Welcome...

There is no FAQ on this site... just a bunch of Volvo nuts.

Going from a 200 series to an 850 series is sorta like moving from the suburbs to the city.
With all its advantages, and all its disadvantages. Whether you see the cup as half-full or half-empty is your choice.

There's no reason for me to address the 200's... you already know that lovely car.

The series ranges from base level 850's on up to Turbo R models in both sedan and the particularly handsome wagons (I'm biased... mine is a wagon). There is also a turbo model without the "R" designation which is much faster than the normally aspirated models, but is more civilized than the "R" models. The "R"s are the fastest, but they also ride very hard on low profile rubber. Did I mention that they're FAST? Wagons are usually called "855"s.

The 850's underwent a major electronic change on the 96 models, when they went to the OBD II system. Essentially, they are otherwise the same for the whole model run. There were also various changes to model designations.

When you're thinking about 850's, don't forget the S/V 70's and their AWD.

The seats, particularly with the leather interior, are fantastic. The cars remain solid and safe for a long time, and the engines and transmissions are Volvo tough. (Jeez.... that sounded like a salesman). In 96 the side impact protection system (SIPS) became standard... it was an option prior to that.

But they are somewhat quirky, as others will attest. They handle beautifully, but they can eat front brakes if you get into that beautiful handling too often. They have great ventilation systems, but the A/C evaporator coil fails in many cars, and can cost well over $1000 to have replaced. They have terrific braking system, but the ABS module fails in almost all of them and can cost a bundle (don't worry about that one... there's a guy we know who fixes them better than new). They have to have their timing belts replaced every 70,000 miles or so. And many have fuel pump failures. Once these things are fixed, they seldom if ever fail again.

And the fact that they need timing belts every 70K is significant. Because you will go through quite a few of them. These cars go a long way. It seems that you need at least 250,000 before it's considered "getting up there....but still has a long way to go".

With regular maintenance, and a little TLC, they are great fun to own, and thrive on being driven. And their safety and occupant protection is part of the package.

If you come across any that strike your fancy, post as much about the car as you can, and you will probably get many responses to help you with your choice.

Good luck

Marty
'96 855T