"Your Mazda is nothing but an expensive Ford."

[G35COUPE]

probably because he was trying to imply Madman has a Ford era Volvo, which if he had actually read Madman's post, he would realize that he sounded like a fool.

and fwiw, volvo did change a lot between varying engine sizes in the same series, and then even more between trim lines. wife had a 940 turbo, so have some experience with them, albeit very little since she got rid of it before she moved in with me.

Your assumptions are completely off-mark. I read the post very well, thank you. You fail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW, I also happen to love Ford and so i capitalize the name to FORD---they deserve it, don't they????????

[henk4]

Don't go to autozone and yell at the workers there, okay. Its that simple. They are human beings like you too. Period.

so are the clients....

[Madman]

Don't go to autozone and yell at the workers there, okay. Its that simple. They are human beings like you too. Period.

I didn't "yell" at anyone. But when the counter person kept insisting my pre-Ford Volvo somehow had a Ford engine and wouldn't listen to a word I was saying, I made sure he got the message (through my clenched teeth) that there were NO Ford parts in my car! I even gave him the engine code for the car, so it should have been obvious I knew what I was talking about.

On another occasion, a different (and much more helpful) Auto Zone employee showed me his screen when he pulled up the 1990 740. After selecting the model (740) it then asks for trim. Problem is, it only lists the GL and the GLE. It doesn't list the Turbo or the base model, either. The computer then prompts you to select either "8 Valve" or "16 Valve" engine, then asks for turbo or non-turbo. Which is redundant in the case of the 16 valve engine, which was never available with a turbocharger.

I worked at a Volvo dealership for four years, so I know these cars very well. It appears Auto Zone has some of the specs for the 240 series and the 740/940 series mixed up. This is certainly the case when I was asked about the wheels. 240s came standard with 14 inch wheels with an option for 15 inch wheels. 740s, on the other hand, came with 15 inch as standard and 16 inch as an option on the 1990-and-later Turbo versions. No 740 ever had 14 inch wheels because 14 inchers wouldn't have fitted over the brake calipers.

For the record, US-spec 1990 model year 740s were as follows:

Base and GL: SOHC 8 valve 2.3 litre (B230F)
GLE: DOHC 16 valve 2.3 litre (B234F)
Turbo: SOHC 8 valve 2.3 litre with turbo and intercooler (B230FT)

As for the brake pads, Volvo had two different suppliers making brakes for the 740; Girling and Bendix. Any 740 (regardless of trim) could have either of these brakes and you will have to know which ones you have. Wheel diameter has absolutely NOTHING to do with it.

I don't realistically expect an Auto Zone counter person to know everything about every car, but when one tries to tell me that a Volvo B230 series "Red Block" engine is made by Ford and won't listen when I try to correct him, then he deserves what he gets.


Madman of the People

[nota]

I worked at a Volvo dealership for four years, so I know these cars very well. It appears Auto Zone has some of the specs for the 240 series and the 740/940 series mixed up. This is certainly the case when I was asked about the wheels. 240s came standard with 14 inch wheels with an option for 15 inch wheels. 740s, on the other hand, came with 15 inch as standard and 16 inch as an option on the 1990-and-later Turbo versions. No 740 ever had 14 inch wheels because 14 inchers wouldn't have fitted over the brake calipers.

Thats odd, as I thought I remembered seeing Volvo 740s with 14" wheels, and a quick search unearthed this tyre placard for the 740 GL.

" 184/70R14 "

[Madman]

Thats odd, as I thought I remembered seeing Volvo 740s with 14" wheels, and a quick search unearthed this tyre placard for the 740 GL.

" 184/70R14 "

Hmm, interesting! Was this placard from a US spec 740? It may very well be possible that 14 inch wheels were available (with different brake calipers) in other markets, but all the information I have seen in regards to US spec 740s indicate 15 inch wheels were the smallest available.

Madman of the People

[nota]

Was this placard from a US spec 740?

Indeed it was - and its also found on page # 112 of the Volvo 7-Series owner's manual (US Edition)

General information

Your vehicle is equipped with 6 x 15" or 14" wheel rims and 185/70 R14 (GL, GLE) or 195/60R15 (Turbo) tires.
In other words the width of the wheel rim is 6 inches and its diameter 15 inches.
The tire designation is coded as follows:
185 or 195 = tire width in mm.
70 or 60 = tire profile. This is the relationship in percent between the section height and width of the tire.
R = radial tires.
14 or 15 = suitable intended rim size.
__________________

Volvo Cars of North America
Rockleigh Industrial Park
Rockleigh, New Jersey 07647

Note that the above pertains to vehicles sold in the U.S.A. only.

[G35COUPE]

I didn't "yell" at anyone. But when the counter person kept insisting my pre-Ford Volvo somehow had a Ford engine and wouldn't listen to a word I was saying, I made sure he got the message (through my clenched teeth) that there were NO Ford parts in my car! I even gave him the engine code for the car, so it should have been obvious I knew what I was talking about.

On another occasion, a different (and much more helpful) Auto Zone employee showed me his screen when he pulled up the 1990 740. After selecting the model (740) it then asks for trim. Problem is, it only lists the GL and the GLE. It doesn't list the Turbo or the base model, either. The computer then prompts you to select either "8 Valve" or "16 Valve" engine, then asks for turbo or non-turbo. Which is redundant in the case of the 16 valve engine, which was never available with a turbocharger.

I worked at a Volvo dealership for four years, so I know these cars very well. It appears Auto Zone has some of the specs for the 240 series and the 740/940 series mixed up. This is certainly the case when I was asked about the wheels. 240s came standard with 14 inch wheels with an option for 15 inch wheels. 740s, on the other hand, came with 15 inch as standard and 16 inch as an option on the 1990-and-later Turbo versions. No 740 ever had 14 inch wheels because 14 inchers wouldn't have fitted over the brake calipers.

For the record, US-spec 1990 model year 740s were as follows:

Base and GL: SOHC 8 valve 2.3 litre (B230F)
GLE: DOHC 16 valve 2.3 litre (B234F)
Turbo: SOHC 8 valve 2.3 litre with turbo and intercooler (B230FT)

As for the brake pads, Volvo had two different suppliers making brakes for the 740; Girling and Bendix. Any 740 (regardless of trim) could have either of these brakes and you will have to know which ones you have. Wheel diameter has absolutely NOTHING to do with it.

I don't realistically expect an Auto Zone counter person to know everything about every car, but when one tries to tell me that a Volvo B230 series "Red Block" engine is made by Ford and won't listen when I try to correct him, then he deserves what he gets.


Madman of the People

Dear Madman:

I love being fair to everyone. To this end, i would be the first to tell you that there are Autozone staffers who should not be working there to begin with. Anyone who does not love cars should not be working at Autozone. In fact, it was my work there that brought to my attention the falsehoods people hold about thoughts and perceptions of Ford (FORD) vehicles. I found Ford cars (FORDS) to be far more reliable than GM cars. Even their SUVs had less problems than GM SUVS. The only GM cars and trucks, iirc, that held up pretty well, where the Cadillac line of cars and trucks.

Because Autozone has a good return and warranty policy, if i was behind the counter, encountering issues related to the spec of your vehicle, i would have recommended you buy one set of brake pads, perhaps for the GL, take it home and try it on the car for size/fit. If it works, then good. If it doesn't work, then you bring it back to Autozone and get a swap for another brake pad for the GLE model. I am pretty confident that one of them would have worked. This is the least the Autozone employee could have done for you. Autozone parts menu isn't always correct. By my experience, they are pretty darn good, nonetheless.

The person you met across the counter was either lazy or new to Autozone. However, it is not unusual for customers to treat Autozone employees like trash. When i worked there, I had one female customer and one male customer that i took particular joy in publicly and verbally berating in front of other customers because of how horribly they talked and treated any Autozone employee and other customers waiting patiently to be served. It was the highlight of my day whenever they walked into the store. Eventually, they learned to conform and behave like human beings whenever i was around in the store. It was a miraculous transformation of humanity, and we thought these customers could never change.

The crazy female and male got their parts but only after some serious tongue lashing from me. Their alternative was to voluntarily leave, which i knew they wouldn't do because they needed cheap Autozone parts, or i ask them to leave involuntarily. You won't beleive how cheap or free parts can transform people. My beleif was that half the customers i served at that time, had some sort of emotional and mental problem, which i was not certified to treat or deal with.