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).





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).

 

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 ****; 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.