According to the seller of today’s Nice Price or No Dice Volvo, they are constantly being bugged by people wanting to feature the car in movies and TV shows. Could that potential revenue stream mean this Volvo’s price is just the cost of entry into a money maker?
Speaking of movies, action flicks almost always have the hero getting beaten up pretty badly before pulling out a win against the baddies. Overcoming adversity in extreme circumstances is what makes them more relatable and gives the audience a greater reason to root for their success. Think about barefoot John McClane walking on broken glass in “Die Hard. Ouch! Right?
While it’s unlikely to punch a nazi in the face or save the world from annihilation, the 1976 BMW 2002 we looked at yesterday did exhibit some battle scars that made us root for its success—or at least its continued care. A $7,500 asking price reflected that well-worn condition, and proved decent enough to pull out a win with a 53% Nice Price vote.
Hooray for Hollywood
The city of Los Angeles and its surrounding sprawl are home to many people who claim to be actors. Save for a small role in their high school production of ‘Into the Woods,’ most of those helping you get your morning coffee or taking your restaurant order have never acted a day in their life.
According to the seller of today’s 1992 Volvo 240DL, filmmakers and other entertainment industry muckety-mucks are constantly asking to use the sedan in their projects. It’s difficult to pin down the appeal of an old Volvo four-door brick as a star of stage and screen, but then “CATS” got made, so there’s no understanding the modern Hollywood zeitgeist.
Regardless, it doesn’t appear that this white over a gray velour 240 would require much time in makeup to look presentable to an audience. Based on the pictures, it appears to be straight and has all its trim intact. Another plus is that the matte black paint on the base of the windows, applied by Volvo to make the greenhouse appear larger and give the car a more modern look, isn’t cracked, as is often the case on these cars.
Built like a tank
The seller also correctly notes that these cars were heavily over-engineered and well constructed, claiming this one is “Built like a tank.” It was, after all, the 200 series (built from 1974 through 1993) that established Volvo’s reputation for tank-like cars. That’s not something the marque has lived up to in recent years, which makes older models like this all the more appealing.
Power for this 240 comes from a 2.3-liter edition of Volvo’s legendary “Red Block” SOHC inline four. By this model year (the 240’s penultimate), it came fitted with Bosch LH-Jetronic fuel injection and makes 114 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque. That’s paired with a four-speed automatic transmission sourced from Aisin-Warner, and drives the coil-sprung live axle in the back. According to the seller, this car “Runs great” and has all its “electricals fully operational.” Being a DL, it’s also pretty well equipped with features. Those include power windows and steering, and… well, that’s about it.
A hidden gem
Despite the parsimonious bit of kit, this 240 looks to be a fine place to spend some time behind the wheel. The interior seems to be in great shape, save for a broken plastic pocket on the front passenger door. Aside from that one flaw, the upholstery appears clean, and the tactile surfaces (such as the steering wheel, door levers, and shifter) show no excessive wear. An aftermarket stereo head unit may look out of place in the dash, but it should offer a bit of modernity, such as Bluetooth or auxiliary inputs for all you Zune users out there.
The exterior is just as tidy, featuring factory full covers on its steel wheels and the largest headlamp lenses this side of a MAN truck. There shouldn’t be any drama at the DMV either since the car carries current registration, a clean title, and a recent passing grade from the smog tester. Mileage is said to be 175K, but this is a 240, so that’s just getting started.
Open the vault
With all that in mind, and the prospect of being carried into the elite world of Hollywood celebrity due to this car’s star potential, we now need to see what such a car should truly cost. On the plus side, the car appears to be in great shape. On the flip side, it’s neither a turbo-equipped car nor a wagon, both of which offer more appeal.
The seller is asking $5,450 for the sale. That’s kind of an oddly specific amount to settle on, but who are we to question the tried and true Hollywood formula?
What’s your take on this 240 and that asking? Does that seem like a deal to get a Volvo from when they were cool? Or is that too much for a movie star past its prime?
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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