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Selling my car (actually, my wife's) -- she's getting my car, and we're finally buying a new car (for me :-)).
I'd rather sell it to a Volvo-phile rather than a stranger on craigslist or eBay. So here goes:
1993 Volvo 240 Located in Somerset (Franklin Township), New Jersey 08873
The car is Non-Smoker (no bad smells at all). Its exterior is in much better condition than it’s age would suggest, having been garaged both at home and at work. It’s interior is remarkably better than would be expected – the upholstery looks almost new. And it runs flawlessly (except as noted in “Cons” – e.g., the A/C doesn’t work).
Pictures follow after written content …
Pros:
• Non-smoker.
• Maintenance Receipts since 2006 (see list, further below).
• This year has the L-engine (with oil splashers for better piston cooling and reduced cylinder wear – see this thread for confirmation: http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1571522/220/240/260/280/b230f_engine_oil_squirters_years.html)
• Fender turn indicators (a.k.a. “fender blinkers”) on the sides
• Converted the center-rear brake light to a Hella-brand LED light (for faster and brighter light up and rear-end safety).
• Front end bracing: upper diagonal braces
• Metal (IPD’s aluminum) splash pan
• Rear cam plug IPD retainer.
• Nissen 3-row (50% larger) radiator – with Mercedes’s glysantin yellow coolant (same as Volvo’s chemistry, but dyed yellow instead of blue, thus clearer for visibility in the reservoir) + distilled water.
• ATE-brand brake fluid, alternated blue and amber to visibly ensure thorough flushes
• Used AmsOil synthetic engine oil (AMO 10W-40 in early years, and newer AFL 5W-40 in later years) throughout ownership (many years)
• Volvo-brand Auxiliary ATF cooler; and I use AmsOil synthetic transmission fluid.
• All parts (e.g., timing belt, tensioner, seals, water pump, battery, relays, etc.) are always Volvo-brand (from Volvo parts counter).
• Headrests’ cushioned inserts, front and rear
• Temperature Compensation Board has been removed/bypassed for true coolant temperature indication.
• Volvo TSB cable for controlling auxiliary fan by coolant temperature (as well as A/C system pressure) – see my article in Rolling: “Improving the Auxiliary Radiator Fan”, 25(4):25, July/August 2007, pg 25.
• Coin holder
• Volvo Trunk (organizer) basket and spare tire cover.
• Euroheadlights (glass), “DJAuto”. And they have "stone shield" film over the glass to prevent damage from rocks (common on NJ roads).
• Double horns, relayed & fused (in place of wimpy single horn and OEM wiring).
• Digital gauges for voltmeter and ambient temperature.
• LED Daytime running lights in front grill.
• Turbo Virgo 15x6 wheels, with Michelin ExaltoPE2 205/55ZR15 summer tires (and Nokian Hakka V 185/70-14 on OEM steel wheels for winter)
• Air filter box’s thermostat mechanism has been removed and the hot-air intake is blocked (the duct from the exhaust manifold, and the sheet metal “stove” on the manifold as well, have also been removed) to better protect the AMM. – I still have that “stove”, if you want it.
• Metal type 100 and 200K mile badge.
• Now only ~217,000 miles (I bought it from Volvo dealer at 101,123 miles in October 2002; always garaged at home, and garaged at work, too.
• Color: blue outside and inside
• Mount and electric plug for Garmin GPS on dash (below line of sight, for safety) – but you would have to fashion your own molex connection, which I use because the “cigarette lighter” plug doesn’t stay connected to the GPS’s plug. [this mount can be removed at your request].
• Has NJ inspection sticker valid until November 2016. And it runs great, with no issues.
• The car is registered and insured and legal to drive*
[ * you may think this is a strange statement, but over the years I’ve gone to see used cars and sometimes found that it has no plates or insurance or current inspection sticker, making a test drive a questionable situation regarding curious or summons-happy police.]
Cons:
• A/C doesn’t work (I got a new compressor installed by Volvo [see Recent Maintenance] in 2011, but there must be some new leak).
• The gasket around the windshield, on the center of the upper portion, gets soft in hot summer sun and loosens/stretches, so I have a segment of Gorilla Tape holding it down.
• Power antenna doesn’t go down.
• Speakers are old, and the left front door’s is loose, but the radio plays fine otherwise.
• I have new door pockets, but haven’t installed them (the originals are cracked).
• Trip odometer doesn’t easily reset with all numbers lined up (you have to play with the reset button a few times) – but the lifetime odometer and speedometer work fine.
• The OEM cigarette lighter 12-volt socket makes only intermittent contact with plugs – that’s why I have a dedicated plug (molex) for it.
Recent Maintenance (with receipts) – you’ll find that I follow the strict philosophy that no one works on my car other than myself and my Volvo dealer. BTW, I misplaced my folder with earlier than ’06 paper receipts, but since then have scanned my records into pdf’s so I’ll never lose them again, and have these 2006-on for you:
• Exhaust system’s heat shields (Volvo dealer), 2006-Dec., 163K miles
• Catalytic Converter, Oxygen Sensor (Volvo dealer), 2008-Oct, 178K miles
• Timing Belt (Volvo parts), parts bought 2008-Dec (per receipt), installed 2009-Jan
• Ball joints and wheel alignment (Volvo dealer), 2009-Feb, 179K miles
• Alternator Voltage Regulator (part from Volvo), 2010-Sep.
• Ignition tune-up (parts from Volvo), 2011-Jun.
• A/C Compressor replaced (Volvo dealer), 2011-Aug, 200K miles
• Windshield Wiper’s motor (Volvo brand), 2011-Aug
• Center Bearing (of the drive shaft) replaced, Volvo dealer, 2011-Nov., 201K miles
• Exhaust System replaced, Volvo dealer, 2012-Jan., 202K miles
• Fresh antifreeze (Mercedes-Benz brand), 2012-Jan.
• Water Pump & Overdrive Relay, 2012-Jan.
• Volvo-brand battery, 2012-Feb.
• Shifter bushings, engine and transmission mounts, at Volvo dealer – 2012-Mar, 203K miles
• Brand-new rear brakes (both calipers+rotor, parking brake shoes and cables, and brake fluid flush), at Volvo dealer, 2014-Aug, 214K miles.
This above list does not include engine oil and filter*, and ATF, changes because I do this myself and buy direct from AmsOil for ATF and engine oil ( * although the oil filters are always Volvo – I buy several at a time, as I have multiple 240s).
Reason for sale: buying a new car.
Provisions of sale:
• Cash only. [And certainly not that old scam, asking me to “accept an overpayment check from you to pay a shipper and keep the remainder” ]
• Sorry, but to take the car away after purchase, you cannot borrow my license plates to drive to your home – they’re custom vanity plates and are going on my new car right away. And I do not deliver, unless you live in my town, so your options are anything else of your own choice after you buy the car.
[If you want to go to the local DMV office, for this I’ll be happy to go with you to show you how to find it.]
For anyone interested in discussing this offline in confidence, you can email me at Volvo164NJ(at)att.net
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Did it go to a Brickboarder?
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Great looking 240 and glad that it (looks like) will be going to a new home. My question is on how you scored the new car and your wife gets the hand me down? I don.'the think I'd ever get that concept to fly in my house! :) What's your new ride going to be? Congrats again.
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I will buy it Ken.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore
Mistakes are the portals of discovery. -James Joyce
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I was surprised to see the car without any offers posted here, but apparently three others have made offers to buy prior to the one I made at 5AM. I just now received email from Ken who will "have to give it to whoever gets here first."
In any event, it is clear Ken will be sure it goes to a good home.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore
Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
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Maybe some of us need a strategy for next sales event! Enjoy the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdrClZ8h_PU
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That was funny SB. :)
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Darn, I keep forgetting to include all these things. That's the second time.
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Sorry, I forgot to put the price I want in the original posting of the ad.
Just $750.
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hi ken- read with interest your article on sale of that excellent 93. as fellow jerseyan(transplanted to fla since 03) can identify with your references. been all over brunswick, rutgers, car shows over the raritan in nb and tumultys pub(been there?). a few points /questions on your info. on compressor issue- have found too often compressor is replaced when actual problem is leaking pipe or hose connectors. used car anomaly with no plates, insurance, insurance - unless car is a real gem - this approaches a real deal breaker due to suspicions and difficulty of road tests. how do you adequately test doing circles in a driveway or parking lot. nj coppers ticket fast for this. have seen many scams and dirty tricks over 50years in the purchase/ sale of cars, but missed this one on the old scam of overpayment for shipping. how does that work? as im sure you have experienced big killer of cars in nj are snow/salt and smashups. your 93 is very well preserved. think your only problem will be later regret over selling it. thanks tons oldduke
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re: "...as im sure you have experienced big killer of cars in nj are snow/salt and...."
Ha, I know what you're talking about. But despite having studded snow tires, my wife avoided a lot of driving in salt and snow over the years simply because she was in information technology and her employer, Johnson & Johnson, allowed her (and her other colleagues) to telecommute in bad weather -- she just crawled out of bed and sat at our coffee table with her company laptop online and did all her work there.
I had to get up at 5:00 am even on snowy mornings just to listen to the radio (or call the campus hotline) to find out if my college was cancelling classes -- if not, I had to go in early (to get my aforementioned parking spot beneath the leftover roof spaces :-) ). Fortunately, my campus closed often :-).
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Hi.
re "...used car anomaly with no plates, insurance, insurance - unless car is a real gem - this approaches a real deal breaker due to suspicions and difficulty of road tests. how do you adequately test doing circles in a driveway or parking lot. nj coppers ticket fast for this...."
I don't try -- I just walk away. Finally learned after a while to ask first if it's registered, insured, with plates BEFORE coming to see it.
re "...have seen many scams and dirty tricks over 50years in the purchase/ sale of cars, but missed this one on the old scam of overpayment for shipping. how does that work?..."
I thought that was famous (or infamous) already. Craiglist always has a warning at the top of its lists for cars and boats.
re "...questions on your info. on compressor issue- have found too often compressor is replaced when actual problem is leaking pipe or hose connectors...."
That's what I said, too. The A/C worked for a few years after Volvo replaced the compressor, but this spring it's warm air again -- I would pay to find and fix the leak if we hadn't decided to buy a brand new car. It's not worth the expense for us in light of this.
Best regards
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I like the LEDDRLs. Nice job. Did you write it up? My VCOA sub lapsed one of the years the dues were hiked.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore
Crusin' and playin' the radio... With no particular place to go.
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Thanks for the compliment, but that was only my first version, on my wife's grille.
When I got my car (which I'm giving to my wife now) I did this, which is even nicer because these lights don't have the black bezel.
For both, I cut exact spaces into the grille, and then mounted the LED lights (truck turn signals) flush, attaching them with 3M 5200 sealant/adhesive (which is used to permanently mount and seal deck fittings to boats) -- it never releases its grip.
By the way, this car is the one on which I converted all of the exterior lights (except the Cibie/Volvo Euroheadlights, of course) to LED lights (mounting hundreds of discrete LED's on circuit boards, etc.), per my article in Rolling a few years ago.
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I hope you're going to remove your badge collection before sale. It would be a shame to lose them.
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Unfortunately, that 3M 5200 is pretty permanent -- they're going with the car when I sell it. When I do, I'm including an as-yet-unmounted comparable 200K mile badge (for which I left a space on the grill to the 100K badge's right) for when the new owner gets to that point -- right now it only has 163K miles.
By the way, the badge on the left is for a U.K. club :-) in case you didn't recognize it.
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Hey hey there, are you sure you want to sell it?
Darn, I live on the wrong coast!
I think you need to raise up some of your numbers a wee bit! 163K?
This car runs and is broken-in, that's proven reliability!
This is not an American, hokey pokey, watch and feel it wear as you drive car!
Imagine the cloth seat conditions in a Honda or Toyota by half this age!
The car is worth more than $750 and a picture you have on here says it has 216K. 200k badge is covered now and working on a 3K.
Unless it's got more rust, bad tires or something really bad going on you should be able to get out of this car for an easy $2,160.
You must have a miss planted some fingers on the keyboard. (:-)
Phil
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re: "...I think you need to raise up some of your numbers a wee bit! 163K?
This car runs and is broken-in....a picture you have on here says it has 216K. 200k badge is covered now and working on a 3K...."
I think you may have confused two '93 cars. The one that I am selling, and pictured in the original post, has 216K miles -- it's my wife's car.
As I wrote in one of my subsequent responses,
"... that [meaning the one pictured as the one being sold] was only my first version, on my wife's grille. When I got my car (which I'm giving to my wife now) I did this...." [i.e., showing a closeup of the grill]"
This has only 163K miles, and is not for sale, but is almost perfect inside and out, as well as mechanically (except for a bum trip odometer, like the one I'm selling), but also has some nice things such as the arm rest with cup holders, snow caps with screens, 16" Hydra wheels (same, but larger, Michelin Exalto pilot tires), and more suspension upgrades.
It's also the subject of my article that was published in Rolling a few years ago about converting all of the exterior lights, front and rear, to LEDs, mounting literally hundreds of discrete LEDs on circuit boards I cut to fit into, and inserted in, the housings of the lights in place of the bulbs and their sockets. They're very, very bright :-), to say the least.
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I thought I was on the post with pictures, original or not or which is which, I cannot not tell.
Still your too cheap. Because, if I wanted to have a keeper and wanted it in my fleet, it would be think it's worth that kind of money.
Especially, if I had taken care of one myself, in order to sell to a purist with a heart.
A parts scavenger always wants it cheap. Eyes with $$!
A person who appreciates, pays a little more. IMHO.
Maybe I am a rare duck, with a brood of four, as well.
The extras you have done may or may not be liked by some. That's the problem with modifying to one's own taste, is that, it ends up being more for a "one's" certain taste!
Their harder to sell, priced up or down! IMH
I was also playing with your 216K mileage to make 2,160 dollars.
I bought my '91, 10 years ago with 182K that was definitely stock and it possible slightly better shape. I got it for $3000. Have not put any repairs into it and only normal maintenance. It now has 260k and have been told that if I ever wanted to sell it, they would give me the same money today.
I smiled with a somber thought, that in today's dollars and even with the greater mileage, it might be about right! Good, solid quiet classic cars with out styrofoam and peeling paint are a rare find.
Yours is newer, a little less mileage than mine but not exactly stock. Go figure what a purist might discount it?
At 2K with your extra throw in's...... are making it attractive. Less money is a gift to that person you are looking for and I get it now!
It must be your intent and I hope you make it!
Others on the BB are probably thinking the same way but are not such a loud mouth as me! (:-())
What kind or brand new car are you headed into? Another Volvo, maybe?
I am curious to what measures up in your mind.
Phil
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Hello Ken,
Ken Said, "always garaged at home, and garaged at work, too."
Wow, You were able to park in the garage at work. Lucky you! My company gave me a dedicated handicap parking spot for my car. Well, they are not laughing anymore after 3 years and +135,000miles. BTW, I hope I didn't offend anyone.
Your car is gorgeous and kept in pristine condition. I can tell by reading your writing style. I hope you get what you deserve. It's beautiful.
Happy Friday.
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Thanks for the compliment.
Everyone at her job had an underground garage space -- the company had to provide such parking in order to get the permit to build the building, I think. It's in the city (New Brunswick) and the streets would never accommodate their workforce parking on the street -- also, her employer, Johnson & Johnson, can easily afford it. But my wife really did enjoy not having to dig her car out of snow in the winter, or get into a blazing hot car in the summer, after a day of work -- she just got into her car indoors at one end of her commute, and stepped out indoors at the other end.
Actually, the same for me -- my college had a parking "deck" -- as long as I got to work early, I didn't have to park on the top level, the roof -- one of the many reasons I always scheduled my classes for mornings; the downside was that many of my students were still asleep :-).
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Hi Ken,
I hope your baby finds a good home with a garage. Try to sell on ebay if you don't get a good offer here. Ask your friend who already has an account so that you can avoid an extra fee and you can choose not to sell it if you don't like the final bidding price. I have been looking for a back up car but your car is too nice. It will get beat up in Brooklyn.
One last thing, I hope NJ change their law very soon when it comes to pumping your own gas. I always run out like a mad man, open the fuel door gently and tell them not spill any gas. I despise the negative treatment when I am paying the same gas price as other driver with a fancy logo on the hood.
--
I have had my Swedish Baklava for 4 years now, not 3 years. Time flies when you roll.
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Hi.
re "...I have been looking for a back up car but your car is too nice. It will get beat up in Brooklyn...."
I know what you're talking about. My brother- and sister-in-law live in Brooklyn, and shudder everytime I have to drive there. Mostly, though, they come here.
Actually, I forgot to say that I'm only looking for $750 for the car. I'll have to add that somehow or link it to another post.
re: "...I hope NJ change their law very soon when it comes to pumping your own gas. I always run out like a mad man, open the fuel door gently and tell them not spill any gas....
Funny you should mention that. I feel the same way -- fortunately, I cater to only one neighborhood station, and they always let me pump my own gas despite the law. Of course, I bring them a pizza for Christmas, too :-).
And I do have my own eBay account, but who wants any old person to get this car.
Regards,
Ken
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