Hello all!
Well I bought a 94 850 NA sedan that was for sale a few miles down the road. Pretty cool ride for my first experience with a Volvo, lots of features for a 1994!! So with that being said it came with a few surprises as well I knew for $1200 bucks it would need some TLC but car seemed pretty clean inside and out (will post pictures soon). First thing I noticed was the lack of reverse lights, I figured no big deal at worst 15.00 bucks for a new back up light switch..nope I have a bad PNP switch!! so I took it apart cleaned it up real well and put it back together it reverse lights work!! but now I have up arrow on the dash flashing! So I have ordered a new PNP and should have it installed tomorrow. Second thing I noticed was the odo isnt moving guess the previous owner failed to tell me it didnt work so what I thought was 150k miles is not. Oh well I suppose, seems to run well - the PNP switch.. The main objective of the 850 was a decent car with decent gas millage to drive back and forth to work! Thanks to all that had wrote nice write ups on PNP switches!!

 

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I'm sure you've seen the New 850 Owner thread. If not read it ASAP. Also, there is a way to read the actual cluster mileage which is likely the true car mileage. You can find instructions for that in the DIY thread. I once test drove a car that looked like 125,000 but the actual miles were 228,000. SURPRISE!!!

Looking forward to seeing the pics. Congrats on the new to you ride.

 

Thank you!

Unless I over looked it, I thought you could only find millage on the OBD II cars?

 

Well I must have over looked it cause I just found it..

 

https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-...0-volvo-27012/

 

Thanks for you help rspi! Well I got the PNP switch installed and all is good there. So further inspection of the 850 I have a non working radio, I checked the obvious fuses any other reason for the unit to not work other than a faulty radio?

 

Is there anything on the display? Does it say Code, ---- or nothing? There is a security light on it...does it blink when the car is sitting?

 

Nope nothing on the display its like there is no power to it. I will have to get my multi meter and see if I have power at the plugs I guess.

 

Hi and welcome to the wonderful world of the 850! My first Volvo was an 850 T5 and I loved it so much, I wanted to drive it instead of my friends STi, whihc I had borrowed. They are fun cars and like I'm experiencing now, fun to work on. I hope you get to keep it for a long time!

 

Thank you, So I got the pnp switch installed and all is good there. I used the method mentioned above to get my actual millage which is 181,653 the odo stopped at 152,063, could have been worse I guess! Got a fresh inspection yesterday and tried to figure out the radio a little more I have voltage at the plugs not sure what pins are what so I ran through with key off and key in position II and seems to be good I guess the radio is dead Any how drove it to work this morning the trip went very well! the 850 seems pretty sluggish for what is it as soon as our weather clears up im going to give it a good tune up and clean the PCV system. Only other thing that sucks is blower for HVAC only seems to work on full blast and doesnt kick in till #2 and stays at the same speed though #4.

BTW I come from the rotary community, and you guys over here seem to be pretty cool with newbies! and very much followers of your cars! Rotor heads tend to be Cult like at times

 

Well it looks like you have everything handled. I guess that comes naturally coming from the rotary scene. I wanted an RX-7 for years (I still kind of do) but they're not very suitable for a 2 year old. :P But $1,200 isn't bad at all. My first 850 was $1940 and my R was $3600 total.

 

Yea owning RX7s will turn any one into a mechanic lol I have owned 7 of them now.. I would tell you to get one but I almost find it unfair to do that to someone I havnt meet. They will drive you crazy and make you spend insane amounts of money but at the end of the day you wouldnt trade it for anything..its kinda sick!

Any how back on topic..I hope the 850 works out well, I really didnt pay much attention to things when I got it that I should have, but I almost expect any car that old to have its problems. At this point I want to give it the full tune up, detail and clay bar, smoke the tails and maybe get a black grill off ebay oh and a cup holder!! that made me so mad this morning when I got in to leave for work im like really?? heated everything power leather seats and no cup holders??

 

Crazy is having your RX-7 and building up an 850 too !!

83 RX-7, just over 100K miles, Calif car, 454 chevy, 350 turbo and almost all stock everything else.