Volvo 340 and 360 (1976 - 1991)

Last updated 11 December 2018

Buying Guide

Good

• Strangely popular among Brits.
• Early cars were all 1.4 litre Renault pushrod powered CVT autos.
• Later cars mostly manual with option of 1.7 litre Renault overhead cam engine from the 11 and 19 or Volvos's own 2.0 litre in two stages of tune.
• Many mechanical parts cheaper from Renault dealers than from Volvo dealers.
• Easy to change clutches of manuals because box is a transaxle and the engine and clutch are at the front.
• 1.4 has a decent twin-choke Weber carb and, because it's an ancient pushrod unit, a timing chain rather than a belt.
• Like the 240/260, they seem to live on well past their sell by date and offer cheap transport when bought for buttons at a part exchange auction.

Bad

• Getting very old hat now and being replaced by most owners with Rover 400s or Swindon built Honda Civics.
• Can rust badly.
• 1.7s susceptible to distributor problems due to ingress of damp. Cured by special Renault/Volvo plastic bag.

Watch

• These days '80s cars are to be bought only as £10 to £100 bargain bangers to use up the 'ticket and rent' (MOT and VED), but you might find a cherished 1990 or 1991 model which could be worth preserving.