Writer's Block: My First Car
Twas a 1989 Volvo 240 DL. I was in my junior year of high school and i had completed my drivers training course and i felt it was time to get a car. But with only 2500 in the bank i knew it wasent gonna be much. My mother is a devoted Volvo driver ever since she had me. Her car list is as follows
1984 Volvo 240 GL, Silver w/ top of the line sunroof (hand cranked), AM/FM Cassette and air conditioning. Bought new.
1987 Volvo 240 Wagon, Blue (provided by our mechanic), no cassette, no folding seats.
1995 Volvo 850 Black. (first leased car)
2000 Volvo S70 Silver
2004 Volvo S60 blue/green
2006 Volvo S40 white (shes hates this thing)
Anyways all our cars up till the S60 were maintained by a friend of my uncles who was a mechanic that specialised in Volvo maintenence. He told us he a had a couple of cars for sale on his property. I was hoping to get a boxy 740 wagon with a turbo but with my parents powers of persuasion settled for a Black 89 240 DL. The car had 118,000 miles but still started up everytime. The interior was tan cloth and quite comfortable with a vinal dash. I called it the "Doberman" Because of the black paint job and tan interior. It also had a custom electric sunroof which wasent offered really on any Volvo of that year. It came from a later model. The engline was a SOHC 2.3 liter B230F 4-cyl which had 114 HP when new. Oddly enough ive seen people stuff 5.0 Mustang engines in them.
Pros of the Car:
Good gas mileage.
Comfortable interior
Good trunk space.
HOT heater.
Kickass in snow.
Cons of the car.
No airbags
No ABS
Roof lining falling down
Seat heaters didn't work
Both front seat frames broken (thanks to my friend).
Lukewarm AC.
One power window broken
Rear window defogger 1/4 worked.
Of course i soon had to get a new starter because soon it wouldn't start unless i either had it in park or with the pedal to the floor. I also had my first accident in it too rear ending an 82 Oldsmobile Cutlass. But it demonstrated the exceptional build quality of a Pre-Ford Volvo. All that was damaged was the diagonal chrome strip on the grille, the bumper and the hood lip. The headlights stayed intact. This is after a 30 MPH hit. But my car always proved its worth in the winter. I don't know what it is about Volvos but they are just fabulous in snow. And with RWD no less. Plus the heater worked so well. It was like being in a roomy fursuit on wheels. It was funny driving a RWD car through the snow passing FWD SUVs that were stuck. I ended up selling it to my neighbors nephew for like 500 dollars and i hear its still running. Despite all the complaints i made about it i kind of miss it. Especially now that i drive a 2 seat pickup. I used to be able to cram all my friends in it and go anywhere. Lotta good memories in that car.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/585306 (not my car but looks exactly like it)