Melbourne 960 on Carsales immaculate

Ex850R · 2024-05-05T02:04:02+00:00

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/1995-volvo-960-auto/SSE-AD-17201722 Serviced by Berry Motor Group. Mark says the customer maintained the car with...

DecimalDuck

It has the engine replacement receipt in the photos, which says it wasn't done by BMG, it was done by a Volvo dealer and it says "engine, exch -- $5004.45"

Does that imply new or used engine to you? Thoughts?

Major Ledfoot

DecimalDuck Does that imply new or used engine to you? Thoughts?

Since it's an exchange engine from a dealer, there's little or no chance it will still have the early engine block, which were known to have porous castings.

Volvo's Exchange Engine Program supplies long engines (basically, engines without alternator, starter, manifolds, flywheel, etc) which are either brand new engines, or manufactured ones if the engine type isn't on the production line any more. Either way, the exchange engine is as good as new.

Ex850R

Volvo dealer would do new I would think.

Mark can find out from dealer.

It’s what, 14 years ago anyway so not really pertinent considering it’s history with money no object service at BMG

ramrod

Exchange short block engines are rebuilt by Volvo

Meaning the block is used, the parts inside are used, the wear parts are new

They take the original broken engine and rebuild it, then exchange it again so the cycle repeats

Forg

Yes, an exchange via Volvo was a full reco.

DecimalDuck

That car has just been sold to someone else.

Good luck to them, it has just as many issues as my current car does after taking to the owner. So many bushings perished and needing replacement, power steering leaking, rear of engine leaking. It's a nice car but it's not perfect.

Ex850R

DecimalDuck

Ha!

So much for money is no object!!!

Maybe its the last service they decided its too much to deal with…

Gave Mark a message of please explain

Ex850R

DecimalDuck \

Apologies i said it was so good ,

I know Mark and he wouldnt lead anyone astray , he gives fair appraisals and the cars he has personally are fixed and sorted beyond what he gets in money back too.

But….

Forg

Well, it IS 30 years old!

DecimalDuck

It also needed new engine mounts on the next service according to the service notes. And the rear left window motor was faulty, noticed the note said "cannot be fixed, must be replaced" so maybe everything was always fixed but didn't like buying new parts if possible.

Once I heard all of this I was like ooh umm maybe I'll just focus on fixing up my own ongoing disaster 😅

Forg

You'd have to want it of course, but everything that's been mentioned is replaceable. All the stuff which you can't replace is still all minty-fresh (says the guy with the 242 which needs new door cards).

Major Ledfoot

Forg (says the guy with the 242 which needs new door cards)

The guy? That's nearly all of us guys with 242s....

The big hassles with the 95+ 960 / S-V90 is how [1] there's not a lot of them about; and [2] the suspension bits for them - front and rear - are pretty much unique to them; and [3] as a consequence of [1], there's not a lot of options for new or aftermarket spares, and very few bits from wreckers.

For example, there's basically only Monroe struts available for the front off the shelf, unless you go to a BNE or Classic Swede setup. Pretty much the same with rear shocks. The suspension isn't like the 940s or earlier 960s, so nothing is a direct fit. Sooner or later with my 965, I'll have to bite the bullet and get the IRS2 rebushed which won't be cheap, but with only forty-something 960/V90 wagons sold by OZ dealers, I can justify that.

The difference in NVH, etc between the 93 945 and the 96 965 is worlds apart. I prefer the 965 for my mainland road trips for that reason. I'd imagine it's the same for sedans, so IMHO 960s /S90s are worth having and restoring.