I’ve been looking for a while for a nice ‘95 940 with low miles and a sunroof. It’s been slim picking here. Nothing, at any price. Then I found one sitting in a shop 150 miles away. The owner is selling it as is where is…cheap. He’s a banker with no interest (pardon the pun) in spending the grand or so fixing the car up just to sell it. But the money isn’t really my issue. Mileage and condition are.

I called the shop and the Volvo guy says the harmonic balancer came apart, threw the belts and it got into the timing belt cover, radiator, fan, and maybe alternator. (OK no biggy) The car then overheated but the guy drove it a short way (he says) to the shop. (Now I’m concerned) The car runs, abet without the fan belt.

Is a compression test the definitive clarification for damage, (warped head, cracked block blown head gasket) or is there other ancillary issues from overheating I can test for? Or would you just keep looking?

Did I mention it was cheap? Even with the repairs at retail prices at the Volvo shop I'd still have half in it what the car sells for nationally.

Thanks in advance.