I've recently inherited a '96 850 sedan (no turbo) from a relative with about 140k miles on it. The oil cap on the engine was leaking, so I brought it in to my local dealer/repair shop, expecting to have the PCV cleaned/replaced. But he found a whole lot more than I was hoping:

Crankcase system clogged
Lower motor mounts bad
Front strut cracked
Front brake hoses cracked
Rear pads low
Transmission boots leaking
Cracked tail light
Inoperable reverse lights

Obviously some of these are more pressing than others. But I'm not mechanically inclined and will need to pay someone to do this service. The local guy gives a 15% discount to older cars, but I'm still looking at a $3500 price tag (which is about what I would pay for the same car in good condition).

Part of me thinks we should junk it, and part of me thinks that $3500 might give it a new lease on life and I'll get another 100k or more out of it.

I would appreciate the advice of experienced Volvo owners. Much thanks!

 

This is typical of these cars considering the age of them. These are great cars, but going by what you are saying I would sell it. Due to the age of these cars you need to be able to work on them yourself or be able to afford them.
They are very simple to work on and honestly good quality parts can be had for a great price. What will get you is labor and I bet more then 50% of what that guy quoted you is labor.

Due to you saying you don't turn a wrench, sell it. All of what you list is due to old age really.

Confused by the leaky transmission boots though.

 

Where are you located? I may come get it (purchase) depending on the location.

 

All of these seems easy fix; for me it is if I can afford all parts. You could find someone to fix your vehicle if you plan to keep it. I'd replace the pads and the boots (CV joints you mean?) before do the rest, in my opinion. I was pretty impatient with my first Volvo as my only vehicle because of some issues (couple fluid leaks, bad alignment, etc...) I have and also expensive parts. But I knew it's worth to keep, find cheapest good parts as possible, no rush to fix everything as long I check everything to make sure it's safe to drive, and 325,000+ miles on the body is still in a great shape than most Ohio vehicles. Well, hope someone take a care of your Volvo!

 

I have had mechanics tell me the same thing before. I once took my Jeep in to Goodyear for an oil change and lube and they gave me an $1800 quote to make the vehicle "safe." This included $125 to replace a battery terminal cable which held in place but had just lost the .03c bolt, $600 to do the brakes, $600 to replace the timing belt, and such.Never mind that it didn't even have a timing belt, and the engine was freshly rebuilt by me. They wanted $200 for the spark plugs and wires, and I showed them the receipt for the ones I bought 2 months ago. Brake lines were among the things listed. I took it home, looked over every item they mentioned and didn't feel a single item was as urgent as they said it would be.

My point is, they often try to scare you in order to get a bunch of money from you. More shops then not have a bad reputation for this. Get a 2nd opinion. My bet is most of those items really aren't as pressing as htey say.

 

If you need transportation, then I think you could consider having the PCV system cleaned and ignore all the rest of it. Brakes are a maintenance item, and they are not expensive to work on, so you should expect to do brake work on any car. But brake work should be cheap. If it's not cheap, you're talking to the wrong people in my opinion. In any case, you should not pay $3500 and keep it. They are just trying to buy a new boat with your money.

 

P.S You know, those are not major repairs. That is a short list of minor repairs and ordinary maintenance. So it's amazing how these things can add up to a shocking price tag.