Is This Still A Good Bad Idea?

"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg)
03/27/2020 at 16:35 • Filed to: None

Got ahold of the Volvo seller and got a few more pictures. For $1500 Im still liking the car, but I do have a couple concerns...

I think the interior looks great for a car thats almost as old as I am. The drivers side is missing the middle moulding, but I was going to remove that anyways. The rear bumper delete is janky and would need to be fixed. There also appears to be some cancer. I asked the seller where it is, but I think I already know - in the footwell in the rear below the jump seat. (Seller just got back to me and confirmed this, but its closer to the hatch, not under the jump seat ).

I can do some basic welding and stuff, so I could patch the pan in the back . But I may need a pro body person to dejankify that rear end. Thats money I think Id spend if the rest of the car is solid.

So , for $1500 I still think it might be worth it. What do you think?

DISCUSSION (22)

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 16:40

Yes do it. My Jaguar has rust way worse than that and I’m still enjoying it 2.5 years later. I did have the worst of it repaired.

boredalways > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 16:40

CP, but only because the rear bumper needs to be sorted.

GoodIdeaAtTheTime > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 16:41

$1500 is a bit high, but not much. The bumper delete can be smoothed out. Not too difficult. The cancer is worrying. Fixing it properly will be difficult. When it comes to rust, it’s what you can’t see that bites you in the ass. Take a good look at it, on a lift if possible.

VincentMalamute-Kim > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 16:43

I don’t want to deal with rust. And there’s usually a lot more than is visible. If you go for it, bring a magnet to check for Bondo. If that really is the only spot, I’d buy it.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 16:43

What do you plan to do with it? Is it gonna be short term car thats not gonna be too enjoyable or do you plan to keep it long term?

If you do plan to keep it long term and enjoy it, I would say NP. All those things you mentioned are easily fixable and if its gonna a fun mobile I think its reasonable . It will cost money but then again anything fun usually does....This is the same logic I used while buying my BMW.

cmill189 - sans Volvo > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 16:44

240 side mouldings are held on with a lot of clips in quite large holes. You’d have to weld them shut. Ask to see photos of the rear tub areas. It’s where the spare goes, on one side at least. It looks pretty jank from the outside and those can rust pretty badly.

1500 for a sorta solid manual 240 isn't bad. However this is someone's project and not just a beater or neglected old car. Just be prepared for lots of unforseen issues.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 16:50

Does that 1500 include the original wheels? If not, maybe haggle to 1250 or 1300 and that’s a great buy. Maybe you could persuade him to keep the aftermarket wheels for 200 off the price. Take em off when you get back and drive em up to him.

You obviously know more about 240s and rust than I do, but it doesn't seem too bad for you to tackle some on your own.

sony1492 > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 16:51

If you can get a better price and be okay with knowing it will never be a,”nice” example then its worthwhile.

If you will need everything fixed properly then this isnt the car

Aremmes > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 17:06

I'm concerned with the awful pictures. Someone who can't be arsed to frame a picture properly will likely not be arsed to make proper repairs.

Nom De Plume > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 17:17

Illicit cash buying something win a burnout competition under a bridge, why not.

Otherwise, as someone in the most Nordic of rustbelt states I’m going to express how much that vehicle scares me. Internally debating if it’s the wheels. Which have a deep bowel impact on there.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 18:16

rust is an illusion

SmugAardvark > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 18:22

I’d be surprised if that was the only spot that has started to rot away. But for $1,500, that’s about what I would expect to see.

My vote is to go for it as long as you’ve got the cash handy and don’t foresee needing it for something more essential.

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 18:42

I just got an 81 that’s clean except for paint. The $1500 is not unreasonable from my shopping in the past few months. They are getting harder and harder to find, especially in a manual.

I already have a LS drivetrain so we will see how long the B23 will last.

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition
03/27/2020 at 19:21

You’ll be waiting awhile unless you’re going to do shenanigans with it

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/27/2020 at 19:25

The rust is concerning but you can’t really tell without going to see it in person, and I think others are right in that if you’re only going to find more rust, I would say keep looking if you want it to be a long term non-beater.

But that’s no fun and if you want a toy you could do worse, haggle a bit and see if the wheels are a sticking point of course, and check the wiring (I think it’s outside of the window for the biodegradable crap, and a new harness is like 600$ CAD from the dealer last time I checked).

The interior may look good but the driver’s seat is likely trashed, mine have both looked fine but felt awful. I had a really hard time finding a soliciting to that problem

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition
03/28/2020 at 08:23

Ive been watching these for a few months now and I tend to agree with your assessment. Based on pictures Im in love. It s got a lot of cool stuff I really like - the jump seat, the round headlight front. I even like the wheels and lowering.

IF thats truly the only rust on the car (that I can find) Im willing to take a chance on it. Its 3 hours away from me and Id have to cross 2 states to get it. Thats a bit of a dicey proposition with all this Corona stuff going on. There’s an Oppo who lives near the car who offered to go check it out for me tomorrow. I’ll see what he has to report and go from there.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > cmill189 - sans Volvo
03/28/2020 at 08:46

Thats great advice. Another Oppo who lives nearby offered to go take a look at it for me tomorrow. Im making a list of issues and common problems, so Ill add tubs to my list.

My big thing is I don’t do body work. If I have to make & weld in patch panels inside where they will be under the carpet and nobody can see them, I can do that. But I can’t do stuff like dent repair and cutting and splicing body panels. Not to a degree that it would look decent.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
03/28/2020 at 08:49

Its gonna be a play toy for me. Something to wrench and work on. First I want to find and fix issues and then down the line I may have some fun with it, i.e. a motor swap.

I don’t mind fixing stuff, and I can weld so I can tackle rust if its inside in places nobody is gonna see (like down in the well under the hatch, which is the one shown). I just know I cant do finishing body work to a degree that I would be pleased with.

cmill189 - sans Volvo > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/28/2020 at 09:48

Body work suuuuucks.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > cmill189 - sans Volvo
03/28/2020 at 14:55

I’m always impressed, though, by people who can do it well. I think it’s an art form, and I don’t have the tools or the skills to pull it off.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/28/2020 at 15:54

I would say go for it.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
03/28/2020 at 18:29

Im strongly considering it. Another Oppo lives near there and is going to go take a look at it for me tomorrow. If its good Im going to (try to) go up next weekend and get it.