As of this morning!

I went back to the used car lot and this is what I found out.
With a scan tool that I was able to borrow from a mechanic the system was indeed cleared out. No codes in it at all.
All the dash bulbs did light up when I turned the key though as well.
But as I started to look elsewhere in the car I found the service centers receipt with a diag printout from May 13, 2013.

Here is what it had: see below:

ECM-902A
ECM-903F
ECM-912A
ECM-959F

Now what should I do? I'm mechanically capable of doing the work myself as I have done all the work on the three Volvos that I've owned in 20 years. So, where to start?

How much should I offer now for the car?
The Car also needs Calipers, Rotors, Pads from what I checked.
Plus what ever this repair is going to cost me in parts.

I have not had the vehicle off the ground to see underneath it yet.

Let me know. Thanks.

If you're serious about the car, take it to a dealer or an indy with VIDA-DICE and have it scanned (you could take it to an Autozone and have them read the generic codes if you don't have your own scanner, but you won't get the proprietary Volvo codes).

The one relatively expensive thing to check out is the electronic throttle module (ETM). If it goes south (and eventually they all do), you'll be looking at $500 to fix it. Check and see if it is original (white label) or updated (yellow label). Consensus seems to be that Xemodex is the way to go if it needs replacing.

Good luck!

For $500-800 it might be a good buy. A consistant misfire in one cylinder will produce a code, you don't have that. You need to go back with a scanner and check all codes, do NOT erase any. A dishonest dealer will erase the codes before you look at it and the CEL will not come on until there are multiple engine starts with the same code.

Yes, it could be a head gasket in pretty bad shape. Or a completely clogged PTC so the vacuum does not drop to idle level and causing the fuel pressure regulator to run rich.

Did you check the tranny fluid? If it is brown, don't bother. But if it is bright red, wonder if the dealer flushed it so it would shift.

In other words, I don't trust dealers. The prior owner should have more mechanical guesses than just coils or MAF. Why were the spark plugs not changed?
--
Klausc, a Volvoholic

Ask the PO how the plugs looked.

If possible, pull them and look yourself - also look at the pistons - if one is clean you may have a bad head gasket.

It is unusual for three coils to go at once.

Of 9 Volvos that we purchased used, I had them all checked by my dealer - except one - I trusted the young couple that sold it to me - it was a pig! - We sold it after two years of grief!

They had it serviced at Jiffy Lube - I should have known better!