Advice: is this T-5R worth a punt, or will it be a money pit?
 

Hi guys,

Apologies if it’s taboo to start a new thread straight after registering. This T-5R caught my eye on eBay, but as someone with limited knowledge of what to ‘look out for’ per se, I thought consulting you guys would be the most advisable step.

Put simply, are there any alarm bells, is this a car to avoid, or not? The appeal initial was that it was listed at a very reasonable price, which would therefore allow me to leave a pot of £ aside to address any smaller issues (I.e cosmetic, which I’m fine with. Serious mechanicals etc are the worry.). But I’m just wondering whether I’d find anything that little bit too sinister. Is this likely to be a money pit?

Any (and as much as possible) input would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the ramble!

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F274079318676

well the car does show 268K miles so you'd better be hands on. Most of the T5-Rs parts are shared with the 850T short of the ECU and some cosmetic touches so its going to be easy to source parts and easy enough to work on. This model also has the OBD-1 set up witht he LED code reader which is nice to have. Check out Volvotips.com for service/repair procedures. These cars do tend to share fault areas, not too many on catastrophic - the Aisin tranny is solid, the blocks are solid. Things to worry about 1) timing belt/idlers/tensioner - its an interference engine so that must be maintained 2) PCV systems do clog both in the hoses and the engine ports so that will need to be maintained 3) cooling systems tend to fail at the radiator seams/overflow tank/heater core so have a good look around 4) AC systems can have issues with the compressor clutch (reshimming can fix) and the evaporators can fail due to corrosion if the drain ports clog. 5) at 268K, just about every rubber bit in the suspension and subframe is likely to need inspection or replacement. Check the delta link bushing (the one in front of the rear wheels for any play). Fuel pumps/relays are also likely to go at that age. I guess the bottom line is to make sure you have the full service history to know what's original or needs to be serviced.

Go for it.