These days, you might be forgiven if you’ve forgotten Volvo used to be a funky car company owned by a bunch of Swedes who practiced moose-avoidance techniques. Now it’s just another Chinese-owned enterprise, which is why you should cherish the cars of its past, like this 1989 Volvo 780 Bertone coupe here on craigslist. Designed and built by Bertone of Italy, these limited production coupes have a much lower roofline than stock Volvo vehicles and were available only as two-doors. This being a later car, it has the turbocharged engine, which was essential for lugging around such a heavy vehicle. Our featured car runs but the turbo needs to be rebuilt. With just over 8,000 780 coupes made, this one is worth saving – but only at a price lower than the seller’s $2,500 asking. What would you pay?
Pretty stylish for a Volvo, once upon a time….
I’m thinking that it needs $3-4K invested to make it a good, comfortable and reliable driver.
And then it might be worth $2.5-$3K. It looks to me as though the owner has at some time in the past taken a rattle can of black to a couple of areas on the car, and that means at least surface rust abatement. Turbo, tires, brakes, front seats, and pray that the engine and transmission are good to go for a while.
Not sure if this will ever be seen as really collectible, so someone has to want it a lot to invest the money and time in making it truly roadworthy.
Did anyone else put a hand up by the computer screen, to shield the odometer from direct sunlight? 😉 I *think* the first two digits are 17, but I can’t see it well enough to be certain. The inspection sticker in the windshield is dated 4-12, presumably the expiration date. So the car has sat for closer to 4 years….?
My feeling is similar to yours, but I’d go a step further and argue I’d be OK with it as a “losing” investment because at the end of the day, I still have a rock-solid Volvo that will always be special in the eyes of enthusiasts.
Plus, having Bertone’s name attached to a car is hardly a bad thing!