MINT 32,000 mile 1990 Volvo 240 DL by Auslander Restorations - "Aiken"

1990 Volvo 240 DL Description

(Cue the sad 'abused animals' Sarah McLachlan music) When I see a VOLVO in need, I can’t stand to see it in distress, and I just have to help. My VOLVO restorations are a thing of legend on social media, and here’s your chance to own one! Thousands of dollars in parts and labor were just invested in this vehicle, so make no mistake, no expense was spared here. A car is only original once, and though my central focus is always originality, I use factory OE-quality VOLVO parts whenever necessary. My goal is to take all the nonsense out of owning one of these classics, so we painstakingly weed through every 240 we restore to ensure it’s as close to perfect as possible. I am Auslander Volvo Restorations, and this is your chance to own one of my vehicles.

I’d like to introduce you to the one-owner 32,000-mile 1990 VOLVO 240 DL from California I lovingly refer to as “Aiken”. Like all of my Volvo restorations, Aiken is named after his original owner, Mrs. H. Aiken, who ordered this gorgeous vehicle from Volvo Cars of Palm Springs, California in January of 1990. For the vast majority of its life, Aiken was driven very little. As his owner was the president of her gardening club for almost 25 years, Aiken’s trunk was used most often for hauling plants and other supplies back and forth, so by the time we got the car, plenty of cleaning was necessary! Additionally, as Aiken was parked outside most of its life when in use, when we originally got him, its paint and interior were badly faded, yet the paint buffed out to a nearly flawless Polar White shine as you see it now, and the interior has cleaned up wonderfully. Mrs. H. Aiken passed away in 2000, but her family kept the car around until late 2017, driving it less than once a year for the occasional emissions check which it almost always failed due to the old gas in the tank. I purchased this car as a barn find, and this is your chance to become part of this car's history as its second documented owner.

If you're looking for just the right 240, maybe not a trailer queen, but the one you wouldn’t have to think twice about driving 2,000 miles home, or wouldn’t hesitate to take on a spontaneous cross-country trip, look no further, this is it. The car has a flawless interior. The outside is all original paint, accident-free, bright and shiny. But how is it mechanically? What was done to it? What kind of money will you have to sink into it once you get it home? I keep a pretty close eye on eBay, getting notifications every time a 240 is listed. You have your usual suspects… 120k-180k miles, needs thousands of dollars spent to make it perfect, some of the description is vague, and you really can’t be QUITE sure what you’re going to get. Occasionally a 240 pops up that some old VOLVO mechanic is selling, and that’s all fine and well because you know it’s probably has a new timing belt and water pump, maybe a new blower motor and recharged a/c, but the aesthetics aren’t in-line, or again, a lot of details are missing. So now that I’ve set expectation, let me tell you a little more about what sets Aiken apart from the crowd.

Since April 2018, Aiken has undergone an exhaustive top to bottom restoration. Mechanical work was performed by my 40-year veteran VOLVO mechanic, Steve Wicks of Euro-Pro Automotive in Batavia, IL, while I’ve handled all aesthetic restoration. When a car sits as long as Aiken did, things don’t always work right, seals tend to leak, rubber rots, and fluids separate. So what’s Aiken like to drive? Well I've driven this car more than 400 miles in the last couple of weeks, in every type of condition from bumper-to-bumper agonizing Chicago traffic, to a 90MPH back road jaunt through the country, and with a smooth, quiet idle, there is no drivetrain vibration, and there’s no road noise; Aiken is a phenomenal car to drive. Everything works, and yes, the A/C is ICE COLD. The seats… they’re flawless. 240 seats have a tendency of breaking down over time and getting really uncomfortable, so with new foam padding, a new improved webbing design, and brand new heating pads, we’re talking about seats that are as comfortable as 240 seats get, that will even keep your buns and back warm and toasty on the coldest of days, that will definitely last another 30 years! You look around when you’re driving Aiken, and you feel good, nothing worn or broken, no weird sounds, no error lights, and nothing is leaking, not even the factory sunroof… you’re driving one of the best examples of a 240 on America’s roads today. I’ll put it this way, I FEEL GOOD about selling this car to someone, and I wouldn’t hesitate to drive Aiken back to California right this very moment were I so provoked! And why wouldn’t I be… I just sunk thousands of dollars into it! About that… let’s get into what has been done to this car. Bear in mind, a lot of these engine parts were replaced because Aiken sat for so long. As a result, things like the head gasket had started to leak externally, seals were shrunken and cracked... overall, this work was done to ensure lasting reliability.

SERVICE PERFORMED (you will get a 2" thick folder of receipts with the vehicle):

Four new Michelin tires, new brake booster, new brake master cylinder, new brake rotors, new brake pads, new bearings, new seals, new rear axle seals, new rear axle bearings, rear axle gear oil changed, new transmission fluid/filter/gasket, new AW shift solenoid bypass, new a/c compressor, new a/c lines, new a/c evaporator, new a/c cooling fan, new shocks, new struts, new strut bump stops and boots, new engine mounts, new transmission mount, new driveline bearing and mount, new suspension bushings front & rear, new stabilizer end links, new tie rods, new power steering pump, new power steering rack, new ball joints, new timing belt/tensioner/seals, new belts, new water pump/thermostat, new valve cover gasket, new head gasket, rebuilt head, oil change, new fuel filter & seals, new fuel pressure regulator, fuel injector seals, new flame trap and lines, new breather box & hoses, new oil cap seal & dipstick tube o-ring, new preheater hose, new radiator, new hoses, new distributor cap/rotor, new spark plugs, new air filter, new mass airflow sensor, new idle air control valve, new gas/oxygen sensor, new Bluetooth-enabled AM/FM radio, new AGM battery

Well, why are you still reading this? Go bid on the car! More questions? ALWAYS feel free to ask! Heck, you know who my mechanic is… you could always call and ask him about the car too, just be sure to tell him you’re “asking about the white 240.” He's expecting your call.

Want to take Aiken for a test drive or bring it to a mechanic? Absolutely—let’s arrange it!

I have established what I feel is a reasonable reserve price on Aiken, but if you want to make me an offer, let’s chat.

For more photos, please visit: https://youtu.be/wqlA3MSAI64