Built between 1975-93, the Volvo 240 is the longest-running single model in the entire history of Volvo. Very few cars last so long virtually unchanged in production. In fact, the only other car I can think of from the 1970s that had this kind of staying power is the R107 Mercedes SL roadster. The 240 was the brainchild of Volvo designer Jan Wilsgaard, who also designed the 122 and the 140 series cars. The 240 was the one that has to be his most successful as Volvo sold 2.8 million of them during the model’s 19-year production run. The AutoHunter Spotlight for today is one of these cars, a 1986 Volvo 240 DL wagon.
The reason for its long tenure is that the Volvo 240 really is as good a car as fans say it is. These cars are very well-built, incredibly durable, easy to drive and, at the time, were the absolute safest cars you could buy. As a result, there are tens of thousands of these still being used as daily transportation more than 30 years after production ended.
This specific 240 Wagon is finished in its correct Volvo code 201 Beige paint over a brown vinyl interior. The seller states that this 240 is powered by its correct B230F 2.3-liter I4 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission and comes with wheel covers, an AutoCheck report, and a clear title.
The exterior of this 240 looks to be in truly excellent condition. This is likely due to the fact that it has covered a total of only 97,559 miles (which is low for a 240) and also because it has only had two owners from new. The paint looks excellent, as does all the rubber trim and exterior brightwork. It rides on its stock steel wheels with factory Volvo wheel covers.
The interior of this car is also excellent. The brown vinyl seats are in great condition (and also are heated), and the door cards look excellent, as do the carpets. The seller adds that there is a crack on the driver’s side of the dash, which is something common on these cars. All in all, this is a nice driver-level Volvo 240 Wagon.
Under the hood is the virtually unbreakable Volvo B230F 2.3-liter SOHC I4 cylinder engine that produces 114 horsepower and 136 lb-ft of torque. The entire engine compartment looks immaculate, speaking to the care this Volvo has received over the years.The seller adds that recent services on this 240 include new drive belts, battery, exhaust pipe seal, and brake pads, plus a fluid flush.
Yes, given the horsepower and torque numbers above, you can guess that a 240 is not a sports sedan. It was in fact never meant to be one. It is instead an extremely well-built and nice-driving European car. In Wagon form, it also offers more utility and storage space than any other car of the era. In the early 1990s, I drove my 1987 240 GL wagon to Los Angeles to pick up gear and people for a movie we were working on. By the time I left LA, I had our director of photography in the passenger seat, all our luggage, a full Panavision camera package, and a camera dolly and track all loaded in the 240. Everything fit perfectly, and we comfortably headed to Arizona with the gear for the shoot. These cars are literally European pickups with a roof.
In closing, one of the nicest things about these collectible Volvo cars is that they are still quite affordable, and every part you could ever want is available. If you want a cool collector car with more utility of anything outside of a Mercedes wagon (the Volvo can actually hold more) and also want to join a fun community, then why not make a bid or two on this very nice example of Volvo’s masterpiece?
As an added bonus, the auction for this car ends in plenty of time before Christmas, making it a perfect present to be delivered for the holiday. The auction for this 1986 Volvo 240 Wagon ends on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. (MST), so act fast as examples this clean are getting harder to find.
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery
