So I bought 340:D

[Jonofdoom]

I'm kinda excited, kinda worried... It's a red 5 door 1.7, 1988. Left a deposit today and paying the rest / picking it up as soon as my money clears, fecking bank holidays:D

Got it for £200, seems ok to me, a small bubble of rust on the bottom corner of the windscreen, and one on a door, a tiny dent on one arch, and that's all I could spot.. Underside / sills / arches look prefect, 60k, paint could do with a bit of a polish but is good, interior is a tad mucky.. Al in, I'm happy:D

Short term plans: 2" lower, some wheels of some sort, maybe try and fit the recaros I've got in the garage..

Long term plan, Renault 16v:D





Touch wood it gets home ok...

I hope I don't regret this:D

[pistonpen paultje]

U wont regret this...Once your infected with the 300 virus, you'll keep loving them!

[volvosneverdie]

there's not much else you could do with 200 mate.
I'm sure it'll be alright.
Make sure you get some picks up when you get it home.

[Jonofdoom]

Going to collect it now... Kinda excited:D

[Jonofdoom]

Pics!














Ultimate test, the BMX fits real nice:D


It's still miles away, at a friends house until I can sort a few things out..

Bad bits:




Not too bad I think, all the rest seems real solid.. There's an assortment of small dings here and there, nothing too bad.. The rear view mirror is hanging off too.. And the bumper has dropped on one side... Seems fairly common? Looks like some kind of fastening clip thing has come off.. Dunno quite how I'l fix it yet but touch wood it'll be ok.


First impressions: Wallowy, gear change feels sloppy as feck, not powerful enough, and feels quite heavy!

I like it though, even if red is one of my least favorite car colors:D

[Bazboy]

Looks like a great purchase man, whats your first plan of action with her?

Dan

[volvosneverdie]

Uprate the springs, slam it and run it!

[Speedy88]

So what's so much better about 340s when you lower them? I'm still in blissfull just-got-new-car ignorance and find stock suspension kinda fun and really practical

[volvosneverdie]

if you like wallowing round like a hooker in a cadilac i supose its fun.
Uprated shorter springs firm up the handling and make the car far more throwable, stable and steady.
There is a concession to comfort though, so if youre happy the way it is, then dont change it!

[Speedy88]

Its comfortable but twitchy, before I changed the tyres it almost killed me a few times Makes me feel alive again. Stops me falling asleep too, you have to concentrate in these beasts!

[MCHUDD]

Hi mate.
Thats the best £200 you will ever spend.Good luck.
Cheers Mark.

[glasgowjim]

Its amazing these cars really do grow on you , but they wallow like a duck and without power steering they are heavier than a "normal" modern car but hey its a mancar no poncey luxury here. I have also just bought the same model as yourself but a 1988 reg at first was a bit miffed at the handling and some stuff to sort out but the car does what it says on the tin , holds lots of stuff is comfortable although it sways about so much it could give sickness to a rocking horse But I dont care just waiting to calculate the petrol consumption in practice and then convince the wife it really is a good buy!

The car has grown on me big time was going to sell it on as soon as the V5 come through the post but now I really really like it. Keep thinking about upgrading , changing centre console , some extra interior lights upgrading sound system with 480 speakers some extra instruments and a cigarette lighter/power socket etc...

Think about it it probably cost more for the frame on your BMX han it did for he car

[nomead]

To me, the soft wallow is a part of the car's character. You don't see many people slamming and stiffening the suspension on a Citroen 2CV, do you? And being unpredictable adds to that character, that's why I'm driving on 155/80R13 tyres as well, for maximum sidewall flex. It certainly adds a nice touch to the handling, for example when turning hard left, and then suddenly changing direction to hard right, it's like being on a roller coaster ride or something. It might not be fast, quite the contrary, but it's still loads of fun. I have enough kilometers per year in a "better" car already. (Yeah, currently driving a -09 Volvo V70 taxi with standard suspension... good enough, except that it's FWD )

Also fuel consumption is NOT one of the things these cars are bought for. Unless the goal is high, not low.

[glasgowjim]

a 1.4 ltr 1988 340 volvo should give better petrol consumption than a 2tr 480 1995 surely all else being equal

[volvosneverdie]

T You don't see many people slamming and stiffening the suspension on a Citroen 2CV, do you?

You know what dude?
Im really going to say YES.
because you really do.

Drop cars. Not bombs.
Peace rolls low.
























take That.