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Volvo 850 Wagons

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#219 of 491 Hi patty6418- Welcome to the Station Wagons Board... by revka Mar 25, 2002 (8:41 am)
while you're waiting here for more feedback, you may want to check in Edmunds' Maintenance Guide for any TSBs (technical service bulletines) that may be related to your car's starting problem. This guide will only give you an abbreviated description; however, you can get a full service report from nhtsa or alldata.com. Read this article for more details.   Btw, we also have a Volvo Owner's Club here that you may be interested in. Look for a direct link in our Helpful Links on the left side of the page. Also, if you have a chance to stop by there, please take a moment to say hello in our Volvo Owners - Meet the Member's discussion. Good luck and please keep us posted on your Volvo 850 experience.   Revka Host Hatchbacks & Station Wagons Boards
#220 of 491 patty6418 by javadoc Mar 25, 2002 (10:42 am)
Yes, you can easily put a receiver with a cd player into your 855 (850 Wagon), especially if you wanted to stay with a factory unit. You'd want to look for either model SC-815 or SC-816, and these two units slide into place where your radio is now, and just plug in. It takes about 1min to do. These are the "Premium" units, and have am/fm, CD and tape players in them. I'd suggest keeping an eye open over on ebay for these two units. Also, they have CD changer controls built-in for a factory (or Alpine) 6disk changer. Plan on spending around $300 though, but it's factory and they sound great, imho.   You can get a listing of what Volvo recommends for service intervals on your car at any Volvo dealership, basically you'd get a single sheet of paper with a chart on it. I have a copy for '96/'97 cars if you come up short, and can post the link. Primarily, you'll want to make sure the timing belt was changed, if you have over 70k miles, if your car's past that point. If there's no proof (dealerships put a sticker on the ECU box, passenger side of engine compartment, behind the headlight) that it's been done, you'll need to have that done right away. Breaking the timing belt is bad, so changing it is of prime importance, and costs around $350.   Re: the issues you stated... reprogramming remotes is easy, if that's the issue, and something the owner can do themselves usually.   Some 850s have had issues w/ the a/c evaporators, but that is mainly a problem w/ cars prior to '97. Mine leaked and I fixed it w/a $40 a/c sealant/recharge kit. There are a few smaller issues like the PNP switch (shift interlock switch) needing replacement. The rotors can warp if someone over-tightens the lugnuts (ie: tire shops w/air wrenches), but that's not just a Volvo thing. Be mindful to flush, not just change, the tranny fluid every othere year, regardless of what the maintenance guides say, using good synthetic tranny fluid. It's cheap insurance.   Oh.. Welcome to Volvo ownership!   /javadoc
#221 of 491 Re: Request from Edmunds PR by FREDERICK Mar 26, 2002 (2:18 am)
Sorry I missed that opportunity. I've learned a lot and enjoyed reading the many different comments on Edmunds over the years. I was a regular at Brickboard for many months before choosing our Volvo. My wife and I bought a three year old used 96, 855 base w/ auto ~38K miles on it from a So. Cal. Volvo Dealership back in 99. I shopped about 8 - 10 different So. Cal dealerships looking for the exact car I wanted.   We both really like this car. I like the firm secure handling, my wife likes the "pleblian" security of the whole package. We load the stuff up and just hit the road, the car works very well in total utilitarian way. We did not go for the turbo and it honestly has not bothered either of us one bit. Not that I wouldn't totally enjoy that sick Pale Yellow 855 R that was on all the bilboards at the 855's debute but we didn't need it and at that time $'s were tight for us.   My own car, a 1982 Lincoln Mark VI, is begining to aile and my wife was thinking that since we're now looking to buy a home/condo in the near down town S.F. area she could get a new smaller car and give me the Volvo. I use the wagon's cargo capacity much more often than she does and that is why I insisted on a wagon from the get go.   We're specifically looking for a home with a garage for the Volvo, if you're unfamiliar w/ the SF realestate market a garage is a bit of a luxury around here. A very smal, safe, compact car would be just the ticket. I'm seriously hoping a new Mini is in our future. The Volvo S40 is probably not small enough for 9 out of ten open street parking spots in S.F. I came to really appreciate the concept of the Mini when I traveled to Paris a couple of summers ago.    That'd be two enjoyable, safe, and fun cars to drive and own in SF. We'd park the Mini on the street and keep the Volvo in the garage for the quick weekend getaways from it all. The Volvo could also make the numerous trips to Home Depot that we'll inevitably need to make for the total fixer-upper that is all we're gonna be able to afford in the S.F. housing market.   Peace,   F-
#222 of 491 To all the Volvo 850 wagon owners- by revka Mar 26, 2002 (10:58 am)
This discussion is now linked to our Volvo Owner's Club! Look for a direct link at the top of the page. While you're there, please take a moment to say hello in our Volvo Owner's: Meet the Members discussion. Thanks for your participation.   Revka Host Hatchbacks & Station Wagons Boards
#223 of 491 Thanks Javadoc by patty6418 Mar 26, 2002 (5:43 pm)
Thanks for the info - everything you talked about is exactly what I've been reading for the last couple of days. Car is going in to be checked out Thursday. I'm going to do EXACTLY as you suggested and have the tranny fluid flushed and possibly do the timing belt now (I'm at 59,000 miles). Thanks again for the help.
#225 of 491 no SUV for me!!!!!! by isaacl May 10, 2002 (11:44 am)
Ok, I won the fight with my wife about NOT getting an SUV but we are gonna need third row seating. What does the third seat in the Volvo station wagon handle? Kids up to age 10???? (2) car seats side by side for toddlers???? I'm talking a used 850 here like post 1995 or so. We decided Volvo but can't afford brand new. Also, minivan out of question as we are only mid-20's. Thanks all my fellow car enthusiasts!!!!!
#226 of 491 95 850 Wagon Going Strong by gangelt May 11, 2002 (7:07 am)
Sorry I don't know about the 3rd seat, but our 95 850 wagon has 95,000 trouble free miles. It's been a great car for two kids but I doubt it's much good for more. If you had to always use the 3rd seat not much else would fit in the car.   Post 95 only leaves the 96 model year 850.   20 somthing is not two young for a mini van if that's what you really need.
#227 of 491 97 850 GLT Wagon... ?? by me_227 May 22, 2002 (7:19 am)
I've wanted a Volvo for a long time, but other than general "safety/reputation" knowledge, I know very little about them! A Mercedes dealership in town has a 1997 850 GLT Wagon for sale. It has around 68,000 miles and they are asking $14995. Any advice? What should I ask the salespeople? There isn't a Volvo dealership around here for 60 miles...how difficult is it to find a good mechanic? Thanks!
#228 of 491 me_277 and a 97 by FREDERICK Jun 12, 2002 (12:52 am)
You may have not had time to read back much through the messages. Mostly it seems to have been pre-95's that I've read about.   Most problems I've read about have mostly been on the earlier turbo versions with things like: early transmission failure, electrical problems with either electrical drain that kills the battery or frequent headlight burn out.   We have a base/non-GLT 96 and haven't had any of this strange stuff happen to our car. The brakes are alarmingly firm and although I appreciate the stopping ablility the brake pads were replaced when we bought the car 3 years old and then 3+ years later we were once again replacing pads and rotors.   I will not comment specifically upon the pricing for your car because there are too many variables that you have not described, i.e. various upgrades and accessories that your car may or may not have.   Not having a dealership around is gonna hamper you maybe. Every time we've ever gone to get our Volvo serviced at the dealerships we've been given the use of a loaner car at no additional cost, even when it's only been a day of simple maintenance. Mind you though, Volvos are not cheap and don't believe you're just gonna fork out $15K for some car that you can beat into the ground.   We like our car, it fits our needs, it's not above our budget, and we enjoy driving it. It's the best handeling firmest wagon I've ever driven or ridden in even when loaded to the gills.   Best Wishes,   Frederick.

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