I am looking at an 1996 850 GLT ( wagon) and I would like to ask what should i look for in the car, parts that should be replaced, specific things that are expensive to fix on the car... I intend to use the car for 3 years


the car has 215000 and has an A/T tranny

I don't want to get screwed so I thought to ask first


please help

Thanks
here's a picture of it

If you search this forum, you will find plenty of advice on what to look for when bying a used 850.

Good luck!

check the carfax report on it. find out when the timing belt was done. if the maintenance was done on schedule, you should be fine. get the haynes manual and study up. if you really handy, doing your own repairs will be cheaper, if you are not so handy, start small, and work your way up. pretty soon you'll be tearing down the block and upgrading turbos. :grin: good luck and keep us posted.

If I was to make wild guesses. I would guess that car has been hit in the front end. If you aren't familiar with 850's take the car to a garage that specializes in Volvo's or European cars - misgt cost you $50-$100 bucks vs. buying a problem.

Unless it is ultra cheap. You didn't say what they were asking for it...

What makes you think it's been hit in the front end 70 140?

Just a few things about the front end. The plastic trims under the headlight have the holes for headlight wipers, however there are no shafts for the wiper motors and no wiper rest tab under the headlight - So either the wiper motors, etc were removed, or the trims were replaced with ones from another car?

The left headlight doesn't seem to fit properly.

It might just be me, but the door gap along the fender and drivers door (left side) looks off.

I could be wrong, it is tough to tell from one photo, without seeing the car.

hey 70 good eyes man. i think that the front end might have been updated. the turn signals look aftermarket. as to the hood, it looks like it might be open. that is why i insist on the carfax. and the picture lists that the dealer there does a carfax. just make sure about any and all weird looking listings on the carfax report.

Yeah but the bumper piece looks older and if it had been hit that would probably look newer. Either way it needs to be painted.

The bumpers needs the Kiwi treatment!

hey, while i was in atlanta georgia i found a 98 estate, black loaded T5 , new insides, with 77000 miles on it. just 3800. it was in fair condition too. list for 7000 all day. Guys, they didnt even know why the boost meter wouldnt work! Broken line, but they was taking money off the top!
Palm Motors. Douglasville Georgia. the have a web site too.
JUMP ON IT!!!!! :thumbsup:

the car is for $2000

I completley missed the front ^_^ how didn't i see it

well as far as anything else the carfax checked and found that it was involved with a fenderbender but they repaired it at the dealership <_< the engine is the 2.4 I don't know if it's the turbo one. sorry but i don't know anything about volvos, i am a Ford man ( Zetec, Duratec), i am buying the volvo for commuting, that's why i want the auto tranny :P

the belt looks pretty used to me, but for $2000 do you guys think that's a good deal or not ?


i really appreciate the input fellas

maybe if i get used to the car I might swap the whole thing I have a Duratec ST motor (2.5 turbo, manual trans,wires and ECU) that I bought while i was in Europe.
people buy souvenirs, I buy engines :devil: and brought it here but it didn't fit my Ford Focus, so can it fit the 850??
i am not sure

nice pickup on the front end there mr. seventy one-four-oh! :57:


T5maniac, maybe you should to buy the car and then get a motor to match it. ... but dont ask me, i forget which direction to turn the wrench when i go from standing over the engine to laying on my back under the car... :thumbsup: :haha:

2k is an alright price if it is ready to drive, but I would be inclined to offer less. Remember if it is on a lot they probably gave about half of that to the previous owner....

I would look at the collision repairs and see how extensive they look. If its just a couple of parts - headlights, etc, probably not a big deal but if you start to see signs of new suspension components or lots of shiny new metal you might want to think twice. These cars are pretty common, and usually pretty cheap (see my post about the $1000 97 855). They key is to find one that has been well maintained and comes with some sort of service history.

If you don't get any information about the timing belt, assume it needs to be replaced. Most good repair facilities will place a sticker somewhere close to the belt cover that says what mileage it was changed at. If you don't see a sticker, and don't know when it was done you best change it. This IS an interferance engine. If you are talking about doing your own engine swaps, than for sure you can handle a t-belt change.

thanks, man

by the way can the euro Focus ST motor be swapped in ?

I'd say live with the volvo engine for now. And when parts are really scarce, then you can consider that option again.

:)

the 2.4 isn't a turbo, as for the swap, anything can be swapped it, but do you have the know-how and more importantly, the cash? is you do, go for it. sure would be something different. hell, if the garage was working you would see a whole bunch of us on this forum who have done some wild conversions.

T5mania.