Now that I've got the initial maintenance stuff just about kicked in the head on my 97 850R, I'm thinking about some appearance stuff.

Next up is clay bar and wax.

In the near future, I want to get the front bumper / spoiler repaired or replaced. Since that is going to require paint, I'm thinking about a tailgate spoiler.

I'm torn.

I bought a spoiler with 3rd brake light this morning from someone. Most of the ones I've seen don't have the brake light, but this one did.

I've looked at a lot of photos. Some days, I like them. Some days, I don't.

What do you think? Does it make the car look sportier? Does it ruin the clean lines of the car?

I also need to get the rails that run from the windshield to the rear of the car replaced or refinished. The factory coating has come almost completely off. I know someone who does powder coat, and considered getting them powdercoated - I don't know what the original coating is called, so don't know what else I could look at to refinish them.

If you have a tailgate spoiler, please post your favorite picture of the spoiler on your wagon.

 

I added the rear wing to my wagon and I LOVE the way it makes the car look. The trick to the wagon wing is finding one - they're hard as heck to find in the bone yards.

 

I like the rear wings but I think they look better without the roof rails. I have V70 roof rails and use them monthly so I'm torn, not that I've found one yet.

 

A wagon needs the rear spoiler.

 

I've always had the rails and just recently gotten a spoiler - and love it! Volvo got it right with this one; just a little kick of 'sport' without being too obnoxious. Do it, you'll not regret it.

For your rails, a lot of people pull them off and spray them with a rattle can of undercoat - althought I did it and didn't have great success, but I expect I did it when it was too cold. It's a strip of aluminium surrounded by rubber. Not sure if it would be worth it to have someone paint them for you.

I've also heard that it's best to head to a junkyard and get the strips off of a 98+ which are better coated and have rain channels, which are much better.

 

You pays your money and take's your choice...

Not saying a spoiler looks bad or anything, but personally don't like to make my car "look" go-fast; I mean, why?

To me it just says (to cops), pull me over...

But to each, his own..

 

The wing is a sporty addition. Always peps up the cars appearance. My car came with the roof rails and I have always liked them until just last week I removed them and wow, I like it much better.

 

I agree a wagon needs to have the wing. I have wings on both wagons wish I had rails too.

 

Here's one of mine from last year.



By comparison, a friend's Saff without a wing. They, in my opinion, look like they're missing something without the wing.

 

Thanks, Steve.

My 97 850R wagon is a dead ringer for the one parked behind the red R wagon in your 2nd picture.. other than mine having no spoiler.

Seeing a car that resembles mine, with the spoiler, helps greatly in my decision

I must say, the next generation of wagons with body colored trim look good, too.

Not sure how I feel about the rails. I would like to get mine redone, but it sounds like finding a set on a 98 up car might be a good idea, too. Would love to find a yard near me that has some Volvos. How difficult is the trim to remove? I would guess it would be easy to bend or distort them in the process if someone didn't use a lot of care...

 

John- I wasnt really looking for one, but I came across a rear spoiler off of a V70 at my local U Pull it. 20 bucks- I couldn't pass it up. My wagon is white, wing was a silverish color. I used some paint booth leftover white basecoat enamel and clearcoat. Not perfect, but really nice. I shot the clear last week, I'm looking for some auto grade double stick (I have the brackets) to install it. It looks like it is held down with the double stick AND the brackets.

My wagon didn't have the roof rails when I bought it, just had the long black trim strips. They were peeling badly. I found roof rails at a different U Pull it for $13, painted them with Trim Black rattle can paint. Also carefully popped off the trim strips, scraped them off (cut them shorter to work with the rails) Scotchbrite to give the aluminum some bite and again used the Trim Black. LOOKS GREAT and that's been 2 years ago.

One more. My bumper trim was, well you know, grey. First step was to clean clean clean. wipe down with alcohol, carefully masked and again- Trim Black. Looks great, and I painted front and back about a year ago.

Anyway, guess I'm pushing the Trim Black over here...Dave

 

Dave: I've used it as well. And I repainted a friend's rail trim with truck bed liner. Worked like a charm! I have roof racks and crossbars from a '98 xc70, so they're a little bit beefier than the standard roof rails for the 850, plus a spoiler. Love that look.

 

If I wanted a set of rails or trim for my 97, what years/models of Volvos could I look at, and know they would fit?

The Indianapolis Pull A Part has next to zero Volvo anything in stock. The one in Louisville, KY (the same distance, just South instead of North) has 850s, S70s, C70s, V70s, etc - it doesn't list sedan vs wagon, so I will need to call...

Anything else I should be looking for while I'm there? Common failure stuff that only costs a few bucks that I'll wish I'd grabbed when it breaks/fails in 2 weeks?

Thanks for the feedback!

 

And, could someone post a pic of the rails with spoiler too, please?

 

John, this should make you happy. From the sound of it, you've got the same wing as my buddy Ryan. Roof rail removal/install is simple, but be sure you grab the strips that cover the gutter, they're cut to fit with the rails instead of one piece front to back.



You can see Ryan has also replaced the stock 850 door handles with a set from a later x70 series car.

 

you've got my gears spinning.... thanks!

 

mine: excuse ugly winter wheels, and I know it needs a bath, but this is the wing with the xc70 roof rails and crossbars

 

John- I've actually been to Columbus, Indiana! Grew up in Cincinnati, I took my first motorcycle road trip through Columbus in 1985. Now outside of Syracuse.

I think trim from any of the 850's would work- 93-97. At our U pull it yards, they can tell you if they have a specific year / model, but they dont know what parts have been taken off. So it's kinda a gamble to make the trip. Unless you have a motorcycle, then it's an excuse to take a long ride- good as long as you are not buying a transmission or windshield!

I have 2 "local" yards, the first one has 1 850 sedan, decent except drivers door is mangled, the other yard has 2 wagons- and I bought the hood and driver's door off of the white one after a January deer strike. Up here most stuff under 10 years old is RUSTY. its easier to find V70s or S70s these days.

Do your U pull its have "specials" weekends- like 15$ hoods and fenders? I love those. D

 

93-98 at least - my rails and bars are off a 98.

 

Steve you hit the nail right on the head when you say the wagon looks like something is missing with out the wing. In my opion it just seems to fit.