Hot in the Lot
Claire Linegar has a classic car—literally
NEIRAD enilno editionAccording to the US Government, a car between the ages of 20 and 40 is Classic. Claire’s 1987 Volvo 240 legally falls under this definition, and does so in style. At the ripe young age of 24, this Swede is still kicking (The car, not Claire. She’s Irish).
Claire “flipping loves” her car. It’s not new, it’s not shiny, but the way she sees it, “I’m the only person in Darien who has one. I feel so important when I drive it.” Take that, Lotus enthusiasts.
Claire’s Volvo 240 was adopted into the Linegar family 9 years ago to serve as Mr. Linegar’s second set of wheels. “My dad drives a truck for work,” she explained, “so he used this car to get around on the weekends.” The Volvo was used sparingly, in the vein of the proverbial subcompact that granny only drives to church on Sundays.
With this low level of usage, Claire’s Volvo amazingly has only racked up about 80,000 miles in its 24-year lifetime. That’s a low number by any used-car standard, and shockingly low for a car from the ‘80s. It’s hard enough to find a decent car half as old with less than 100,000 miles on it.
“The car runs well for its age,” says Claire. The DMV recently inspected the car for emissions and safety, and the car comfortably passed. Still, “it’s been through a lot.”
Claire’s Volvo manifests its age in a couple ways. For example, Claire’s driver window no longer goes up or down without some serious motivation. Claire tells me “I have to put my hands on both sides of the glass and push it” to make it move—not a convenient reality when you’re driving.
The list goes on. The stereo, a tape deck from the dark ages before CD players, “can only go so loud” before it devolves into static. When you turn the car on, the ignition makes the noise of a small yippy dog for a few seconds before it actually works. And don’t try driving this 240 too fast in the rain. Quirks of this nature give the Volvo a personality all its own.
There are no duct-tape jerry-rigs holding Claire’s car together, but that doesn’t mean the Linegars haven’t had to improvise some quick fixes on this Volvo to keep it alive. Once, when Mr. Linegar still drove the Volvo, another car slammed into its side and left a massive dent around the its gas tank, making it impossible to refuel.
“I remember trying to bang the dent out from the inside of the car while my dad gave me directions” from outside. If you look closely, you can see the warped sheet metal left from this Frankenstein operation. Still, as ever, Claire insists the car is in “good condition.”
Some people may not be able to appreciate this car’s endearing quirks. Nevertheless, Claire’s Volvo 240 presents at least one undeniable advantage: it costs very little to keep running.
This car was cheap when Mr. Linegar bought it nine years ago. By now, keeping and maintaining it is practically free. “We’ve put barely any money into it,” says Claire. “It also gets great gas mileage, which surprises people since it’s so old.” Combine that with conceivably low insurance premiums, and the price is right for a high school driver. Cheap, safe, drivable—what more could a senior want from a set of wheels?
Claire plans to drive her Volvo through the rest of the school year, but is skeptical about the car’s future past that. In 1987, Volvo guaranteed its vehicles to run for 19.3 years past their date of purchase. By these standards, the car is living on borrowed time.
“This is probably its last year,” she forecasts, saying “I’m afraid it’s not up to another.” The car is safe to drive now, but it’s hard to say how much longer it can realistically last.
For these reasons, Claire doesn’t plan on taking her Volvo to college. Once she’s out of the picture, Mr. Linegar plans on driving the car until it bites the dust. “He says the engine will last forever, but when the frame starts falling apart, that will be the end.”
None the less, Claire will certainly enjoy the time she has remaining with her Volvo, and especially the positive attention that it attracts. People seem to comment on Claire’s car all the time when they see her in it—friends and random middle-aged motorheads alike.
“I went to Dunkin Donuts and two guys came up to tell me I have a great car. They were asking all about its history and telling me, ‘hey, it’s a Volvo, it will run forever!’”
Well, it’s made it this far, at least. Keep your eyes peeled for Claire’s little-engine-that-could in the DHS parking lot this year. Just remember not to tailgate it when it rains!
