BTW: if you guys don't have the 3rd Row Seat, and need it -- there are people who sell them for about $ 100-150.

 

Thanks...I already have it...LOL
So are you all amazed by the I6 engine? What is the HP rated at? My old 240 Brick was slow to get up and go and i expected the I6 to be marginally improved over the I4. coming from my T5 wagon thats really quick off the line ..so i wasnt expecting this I6 to do much...yet to my surprise it is a really good strong engine and the car can get out of its own way right quick enough...especially in "S" mode,,, ;-)
Ride quality with the new tires on the Altairs has me appreciating them all the more and at this point I'm prolly not going to swap them out...i cleaned them up and they look alot brighter so that helps too.

 

The I-6 whiteblock is so smooth and powerful. 1992-1994 is 201 hp. 1995-1998, Volvo re-tuned, lowered the peak-HP to 181 hp to increase low-end torque. That is why your 960 is so nimble off the line.

By inherent design, inline-6 is the most stable of all engine designs. It balances out nicely. This results in less vibration, and long-term reliability. Example, 850's I5 eats motor mounts, whereas not in 960. Drivetrain lasts longer, etc.

When Japanase expanded their economy cars into Europe, Volvo (early 80s) decided to go upmarket. First with turbos, and then with a better engine design. Redblocks (like in my old 244) weren't cutting it anymore for a performance/higher-end car.

Volvo's came up with whiteblocks (all-alloy I6 and I-5, which is the I-6 without a cylinder), which were engineered in cooperation with Porsche Engineering Services in the 80s. That's why there are many similarities with Porsche's own 4 cylinders in 924, 928, 948 models.

These motors like high-revving. Once in a while, I drive them at low-gear at 4500-5000 rpm, 55 mph for 10-15 minutes -- this cleans out the carbon deposits on exhaust valves.

This engine moved Volvo from an economy sedan to a near-luxury, and it launched the Volvo brand into the s70, xc90 which continues today.

Volvo did another thing on the 960/850 -- it paired this wonderful engine with a very reliable transmission from Aisin-Warner. This is the same transmission family used in Toyota pickup, Previa, 4Runner, Tundra and even Sequoia.

Eaton Differential: optional locker that comes with the Winter Option. Again, this is a locking differential, not a limited slip. Standard is open Diff. If you have the snow-flake orange light, next to the outside temp display on dash, you have the Winter Option and therefore a Locker.

What else -- oh yes -- Earlier 960s had self-leveling Nivomat shocks, which later were replaced with regular shocks, Independent Rear Suspension with a transversal fiber-glass monoleaf on later 960s, instead of coil-springs in the rear. Corvette uses the same set up. 25-30 year expected lifecycle.

960s are Mercedes wannabies, which is not a bad thing.

 

Since Volvo means "I roll" in Latin, my daughter daughter says "That's how Volvo."

Her car is the same color down to the peeling clear coat. She has no rear spoiler and her gas cap cover was broken when we got it.

We paid $1700...I feel kinda like I got killed. he good news though is that the previous owner changed the timing belt and did a whole bunch of front end work before I got the car, so I guess it balances out.

 

Mine needed brakes, radiator, condensor and timing belt job. I was happy to do them, since I know I got 10 parts replaced, another 2000 to go. Yay.

 

henry,

yes i live i guess upstate......90 miles north of the city....40 miles south of Albany....Hudson NY is right up the road from me

and can i say HOLY CRAP !!!! - - i did the rear shocks on the 960 today and was very very very surprised to see that it actually took longer to get the shocks out of the box than it did to change them on the car...i have never in my life seen such an easy mount design....lol

i had to run out and look at the motor real quick after i read your post and your right it looks just like a 944 S with 2 extra cylinders...lol

added a set of snow tires to the rear when i did the shocks.....gotta get this rough start and the blower figured out and she's ready for snow

i do have the fiberglass mono leaf rear suspension but sadly do not have the locker diff...oh well

this is my wifes main car and having been in civics for the past 20 years ....will 100-200 lbs of weight plus the snows be sufficient for safe driving....or are these things squirelly rigs ???

 

oh and the roof rack

not sure if its stock....im thinking so...but its actually coming off ....the daughters boyfriend has a basically brand new Thule that he kept off his wagon before it went to the big scrap yard in the sky and said we could have it....not really needed but im hoping it takes some of the "grannymobile" look away hahaha

 

I go often to Saugerties, which is on the other side of the river.

You should have said something about doing the rear shocks. I would have sent you instructions on how to convert them to air-shocks ($ 70 total for both).

Seat warmers are also part of the Winter Package. So if you got seat warmers, you also get the locker. Keep in mind that the locker only works for speed below 30 mph.

Snows will be great. You don't need sand bags. New shocks and leaf keep the car planted. Snows will give it traction. Yet, you should have all 4 as snows.

 

The roof rack pictured on my V90 I used it also on the 850. It affected the MPG on the 850 a little. But that rack makes no MPG difference on the V90.

 

Back to the taillights....Today talking with my Volvo Specialist I asked him about the one rear lamp on the upper left side...Basically it operates with the front fog lamps and is to be used while driving in low visibility situations. He also said alot of folks would used the 2 upper lamps to keep others from tailgating...so Volvo just took out the right side...sounds kind of idiotic but its plausible...IIRC my '89 240 Wagon had both lower and upper red lenses lit as running/taillights and as brake lights...

 

My V90 has a separate switch for front fogs and rear fog light. My 850 had the same rear fog-light -- one to the left. I see many german cars have the same setup. Funky euros!!!

 

henry....saugerties is right across the river from me....my brother-in-law is the head baker at pricechopper there....small world, lol

is this thule rack going to affect my mileage? i was hoping the "airfoil" will make the ol girl a little more aerodynamic...i guess it could be like putting a sail up to eh?

will snows on the front really make that much of a difference?

i do have heated [not working] front seats, but no snowflake on the dash [that i can see]......you stated the locker should only be used under 30 mph......how do i engage and disengage it? with the "W" button....if i read correctly i thought that only holds the trans in 3rd gear for gentle starts and only shifts to 4th........"S" holds the trans to higher rpm shifts and "E" is stadard low rpm shifting for fuel economy.....am i correct?

 

Been at pricechoppers there. LOL. I could have seen your BIL, maybe he would have fixed me with a nice Columbus Day pumpkin pie. We go there almost every year for Columbus Day weekend.

The locker engages automatically. Eaton calls it ALD (Automatic Locking Differential). Based on centrifugal forces, it is designed to lock both axles, if one is slipping, when speeds are less than 30 or 25 mph (I don't remember exactly).

You seem to have the Cold Weather Option, but it looks like the snowflake and Locker was not offered at all for the 1995 wagon. Specs https://customers.volvocars.com/owne...960_wagon.html

Pete (FlyingTog) describes here how to check for sure.

Yes, the roof cargo box will affect mpg, probably between 1-2 mpg less.

You are correct on how to use S/W/E Shift buttons.

Although not driven, front wheels slip as well, and the car can behave strangely. You can read this thread on snow tires for 960s.

 

good stuff ...thanks

 

S= Sport Mode
E= Economy Mode
W= Winter mode
Before I had this car I always thought the S E W modes were on turbo-ed cars...so learned sumthin' else with this car.
On my 850 T5 wagon Sport mode is a real hoot...lots of fun but then again its overall design is not as reliable as the RWD Volvos'.
BTW I have the rear locking diff....