At $22,000, Is This 1973 Volvo P1800ES A Shooting Brake That Could Stop You In Your Tracks?

Volvo has never really been known for its coupes, but when they built one, it did impress. Today's Nice Price or No Dice P1800ES is the wagon edition, which is even more sought-after. Let's see if its price tag is worth a look.

Subaru is an oddball company. Few carmakers advertise their wares by showing them crumpled in the aftermath of a collision, which makes Subaru's approach of showing grateful owners in post-crash situations a bold strategy. That commitment to its customers is reflected in the company's tagline: "Love. It's what makes a Subaru, a Subaru."

Will the next owner love the 2006 Subaru Impreza wagon we looked at yesterday? Time will tell. Hopefully, they won't test the company's commitment to safety and crash survival, and instead will simply enjoy the car for its AWD prowess and simple creature comforts. That next owner can also take comfort in the Impreza being a solid deal at its $5,500 asking price, as that found approval in our votes, racking up a massive 90% 'Nice Price' win.

Subaru isn't the first automaker to tout safety as a key selling point. For decades, Sweden's Volvo adopted a similar tactic, to the point that the brand's products became the butt of jokes in popular culture and in otherwise unfunny movies.

The thing is, those older, safety-conscious Volvos had the last laugh, as most were so well-built they outlived their belittlers. One, a 1966 P1800, set the Guinness World Record for the highest mileage, traveling an astonishing 3.2 million miles. That number kept increasing as the Volvo was still going strong when its owner (Irv Gordon) passed away in 2018.

Today's 1973 Volvo P1800ES has vastly fewer miles (35,870) on the clock and is the later wagon edition that features Bosch fuel injection on its 2.0-liter B20 inline-four. The car's party piece, however, is its all-glass rear hatch. This was the first car to feature such a unique design element, and while it appears alarmingly fragile, in typical Volvo fashion, it seems to have survived just fine over the past half-century.

The rest of this P1800 appears to be in pretty good shape, though the ad notes minor rust on several body panels, describing the condition as "nothing major." The bodywork is all straight, which is a notable plus on these coupes as the entire nose is welded together and leaded smooth, making repairs a hassle. Being a 1973—the last year for the model—it features bumpers that jut out farther than on earlier editions, to meet U.S. standards. They don't look too heinous, though. The wheels are aftermarket, but appear period-correct Panasports or one of that brand's many knockoffs.

Craigslist

The cabin is a bit of a mixed bag, with dash, door cards, and the driver's seat all seeming to have escaped the ravages of Father Time. The small rear bench seat looks to be fine, although it inexplicably has a boot print on the backrest. That raises more concerns about how it got there than about its removal. In contrast to the remainder of the interior, the passenger seat shows its age. In fact, it looks like it should come with two tusks and a trunk. The headliner is also supposed to need attention, but the ad doesn't go into the extent of what that might entail.

As far as the mechanicals go, this car seems to have the goods. The B-series four has a reputation for endurance, and as fitted here, with Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection, it makes a modest 125 horsepower and 118 pound-feet of torque, so it's not overly stressed. Behind that is a four-speed manual with Laycock de Normanville overdive for improved highway driving.

According to the ad, the engine "starts easy and runs strong with lots of torque, good oil pressure and no smoky exhaust." Updates include new brakes all around, a replaced booster, a replacement fuel tank, a new water pump and ancillary parts, and a new battery and fresh tires. Everything is said to have been replaced with OEM parts, except the windscreen and seal, which are aftermarket units. One cool bit of kit is the finned rocker cover from venerable Volvo tuner IPD. Finally, this P1800 comes with a clean title and current registration.

The ad notes that this has long been a one-owner car until the present owner bought it from their brother's estate in 2022. They are now ready to see it leave the family and go to a new household. For that to happen, there's the small matter of the $22,000 asking price and whether it falls squarely in the "let's talk" realm or has been set in the stratosphere based on the car's desirability and presentation. It should be noted that the ad has been up for a full month, as we speak.

What's your opinion on this fetching classic Volvo and that $22,000 price tag? Does that feel fair? Or is this shooting brake's seller shooting themselves in the foot?

You decide!

Nice Price or No Dice:

Portland, Oregon, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to Don R. for the hookup!

Help me out with Nice Price or No Dice. Contact me at robemslie@gmail.com and send a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle.