240 Wagon, which year, model?

[Franz Bestuchev]

I've got a guy who can locate cars for me and go to the auctions and such.
I'd like to get a 240 Wagon, but I'm looking for modern conveniences and
even something kind of *peppy*...so that's like early 90s?

I'd prefer an automatic but whichever transmission is most likely to be
bullet proof would be preferred.

I know about the wiring harness problem, are there others I need to have a
specific look at? I can do a decent amount of my own maintenance, is this
car easy to work on?

Much appreciated.

 

[James Sweet]

I've got a guy who can locate cars for me and go to the auctions and such.
I'd like to get a 240 Wagon, but I'm looking for modern conveniences and
even something kind of *peppy*...so that's like early 90s?

Well unless you get a turbo, which were only made from '80 to '85, then they
all have the exact same engine, you can do a few mods to make it more peppy
though but mechanically the cars from '86 to '93 are virtually identical.

I'd prefer an automatic but whichever transmission is most likely to be
bullet proof would be preferred.

While I strongly prefer manual myself, both the manual and automatic
transmissions used in all 80's and newer 240's are about as close to
bulletproof as you'll get.

I know about the wiring harness problem, are there others I need to have a
specific look at? I can do a decent amount of my own maintenance, is this
car easy to work on?

The wiring harness is a problem, though thankfully it's also a fairly easily
identified and corrected problem, and only an issue up through '88 or so. As
for ease of working on, there's a few things that are difficult, but overall
I can't think of an easier car to work on than a 240, at least as far as
cars of the same general era go. You can do just about anything with a
couple 10, 12 and 13 mm wrenches, a small socket set and some screwdrivers.