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Jan 12, 2016 12:36:43 GMT
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Well after a few months of saving and faffing around waiting for the right one to come up, I went and picked this up last night.....
(photobucket missing pic)
1997 Volvo 940 CD HPT Estate
165bhp of Volvo bargeness, with leather seats, electric memory seats/sunroof/windows etc etc. Cruise control, climate control, everything!
Got it for a good price - unfortunately the insurance I had to get means no mods for the moment (no NCD so would have been very expensive with mods) so I intend to look after it and fix the niggles it has.
In general it's in amazing condition inside and out, thick service history with things like turbo/pumps etc etc all replaced in the last 2/3 years, has new Michelin tyres on it too. MOT till August, last one with NO advisories.
Issues to tackle:
Water leak into passenger footwell - not heater matrix as it's only water.
LH wiper not working, broke when I turned wipers on when they were frozen to the screen.
Couple of bulbs out on auto box indicator and a couple of switches inside.
Needs new tailgate struts as they are a bit weak
Clean and detail
Service in next 3 months
Hopefully I can cope with the costs of having a 2nd car - there is the spectre of my wife changing jobs soon and she might need a small car - I will enjoy this as long as I can!
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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Jan 12, 2016 12:40:24 GMT
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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Jan 12, 2016 13:03:26 GMT
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i do have a soft spot for these bigger volvos, lots of potential in many different directions. what mods have you got in mind when the insurance allows it?
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1972 viva 'Sparky'
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Jan 12, 2016 13:21:46 GMT
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Would like a gentle euro VIP look - 15" BBS with slightly lower profile tyres, slight lowering (40mm?), egg-crate grill, Thule roof basket with spoiler, wind deflectors, maybe a rear spoiler.
Its a riot to drive, cruise around town (and the bends to a point!) then unleash the turbo boost on the open road and BAM! you're at the next junction wondering what the smeg happened!
Feels a world apart from my works car, a new Focus, but I like it!
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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Jan 12, 2016 13:23:05 GMT
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Just done some work at lunch, found out wiper blade has stripped its splines so a new one is needed. Not sure where from though yet.....
Managed to drop the nut to hold it on into the grill on the scuttle. Yay! :-(
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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Jan 12, 2016 15:38:54 GMT
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nice estate wagon...these cars have nice potential....
JP
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I know its spelled Norman Luxury Yacht, but its pronounced Throat Wobbler Mangrove!
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,586
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Jan 12, 2016 16:45:06 GMT
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Good find. I've had water leaking into mine and cured it. There are a couple of places to check for passenger side leaks. There is a drain tube from the heater box just above your passengers feet,this can come off and let water into the car. On my car I found the plastic blanking plate behind the kick panel was leaking. 740's and 940's have a strange water drain from the bulkhead that runs inside a box section on the A post. Any water runs down and hits the blanking plate and if the seal isn't brilliant it can leak into the car. They are a bit tricky to get out without breaking them. I ran a hose over the windscreen wiper area and kept an eye on what was going on inside. This is the hole with the blanking plate removed.  This is the blanking plate and the way I got them out in 1 piece.  |
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Jan 12, 2016 23:46:45 GMT
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Thanks for the tip on the leak. I had read elsewhere that is one place to check but it was only now when I saw your pics I realised exactly where to look - thanks!
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,586
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Jan 13, 2016 10:07:20 GMT
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I've had the heater valve on mine leak but yours has air con so the valve is in the engine bay. The other times I had water inside was these covers. 740's had vents fitted here apparently. If they are leaking and try to seal them without removing them first. I broke one trying to get it out as you can't get to the back of them. That's why I made the improvised tool.
I've put lots of stuff on the Owners club website over the years. Some of the pictures were lost during a website update although those running the site weren't all that bothered. I've been a member of the club for years but really got fed up with it all.
I don't really consider my 940 is a retro ride as such because it's still our everyday car, there seems to be more of them turning up on here now though.
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Jan 13, 2016 10:24:42 GMT
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Thanks for the tip again!
I was wondering about joining the owners club but there isn't much going on in the forums, not as busy as on here.
I suppose the 940 is basically a 740 which is definitely retro! Mine is one of the last years they made them so in year terms it's quite new BUT it feels a world apart from my modern car in so many GOOD ways! Certainly feels retro to me!
I would have preferred a 740 to be honest but I drove one and they really do feel old and ponderous. Additionally my wife couldn't adjust the seat to drive it so I had to look for a later 940 with seat height adjustment.
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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Jan 14, 2016 14:07:41 GMT
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Just ordered some boots struts, window guides and some v70 washer jets as they fit 940's according the the net - the standard ones make a very poor dribble rather than a spray. Hopefully these should be better.
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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Jan 16, 2016 18:45:51 GMT
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Managed to be equally frustrated and pleased today. I could not find anywhere to buy a replacement LH wiper arm. And I still haven't found the source of the water leak. However I did get a couple of things done. One was that the shifter indicator bulb had blown, which isn't an issue in the daytime but it's proper dark in this car at night and I couldn't see what gear I was in at the lights! Not been driving it long so this got a bit embarrassing at traffic lights. Before. Not working.  I had read in the Volvo forums it was a pig of a job and it turned out to be. Most of the forums say take off all the panels and pull the bulb holder from beneath the shift unit to reveal the bulb. I think the later 940's might be different because there was no way this was happening. Eventually I found that the white plastic bit under the gear indicator could be split in two. I did this with great trepidation as I didn't want to break it. Looks like this inside.  Basically there is a glass type prism which reflects the light to the shifter indicator. This just pulled out the show the bulb. Had to pop to halfords to get a new one but once it was in I reassembled everything and YAY it works.  I tested it before I reassembled everything and I got a bit of a scare afterwards as it didn't work initially - I didn't realise I had flicked the interior dash illumination fader which had turned off all the lights on the dash - I thought I'd blown something but I spotted my mistake to great relief. I also replaced the boot struts as the previous ones weren't strong enough. Even though the bootlid is aluminium it needs 2 pretty strong one. £22 from eBay got me nice new ones. Never replaced struts before and it was a blessed relief to discover that it only take 60 seconds, very welcome after the frustrating earlier jobs.  You can see in that pic how clean this car is. I shampooed the carpets and they came up really well. The interior is fantastic. The build sheet for the car says something like "ruffled" leather which looks fabulous. It's in perfect condition, even the drivers seat. Very well looked after.   |
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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Jan 16, 2016 18:50:57 GMT
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I've had the heater valve on mine leak but yours has air con so the valve is in the engine bay. The other times I had water inside was these covers. 740's had vents fitted here apparently. If they are leaking and try to seal them without removing them first. I broke one trying to get it out as you can't get to the back of them. That's why I made the improvised tool. I don't think it's the blanking plate as the sound deadening was dry around it. I pumped some water down the sunroof drain holes and it came out on the sill so those are ok. I poured some water into the scuttle and it seemed to drain out ok. Pretty sure the water is coming from the behind the dash in the centre of the car into the passenger footwell. |
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,586
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Jan 16, 2016 19:28:20 GMT
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There isn't much in the center of the car other then the heater. The only hole I can think of might be for the wiring to the wiper motor thats in the bulkhead box so there is a chance the grommit is leaking perhaps.
The heater air intake is under there as well. If water is collecting in the box it can overflow into the heater, probably not that if water is coming out Ok though.
I seem to be plagued by water leaks in all of my cars. The Volvo is OK now but my old Astra is soaking wet inside.
Hope you can track down whats causing yours.
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Jan 16, 2016 20:47:40 GMT
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Where is the bulk head box? I've read about that sort of leak but I don't really know what I'm looking for.
You can tell I've only had modern cars up to now! (Mind you most people on here would say this is modern!)
In unrelated news, this is my first ever RWD car. I floored it out of a junction and got a satisfying amount of wheelspin. Felt SO good for the CORRECT wheels to be spinning! This might be the start of something expensive...
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,586
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Jan 16, 2016 22:24:32 GMT
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Not sure bulkhead box is really what it's called just couldn't think what it is called. The scuttle panel in front of the windscreen is removable. The area under it is where the wipers and heater air intake is.
There are some bits of plastic under there that deflect water away from the heater. These are sealed with butyl strip (sort of mastic on a strip apparently) so it's possible something could be leaking there.
Looks like you have a bit of snow up there. Only drove mine a couple of times in the snow while it was auto. I found it didn't really like going round corners at slow speed it just ploughed on straight regardless of what the steering was doing. A quick tug on the handbrake helped though ! Probably the same with all RWD autos though.
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Mine has Michelin "all weather" tyres on it - not full winter tyres but not far off.  I was going to go out in the snow but didn't have the time in the end. I did pull out of the supermarket when it was damp, put my foot down and it spun its wheels for a bit up the road - soooooo much more controlled than on a front wheel drive car. |
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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Not sure bulkhead box is really what it's called just couldn't think what it is called. The scuttle panel in front of the windscreen is removable. The area under it is where the wipers and heater air intake is. There are some bits of plastic under there that deflect water away from the heater. These are sealed with butyl strip (sort of mastic on a strip apparently) so it's possible something could be leaking there. Thanks very much. There isn't much of a leak but its definitely there - it leaked with the previous owner while it sat unused for a few weeks before he sold it - coincidentally the weeks where we had the biblical rain in West Yorks. I poured some water into the scuttle and it seemed to drain out under the car ok but maybe the huge amount of water that fell in the weeks it was sat still might have caused the problem. There is ZERO rust on the floor so it must be a recent problem which is a positive. I've seen the instructions for removing the scuttle on a Volvo forum so I think I'll do that and see what I find... Thanks again! |
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,586
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Mine sat for a few weeks once when I couldn't afford to tax it. I thought it was leaking in the back but think it was just an excessive amount of condensation in the roof as it doesn't seem to have done it since.
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I have found out the rear washer doesn't work either. :-(
I pulled off the pipe to the sprayer on the back and the internal bore was TINY, about 1-2mm max - which doesn't seem right to me. It might be dribbling a little bit when I took the hose off the sprayer but nothing when its all attached together..
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The Millenium Volcon"Get yourself a Volvo if that's what you really want, you might be dead next year. In the meantime, you could be going sideways in a gigantic land barge."
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