I wanted to thank everyone who replied to my post and for the wealth of information everyone provided. Given my gut feelings along with the info provided by those more experienced with Volvos than myself, I am going to hold onto this one. I will take the car to a shop, have it assessed and then decide what to do from there, either repair myself or have a shop do this part and then do the rest myself. I used to build older Nova's way back when, so I do have the experience with working on cars, just not much time to commit to it right at the moment, and it has been quite a while since I've done much work on cars, so I have to admit that I am a bit rusty.

I wanted to also note that we arent replacing the air compressor simply for the sake of having air conditioning, we could go without that. I think I failed to mention that because of what appears to be a problem the air compressor (or possibly clutch in compressor grabbing??), the car isnt really drivable right now. I haven't done much to assess the problem at home, as right now we have another car we are driving, and as I said, haven't had the time. Looks like it's time!

Thanks again everyone and I will probably be getting quite familiar with this board so I look forward to talking to everyone more!

Thanks Much,
Cheers,
Michael

hi there, in my opinion if you buy any car made in 85. you should buy a volvo. i learned alot right here on fixin volvos. 1,000.00$ to me is a nice chunk of change and hard to get but easy to spend. learn to fix it yourself if possible. or make more money. what drove me to fix stuff is unbeliveable price quotes and poor workmanship for said prices, oh yes also the lies they tell and the things they say your car needs. or see if you can find a volvo mechanic that does work on the side. good luck and 85 is my favorite year for the 240 so far.

85 240 164,000
86 240 126,000
87 240 broke odo
85 244 turbo ;}

Hey if you really are willing to do something with the car throw a V8 into it.
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92 240 2.3 L with a Borla! 103,000 Miles and More!!Go Team Grimace!!

Listen, I bought an 84 240 wagon with 220,000 miles already spun up, and she was a sweet car. I put 30,000 more on myself, and finally had to junk it beacuse of multiple leaks that caused it to fill with LOTS of water every time it rained. When it started to look like a science project inside, my wife feared it was going to poison the kids and off to the scrap yard it went. You seem to indicate the really important things, ie body and interior and major engine functions are all intact. Cmon, grab your tools and get busy. Seriously, there is no other car that will fall in your budget range that can possibly be safer for your family than that brick. Open the friggin windows, get on your back and LOOK at the front end for loose or broken bits, and you will certainly not regret it.

It sounds like the repairs you mention are just "cost of doing business" kinds of things. You'll never get away from that. If your car is in good shape, rust free, etc., then I would certainly have the necessary repairs made. Your best defense of course is to be as self-sufficient as possible in terms of doing your own repairs, as you can. And do all the preventive stuff, i.e. a little time and money now will pay off big time in terms of longevity for your car. I have a couple of Volvos now. My high mileage '88 745 (250k) is due for shocks and other suspension work, as well as a timing belt and some work on the a/c. All in all, I will probably spend about $1500 on it, but then it will continue to serve me well as it has for the 11 years I have owned it. Why? Because it has always had excellent and timely maintenance. For these machines, that is the key more than mileage. If a thousand bucks will get you in good shape, and you are comfortable with your mechanic, then go for it. And stay on top of the preventive stuff. That car will last you for years to come!

Take it to a shop familiar with Volvo's. Have them check it out and recommend what needs replacing. Get an estimate. Then get back to us.
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1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb and M46 trans

Sounds like a broken sway bar endlink and a convenience issue to me.
We don't need AC around here, its just a little comfier. What is taht little comfort worth to you, over $1000 if you honey nags you about it everyday...

Heres how to fix it on the cheap, since this souds like a concern for you.
Search Ebay for your AC compressor, it is also found on about 100 other cars inc Porsche 928 and Mazda 323 i think. one of the vendors lists the interchange. If you are too tight for money to buy it from them, print the list and go to Pick N Pull on Cmmercial ave or Monterey Road, and get an AC compressor from one of the cars on your list. buy and install a R234 conversion kit, then pay $200 or whatever to get it recharged.

Pick N Pull also stocks sway bar end links $3?, or oven one side suspension assembly for about $50

If you don't like to do that kind of work, you can get top notch service (won best local shop vote 10years) at DMV Clinic in Santa Cruz. They charge shop rate.

Then again, it might be easier to buy a car with a warantee.

Your mileage at 150K is not bad for an 85 model..just getting broken in.

If you are handy with tools, have the tools and a Bentley Repair Manual and the time you could do the repairs yourself for well under $1000. A used compressor (if this is what is wrong) at a junkyard might be $50, or a new one about $250. Fairly easy to install & then take to shop & have system vacuumed & recharged & leak tested. Yours used r12 freon which is very expensive now...consider conversion to r134a. You would need to replace all seals, orfice tube & drier also but they are cheap.

The clunks in the front end are common in older 240's (probably not the result of an accident) .....worn or loose bushings, tie rod ends, lower ball joint, wheel bearings, upper strut mount etc. All of these are inexpensive to replace yourself, but pricey at a shop if you are on a budget.

If you could sell yours for say $1000 you could probably find a later model, say 88 or later in very good shape for $2000. If you go this route I would take it to a VOLVO mechanic & have it checked thoroughly before buying.

Good Luck
Danny Mac

Sure beats having a car payment anytime.
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80 262C Coupe- (FSO black, M46, original) 82 244GLT- (auto)

If the rest of the car is in good shape, it is generally worth putting money into. However, I think that you should shop around and see if you can get a better deal on parts and maybe do it your self. Your right a new car will also have issues and you will be paying a lot more money for it.
Good luck and happy bricking.