I was curious as to what the record is for mileage in a 240. I have seen, at the junkyard in Clayton, NC, 240s with 322k (244, '89 I think) and 345k-ish ('83 245). Anyone know who has the highest mileage in a 240? I think Art B. has/had a 84 244 with 300k+ on the clock. (his pictures of oil pan work on that car were invaluable when working on my 93 240, even though I later discovered the oil pan gasket was at kinda OK and it was the valve cover gasket that was leaking, doh!)

With 174,400 miles on my 240 now, I feel confident that I can get at least 17 more years out of my 93 244!

And on a somewhat related topic, do you use your 240s as daily drivers or are they "extra" cars? I've owned my current car since April 07, though I've "helped" with work on 240s for as long as I can remember. It took me to college and back (200 miles one way) dozens of times over two years with zero problems on the road.

drew
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formerly non-registered at drew b.
green 1993 240, 164k 'Cream Puff V,' formerly: blue 1988 240 DL 'Cream Puff III'

Mine just turned 415K last week and looks so good with its new paint job. I got to figure how to post pics here.
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'86 sedan with 415,000 miles on the original engine and automatic transmission

HI
I LOVE my '87 240...8 years ago I had to replace the dash. At that time I had just over 280,000. I have driven it daily running kids to school (15 miles each way), activities after school (15-30 each way), ... and every weekend we drive a minimum of 170 miles to attend a function.So, I havent really any idea since the new odom. didn't work when it was installed, but I'm guessing well over400.

I've had no engine trouble what so ever. Just lots of brake issues, and of course strut/shock, ti-rod...minor things.

I also have a 95 850, and a 94 940. I have spent more on repairing these individually in one year then I have spent total on my 240DL in the last10 years!

I love to have the record mileage, but...

I hope to hear your final number!
Sheila

I've just had to take my 1993 off the road after 420,000 miles because it has failed its emmisions test (UK). It had begun to burn a bit of oil, which I think has poisoned the catalyst. It was running perfectly.

If it had been a year older the emissions test is much less stringent, and it wouldn't have to have a cat anyway. I know of another older 240 just scrapped after some 800,000 miles because of severe rust, and another still going strong with over 700,000 miles.

Look at the High Mileage listings on the UK Volvo Owners Club website.

I think it is remarkable that a number of ultrahigh mileage cars exist in the UK. It is not like you have wide open spaces that require great distances of travel.

I had a friend that grew up in Wyoming and it was a 50 mile drive just to get into "town".

Randy

mine just hit 340,000 - all but 100,000 and the first 15 years are my damage
but, aside from cosmetics and another round of suspension bushings she has been good to me
daily driver the past ten years, aside from two months of anguish in the summer heat without AC i am very pleased

but, with my new home purchase 3.4 miles from work i will be putting much fewer miles on it per year
and with a new home purchase uncle same, i mean you and i taxpaying americans, will be giving her the much needed cosmetic resurfacing in the early part of next year

driving a car forever is a very sincere form of being "green"
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rich - '85 244DL with 323k

A few weeks ago as I was leaving the U Pull and Pay a blue 240 rolled in to the parking lot. I exchanged greetings with the driver and asked how many miles the car had on it.

He told me it had 680,000. It was an 87 244 with standard transmission. He said the car had come from Colorado and didn't have any rust until it set up residence in Ohio (I believe he said it had been here 13 years).

He said the car had not required major work but had needed "a couple of clutches".

I did not look the car over but I guess it was possible that it had that kind of miles on it. it was showing a little wear (grin).

I was at my local dealer today and they had a 244 GL sitting on the floor that was very nice. Great paint and leather interior. I assumed it had to be very low mileage, but the odometer was showing 175K.

Randy

Mine is a 1980 242, and just turned 316,000 happy miles.

Drew,

Currently running at 279K on the clock, but the ODO was out for about 5K. Engine and trans have 43K on them since full rebuild. Our 92 245 is my daily driver, round trip to and from work is 80 miles per day... she keeps on tickin'!

jorrell
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92 245 278K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently taking names and kicking reputations!

How could you tell? Seems the odometer fails so often all mileage is just an estimate. LOL!!!!!

I've got a beloved '85 245 that had just turned over 397,862 mi. before it was totalled out while sitting unoccupied in my friend's driveway by some stupid tweeker. I was so upset I almost ended up in jail for assault, but I calmed myself down. The insurance company gave me a whopping $400.00 for this fine example of Swedish engineering, but I was able to keep the car so I could fillet all the goodies off of it. Items like ipd sways, new calipers and rotors, a full poly bushing kit,strut braces, and whatever else the engine compartment and interior may give up. It will be with a heavy heart that I watch it go away on the back of a roll-up wrecker to the metal recycler. I think that with continued use of synthetic oil (in my particular case Amsoil) that car would have made it out there in the 550k mi. range before giving up the ghost.

Mines an '87 sedan at 398,000. I'm sure there are others with far more than that. I consider 398k to be on the low end of what is considered "high miles" for a 240. It is my only vehicle and I drive it every day. Original engine and automatic tranny. It eats an AMM every 100k so I keep a spare in the trunk. My feeling is that by keeping the oil and coolant full, the engine at normal operating temps, using a light foot on the throttle when its cold, etc. will allow these cars to run up mind boggling amounts of miles.

Check the UK volvo clubs list, it includes cars from all over the world
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-------Robert, '93 940t, '90 240 wagon, '84 240 diesel (she's sick) , '80 245 diesel, '86 740 GLE turbo diesel, '92 Ford F350 diesel dually

My son's 93 classic wagon currently has 241K on it.
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93' 240 Classic Wagon 220K & 92' 740 Wagon Regina/Rex 90K

We have three 240's at our house. My '88 has 582,000 miles. My wife's '92 has 280,000 and my son's '90 wagon has 230,000. My '88 was purchased new and picked up in November 1987. I drive it 80 miles per day to work.

So that's over 1,000,000 combined miles and nothin' newer than a '92!

That's pretty darned impressive. I wish I had been able to buy a new 240, and see how many miles I could rack up on it. For a lot of people, that would probably be one of two cars they would ever need in their lifetime, if they didn't get bored or their needs didn't change.

" That's pretty darned impressive. I wish I had been able to buy a new 240, and see how many miles I could rack up on it. For a lot of people, that would probably be one of two cars they would ever need in their lifetime, if they didn't get bored or their needs didn't change."

Or, if all of the owners knew about the achilies heel of these cars. Wet carpets from leaking windshields etc, no screen on the cowl louvers allowing the rockers to fill with leaves, which get wet and rust out the rockers. Also, be sure to clean the drain holes of debris in the bottom of the rockers so what water does get in will drain out.

The cure? remove the rocker plugs on the inner (cabin) part of the rocker, and vacuum all of the leaves and crap out of them. Then, buy some of the magnetic sheet and cut to fit over your louvers to keep said junk, and water out (this was someone else's (EXCELLENT) idea. Remove when running your air etc (If you are one of the lucky few 240 owners with working AC). I bought the magnetic sheet sold at lowes made for covering up airvents in your home, and painted it black to match my car.

Oh yeah, I had one 240 for 23 YEARS!! And it had well over 200000 miles on it when it was rear ended in front of my house, ending it's life!!

I had an '84 242 for a few months last year, which I purchased for $400. The odometer read 203k miles but it was broken and I'm guessing the mileage was closer to 230k. Unfortunately I had to sell it due to some financial difficulties. But it was a real fun car to drive, even with all its faults - had the M46 which made it a little zippy.

Now I have just my '96 850 to enjoy. I really have to drive it more, though. It only has 86k on it now but I'm real anal about how many miles it gets driven because it's a mint-condition, 2-owner car. It used to be my daily driver but for the last two years, it's only been driven about 2,500 miles. Not much!

My 1980 242 DL was given to me about 5 years ago, with a mere 139k miles showing on the odometer. However, the previous owner advised me that the odometer had never worked in the 4 or 5 years that they had owned the car. So my mileage is unknown since the odometer quit at least 2 owners ago. I make quite a few trips back and forth between central Illinois and south Louisiana every year, 800 miles each way. Plus, the wife drives it about 65 miles a day during the week going back and forth to nursing school when I'm not gone to Louisiana in it. The car gets a lot of use on a daily basis...

Best guess is about 400,000 on the original motor (not been rebuilt to the best of my knowledge), and about 2,000 miles since upgrading to an M46 and 3.31 rear axle. The compression seems to be fading a bit, but it still runs fairly strong and gets 25+ mpg on the highway. Doesn't seem like it's about to quit on me anytime soon either... In fact, an oil and filter change is on the agenda for this weekend.

My 242 has been without a doubt the cheapest and easiest car to maintain that I've owned... When it finally goes on to Valhalla, I will be getting another 242 to replace it.

billy242
1980 242DL with lots of GT and IPD stuff

My '88 240 5 speed wagon is at 312k. It is driven 500 miles a week. The only major issue was a transmission change due to low fluid (I now check it every oil change).
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Bob, NC 1965 PV544 1988 240 wagon