There is some body roll in our 850 1996. Like other FWD cars I had, it is quite stable as long as I push the accelerator, e.g. when starting to change lanes. The problem comes when I lift my foot from the accelerator, for example after successfully going through a tight corner. The car swings wildly, as if all that weight sitting on the front axe is trying to find its correct position. The power steering also has a heavy feeling to it. Nothing like the perfect balance of the 22-year old 244 I've disposed off last year.

Since we bought the 850 second-hand, I'm unable to tell how much of this is due to wear and tear, and how much is inherent to the FWD design. Was the body roll present when the car was new ?

Is it worth spending, can this be repaired ? ( Being a company car, the repairs are tax deductable, but not the purchase cost. ) I don't want any after-market mods, unless they are well tested. Just plain maintenance.

I've taken the 850 to the most expensive Volvo garage in town, spent $1100 on break disks, gas leak, and oil change. They haven't indicated anything wrong with steering, despite me being in obviously generous mood.

I still think we made a good deal, considering that we had to buy a car as a matter of emergency. The wife likes the classy look, and I'm happy to know she's protected by all that Sweedish steel. After half a dose of Wynn's Spitfire and Injector Cleaner, the engine came back to life in a wonderful fashion. Paying $11,000 with 124,000Km on board was worth it. This is Australia, with our dollar being only two-thirds of the $US.