I totally agree with all the coments (rust is the problem n°1) and I would add:

- the stupid system with the spring into the headlights, too difficult to put it back but above all the reflector's adjustment can change )

- a lot of bad contact (bulbs in the dashboard & rear lights)

- some very weak plastics in the passager compartment

foggyjames wrote:# Aerodynamics - wind noise is terrible above 60mph

Check it out! The wonderful sound of the wind in my ex-GLT...

http://www.volvo300mania.com/wind_noise_glt.wmv

Update time, a few more are coming to mind, defintiely dash board illumination as Duvel mentions and where water collects below the wing mirrors (I've noticed it to be a lot worse on the later (1989) editions with electric mirrors. There must be some trap near the seal for water, as all of mine with electric mirrors are as rusty as anything under there, the cars with manual mirrors, fine, despite being older!

Oh and the boot struts are definitely a major problem, I had often defended them, saying they'll wear out in any car, however the weight of the tailgate, especially with the spoiler on my GLT is far too much for even new struts in a slight breeze, as I found to my cost today. Loading the boot in a carpark today, I caught in the corner of my eye as I'm turned removing my hand from the boot to pick something else up, that the lid is falling rapidly. My mate who'd seen it fractionally sooner shouted, I withdraw my hand from the boot, only to get two finger tips from my left hand shut in the gap in line with the spoiler on the right hand side of the car, where I am unable to reach the boot catch easily to undo it! As I was struggling to get my fingers out, my mate finally got to the catch and opened the boot, there was some seriously bad language and my fingers had swollen up I am now going to find some seriously powerful struts, even if it means adapting a stronger kind to fit! I want to have to hang on the tailgate to beable to pull it down from now on. A slight breeze was all it took, I was pretty lucky it didn't land on my arm or wrist, as that could've broken it, as anyone who has a boot spoiler will know what sort of weight is involved, especilally dropping from that height.

Well, I can't think of too many more bad points............yet, though for a car of this age, for only these sort of design faults, and bad points to show through, it's not too bad. There are some new cars that have a list as long as your arm of design faults and problems, and they've hardly been tried and tested or stood the test of time like the 300's have.

Pete

You need the special struts designed for the 300 with a spoiler. They're much stronger and AFAIK only Volvo do them. We've had our 1.7 with spoiler from new and that just had standard struts.

It was only about a year ago when we decided that the Vileda mop holding the tailgate open looked a bit stupid, and since I had VADIS that we looked up the part no and noticed there were 2 different part numbers. It really makes a difference. The boot now lifts up by itself from about halfway.

Oh weak spots.

RUST, especially round the sills on my 360. The other two 340s seem to have fared much better, although the bonnet on one of them is riddled with rust, but that's not an MOT failure. I don't know why the 360 had so much rust in the floorpan/sills/jacking points. Maybe it was left standing for a long time....anyway, for now its fixed and has just passed its MOT. Fingers crossed.

Another one I just thought of. When you're driving and you reach to put the rear window demister on. How many times do you acidentally catch the rear fogs, because you can't see past the steering wheel? I have a few times, and if you have your dipped lights on, the flash of the fogs can confuse and irritate the motorist behind you.

Aha, thanks for that information! I've only ever been given them in a box, or had them fitted, I've never seen a part number to in a book to compare them! In that case I think it's time to spend some money,
especially if it's going to save my head and fingers in the future.
Pete

Mine had manual mirrors up until this year, and the drivers side is a little rusty.

Damn you Andy...reading down this thread I was just preparing "The mother of all smug replies"....but you beat me to it I think our car has had two (maybe three) sets of struts from new. The secret is indeed to buy the right ones, and buy them new, or you'll forever be replacing them. This is one area where I refuse to listen to critism from people who are too stingey to buy the right parts!

Likewise with tyres. I could tell you about the time when my 360 out-gripped a Lotus Elise...but I doubt you'd believe me Admittedly this was more down to the bone-headed Elise driver, but still, I should have got a whupping!

cheers

James

Piece of steel that keeps transmission at place, it will rotten very easy.

Then this little part that connects axle from engine to transmission, it will get loose by time and then car is not moving anymore.

Definately rust on rear doors for me , and iffy electrics ,wind noise from sun roof . I have never opened my sunroof and dont think that I will dare too either. When I first got my 360 I would have probably said driving position as well cos it took ages to find a comfy setting .But now Id say its good so...... thats not a bad point anymore.........so didnt need to mention it then ............ oops ...... Think I need some kip was a long night shift

now, see this is an interesting point. pete it sounds like your struts are fooked, probably thru age, however there are 2 kinds of strut, i'm yet to work out why - i mean why just for the spoiler? the 3rd brake light and wiper combined EASILY weigh more than that spoiler, yet they dont get different struts.. whys that?

The standard high profile tyres on my 360! Makes handling on the edge of grip feel like a bouncy castle and then the body roll casues it to slide

I've given up with the hatch struts on my car. I have a piece of plastic to jam in the hatch to keep it open.

The third brake light weighs almost nothing, but fair point about the wiper. The spoilers weigh more than you think, plus they're hung right over the edge of the tailgate. I rememeber find a non-wiper non-spoiler tailgate in the scrappers and being astounded at just how light it was!

The same is true of the 700s BTW - stiffer struts for cars with spoilers.

Touch wood I've not had much trouble with the electric - at least nothing that's not excusable of a car of this age!

cheers

James

- The B14 is a bit of a bitch to start, particularly on cold mornings or if it's been stood for a few hours (even with choke)

- The bloody covers for the stock speakers keep falling off!

- Some of the electrics are bollocks (heated seats, tempramental foglight)

- Rubbish rear demister, it's too weak! Just cleaning the window knackers it.


That's all. I could mention a thousand good points.

i've never had any of those problems tom..

re : bodyroll - bodyroll wont make a car slide - it will just make the slide more predictable, and more likely if you 's' the car (steering into a corner smoothly will make bodyroll not matter..)

I think I mentioned the boot strut problem before... I got a pair of bootstruts very recently from German and Swedish car parts, indeed the set designed for cars with a spoiler. It now brings the tailgate up pretty much by itself from half way as someone mentioned and will definitely not be blown down in the wind etc. You'll need the switch off your old tailgate strut and extend it slightly with a piece of tube or something similar so your bootlight still works

Re: The rear window demister.. mine works perfectly.. it's quick to warm up and every element still works (That'll p*ss off foggy after his struggle )

For what it is, I cant think of a bad thing to say about mine. As above, the body roll is a bit excessive, the headlamps seem a bit weak, but this could well be a fault on my car, rather than a design fault, Interestingly, one of the first things I noticed was how good the boot struts are on mine
I am more concerned that the boots going to escape from my hand and wrap itself round the roof!! The struts in mine look fairly new, Boge part no 19.3206, mine has a third brake light and rear wash wipe. Mabe I have struts for a car with a spoiler??