Newb with an 850 wagon
 

Name's Lee. This is my first Swede. I'm not a stranger to European cars; I've owned 4 BMWs, a VW and was the service advisor for a large BMW/Mercedes/Mini shop for 4 years. Still, my new (to me) '94 850 wagon is my first venture from north of the Baltic.

It's nothing too spectacular. Silver, leather, power everything, heated everything, 5 speed, non-turbo, little rough around the edges but solid. With a reported 178k (broken odometer), it runs like a top after I fixed a couple minor things. Just can't beat a running, driving, fairly well optioned-out car for less than a grand. Especially if it's something interesting and cool looking (IMO).

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I just moved up to Portland, OR from Ft Worth, TX. I suppose the Volvo wagon is part of my assimilation into the PNW culture.

I do love me a wagon, though. My last Bimmer was an E34 Touring. Loved it, and I still kinda miss it. Thankfully the 850 feels a lot like the E34 in many important ways (except the sunroof, which works on the 850).

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Hi Lee, welcome to the forum.

Thanks for the welcome.

Have to say, I'm pretty happy with the 850 so far. It needed (still does) a few little things here-and-there, but most of them I've already taken care of on the cheap/free. Airbox thermostat was stuck retracted so it was sucking air through the tiny tube running to the exhaust mani; replaced it with a stack of 5 nickels to hold the spring open. FL window switch wouldn't work going down most of the time; shot some contact cleaner in there and it's good to go. Hatch rattled like a mofo; couple minutes with a torx bit messing with the latch and it's solid. Sticky door handles/latches are all but fixed with some spray lithium grease. Radio was stuck on "OFF"; got that reset. Have to say, that's the easiest damn OEM radio to pull out of the dash that I've ever seen.

I can't help but draw comparisons between the 850 and my old E34 525i Touring. So far, the Volvo is coming out ahead in most areas.

-Sunroof actually works
-Rides better
-Manual trans
-More room in the back and a larger trunk opening
-Better turning circle
-Seats aren't twisted
-Much fewer rattles/creeks
-No stupid self-leveling system tied into the power steering pump to leak/fail/throw error messages
-Better fuel mileage
-Significantly lighter
-Better door panels that aren't peeling apart
-Quicker, despite being down ~30hp

I do miss the OBC on the Bimmer. Stuff like average MPG, digital multi-trip odometer, estimated miles to empty, etc. Also wish the FL seat in the 850 went further back/down. Don't know if there's a solution to that or not. I'll have to do some searching on that one.