1994 Volvo 480GT

With four former keepers, this delightful, rare Volvo 480GT has covered just 48,000 miles. It’s very solid and in almost time-warp condition as a result, which makes a nice change from the usual, high-mileage rot-boxes that you see on eBay being sold off for peanuts.

The current owner had always wanted a Volvo 480, and searched high and low before finding this one a year ago. He uses it on a regular basis, including his 80-mile round-trip commute, and describes it as having been trouble-free and “faultless”. Having now scratched that itch over the past year and four-thousand miles, he, like so many of us, now needs the space for his next classic car, which is the only reason he is selling it. 

The maroon paintwork is in fine condition. Sure, there is the odd stonechip and minor blemish (most notably on the front bumper and the odd patch of peeling lacquer), but as an unrestored car that is knocking on the door of its 25th birthday, we can only admire the care with which its previous owners have treated it. 

The panel gaps are as tight and even as you’d expect of a modern Volvo, and their condition, and the absence of rust aside from a very small patch at the top of the windscreen, leads us to conclude that the car has almost certainly never had an accident.

The alloy wheels are in good condition and the tyres match, which is something that regular visitors to our auctions will have come to learn we value highly, being an infallible indicator of an owner(s) who appreciates the value of maintaining their car properly.

If you wanted to bring the car back to concours condition, then the front valance will need repairing or replacing as it’s missing a small chunk on the nearside edge. There is also a small patch of surface rust inside the boot which could do with catching before it runs into a bigger problem.

The interior is in good, lightly patinated condition. The leather seats, which have an unusual pattern on them, are free of rips, tears and other major damage, although the edges of the driver’s seat has some light cracking to the finish. The headlining is taut and in good condition, as are the door cards and the carpets, even though the latter could do with a deep clean. 

The soft luggage cover is still in place and in good condition; fans of the model will know that this isn’t usually the case and so its presence and condition is further proof that its owners have cherished the car over the years.

Faults are limited to a driver’s seat heater that doesn’t seem to get as hot as it should.

New front brake discs and pads have been fitted, and the exhaust still has its sticker on it, which leads us to think that it is a recent replacement, too. The engine bay is a little grubby, but otherwise tidy and in good order.

The Volvo service history book is fully stamped up until May 1999, although it does record a service and a timing belt change in May of 2018 at 45,923 miles. The car comes with a number of old bills and invoices too, which the owner has drawn together on an Excel spreadsheet so that any potential bidders can see for themselves just how comprehensive it is.

In brief, the service history comprises seven services between 1994 and 2000 at the same Volvo main dealer. This period covers the car’s first 23,368 miles.  

This was followed by eight visits to independent garages in Radcliffe between 2001 and 2013, a period that covers the car up to 41,595 miles. There are no records between 2014 and 2017 as the person that owned the car then chose to pay cash and didn’t ask for receipts… 

The documentation picks up again in 2018 and 45,923 miles.

This rare GT variant also comes with a number of expired MOT certificates and the online MOT history itself shows nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s low mileage. The MOT itself expires in October 2019 and a Haynes manual for the car, along with the original owner’s wallet will be supplied with it.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork, which illustrates just how well this Volvo has been treated over the years.

The legendary Car Magazine journalist Richard Bremner said of the 480 "Good grief, a Volvo worth preserving. And there aren't many of them." This is a view we’d wholeheartedly endorse; if ever there was a case for preserving one of Volvo’s quirkiest cars then this example is it.

And yet, despite its condition, provenance and rarity, this 480GT not going to cost you a fortune because we think it should fetch between £2,500 and £3,000. This is an absurdly small sum for the car that Simon Templar would have driven had The Saint been set in the nineties.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in Ramsbottom; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.