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Volvo 850 Wagons
505 messages, Last post on Jul 03, 2012 at 8:37 AM
You are in the Older Volvo Wagons Forum.- Your Host is kcram
What is this discussion about? Volvo 850, Wagon
#225 of 505 no SUV for me!!!!!! by isaacl
May 10, 2002 (12:44 pm)
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 505 95 850 Wagon Going Strong by gangelt
May 11, 2002 (8:07 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 505 97 850 GLT Wagon... ?? by me_227
May 22, 2002 (8:19 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 505 me_277 and a 97 by FREDERICK
Jun 12, 2002 (1:52 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.
#229 of 505 '95 850 Turbo Wagon - Experience by kidder1
Jul 17, 2002 (11:54 am)
I have had a '95 Turbo Wagon for two years now and the experience has been quite mixed. I love how the car drives and accelerates, however, it has some real reliability issues.As a handling car, it is alright. My '99 VW Passat will out handle it on anything but a straight line. The 850 is heavy and it shows.
The car currently has 80,000 on it and the repairs from 50-75,000 were quite expensive including:
1. Turbo ($1500)
2. Speedometer and Odometer checked out. (Warranty)
3. Main seal ($600)
4. Cam Seals ($500)
5. Trunk latch ($200)
6. Thermostat ($380)
7. Ignition Switch ($300)
8. Rear Shock Mount ($34 plus my labor)
9. Front and Rear Rotors and Pads ($200 plus my labor)
10. O2 Sensors ($400)
11. Four Goodyear Eagle RS Tires ($500)
The car's "Check Engine" light cry's wolf if any abnormality is sensed. I've had the car scanned at least 6 times and no error was found. This can be very frustrating.
The car is not as stiff as many believe. It has a good amount of flex and the dash creaks pretty good. Also, I've seen people on this board mention that the brakes on an 850 are "awesome". In my opinion, they're marginal at best compared to other Europeans. My brother's 328i and my 99 Passat are in another league compared to my 850 and I upgraded my rotors and pads with stock-sized Brembos.
The paint quality of the car is OK. Below standards for other Europeans as far as I'm concerned. The matte black trim has really faded and the front air dam is very low causing it to hit under many conditions.
The car hums on the freeway great. It has awesome cruise control only bettered by BMW in my opinion. The seats are awesome and everything has a real "tonka", over-engineered feel to it. My only gripe about the interior is the placement of the cup-holders above the power lock and window switches. Its a disaster waiting to happen.
I'm heading to Road America this weekend for the vintage races. I'm taking the Volvo and running in the road tour. I'm also sleeping in it at night at the campground. It really is a great all-around car and much better choice than an SUV or mini-bucket.
#230 of 505 '96 GLT - Great Car by splitwindow
Jul 17, 2002 (8:06 pm)
115,000 miles. Have had the evaporator,the motor mounts, and rotors replaced. Yes, was somewhat expensive but it has been a solid highway commuting car through very heavy traffic and some rough roads. Have a simple problem that someone might be able to solve...inexpensively? The left rear rim is slightly bent. I can usually keep it in balance. Would like to find a good replacement rim. Dealer wants almost $300 for a new one. Any suggestions?#231 of 505 splitwindow by lancerfixer
Jul 18, 2002 (6:12 am)
I'd check some of the wheel refinishers out there, like http://www.aaarims.com#232 of 505 Can Suspension on 850 Wagon be improved by 850_in_ga
Aug 26, 2002 (1:05 pm)
I am a fairly new owner of an 850 wagon. I am not happy with the ride comfort and would like to know if anyone knows if anything can be done to improve the ride?#233 of 505 Hi 850_in_ga- suspension by revka
Aug 26, 2002 (5:41 pm)
Can you explain what it is about the suspension that you don't like? Is the ride too firm? If so, you may want to check the tires to make sure they're not over inflated. Others passing through here will be more likely to offer feedback with more details.... Okay?Revka
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#234 of 505 850_in_ga by javadoc
Aug 26, 2002 (5:51 pm)
Revka's right, can you drop some more info? Is your 855 a turbo, an 'R model? What wheel/tire package does it have? You could have 15, 16 or 17 inch rims on the car, which would make a world of difference on the ride. Does your wagon have the auto-leveling suspension?thx,
java
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