A common desire among classic car fans is to find a beautiful vintage model that’s also reliable and safe to drive every day.
Not every auto aficionado thinks of the boxy 1971 Volvo 145S wagon recently for sale on eBay as beautiful. But what’s not up for debate is the Swedish automaker’s well-deserved reputation for safety and reliability.
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Volvo’s safety cred dates back at least to 1959. That’s when it invented the three-point safety belt. Volvo safety innovations were well established by 1996 when the company introduced the 140 series. Volvo’s dedication to safety played a significant role in introducing a new legion of buyers to the brand.
A Revolution in Auto Safety
In the late 1960s, Volvo advertised the 140 series as the safest car in the world. Those Volvos came with a raft of safety features not yet adopted by more mainstream brands. The list includes:
- A dual-circuit braking system
- Disc brakes at all four wheels
- A collapsible steering column
- Energy-absorbing crumple zones to protect the passenger compartment in a crash
These safety features were not on the radar of most buyers back then. Now, automakers include them with nearly every new car and truck.
The reliability part of the equation is proven via the odometer. Volvos from the era commonly roll past 100,000, 200,000, and even 300,000 or more miles. Volvo was so confident in reliability that the carmaker started installing six-digit odometers in the 1960s. Most new cars were barely expected to last more than 50,000 miles during that time.
Just Getting Started at 220k Miles
The 145S currently available on eBay has about 220,000 miles on the clock. For many Volvo enthusiasts, that means a car is just getting broken in. Moreover, this 145S’s owners took great care of the wagon. It’s complete and largely original and just out of long-term dry storage in Nevada.
The seller documents the vehicle’s condition with more than 300 photographs and a half-hour video. The Scandinavian wagon has nothing to hide.
The nearly vertical rear hatch swings up to reveal a cavernous carpeted cargo area. Fold the rear seatbacks to expand the space even more. Giant windows and small pillars make for a light, airy feel inside and expansive visibility unavailable in modern cars.
But don’t let those thin pillars give you the impression of weakness. Period advertisements feature a 140 series Volvo parked—with a stack of other vehicles on top.
An Exclusive Club
The original 118-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine purrs under the hood. A four-speed manual transmission puts power to the wheels.
This staid family wagon won’t win trophies at the drag strip. That’s a small price to pay for engines known to be bulletproof and easy to maintain. In addition, everything in the tidy engine compartment is easily accessible, and spare parts are easy to find on eBay.
In preparation for sale, the owner cleaned and partially rebuilt both carburetors—and added a new fuel pump, fuel filter, brake lines, and brake pads. The car is clean and tidy.
Vintage Volvos have a strong following of devoted owners. So unmolested Volvo 145 wagons like this are hard to find. And it answers that perennial need for a classic you can drive every day for years to come.
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.