We’re huge cars fans here at The Auto Connection, and we were excited when we ran across this article for a classic car: a 1987 Volvo Station Wagon. Check out below for the history of this go-to family vacation vehicle. If you’re more in the mood to shop for quality used cars, stop by and see us. (Article compliments of Autoblog.)

Most of the wrecking yards I visit while shooting photographs for this series are high-inventory-turnover pull-your-own-parts establishments in California and Colorado, and both regions have been Volvo 240 hotbeds for the last 40 years.

During the last 15 years or so, however, the rate at which the boxy Swedes get junked has accelerated, driven partly by sheer age and partly due to the fact that many serious 240 fanatics have switched their allegiance to modern hybrid-electric cars.

It will be crushed just a few miles from where it was sold when new.

Most of the 240s you’ll see today are mid-to-late-1980s models with the B230 four-cylinder engine. These cars weren’t as heavy as their blocky appearance made them seem (the 240 wagon weighed just a bit over 3,000 pounds, about the same as a 2017 Subaru Impreza hatchback).

It’s not rusty, but the interior is well toasted by the harsh Colorado sun. There’s a glut of good-running 240s for cheap prices these days, so a tired one isn’t worth much.

Older cars are great for history, but you need a modern, reliable used car of your own. The Auto Connection has you covered! Our buy here, pay here program can allow you to get in a car, regardless of your credit history.

Our Virginia locations include Danville, Norfolk and Richmond. Get the approval process started from home with our easy online application.