Hey everybody,

I am thinking of purchasing a used 93 or 94 850 from a dealer in California (H&I Volvo) but i have a few questions first.

#1 - I hear that people have constant problems with these cars, but I have driven one with 167k on it and it drove like a dream. What's the fact and what's the myth with the maintenance on these vehicles?

#2 - Is 150k too many miles on a used 850?

#3 - I've heard lots of different things about the AC on these cars, what's the deal with the evaporator/condenser/refrigerant?

Thanks to everyone in advance, I don't want to make a $6000 mistake!

Thanks everyone, I'll check into the 740 turbo. As for right now though, I am also looking at the Infiniti G20 (the Nissan Primera). So yeah, thanks guys, and I'll still be on here every so often cus my friend's 850 is bound to need some of your expertise.

Hi there----

Let me tell you my story. I had a 1991 740 (paid $9,500) senior year of high school (1999). I had it during Junior College. Then I sold it and got a 1988 240 b/c I didn't want to have car payments (paid $2,700). Then I got a higher paying job and finally got a '94 850 (paid $9999 at Bozzani Volvo in Covina), which I currently drive. The 850 is by far the nicest looking and coolest Volvo I have had, but it is a pain to keep up, and it doesn't seem as rugged as my 740 or 240. If you don't have a whole lot of $$$ to spend on a car (and maintenance), and if you don't maintain your car yourself, avoid the 850 while busy with school. I really, honestly miss the 740 and 240. They were both so care-free cars. I think a 91 or 92 740, or an 1990-93 240 would be the best choice for a busy college student. Drive a 740 or 240 and make your choice. I really don't think the 850 is worth all the extra money when compared to a good condition 740 or 240. Good luck!!! I have also had the best memories and experiences in my 1991 740 and '88 240....*sigh*

I have to agree with the majority of responses here. I've had mine a year and while it has been very reliable and a lot of fun to drive, I have the luxury of my own house, garage, tools and years of experience maintaining my cars & motorcycles.

In the past year all I've had to replace is the upper engine mount (common), front O2 sensor (again, common) plugs, cap and rotor. Also changed oil every 3000 miles. Mine's a turbo wagon so premium fuel is required as is synthetic oil. Brake rotors should not be machined but rather replaced every other pad change, with 16" wheels it's a rough ride and there are lots of creaks and rattles in the interior.

I havent' had any problems with A/C, trans, ABS etc but I will say the previous owner did have the trans and rear seal replaced under warranty. Apparantly, the 850 is a fine car if you "get a good one" (I did) but if I were you, I'd say look for something else.

BTW, I just bought an '88 Volvo 740turbo wagon in great shape for peanuts and my 855t is for sale. The 740t is a (fast) tank, parts are cheap and it's a piece of cake to work on.

Good luck,
--
Erwin in Memphis, '95 855t

Here in sunny San Diego, the weather is so good all year round that you can work on your car every afternoon without worrying about snow and rain. That's why I bought my Volvo ;) . If you are willing to learn, do it. The engines are actually quite cool. My friends trip out when I tell them I have a five cylinder 2.4 litre turbo. Killer effect, and big back seat for the "girls gone wild" college babes.

i like my wagon...even if does require a more stringent maintenance...it is not cheap to maintain compared to maybe a toyota or honda. but even a mercedes is expensive to keep...with their reputation for long lasting vehicles.

if u do decide to buy it, make sure it has good service records...n/a models would require service every 10000 miles. turbo models require an addition oil change every 5000 miles.

if all the service records check out...next thing is to test drive it. 15" or 16" rims should be supple enough for the car, 17" is a bit harsher. another thing to check is for rattles and squeaks...drive it over some poor road surfaces to make sure. some common problems that should be looked at (if not already fixed) is the transmission pnp switch, shock/strut and spring mounts (they wear out and need replacement anywhere from 50~100k miles), the shocks/struts and springs should've been replaced at least once (70~100k is normal lifespan of these items), some people have horrid stories about ac, mine was simply recharged at 70k for less than 100 bucks, the engine should be good for a while. engine mounts r known to wear out also...there are 3 of them.

good luck!

yeah, drove a toyota tercel-great gas milage, easy and cheap to maintain, and lost my right knee, in the accident. no breakaway steering wheel, put it 4 inches thru my dash-12 hours of making a new knee, 4 days in icu, 9 months learning how to walk again. now i drive an 850, and if some dumbass decides to blow off a stoplight, and i get into an accident, i could care less that it cost me extra $$$ to be able to walk away from my car-by the way she was driving a volvo and was able to walk away from the scene-so you are deciding on your future, and if you can live vs. die -what is the difference in cost in the long run?

Sorry about the accident. That's a big part of the reason I drive an 850.

"...more than 100 people are killed on U.S. highways each day" from http://www.saferoads.org/polls/harrispoll01highlights.htm

You're rolling the dice every day you get in your car.

I think we should all drive M1 Abrams tanks to protect ourselves against every collision possibility.

And then, when everyone is driving tanks, we can start protecting ourselves by driving the space shuttle earth mover.

Dave, sorry you were injured in an accident. But your anecdotal experience is only one element, among many, in making a decision about buying a car.

Safety
Initial cost
Maintenance costs
Fuel economy
Reliability
Comfort
Performace
Capacity

i did notice your list had "safety" at the top- also if you have to drive, and we all seem to, then why put yourself in a situation where you lose b/c your car was cheeper to maintain? limp, limp, limp

Dave,

Not just "cheaper to maintain" . . .

. . . much more reliable--definitively!

If safety is the ONLY consideration, why are you driving a Volvo?

According to various saftey studies I have seen, a Ford Expedition is safer than an 850 in a collision?

So, if safety is the ONLY consideration, why not an M1 tank?

I know why.

Because, whatever you think, any purchase is a tradeoff between features. And even you have decided to deal with that tradeoff--having not purchased something SAFER than a Volvo.

not that i really give a shit, but as stated my accident involved a volvo- i t-boned her at 45 mph, no breaks, just car vs. carall her fault she turned left on my green and wham!!!!!never saw it comming -she got out of her car(volvo) and tried to help me(tercel). i spent 3 weeks in hospital and 18 months recovering, she filed chap 11,. I saw another accident 3 months earlier then my own, and a stolen caddie hit a volvo head on (75mph volvo, 100+ mph caddie)driver in caddie doa, 2 people in volvo, shook up and bruised, but not hurt, stats and paper may say one thing but the real test is on the road-btw w/ gas prices as they are the tank thing isn't really practical-but a 260 horse, 4 door sedan w/ front and side air bags fits the bill quite well

Wow! Folks in a Volvo walked away after being hit head-on by a heavier car at a relative speed of 175 mph! Get this to the folks at Ripley's and Guiness asap. It isn't ever day that the laws of physics are violated.

world's scariest police chases 8-ala fox- proof is in the pudding

"According to various saftey studies I have seen, a Ford Expedition is safer than an 850 in a collision?"

Sure -- in a collision. What about rollovers?

I don't think we're suggesting buying a Tercel or a Kia or a Geo Metro. (My daughter drives a 4000# '88 Mercury Colony Park. I'm not sure my Volvo would win a battle with THAT monster!)

But you can find cars with about the same sort of safety record as a Volvo that aren't quite so "maintainance intensive". Try "crashtest.com" and actual injury (and death) claims data is available from IIHS at

http://www.carsafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ictl/ictl.htm

Since lower extremity injuries were mentioned, one place the 850-70 series seems to fall down is in front footwell "intrusion" ... thank God it was a collision with a Volvo and not a Ford Excursion!

I do love to drive my Volvo but I'd like it a lot more and maybe even buy another one if there weren't always 3 things going wrong with it.

-bdc

I agree with Dave- living in a small state like Vermont, you hear about everything that happens here. Just last week the valedictorian of a high school died in a bad car wreck; she was driving an '01 Kia Sephia. This is why I will swear by Volvos for good, especially my 850. Why does everyone rag on the maintenance and repair costs? In other words, who cares if the car is plagued with annoying little problems and if you have to spend money on it?

Nitsuj,
Notice a common theme in the answers? The 850 is not appropriate for a college student unless you have lots of money to spend. Luxury touring sedans (the 850 being an entry level) the likes of Volvo, BMW, Audi, Jag, all cost more to run and operate compared to more popular and cheaper makes. If you want to play you have to pay! Love my 850 and I pay for the privilage...they are a blast to drive...

This is why I was leery of taking up my mom's '93 850 to college with me when I was offered the chance. Instead, I now drive my old '93 Nissan Quest with 139k miles on it, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the van. I have ridden in almost all of my friends' 850s at school, ranging in years from '93 to '97, and I can tell you that there are always like 15 things wrong with every single one of them.

Example: A friend of mine has a '96 Saab 900 S that she purchased over the summer. After six months, she is fed up with the vehicle because, as she puts it, it "spends a lot of time in the shop." This is also why I do not recommend Saab 900s from the 1994-02 era to any college student. Guys, what are your thoughts on college students driving 900s, 850s and the like?

I've had 2 pre-GM Saab 900s, one made it to just under 300,000 miles and was more reliable than my Volvo, the other one ... well, I bought a Volvo.

I think most college students "should" have better things to do with their time than mess around with old furin' cars: papers, reading, grades, getting into grad/professional school ... Unless, of course, they ENJOY messing around with old furrin' cars.

A Nissan minivan isn't a bad choice from a safety perspective because of the "dissimilar vehicle height" phenomenon, the white car in the crashtest is a Volvo...

http://www.251.org/volvocrash.html

Just back off going around corners!

-bdc

Pretty much to echo the consensus ... my car's a lot of fun to drive but I bought it new and I have a collection of service receipts that's too thick to fit in the glovebox any more. Meanwhile, my wife's Honda Odyssey pretty much just starts and goes and stops and I don't have to bring it to the dealer for every little thing.

Just over the last few days I've noticed that my cruise control stopped working, yesterday my headlight washers stopped (check valve, $8) and this morning my "Check Engine" light came on.

Love driving the car (mainly because of the HP) but it'll likely be a Honda or Acura next time. (With the big engine, I do like having that HP!)

Go to the library and borrow the April issue of Consumer Reports!

-bill d cat

Im a 22 yr old uni student in the uk, and i own a 1995 T5 with 101000 miles on it.

My has been a good reliable car that ive done many long trips in and it still runs like new.

I had the following work done to it:

1)Rear main seal - £200
2)Cam belt - £40
3)New discs and pads allround - £200
4)Aircon recharge - £60
5)Upper engine mount - £15
6)Electric Aerial - £30
7)4 new tyres (Budget) - £200
8)New transmission oil and engine oil - £65
9)New sparks - £40

Will need blower motor looking at soon as it is starting to make noises.

I love my T5 and i am willing to spend money on highish parts,fuel,insurance & tax.

If your just buying it as a car and not a passion then just get yourself a simple reliable banger!!!!!!!!!!!

Big mistake.

I've had one of these problem-children since new and, since my needs have changed, I will never buy a Volvo again.

For me, when I bought my 850, it fit a very specific need. We had young kids and didn't like driving minivans, so we needed a station wagon with an additional row of seating. Except for a Mercedes, the Volvo was the only thing that fit the bill.

Six years later, with my kids no longer fitting in the far rear seat, I no longer need the wagon. And the poor quality control and unreliability of the 850 has convinced me that there is absolutely no reason to consider a sedan version of the same car.

Even if I liked my 850, my recommendation to you is not to buy a 10-year-old, 150K, car for $6,000. you could spend that same money and get a reliable Toyota, or Honda, with a lot fewer miles.

And, by the way, don't take my word for it. Go to the library and find the Consumer Report Car Buying Guide issue with the '93/'94 850 listed in the reliability survey. You will note that the 850 is below average in reliability. Then take a look at the Honda reliabilities. There is no comparison.

I cannot in good faith reccommend this car to you as a college student either. Unless you or your parents are independently wealthy.

Volvo maintenance alone is rather expensive. That's with nothing going wrong.

Many 850's have automatic transmission problems, rear main seal leaks, ABS module failures, A/C evaporator problems, engine mount failures, cooling fan problems, blower motor problems etc.

Just for example, a copy of your ignition key will run you $35 and have to be shipped to you from England. A replacement remote door lock will run you $90. Transmissions run $2-3K, rear main seals cost about $1K, ABS modules run from $4-600, Evaporators are about $1,100, cooling fan is about $300, blower motor slightly less. Engine mount is an easy fix at $50 or so. Tune ups vary and run from $300-$500, timing belts are an easy $150-200.

Aside from the above, mine has experienced a leaky sunroof, faulty antenna, leaky power steering pump, blown alternator, bad starter and a leaky radiator. That's about $2K right there.

Take the advice of others, buy something more practical and efficient with a solid reliablity history. When I was in college, I drove a Ford Escort and racked up 200K miles on it with only two repairs, a water pump and a starter. Each were about $100-150. Even if more had gone wrong with that car, I think you get the picture that parts ran about $150 versus $400.

I'm not saying all 850's have this, but it is just like gambling. You could win, you coudl lose. For 6K and 150K miles, you're truly rolling the dice.

These are difficult cars to afford on a college student's budget. Heck, they're difficult to afford on a late-30's professional budget, but you get the point. Being mechanically inclined and able to do your own maintenance and repair work at lease makes the labor inexpensive, now you only need to buy the parts.

I bought my 1995 850 new and still own it with only 74K miles on it.

As a college student , I would strongly urge you towards a Honda/Toyota/Subaru type vehicle for their reliability. You needs a dependable car that doesn't nickle and dime you to death with repairs and maintenance.

The 850's are plagued with ac evaporator problems ( $1,600 a pop); transmission problems ( about $2,800 a pop); and maintenance issues constantly.

I really like my 850's performance and the way it looks. However, I could not in good faith recommend the car to anyone that requires dependable transportation.

Good Luck with your choice !

Check maintenance records. If you buy, make sure to budget for any possible repairs. An 850 w/150K on it should have had the timing belt changed twice. Check the cooling system (thermo, water pump, hoses). Check the condition of the fluids: Is the brake fluid relatively clear? Power stering fluid reddish or brown? Tranny fluid reddish or brown? Check the brakes: Are the rotors scored or warped? Check tire wear, too (they can get expensive). If the exterior, interior and engine bay are clean, then it's likely the previous owner(s) took good care of the vehicle. I'd say $6,000 is too much for a car that you are not sure about, but if everything checks out, the car should be fine.

As far as the constant problems, the only thing out of the ordinary on my wife's '97 T5 wagon was that both O2 sensors went bad about 65K. I don't think you'll have constant problems as long as you keep up with Volvo's maintenance schedule (which is extensive and can be expensive if you don't know how to do it yourself).

When I was in college I had an 1983 Fiat Bertone X-19 and a 1985 Peugeot 505s. Thank God for my parents! They paid for all the repairs I couldn't do myself...

if you're looking for safety though, you just cant compare it with a toyota of the same price range

The 855 I have has it's quirks. Flame trap's a 15K item. This is a non-turbo item and lotsa people will say it'll go longer. It will. I just don't take chances. Every 3rd oil change, its outta there (I clean them, or replace).

Brakes can be a 30K item on these cars. LOTS of people really push these because their brakes are so dang good. If you drive it like a normal car, and stop in normal car distance you'll be fine. They can actually stop much shorter than other cars I've owned - and I think this is what chews your brakes up. The volvos are also slightly heavy for their class, and this I'm sure doesn't help. You shouldn't have to do rotors all that often, but pads might be something you do once / 2 years.

Look for one with less than 100K. This should allow you to still be able to purchase an extended warranty if you go for that stuff. It's also about the half-way point, on average (I'm finding).

Oil, go with Mobil 1. I have heard it from too many volvo owners here to think they could all be wrong. This means more money at oil change time.

Filter, go with MANN or the Volvo part.

I'd go with a non-turbo model. The only reason I EVER hear to own the turbo is that it's faster. OK - and? If you ever have to swap that turbocharger out you'll understand why I suggested non-turbo.

Wagons are uncool to some, but for college they make all kinds of sense over sedans. If you can get over the look (brick wagons look better than sedans IMHO) you can do a lot more with them and mech. they're largely the same car.

Check to see if you can find a maintenance record stack with the car. I got the ultimate. ALL maint. was done at the dealership I bought the car from. They had a full printout of everything that was done.

If you're in the 80K range look for one that some poor schmuck already paid out to put a new AC in. New radiator's nice to have as well. New driveaxles would be pretty cool. I got all this in mine, so they're out there.

Anyhow - best wishes.