Hi all...i was riding down the road when this '94 850 wagen caught my eye. I currently own a '91 740 estate with 202,000 on the clock with no major issues other than passing emissions due to a bad (I think) EGR or something like that. The 850 is a one owner (no kidding) with 76500 miles on it. Inside is immaculate, engine is strong (much more power than the 740), little better on gas than 740, tires new, exhaust so so, some dings and minor exterior blemishes, but all in all a nice car. I am not too familiar with this breed as my previous Volvos have been 240's and the 740. are hey a good car? Are there quirks I should look for? KBB says 5500 USD for one in excellent condition. This one is what I consider "good" condition. It's on the block for 3600 USD. Any feedback will be appreciated.
:banana:
Thanks to all who manage, use and support this forum
kleuch

HI,
Well, I am not too familiar technically with 240 and 740's but know that those are reliable cars with no major bugs in them. I have been driving a 94 GLT for almost 3 years now with 200k KMS on it and have had no major issues with it so far.
To give you an idea of cost considering i m in Toronto (CANADA), I bought 96 850 Gle Estate yeterday. Its second owner car with full service history from day1 and looks very clean. Has got 220k KMS on dash. Everything in the car works with no dings and dents or any weathering on interior. I paid $2800 CAD for this. :beer:

Sorry!
I forgot to mention that I will look at these things before I consider buying a 850:

1- Any error light(s) on the dash - ABS is common - but you will find on this forum that its a easy fix for about $100. Other then that, if there is check engine or Arrow flashing - STAY AWAY
2- With the mileage you mentiined, consider adding Timing belt replacement , PCV box (about 700$ parts and labour or much less if you are DIY kind) down the road.

Over all, I respecct these machines and believe that they treast you well as long as you care for them.
Cheers :00000732:

i think you'll like the 850 really well as long as you don't miss the bit of extra space the 740 has.

my pal has a 740 and we fit our bicycling/camping gear in his easier than it fits in my 850.

good luck!

The 740 is RWD and the 850 is FWD right? I had had numerous problems in the last 4 years of ownership of mine. I am the second owner and bought the car in the same condition as the one you are looking at minus the dents in the one you are looking at (I added those later lol). There are only 2000 miles not accounted for between the 1st owner and me so I think they got rid of it for problems as well. I think the 740 would be more reliable than the earlier year 850's. As for mine I dont think it should have had as many problems as it has/had in 4 years but thats me speaking for myself. I am currently wanting to buy an e30 BMW because I have watched my girlfriends go 15 years (between her and the first owner her uncle) with only 4 repairs.

And, like any up-market vehicle, BMW's are expensive to maintain correctly and can be horrendously expensive if you happen to buy a dud!

Just don't count on all Beemers being as reliable as the one your girlfriend owns.

Because of the extremely low mileage, the first thing I would be doing is checking out if this particular vehicle has an authentic full service history.

If it has a FSH, then it should inform you how and where the vehicle has been maintained - and a few pertinent questions to the service provider might give you some idea as to the vehicle's status/value.

If everything is genuine then I would be checking out:
1. the a/c system functions efficiently (usually big, big $$$ to repair)
2. leaking seals, particularly rear crankshaft seal (engine out job to repair)
3. general condition of all under hood hoses/supply lines (coolant, oil and fuel)
4. front suspension (bump stop, bearing rubbers etc. as these tend to fail quicker than they should).
5. the FSH will show if the timing belt has been changed and if not, it will need to be.

My '95 T5 wagon has 210,000 klms, has given few problems and I find there is something about it (beside the perceived un-Volvo like road rocket performance) that has made this vehicle the most addictive car I've ever owned.

By the way, I also own a '88 240 wagon, but the only thing these two wagons have in common is the Volvo badge and the recognised Volvo safety and reliability but, apart from those inherent factors, the 850 is a completely different vehicle - I just love it.

all these answers are A+, but as with any car, the biggest thing to consider first is the usage value of the car. If you want that 850 to do day to day everyday driving or hard fun, like it will be, then be prapared to spend higher than adverage funds to keep her roadworthy, you also have to suck up some issues for it will not ever be problem free. My point is if you like the car and you can afford the services, then go with it. Its an old car, you want trouble free then go get a new volvo, even then, they have their share of wallet busting problems. Horror stories exsist on all older clinton era cars, Americans are harder and less protective of thier investments, leaving harder than usual rebuilds for us classic lovers. Now for the record, i have over 300,000 miles on the frame of my 850, its lasted three failed relationships and a divorce, i was awarded the 850 in my divorce, turns out its not worth the fair value compared to the total in repairs, so the x felt it was junk :haha: lucky me right, well my new wife cant keep her hands off it, and loves to see my smile when i kill ricers and older nineties beemers. :bwekk: fun fun fun. My 850 is the only ride in the drive, awaiting delivery of a big brother, Ford F250 (Ferry On Race Day) :thumbsup: .
Price is right? Decide. Every thing complicated is worth having in the end.
good luck! :lol:

all good responses, but you've fallen in with a tough crowd. us 850'ers are a weird breed, we'll mod our rides and get pissed off because it's FWD. :grin: anyway, get a carfax done, very important. and if it's a one owner get the maintenance schedule that they should have been keeping. were all the recalls and the TSB's taken care of, not that there were many. other than that, it's your call. drive it if you can, see if you enjoy the ride. woodstyf brings up a good point about space, but with the extra power, just take half the stuff and return to get the rest, in the same amount of time it would have taken you with the 740. :thumbsup: either way, good luck and glad to have you on board.

Thank you to all who took time to write a response..well, I bought the car after some serious debate (albeit quick debate so no one else bought it before me). It is a true "one owner" and service records are available at the dealership where it was purchased and maintained. No error lights are flashing and the timing belt was just replaced at 75,000. Three issues to fix - right side radio volume, a/c fan only ops on high and hand brake not working. The car runs beautifully and has a lot more pep than the 240's and 740 that I have owned. Interior is about perfect, exterior has some minor blemishes due to no garage where it grew up. All in all, I am rapidly becoming an 850 lover - I hope my love continues to grow.
Thanks again for your time and responses..
:liebe011:
kleuch48

This made me laugh, ur funny Geek.

Glad to hear you purchased. I think you'll like it.

YESSSSSSSS!!!!! :clap:

Congrats on the purchase!
:)