Don't bother with the car. It will cost you $$$$ unless you can do it yourself. I have a 97 850 R and my sister had a 93 850 GLT and have done most of the repairs you mention. I advised my sister to dump the car and buy a Chevy Malibu from 2004 and she loves it. I still have my 850 R because I am stupid.

Lots of money and time. I had to replace my AC compression, at least 2 hours because you have to remove all three accessories on the front of the engine to get to the compressor all the way at the bottom. The shift lock button requires that you remove the center console, easy fix, the solenoid gets weak.

The CV joint bolt in my 850 R is frozen to the bearing and I can't get it off. Yes, a pain as this is the third time I try to remove it and fail. The nut has to be removed with A LOT of torque, more than a breaker bar, i.e. impact wrench with at least 600 lb ft of torque.

I have done the timing belt in under 2 hours, but you need to have an extra large Vise to compress the piston that puts pressure on the tensioner. Another pain.

I doubt that the engine check light is just the O2 sensor. You need an OBDII reader to see which codes have been activated.

Good luck.

PA

If your daughter is a teenager, make her keep the 940, that's a great car.

The RWD are solid, reliable and safe cars especially for teens. And did I mention cheap to fix. The FWD are faster and nicer looking, but will drain your wallet.

I gave my teenage son the '92 745, which at the beginning he hated, but with leather seats, nice cd player and plenty of space to carry stuff around, he eventualy begun to love the car.
--
'88 240, '92 745, '98 v70 John, Tampa Bay

Bob the car has been neglected pretty bad. Yes there was a recall on the shift lockout switch, that the current owner never bothered to get replaced ($200). The A/C evap replacement will run you about $1500. The timing belt replacement isn't near as easy as your 940, it'll run you about $400. Front wheel drive cars go through CV joints, another $600. Tires, another $600. If it is just the O2 sensors why hasn't he replace them? Would you try to sell a car with the Check Engine Light glowing at a perspective buyer? WTFO? Another $500. If you have a OBDII code reader you could read the codes that are actually triggering the CEL light but that's not your job as a buyer. The CEL light is the owner's problem to fix prior to selling anyone the car. I have to say, you've stumbled on a crapbox. You can expect the transmission to take a crap shortly (Do you think he changed the tranny fluid every 30k miles? LOL ). If you care about your kid and what she drives go find a BMW or something else rear wheel drive. An old front wheel drive car is going to eat your lunch in repairs. They're designed with cheap manufacturing in mind, not longevity. Good luck in your hunt.




Mike
'95 850T

Bob--I drive a 97 850 wagon. From all you've said I would run as fast as I could away from this car. The fact that the AC is not working tells you that the evaporater needs replacing, which means tearing the dash out. NOT a cheap job nor one that most home mechanics would tackle. That it doesn't shift without releasing the shift lock tells you the PNP switch probably needs replacing, another very time consumming job. The left tire worn? Either out of alignment or a heavy foot on the gas. Like I said--run, don't walk. Dick