Anyone looking for a great band car, but doesn't want to go the van route, this would be a great car for you. I'm selling my 1989 Volvo 240DL station wagon. It's a 5-speed manual tranny, gets good gas mileage (close to 30 mpg), and is built like a tank as all older Volvos are. It runs well right now, but could use a tune-up to be ship shape. I've used it for countless shows in the past 2 years and it's worked great. I am selling for $1000 or best offer. Email me at giranimals@ yahoo.com if interested and you can come test drive it.

I was wondering,

-What's the milage?
-How new are the tires?
-Has the timing belt been changed since you've owned it?
-Is it all wheel drive?
-Does it still smell like diapers?

quote:

Originally posted by black:
I was wondering,

-What's the milage?
-How new are the tires?
-Has the timing belt been changed since you've owned it?
-Is it all wheel drive?
-Does it still smell like diapers?

It has 209,000 miles(which may seem like a lot, but I had another 240, a sedan, that had 325,000+ miles before I got rid of it. It isn't uncommon for a Volvo to get 400,000 on an original engine...). The tires are all in good shape, we replaced the front ones not too long ago. No belt change while we've had it, but I checked the belts and they still look good. Timing belt isn't too hard of a change on a Volvo-I did it on my other one, you just need a socket wrench with a really long handle. It isn't all wheel drive, sorry. And no, it doesn't smell like diapers. This has been a band vehicle-the baby seats have very rarely been in it. Any other questions, Black?

i've had a few 240s and they are very very solid ecno-benz-like cars ... as long as your heater fan doesn't go out .... they practically built the entire car around the heater fan and it's more expensive to replace that stupid fan than it is the engine.

quote:

Originally posted by mc:
...Any other questions, Black?

That's about it. Thanks mc.

Believe it or not I was interested. After I moved to Cedar Crest (a totally bum-free-zone. my place has the National Forest on three sides of the property) I realized I needed 4-wheel/all wheel drive. Didn't want to buy new, and used 4-wheel drive truks and suv's in my $$ range were usually driven all to shit buy macho men. That's when I discovered the relibilty, strength and endurance of a Subaru. Used one's wer usually soccer mom cars, and well maintained despite any high milage. I used to get shit for owning them until it was revealed that Foodstamps owns one (took off the hippie/yuppie stigma).

Then I learned that those Volvo wagons are like a Subaru on steroids. I have no doubt in the reliability despite high milage. I asked about the timing belt/chain, because in a Subaru with high milage, it's about all that needs replacing. But it's in a spot that requires practically dis-assembling the whole damn engine (much like the heater fan deal WebMonkey mentioned). I think I'd like to upgrade to Volvo, but I needs me the all wheel deal.

Thanks again though. (and even if it smelled like diapers, we have our ways of changing the olfactory properites of just about any confined space...)

quote:

That's when I discovered the relibilty, strength and endurance of a Subaru. Used one's wer usually soccer mom cars, and well maintained despite any high milage. I used to get shit for owning them until it was revealed that Foodstamps owns one (took off the hippie/yuppie stigma).

Sorry to put the question here, but Black, do you recommend anyone to replace my transmission, or any work on my Subaru in general? I have a 95 Legacy that may need the transmission replaced soon. I also got the Subaru for the time I lived in the East Mountains, and it was amazing how well it could handle 14 inches of snow.

One of the top* Subaru repair places is Jeff's Gasoline Ally (262-0411). The deal with them is that their customer base is mainly Sandia Lab and Intel engineer-types (picky, perfectionist know-it-alls). That translates to rather pricey and a weel or two wait for non-emergencies. The work is always top-notch and once you get your car ther, the turnaround is quick.

For the last few years though, I have been using Garcia Subaru on Lomas's Service Department. (262-5155) I would normally avoid dealership garages (I've worked in them), but have been pleasantly surprised at the lack of rip-off bullshit usually associated with those places. This would be my top recomindation. If you go this route, ask to talk to John Holcomb and tell him Black Maria G sent you. He's a good guy and will treat you right.

As far as transmission shops go, one of the only honest and reliable ones I have delt with in my 123 years here in Albuquerque is Tranco (268-0000) at 1719 Eubank.

If $$ is no object, go with Jeff's Gasoline Ally. Otherwise you'll find Garcia just as good, with less wait time and $$. Both of these places respect older Subarus, have always been upfront with potential future problems.

Hope this helps.



*honest, dependable.

quote:

Tranco (268-0000) at 1719 Eubank.

They rebuilt the tranny in my 1985 Chevy van, Stella. I haven't had a problem in the almost 10 years since I had that done.

Hey Black, I just sold my 1985 Nissan 4x4 Pickup ... woulda been a good truck for you ... they're little mountain goats!!! .. oh well.

Back to the topic at hand. It's sold. Thanks for keeping this thread bumped guys!

quote:

Originally posted by black:
That's when I discovered the relibilty, strength and endurance of a Subaru.

Yeah! Let me tell you something.

We've had that Subaru since 2003 or so, and it is a little tank. We also recently acquired a 2005 Toyota 4Runner Sport Edition with the V8, which has a lot more interior room and is fast as fuck for a 4X4. Then we moved up to the foothills, so when we got that big snow during the winter, we really got pounded. That Toyota is a real pretty truck, and a blast to drive, but the little Subaru blows it away in the snow hands down.

Did Volvo ever make any 4wd cars? Maybe some of the new ones, but those are damned pricey.

quote:

Originally posted by mc:
Back to the topic at hand. It's sold. Thanks for keeping this thread bumped guys!

Yeah, yeah. O.K. mc. Congrats on selling it, but can't you see we're having a conversation here? (just taking the piss out, you know?)

You ain't jokin', foodstamps. I too was stoked at how great those damn wagons handle in mud and snow. I see all sorts of "fun hogs"/city folks heading up the mountain, by my place. My Subaru(s) always manuvers through that stuff much easier than the trucks and suv's. Better weight distrubution? Lower center of gravity? I don't know. But it sure Rocks!

As far as strength, I have been hit head-on in a Subaru while driving through the Tijeras Canyon. Some Texan lost control of his sled and crossed the median (this was before the current walls were put up. Knocked me the fuck out, Destroyed the car--- engine coming through the floorboard, gear-shift/tranny practically in back seat, etc... yet I pretty much came out unscathed as far as broken bones and contusions. That reinforced "best-in-class-for-safety" body and frame saved me then, and again a few months later when a crackhead running from the cops ran a stop sign at Lead and High (ironic, huh?) and t-boned me at the drivers door. Although I was spun 372 degrees and the car was bent all to hell, I was able to chase the fucker for another few miles, while calling the cops (who bitched me out for chasing the asshole and eventually caught up to me and pulled me over) Again the Subaru was totaled, but I was fine (except for knowing I'd have to find another Subaru, deal with the insurance again and miss opening for Dixie Witch. That hurt the most...)
The innards of all the Subarus I've owned have always been more than hearty. High milage and all.

Yeah, Volovo makes all wheel drive, and yeah, pretty fucking pricey. Hence my actual interest and questions in the original subject of this thread. But once the caffine hits and the fingers hit the keyboard, the results are often like this...

Good God! Remind me never to hitch a ride with you, black!



Merry Crimmus!

damn black if you have 9 lives how man have you used???

WebMonkey, my young Brother, I fear the question may actually be how many lives do I have left?!

If anything, I can use all those near death experiences as my excuse for my horrible behavior, questionable lifestyle choices and the fact that I'm pretty much a jackass.


Hey! Fuck you! I'm partying! I could be dead tomorrow! Whooo-Hooo!

(but i am glad to not be dead...)

hehe ... we're glad you aren't dead too black!! one thing is for sure ... you're a survivor!! you'll probably be one of those dudes who parties harder than any of us and lives to be 100

A Datsun B210 wagon...flipped it 50 yards...went down a 15 foot ravine...took the jaws of life to get me out...fireman bled on me...had to take aids and hep test...both negative...one scar for memories on my arm...Played a gig the next night. I sure do miss that car. Oh...I thought we were sharing. Volvos are nice too.

thanks for all the info, black. speaking of volvos, i wrecked my '77 by running it into a telephone pole at about thirty MPH. the front ended up in a U shape. it was about 2 miles from my house in rual TN and i didn't want to stick around for, um, *various reasons*, so i decided to see if i could get home. with the hood up, smoke blowing from the engine and my head out the window it got all the way back to my house. i even managed to sell it for a couple hundred bucks for parts to a friend.