Dive in to Volvo 850? - 1997 - READ ONLY

23 messages, Last post on Sep 25, 2002 at 8:04 AM

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What is this discussion about? Volvo 850, Brakes, Electrical, Engine, Sedan

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#1 of 23 Take the Plunge? Vovlo 850 by kaborgen Jul 08, 2002 (6:20 pm)
I have recently discovered a fantastic bargain on a 1997 Volvo 850 Sedan - Automatic non-Turbo with 56K miles at a local used car lot for $10K. After checking CARFAX I have discovered that the car was in an accident about a year ago (cannot tell from the exterior). Also, the title was never listed as a FLEET but it was listed/sold at an auction as a FLEET (hmm?). I intend to have a diagnostic survey performed to determine whether there are any hidden mechanical problems. -Is there anything that I should pay specific attention to? (Evap. cooler/Air conditioning/Transmission/Brakes??) I have seen a lot of negative information regarding the reliability of Volvos (with the exception of the 850 base model), am I getting myself into a mechanical mess? Please let me know whether you believe this could be a lemon or a dream come true. Looking forward to becoming an official member of the Volvo family!
#2 of 23 by Mr_Shiftright HOST Jul 09, 2002 (2:22 pm)
First thing I'd do is examine the title and see if it is "salvage" or "rebuilt". If so, you are paying too much for it. If not, it could be okay or maybe not, depending on how much damage and what the nature of the damage was. Getting checked out is a good idea. In any event I don't see the car as a bargain price since it has a "mark" on the record, plus it is a Fleet (rental?) vehicle. So really you should only be paying wholesale for it and that's less than what the dealer is asking. He probably picked it up for $5-6K at auction. The car's reliability is shown to be "average", good in most areas except electrical and brakes and body hardware (typical Volvo problems of that time). I'd say the car is worth $8,000 at most with a clean title, and that's what I'd offer if the mechanical checkup is good. This same car, perfectly clean, untouched, from one owner and in pristine shape, is maybe a $12K car, so you can see that $8K is plenty.
#3 of 23 850 by brenneke Jul 09, 2002 (8:34 pm)
Kaborgen, I worked at a Volvo dealership back when that car would have been new and I would like to tell you that, in my opinion, you would likey be better off with a Japanese car. The 850 was notorious for A/C problems, mostly evaporators. To change an evaporator back then was about $1500. I saw cars where new evaporators would last only 1-1/2 to 2 years! These cars are also famous for squeaks & rattles. Something else I have seen problems with is the aluminum subframe under the engine - smack a curb hard enough and you can expect to replace it for big dollars! The automatic transmissions were no screaming hell either - wasn't too uncommon to see these being replaced under warranty. I like Volvos, but I would say that when they went to the FWD platform, they went downhill big time.
#4 of 23 brenneke by bodydouble Jul 18, 2002 (6:35 pm)
That's interesting stuff what you said. How about the new platform that the V70, S80, S60 are based on? The S80 had quite a few problems early on, likewise with the pre-2001 V70, from what I have read.
#5 of 23 Is This a Big Mistake? by johnk9jgs Jul 23, 2002 (4:51 am)
I have been looking at a Volvo wagon, a 1994 Turbo with 128,300 miles on it. It looks great and appears to have been well cared for. The previous owner traded it in at the local dealership. I've read that you should get 300,000 miles out of a Volvo, but I have also gotten the impression from many posts that Volvos are a maintenance nightmare. Could a vehicle with this, which of course is out of warranty, be anything other than an expensive venture? I had a 1957 Volvo sedan years ago that was just a wonderful automobile, fun to drive, delightfully quirky in appearance, and virtually maintenance-free. Would this 1994 wagon at $9,000 give me the same driving enjoyment or would I spend half my time taking it to the shop? (Note to REVKA: Is this the right place for this post or should it be a new thread, posted elsewhere?)
#6 of 23 LONG LIVE THE VOLVO 850 SEDAN !!!!!!!!! by vguard Aug 02, 2002 (12:14 pm)
My Volvo 850 Sedan has been a real charm !!! It is the base model and has the 5-speed manual transmission (from what I read, these are a rare find). We have over 160,000 miles on our Volvo and have not experienced anything other cars would not require, with the possible exception of having to replace engine mounts every two years or so (they all don't go bad at the same time, but they do seem to fail in rotation..lol..). The Service manager here said the fact we have the 5-speed manual transmission contributes to the engine mount failure. who knows. The AC issue is well documented, at least in the '95 model (I don't know about any other year). We have found it cheaper to just have the AC serviced each year. If and when we strike a big enough leak to justify replacement, I assume we would spend the money ($1,000+), unless the car had other major problems at the time. Otherwise, it is still cheaper to drop a grand, than purchase a new car. I have said this before and I will say it again.....our '95 850 sedan is as much fun to drive today as it was when it was new (160,000 miles ago). VG
#7 of 23 by bodydouble Aug 02, 2002 (5:33 pm)
That's assuming they were fun to drive to begin with!
#8 of 23 HAVE YOU EVER DRIVEN..... by vguard Aug 03, 2002 (1:13 am)
a '95 Volvo 850 sedan with a 5-speed manual transmission? They are a hoot !!!!!!!! VG
#9 of 23 My 1995 Volvo 850 by pluckon Aug 03, 2002 (8:08 am)
I have a turbo sedan with automatic transmission. It came with low-profile tires and 16" rims, which were a disaster. This has been a common problem among lots of manufacturers who sell cars with low-profile tires in the United States, where city streets are often in bad condition. There was a class-action lawsuit against Volvo on the issue (as well as against other manufacturers). I got a check for $500, which covered about half the cost of replacing the wheels and tires. Now I have 15" tires and a smoother ride and no more flats. The AC crapped out at 38,000 miles, 4-1/2 years into my ownership. Volvo replaced it under a "secret warranty." Now I have 60,000 miles on the car and the only problem is that the seat heaters don't work. For all I know, it's a bad fuse. I think I can let that one ride until December. Other than what I've mentioned, I am quite satisfied with the car. It's fast, comfortable and reliable. The ergonomics and controls are fantastic, and it's impossible to lock yourself out of the car. The climate control is great. Set it and forget it. The stereo is unbelievable. In some areas of the country Volvos have become very common vehicles, which has depressed the resale values. This is good news for the buyers of used Volvos. From what I've read, I think the 1995 Volvo 850 may well be the highest quality car those people built in the past 15 years, the AC issue notwithstanding. I'd highly recommend that year's model for a used car, but I think there were more problems in 1994 and 1996, and when they renamed it the S70 in, what, 1997 or 1998?
#10 of 23 850 and side impact protection by cincy_kid Aug 04, 2002 (12:08 pm)
Hi, Does anybody know what year the 850 met the U.S. 1997 side impact standards? I am assuming they actually met the standards a year or two ahead of schedule. The NCAP site has no side impact data prior to 1997. Thanks for any help!