357]

The volvo community is one of the best and these cars last forever and very easy to work on, you can make this in to a really nice car, I have an old 760 turbo these old redblocks are great 💪🏾💪🏾

[@Koda18]

Seeing it all fixed up would be pretty cool. It's an iconic car of sorts. They were renowned for their reliability and durability.

[@zachc1297]

I had to go up to $2500 a couple months ago. Got a '95 Olds 88. Needs a wheel bearing and a strut, will probably do both sides and the CV just know its good. Small oil leak but other than that, she does all the things.

[@dieselpwr782]

Love those old Volvo’s. I knew it would drive. I just drove 3.5hrs for a $600 07 Mercedes 4 matic, it’s actually really nice, runs and drives smooth and quiet. They thought it was overheating because a a/c fan fault, they didn’t realize they dropped the transmission cap into the fan causing it to jam. A friend is daily driving it out of town now and everything works correct.

[@LMacNeill]

My first car was a '76 Oldsmobile Cutlass S. Bought it in February of 1988 from a neighbor who'd bought it new in '76. I paid $400 for it. It had an 8-track tape player, of course. But the amazing thing was that the A/C still worked. 🙂 I'm amazed that, 34 years later, you can still buy a running, driving car for $500. Figured those days were *long* gone.

[@StardustADV]

My 73 RV has a brake light between the turn indicators that lights up when i pres the brake, its also just a red rectangle. I think thats what your volvo has, just a light telling you you hit the brakes.

[@americanrambler4972]

My first thought? Get it mechanically sorted as in get all the brakes, lights, wipers and windows working. Then put all the missing interior bits back on. Then go from there. Instead of a rally car, I am thinking more along the lines of a Gambler 500 style party car.

[@curtislovrak5390]

I've towed 3300lbs across the USA with my 1990 240 automatic sedan, and could manage 55-75 except for the bigger hills. Your car is definitely down on power. Could be a clogged cat or bad knock sensor.

[@stevenraihl5776]

Owned a 92 240 DL wagon Silver on blue. Loved that car! Drove it in Alaska. It was a amazing bullet proof all season car. Regretted selling it the following winter. Why on earth did I trade it on that brand new 4x4 S-10 blazer! So so many problems with that vehicle. To many problems to list.

[@VolvoGuy1969]

As soon as I heard what it was, it gave away the ending….Being a Volvo guy, and also owning a ‘93 940 Turbo wagon (basically the same platform), I had no doubt whatsoever that it would be a near effortless task to get her going and make the trip without incident. Of course I’d love to see a factory restoration, but whatever you do with it, it will be a great car! 😃

[@omostim2385]

As someone who owned a 740gl,(which I also got for $500) those things are just slow. The fastest I ever saw was about 95mph. Just be patient and enjoy the drive

[@Donnys_speedshop]

Volvo 240s have top post batteries. You have some kind of aftermarket wiring adapter. Also the battery hold down is a plastic clip

[@ifga16]

I had a 73 145, a 79 242 and a 91 240 and miss all of them. These were indestructible except for the Midwest rust monster. I would grab another in a heartbeat. I'll have to make do with my 95 945 and 89 740GLE.

[@MuscatelTom]

im so glad you saved this thing from death. this body style along with the 80s 240 are my absolute favorite volvos. restoration would be amazing to see on this thing

[@forterierocks]

My buddy has a Volvo 240 with a turbo 4.8L LS he drifts it on weekends and daily's it most of the week.

[@stankdaddy6145]

I bought a 2000 Toyota solara over a year ago for $500, haven’t really done anything but change oil and tires, drive it 300 miles a week and just drove it on a 600 mile round trip, I get lucky as hell on cars lol AC/heat even works! 280,000+ miles right now

[@migy5031]

Solid machine! Did you check the fluids before driving?

[@cmcb7230]

I was going to ask the same thing.

[@darkpepsi]

From what I can tell, I don't think they did unless otherwise.

[@yoz2k25]

I was so pissed when the state of California forced me to get my Volvo crushed. I’ll never forgive Cali for that

[@danthechevymanc6b475]

It's great that you saved it. A vehicle that runs and drives should never be crushed. I'm amazed you can find a $500 car with today's hyperinflation.

[@kevinbarry71]

Why do people insist on revving engines that haven't been run in who knows how long

[@guyod1]

I missed the video on that truck. I like it

[@revolution1one]

I once bought a 244 for $300 in 2012 with over 500,000 kms and it ran fine. Had it for years. I now have a 245 for $4,000 in 2021 with 293,000 kms. Also runs fine. Only change was the cost because of the slowly increasing scarcity.

[@frankmartin1325]

I drove my college roommate 1992 240 in 1994 to 1996 multiple times. It had no power then either, super solid ride though. You have a gem in your hands!

[@donaldwilson2620]

The Volvo 240s are known to be very sturdy cars. I would actually take care of the mechanical stuff first so you can make it a solid driver. I would also leave the body alone because the patina and different color hood actually gives it character.

[@shane1648]

I spent 600$ on a 95 corolla with 201000km on it, I've been daily driving off an on for 2 years in between changes on my project car. Short of some rust at the passenger real wheel, peeling paint and a Missing volume dial, its flawless. I literally just changed the tires and tossed some peanut butter in the oil pan and shes flawless. Yes these treasures are still out there.

[@choosetobefree]

it's the price of 4 rubber tires not even.. volvo came with it! you got it home with no overheating, holds its idle quietly, rolled thru all the gears, brakes still braking, glass is good. couple visits to/fr autopart stores and take it from there. nice solid brick!

[@SKOMPAS]

I know it’s a little different but in the UK my last car was £500 I did 50k miles in it with just servicing and wheel bearings, my next car was £500 and so far it has needed a £450 gearbox re-build and servicing but still less into bother cars than most peoples monthly payments!

[@CoolTies]

Nooo!! Please do like CarThrottle and bring it back to original. Sharing the cost along the way. All the costs, parts and learning. You saved it, finish the adventure. Don’t smash it in some rally to only be destroyed (such a waste).

[@alex-sensei]

that was super fun to watch, especially the victory lap and final hill!

[@_techNULL]

Bought at $500 2003 Chevy Avalanche about a month ago at 265000 miles and have driven it to about 270000 with no signs of stopping.

[@sonnyjohansson8028]

Happy it got saved, Here in sweden its hard to find a volvo 240 in a decent shape for $500, they go for almost $1500/$2000 here, Greetings from the Motherland ! :)

[@DailyDriver.]

This is the sad thing about the car market. People are paying 80k for a 38k car but others are letting these and things like it get crushed :/

[@durtydan420]

I have a 2008 ford focus I paid 700 for, plus 120 or so in parts, so far very pleased and surprised by the car. Only issue is I can only open one door from the outside, driver's door opens with the cable only, one door don't open at all. 🤣

[@confusedworld9271]

I bought a 05 Volvo for 500$ and it's a bad ass car I love it and it has a turbo I gotta drive up the mountain when I get off work and I do 70 up it no problem no high rps either

[@jayroyce20-Garage]

I just bought a 04 suburban for $500 just got the transmission rebuilt and runs amazing on the interstate. Every car I buy on my channel was under $800

[@DaniTheNachoPirate]

As a kid my mother owned a 740GLE sedan and one day it set itself on fire. The electrical system had a short and the inside of the dashboard went up. Surprisingly, she still drove it afterwards (although with nothing electronic working, not even the lights). Those old Volvo's were un-killable!!

[@DaniTheNachoPirate]

...almost...

[@yahyamuamer1]

Definitely want to see the update with this- gearbox and engine service and some breaks- gonna be great

[@CameronsCandles]

This is great! Can't wait to see more! Brendan is an awesome addition I must say.

[@Brandon-ll3ff]

Rotors don’t really warp. Normally the pulsating is caused by and excess buildup of pad material located in one area of the rotor, caused by hard stop or high heat stop and then allowing the pad to remain in contact with the rotor surface while hot.

[@darkpepsi]

Interesting on reading that as I replaced my rotors on my 245 GL Wagon 4 years ago and those rotors were warp and couldn't be machined grooved. Plus they were over 15+ years old and needed to be swapped anyway from the daily driving up and down from the coast, mountains and desert. I mean they do get dangerously hot as you said if you hard stop and or hard braking like going downhill from a steep grade. However it just could be as you said in the beginning the buildup of material inside the brake caliper or pads.

[@theodorefritz4026]

Volvo 240 may be a decent choice...brake lines don't rust through, driveline is simple, and parts are readily available through volvo, IPD and other European car suppliers like RME. Best of luck

[@pudakis]

HOLD UP! Is that actually Bren from BEERSY, I know that laugh HEHEHE! Where’s the sardine paste? 😂

[@Tbar24]

The light means a brake light is out. I saw it!

[@FDNY101202]

Turbo motor swap/manual, stiffen er up for handling. Replace missing exterior parts. Paint.

[@JoesGoldenGarage]

Brake light is out! That’s what light is for! 90% of these had this issue

[@nisse7292]

Pretty sure the light is for any light, and not just brake lights. The light should be on when you start the car, and go dark when you hold the break (once). If it lights up when breaking anytime, its prob some smaller electric problem or just a broken bulb.

[@JoesGoldenGarage]

@@nisse7292 brake lights out. Like I said. On and off with brake pedal. Therefore brake light. They allllll do it. Own 20 of em. You figure this out

[@STho205]

That was my late Mom's last car. 1992 blue box Volvo. She drove it about once every two months so the battery was often dead. I'd come over and put my boat battery charger on it. Should have just bought her a tender, but i liked the excuse to help since she refused to move in with us and sell the big house. We advised taxis due to her only using it for her hair appointments....but that is a ritual she started as a young lady in 1945. Paint on all top surfaces was gone in the early 2000s and it once broke a timing belt but ran fine afterward.

[@edmessina8392]

change that timing belt asap.

[@Trully1949]

I own a 1993 Honda Accord, LX with just over 200,000 miles. It drives great. I intentionally bought this car because I wanted a manual transmission because I figured as long as I plan on keeping it, an automatic transmission would have given out by now. My plan is to restore it as well as I can. Certainly, finding original parts is a bit of a challenge. I don’t mind taking on a good challenge. If someone can lead me in the right direction to find good aftermarket parts, I would greatly appreciate it.

[@victorpelini5995]

Lube these door hinges and the hood hinges esp, very important. Youll bend/break stuff otherwise

[@trustbuster23]

I'd fix it up, but do it on the cheap. Get parts from a junkyard wherever possible, DIY as much as you can, etc. Show what it would take for somebody who isn't a mechanic but has basic mechanical skills and a tight budget to take something like this back to the point that you could realistically expect to drive it another 50 or 100k miles. But go through the entire car carefully and fix everything Toby finds - the AC, the radio, the brakes etc. Maybe even paint it. Then road trip it across the country to stress-test all of your low-budget fixes, and then give it away to somebody going through hard times who needs a car.

[@crimsonwolf0428]

I'd be interested to hear Toby's assessment of the car. Then fix it up to be a proper rally car. This old car seems to still have a lot of life to it. Not bad for $500.

[@craigvoclain1406]

I paid $600 for my 88 thunderbird. 4 years ago. I'm still driving it today. Just needed a fender.

[@jeep2003]

My neighbor has a 740 with 650k on the original engine never been rebuilt. He has every receipt since new in 91

[@feedrate1]

the 2005 astro van in my profile pic I bought for 10$ and drove it 61 miles home 😊. but then I had to put 3000 in to it . good luck guys.i only bought the van cause it's awd.

[@gar24407]

Every company needs a loaner car to help employees and friends. Make it mechanically sound and let it be the loaner.

[@zoefaith120]

The Volvo 240 is sweet addition to the family.. hope coby likes it,when he sees it.

[@rabidrabbit74]

Love the old volvos. I just picked up a project 01 volvo c70 coupe for $500. It's my 5th Volvo.

[@NakedPigeon]

These old Volvo's especially the Polar (wagons) are still popular in Europe, they ask big money for the Turbo (even with a lot of km's)

[@phillipbaisden1579]

These old cars are great i inherited a 88 240 and granted it was not fast or flashy it was a virtual tank went forever and anywhere i always wanted to make a sleeper or a drift car out of it but life as they say happens

[@LlyleHunter]

I had a Duster like that. It’s a two tone paint job you have there.

[@FreakyT333]

My first car was a hideous $500 87 Colt Vista mini mini van, fugly as can be but a manual with push button 4x4 right in the shift knob which did work! I could haul 8 of us around and get back into the secluded areas to do whatever us delinquents wanted without prying eyes… I loved to hate that thing

[@charlesyoung9980]

Considering scrap value on a car is between 200-275, a road worthy car for 500 bucks is a tall order.

[@geek8817]

Clean it up mechanically. Hopefully it would inspire folks to find a workable car and repair as needed.

[@kevinjnaquin11]

I love the body on the older Volvos. One of my favorite squares body cars

[@koniseatskimchi5541]

i would rock it. LOL i currently have a passat wagon i picked up non running for 300$ and invested 200$ and daily it. Cheap good cars are out there, just got to pay attention.