QuestionI know that your expertise is in the realm of the 240; however, based on your answer to the S70 buyer in Annapolis I was hoping you could help me too.
I'm considering buying a 1997 Volvo 960 with 97K miles on it for $8,800. Other than troublesome sun visors, any issues that you know of that I should look out for? Any comments on the RWD? Does that price sound about right to you? Fortunately, the Volvo in question is a California car with no accident history, so the body is in pretty good shape.
Thanks so much for your help!
AnswerI think the 960 is a mixed bag. On the upside, it was the last of the rear wheel drive cars, which, in my opinion, had a much better reputation for reliability (at least the ones Volvo made). However, the 960 sported a new 2.9L inline 6 cylinder engine, which from what I've heard, doesn't have a very good reputation. The engine that helped put Volvo on the map (and why so many people still lust after these cars), is the inline 4 cylinder counterpart, which was used in the 140, 240, 740, and 940 series, with turbo and non-turbo flavors. The 960, as Volvo's luxury flagship, needed to sport a little extra power, so they put in the inline 6. However, in terms of reliability, I think the car doesn't have a good reputation. If I were in your shoes, I would set my sights on either a late model 940, or a late model 740, both with the 4 cylinder power plant. They also came in turbo models, which will make up the power loss of 2 fewer cylinders if you're worried about not having enough power. If you go that route, I think you'll be happy in the long run with a much more reliable car. My 1980 240 has basically the same engine as the 940, and it's still going strong after 25 years and 250K miles. Besides the engine, the 940 models didn't have quite as many luxury apointments, but still very comfortable; even by today's standards. Good luck with your decision!
