Does everybody have their crystal ***** in good working order??

I"ve always said that if I was going to buy a foreign car, it would be a Volvo or Saab. So, here we are. I am looking at this car for my 17 yr.olddaughter, as she was unable to misssome kid who turned left across in front of her andtotaled her '81 Eagle (and his '95 Saab, too, for that matter). I read (I think on this site) that the 960 is not a good first car due to certain things having to be done at certain times or the engine will self-destruct, and that "systems" are extremely expensive to repair. Since her previous car wasa clunker, she is very aware of checking fluid levels, listening for odd sounds, oil change intervals, etc. She is not one to run a car into the ground. My biggest concern is the cost of everyday maintenance/repairs on a 13-yr. old car with 130k miles on it.

I found this '94 960 at a local used car lot that has been in business for aroudn 25 years. I didn't spend a whole lot of time going over it, as I was on my lunch break. Here's what I found:

body looks straight--no apparent waves or oddness. It appears to sit straight--apparent same gaps around wheelwells/tires, body panels seem properly aligned. No signs of overspray or mismatched paint.

129K showing on odometer. 90k on engine. The story is that original engine broke timing belt while it was being used by salesman. Since this is an "interference engine" a used engine was installed. I assume he means that when pistons/valves get out of timing, they have a way of bouncing off each other. Not good. New waterpump and belts.

AC blows outof the defroster instead of the dash outlets. he said they "got something crossed when we put it back together".

Driver's side seat does not properly adjust fore/aft. One side tries to move, but the otherdoesn't move at all. Adjusts up/down fine and seat back adjusts fine. They appear to be memory seats.

Leather interior shows wear in tune with age/mileage.

One headlamp is cracked

Looks like there has been a small amount of water stain on right side of trunk carpet.

Engine starts right off and idles smoothly, with a light clicking sound for about 30 seconds, then it is virtually silent. Salesman said sparkplugs were on top of engine? Wouldn't that make this a flathead? I thought they went out with the '54 Chrysler. He said it was a double overhead cam. Like most newer cars, engine in covered w/metal and plastic panels so you can't see or get to anything.

I haven't checked carfax yet.

Everything appears to be powered: windows, locks, seats, moonroof. That concerns me greatly due to beingthat many more things to go wrong down the line.

The old head was in the trunk.. Makes me wonder if they actually put a used engine in it or if they had it rebuilt.

They're asking 3k for it, but the guy also said to make an offer. He just wants to get out of it enough to pay for the engine they had installed.

Are parts for Volvos as expensive as most import parts, or worse?

The salesman was upfront about the engine replacement, driver's seat not adjusting, and the AC situation. Answered all my questions with no hesitation.

I'm drawn to the Volvo for safety reasons, not the least of which is the fact that there's enough metal around the occupants to give more protection than the little Asian tin cans. I'm not interested in a car in which normal repairs for the mileage are going to cost an arm and a leg.

I have a mechanic that I trust who will check it out for me if it goes that far, plus we have a good Volvo dealer I can have it checked out at (for beaucoup bucks, I'm sure).

Any thoughts on the viability of this car for this purpose?

Thanks.

 

Volvo parts are expensive. I don't know if I want to buy a car that has a new engine.
You should test drive it and see if you like it.
Volvos have lots of electirical problems.

I'm not sure how volvos are safe but insurance might be higher than other cars since the parts are expensive.

My insurance costs for 07 sedan, 04 pickupand 96 960are about the same.

 

I am new to this forum because I am an owner of a 1996 960 wagon. An original owner with now 179K miles. I had a 1994 960 for two years before I traded it for the 96. I can tell you that I am totally addicted and in love with this car but it is bleeding me financially. I have taken impecable care of it and the maintenance cost and repairs are huge. I think I have replaced everything and then some other light goes on or a funny noise or smell or both. I am not a mechanic but I could be by now. The air conditioners, heaters, transmission and especially the cooling systems seem to be problems. I would not sugest this for your 17year old unless you had been the owner of this car. It will blead you financially. It is not to late for you. My mechanic even told me to get a later moldel volvo or a lexus. I hope this helps.

 

I have a 93 960 that kind of had the same thing happen to it. Original engine went at about 135k. A rebuilt (the parts replaced were for preventative maint.) engine out of a 97 with about 50k was installed. The guy I bought it from was a Volvo Mechanic and did all the work himself. I've had the car for about a year and a half, and have put about 21,000 miles on it. The only thing I've had to replace was the 02 sensor. Everything else works great, and the car runs without a hitch. As long as you keep up on it, you'll probably encounter few problems. btw, mine makes the same clicking noise when I first start it. After a few seconds the engine gets nice and quiet. The engine has a distributor-less ignition system, and the spark plugs are indeed on top. It should be a 24 valve DOHC.

 

Sounds like your describing my 95 960. Same things happened to me and I love the car. Good, safe, and dependable car. My first volvo and I would not hesitate to purchase another one. Bought mine with 50,000 on her and she has served me well. Engine swap at 108,000 due to rediator bursting at 75mph on interstate. Been a very good car and one I hope to pass on to my 15 year old daughter to learn how to drive on. Just keep the timing belts changed at 70,000 and keep the oil changed and should serve you well. Have 130,000 plus miles on mine and working fine.

Good luck

 

If she's gonna be driving it in wet rainy or snowy conditions at all...this alone would be one reason I wouldn't get her a 960.
Also the car has alot of power regardeless of it's weight...for a teen...oh ya I know she's a gal.
other than these 2 cents of mine...other issues have been said already above.

 

The 9 series is a rear wheel drive car and if you are in an area where it snows a front wheel drive car would be better. You may want to look around for a NA 96 or 97 850. It's front wheel drive and the 5 cyl. engine will get her around just fine. Parts for any foriegn (European) car will be more expensive. The safety factor of the Volvo was one of the big reasons we bought an 850 for my son.

 

as far as snow goes, I believe 94 and older have a standard auto-locking rear differential that engages when wheel slip is detected between 3 and 25mph. I have this feature on my wagon and love it. I get around town with no problems at all in the winter. Even when it's super icey. With a good set of studded snow tires it would be a super solid winter vehicle.