Been offered a free volvo....please advise!

Post by **Louise** » 12 Sep 2007 01:49 pm

Hi folks,

I've been offered a freebie...

F Reg 340, 1.7 petrol, 98,000miles, FSH

An old man recently passed away leaving the car to my Dad. He was the sole owner but the car sat in the garage full-time pretty much for the last few months. It has just passed an MOT and needed a new battery.

I do a 30-mile round trip in open countryside twice a day. Do you think this would be a good car to run? Any idea what MPG I could expect? Please advise as I haven't a clue! Thanks!

Post by **trabitom99** » 12 Sep 2007 02:08 pm

Hi Louise,

You can't really go far wrong with a car which has had one owner, a full service history and has a new MOT particularly if it's free

I'm sure there'll be more people around later who know more about a 1.7 than I do, but it should be fairly nippy & if it's country roads you're on, I'd guess you'd be getting 35+ mpg easily ...

<edit>
Just found this thread on 1.7s and fuel economy ...
http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... 0&start=23
</edit>

Tom

Post by **Louise** » 12 Sep 2007 04:25 pm

Thanks Tom,

I'll go have a look see...

Louise

Post by **redline** » 12 Sep 2007 06:09 pm

I would say go for it ,

as long as you have a mobile phone just in case it breaks down.

I bought my redline (1.7 ) purely to drive from milton keynes to coventry and back (about 120 mile round trip ),

it did this for two years now matter how I abused it and whatever the weather ,

the only thing that ever went wrong was the back box dropped off once

regular maitainence is the key to long life with these ,

keep oil and filter changes to the recommended mileage or even slightly less ( I did mine every 5,000 miles )

distributor cap and rotor arm (plus possibly plug leads ) should be replaced regularly and especially if it becomes hard to start or runs erratically .

there only other achilles heel is the base of the carb can warp but there are plenty of threads on here about that ,

welcome to the madhouse that is V3M and enjoy your 340

Post by **redline** » 12 Sep 2007 06:13 pm

redline wrote:it did this for two years now matter how I abused it

my seriously abused redline

( well if I dont say it , someone else will lol)

Post by **Jason B** » 12 Sep 2007 07:19 pm

Yeah me, now half way through my front end strip down rebuild on one of your previously abused cars, lol

Post by **Louise** » 12 Sep 2007 09:33 pm

Thanks for all the great advice redline,
much appreciated!

Post by **classicswede** » 13 Sep 2007 01:11 pm

You cant say no to a free car

Post by **Jason B** » 13 Sep 2007 01:43 pm

Correction, YOU can't say no to a free car dai, some of us have a little more restraint

, In all seriousness though it does sound like an ideal car

Post by **classicswede** » 13 Sep 2007 07:18 pm

I suppose that is true. Not all have have the space to keep them.

Mind you I would make an exeption if it was a F@#d

Post by **Annie86** » 15 Sep 2007 10:40 am

Hi Louise, i had a pretty similar situation. (well mine wasn't running but it was free!) I have had my lil volvo for a few weeks now and i love it. Took a bit of getting used to the choke and no power stearing but really is a great little car! I say go for it!
Yes and advice about regular oil change etc- do this.

Post by **blue72** » 29 Sep 2007 09:37 pm

Hi Louise, I bought my 1.7 G plate Volvo about a year ago now to get to work about 20 miles away. I bought it with 8 months mot with the view to scrapping it when the mot came up again and get another. I still have it and put it through the mot last month all it needed was a new horn. Not bad for a £250.00 car. I am a sedate driver

and get up to 40mpg on my run to work (a & b roads) actually, i'm a skinflint so that's why I drive like that really

. Good luck with the car, free is even better than cheap.

Post by **Ricatron** » 01 Oct 2007 04:30 pm

free car!

with mot!

get-in i will take it

i got a good deal on my volvo but its the 343 1.4 and i would love the 1.7!