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  • Volvo 850 wagons - what common problems do they have?

Hey Guys, I am planning to take a look at an 850 wagon. It's a 96 model. I'm just wondering what I need to watch out for when looking at 850s.

This is the car: http://goo.gl/hiQRfH

I can see the common theme with 850s: worn leather on the drivers seat, faded bumpers. But it looks as though this one hasn't got the buckled dashboard pad like some do.

Thanks in advance.
Looks pretty clean. Bumpers will clean up ok.

Guessing that is a B5252S 10 Valve Engine?

@Ex850R Les has plenty of good advice on these, he has had a few.
Thanks Rob.

Yeah the bumper doesn't worry me. That won't be hard to fix at all. If I wanted to really cheap out, then a visit to Pick & Payless the next time I am in Sydney would work. I did that for my old 240. Was easier that trying to have it fixed.

Hopefully @Ex850R will see this and be able to advise. I have a feeling the car is in Wagga, I have emailed them to ask for location and if they can organise ACT rego.
GDAy @paul0075 , welcome to the madhouse!

Well , its white so thats a bonus in my books !

Now as Rob says you need the VIN to check if its 10 valve or 20 valve (look up volvo VIN and how to decipher )
I am of the belief that a 20 valve is a way better option....
My first thought is its expensive but being a dealer thats what happens. Clarifying this , there are so many for sale out there and although 120,000K seems great , remember its nearly 20 years old so all the rubber bushes will be needing replacing , the suspension too , the PCV system will need replaced as will the leads and rotor and dixxy cap , radiator and hoses , thermostat .... The list is the same as a higher K car cos of the age and these things fail esp the cooling system and then the timing and ancilliary belts as well .
You can buy a low/higher K V70 wagon for this money in fact i will sell you one for less in the very near future if you dont mind one that has been repaired! Much less than that....But i digress.
As i said my first thought TOO DEAR , and why is an 850 so expensive when you can get a 97/98 V70 non turbo 20 valve for the same price or less too....
Look at Gumtree within 500 km radius of where you live and see the varying prices , the high ones for 850s just sit there and dont sell.


gumtree.com.au/s-ad/jerrabomberra/cars-vans-utes/v70-volvo/1037021081
Needs gearbox service? They are the same gearbox as Toyota and Ford use so no real orblems there whatever the problem , i have one here i think would fit anyway , many places would if it came to that.



gumtree.com.au/s-ad/penrose-2579/cars-vans-utes/1997-volvo-v70-wagon/1037663946

This last one , although high K looks really good , is in your area , ask if its well serviced and what major work has been done , offer them $1200 then $1500 maybe depending on what has been serviced , aske em , get back here and we can help you .
High Ks shouldnt woryy you if its long country drives and its been serviced. Anyway , a motor is cheap!
Les.
Thanks @Ex850R for the welcome and advice. My reason for looking at a dealer was to trade in my existing car without the hassle of selling a non-ACT registered car privately. And also, dealers outside the ACT within a certain distance do arrange rego for you, and you avoid dealing with it personally going over the pits.

The V70 looks interesting, but I'd like it to be drivable from the beginning.

I am not in a massive rush, and have been kicking tyres for months and months. I do want to move beyond that stage, and really just starting to bother going beyond looking at pix on line and actually looking.

I am still debating what Volvo to get. Do I go for yet another 240, or go for a model I haven't owned before. After some very expensive repairs on my 440 and also a Corolla I owned I've been put off front wheel drive, but I do prefer it over rear wheel drive, especially off sealed roads and in the wet. I have had numerous 850s as loan cars when I used to have Annlyn Motors in Penrith service my Volvo, and really love how they drive and the way they look. And an 850 has better fuel figures and near similar output as my current car, which is a 97 Commodore with 178 000 km on it.

The update from 850 to V70 is nice, especially the interior update, but I don't rate the styling of the bodywork as good as the original 850 design. The bulging front on the later V70s look hideous.
Yeah 850s have a look i like , my first was an 850R Manual Wagon with 58,000K so i know what you mean.
A silver or white V70 looks good , the front bulges allowed for wider front tyres to be used.

Sounds like you need a good car that has been fully serviced and all those things i mentioned fixed.
Cambelt and tensioner.
Ancilliary belt and tensioners.
PCV system.
Leads and dizzy and plugs.
Suspension bushes and dampers.
CV joints?
Radiator/water pump/thermostat/ALL hoses/temp sender.
ABS unit works with no lights.
Top strut mounts , bearings and rubber.
Heater core.
Brake discs?
And other bits too...

Better to sell your car , you know what dealers do , we all do.....
Yeah dealers are sharks allegedly :). Still old Dunnydores aren't worth a lot privately or for trade in :)
cleanup - ot moved to bruce thread
I will keep an eye out for early v70 or late 850 in the area. Have you considered the s/v40?
I can also do a semi experienced tyre kicking in the Canberra region if that helps.
Personally I ran a 2000MY first generation V70 from 173,000 miles to 225,000 miles over 3 years. I got the ETM cleaned and software update, and never had any problems with it.

What finally sent it to the car park in the sky was the clutch, RMS and the beginnings of the hardship from UK roads over it's 10 year life... and being parked up for 2 years, needing new tyres and the getting it back up to running properly (and the low price of a car in the UK)

As egads says the early V70 or late 850 is a good bet; the x70 dash is a nicer place to be than an 850 (I've had both) with the biggest difference being the swap between the big my first car buttons in the 850 to a more tactile and delicate size in the x70.
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