I bought this 850 to get me through the winter and it has been a really useful car. It starts and runs like a champion and it came with a full set of mounted winter tires. The interior and the exterior are in good shape.

The seller's story was that she had spent a thousand on it to get a 'broken axle' repaired and that while the engine was out the timing belt, water pump, accessory belt, plugs, rotor and cap were replaced. This work was done by her 'mechanic ex boyfriend'. She was selling the car for five hundred dollars because it was not running. So the engine had been pulled and a lot of work done on it and I believe her story given the appearance of the engine.

A low battery was the source of her problems with the car and I soon had it running well.

I have owned a number of Volvos over the years but I have never dealt with a car that has a transverse engine and is driven by its front wheels.

It has a serious transmission leak. I am running through a couple of litres of fluid per week and I don't do that much driving. Is there a prime suspect in this story and if so, could a shadetree mechanic do something about it?

It is a good little car. Be a shame to see it going to the boneyard.