figured i'd try to find a forum to inform me of all that is the volvo 850. i purchased this car from my parents a couple months ago for a buck

they bought it new in 93, traded in their grey 240 wagon for it. my dad handed me a box of stuff with it, including the sales slip, all service records, chilton's manual, a road&track dedicated issue, various other magazines reviewing the car, a new oem headlight wiper, and a new oem antenna. dealer installed options include trip computer, roof crossbars, 6-disc changer, foglights, and 2-piece floor/weather mats.

it had about 30k on it, mint condition, until my sister got it in about 2002. from 2002-2008 it lived the hardest 55k in it's life. 2 wrecks, 1 backing into a gas station pole, destroyed leather, cig burns on the headliner, brakes every 10k, blown speakers, nail polish all over - you name it. on the plus side, since she ruined it it's received a new oem grille, front bumper, fully painted hood/fenders/bumper, timing chain, rebuilt head, AT service, cooling system service, and snow tires.


my plan is to restore it into the solid DD it always was. I'm been using it for when i have to go out of town for work, and it's treated me right (so far).

i've done an oil change, replaced all bulbs, replaced wipers with aeros, fixed broken horn, fixed broken cig lighter, and installed XM radio.

on the plate this month:
replace antenna (bent in accident), reinstall foglights with 3000k HID kit, install 5000K HID kit to low beams, do an oem plug/wire change, inspection, brakes

soon:
replace blown oem speakers, steam clean interior, find and install oem armrest with cupholder, refinish wheels with all-season rubber, fix dented rear quarter, blacken trim, glue dash trim down, glue sunroof cover back on, remove and replace cd changer with hard drive

long term?
lower it and toss on some dished wheels


couple questions about possible issues:
- i have to hit the shiftlock override button each time to get out of park. is that normal?
- i sometimes smell gas, but nothing is leaking. could be a rotted exhaust, but the car isnt loud? i'm thinking that plugs/wires may fix any possible fuel issues
- there is a lag certain times, and sometimes it takes 2 turns of the key to start it. thoughts?
- stock stereo likes to fade in/out sometimes. it's annoying.


i'll try to be a beneficial part of this community, i'm a car guy at heart, i've owned a shop for the past 3 years that just recently went to crap, but i do have a good bit of knowledge on the european automotive aftermarket (especially wheels). i'm a vw guy, i've had a few, i currently have a shaved, bagged, custom leather interiored newer passat wagon. but it's broken more than this abused 850. weird, eh?

 

Welcome. Good luck in bringing your 850 back to her original splendor.

 

thanks. i'll post pics as i go along.

 

Got my car for free! Beat that. Same here, I'm trying to make my 850 as showroom new as possible as I remember when my aunt first brought the car back in 95'. As for pressing the override button to shift I think there's a microswitch that needs to replace if I recall that correctly.

 

how easy was the install of the hids. and what company did you buy them from

 

Sharphid.com

And I haven't set them up.

Nice buy for a buck! post pics

 

havent installed the hids just yet, i'm waiting on a new set of bulbs to go with the ballasts i have. i only have h7 4300k and 3000k bulbs is why. i can get the 9006 and h3's for the low/fogs for $24 shipped/pair of bulbs or $54/shipped for the hids kit complete.


i'll take pics when the weather gets decent this week and i can clean it. going to go the plugs and wires tuesday when it's actually in the 60's