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Is it a GT? Nice car, somewhat rare.
RUST: front and rear floor pans, behind the rear wheel wells. Pour water down the windshield and watch to see if any comes in under the dash. Get under the car and poke around with a screwdriver. If all is sound, you won't hurt a thing, but if you go through the floor it's not like you damaged anything that wasn't ready to let go! You can weld new floorpans in if the seller will deduct that cost and you otherwise like the car. Dampness and a moldy smell in the carpets are warning signs.
Test drive - squeaks or rattles over bumps indicate worn suspension parts, usually bushings or ball joints. Some are somewhat difficult to replace, requiring special tools.
Electrical gremlins, lights and gauges that don't work, etc. These old 200 series had wiring harnesses highly susceptible to deterioraton.
If the ventilation fan is dead or noisy, that's a labor-intensive item to replace, (easily $600).
Noisy, whining or singing fuel pump - means that the in-tank pump is probably dead and the overworked main pump (under car) is soon to fail.
Of course, all the standard used car checks: how's it look through the oil filler cap, tire wear, braking without pulling to one side, rust and crud in radiator, etc.
I know little about Volvo motors - mine has a Ford in it.
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'84 "285" rice-eater with lotsa hp & performance goodies
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