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Ahhh!!! Usually when folks ask "What year is best?", they're starting the search for the ultimate 245. We, too, take what we can get locally (within reason), so choosing a specific model year isn't really an option. Lots of rust buckets in OH. We eventually bought our '87 for peanuts in NJ.
Hope I didn't come across harsh with my message, it was just rushed. I was just trying to nip some common responses in the bud preemptively.
The '89's had/have a common ECU problem (the pink label -561), read up in the FAQ on it for some work-arounds. Easiest is to just replace it with a later ECU (White label -561 or -951, or re-chipped one). I have a spare (my only spare) -951 for the pink label -561 in my '90 245. I could loan it to you if you get in a jam.
As for ABS/SRS, "maintenance" might have been too strong a word. The SRS system doesn't need any really, and the ABS just needs typical periodic flushing. Our '91 740 has ABS, and it's trouble free at 300K, whereas I've slowly been rebuilding the entire brake system on my non-ABS '90 245 at only 114k (it was a Boston car).
As for my "1988" comment, to many folks chime in that it's the best year for the 240 as it was the last year for the tried and true LH 2.2 FI, etc., etc... I just don't buy it. More and better features kept coming into the 240, and LH 2.4 is mostly rock solid.
As for "E-codes", they're the spiffy stock headlamps installed on 240's (actually all cars in Europe) in every other market aside from North America. Glass lenses and great optics. A little pricey, but *much* better than the yellowing plastic ones we got here in the states.
Cheers,
-Ryan
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Athens, Ohio
1987 245 DL 314k, Dog-mobile
1990 245 DL 134k M47, E-codes, GT Sway Bars
1991 745 GL 295k, Regina, 23/21mm Turbo Sway Bars
Buckeye Volvo Club
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