WHAT IS IT?
1983 Volvo 240 GL Sedan
The Volvo 240 is the car that truly put Volvo on the map in the U.S. Boxy and slow, but with an enviable reputation for durability, build quality, and of course, safety. There were multiple years in which there were zero fatal accidents involving the 240. The under-stressed, naturally-aspirated 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine seemingly has no upper limit in terms of wear. With regular maintenance, these engines seemingly go hundreds of thousands of miles, slowly increasing their clearances, but never failing. Volvo’s paint and rust protection was very good for the day. Only the hard interior plastics seemed to wear prematurely in sunny climates. With just 1,400 original miles, this 240 will likely outlast virtually anyone currently of driving age.
WHY THIS ONE HAS “BEST ONE ON THE PLANET” CHOPS
Because of their reputation for safety, simplicity, and durability, the 240s tended to get used hard, often handed down from parents to newly minted drivers. Almost nobody went out of their way to preserve a 240, and most have well over a quarter-million miles on them today. These were workhorse family cars, not collectibles. A 240 with 1,400 one-owner miles on it, and still showing signs of factory cosmoline is, well, unheard of. The seller claims this car was never exposed to inclement weather and it shows. Ordinarily, brittle interior plastics on this car show no signs of wear. The paint looks shiny, appropriately orange-peely, and original. The car furthermore appears to be completely original down to the tires. Quibbles are few; we like the later cars with composite headlights in place of the quad-sealed beams, wagons are cooler, we wish it wasn’t an automatic, and brown isn’t exactly our favorite color, but it seems to fit a 240, wagon or not. We think is unquestionably the best 1983 Volvo 240 GL 4-door on the planet. This appears to be a reference-level museum piece.
These were workhorse family cars, not collectibles. A 240 with 1,400 one-owner miles on it, and still showing signs of factory cosmoline is, well, unheard of.
THE VERDICT
(Delivered by Juror Andy Reid)
As almost everyone knows, Volvo 240s are famously durable cars. The red-block, four-cylinder engines are unkillable and Volvo did a better-than-average job of rust-proofing. The interiors, however, were another matter. The plastics, and vinyls may have held up OK in Sweden, but any exposure to UV would break them down pretty quickly. This museum-quality 240 has hands down, the best 80s Volvo interior I’ve ever seen, and the rest of the car is up to that standard. It exemplifies what Best One on the Planet is all about—a perfectly preserved example of a rarely preserved car!
Best on the Planet March 17, 2025 – Present
Used 1983 Volvo 240 GL 4dr Sedan For Sale $34,900 | Cars.com
Oh wow- what a treat, and in proper shit brown to boot! These feats of engineering can go to 380k miles on average. One of my best friends dads growing up had one in Navy that had a bumper sticker that said ‘Now approaching Mach 10’. It was a joke trying to drag other cars when the light went green but I always appreciated that it sat up straight next to most other cars in a parking lot. As Steve mentions, it’s hard to find one with an interior this pristine so definitely on top of the pile here for now and well worth the 35k price tag.