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Is it worth spending money on a 20-year-old Volvo or is it just good for spares?

My sister has a 1998 Volvo 740 GL SR Sedan with 190,000 miles on the clock. The MoT and tax are due to run out next month. It runs well but the engine does need a good service and the bodywork, although in good condition is commensurate with the car's age. Is it worth spending money on or is it good just for spares?

Asked on 5 August 2019 by Dick Kingswell

Answered by Keith Moody
Here at Honest John Classics, we love old Volvos. The model you have sounds like a fine workhorse... and to some extent that is the problem. Because they just keep going and are in use regularly as every day cars, this era of Volvos have a hard time making it through to classics status. The square-styling of the the 700-series hasn't helped its cause, although plenty of people appreciate the right-angled nature of the design. If the 740 is something you love and feel an affinity towards, by all means keep it going - it sounds like it's got plenty of life left in it. At 190k, it should be nicely run in.
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