Hey guys!

For the past few years, I've had an '88 Volvo 240, and I love it, but I've been thinking about getting something newer, faster and more luxurious. I really like the style of the 850, especially the wagons (my 240 is a sedan though) and I have heard the T-5R is pretty fast! (but unfortunately only came in auto)

Is there anything I should know about 850s if I went this route? I would like to get an 850 top trim wagon, maybe T-5R. Bummer about that FWD though. What kind of mileage can these get before they start having serious problems? and what are some things I should look out for?

Thanks

 

Man, the best advice I can give you is to search the forums. Overall the 850 is a great car, and the turbo models are definitely quick. Look for a model that is up to date on maintenance or else you will end up paying for it (literally). Our 95 has 250,000 miles on it and the kids have it for their car. If you take care of it, they last!

 

Yes Volvo 850s and later cars do last and last! And no rust. Both of my 240s had to be retired because of rust in critical areas. You'll love having more than twice the power if you get a turbo car. I do miss the manual gear box though. But my auto box has proved trouble free over the 9 years I've had it - change the fluid regularly. The engine bay is a bit more cramped, though most of the regular items are in easy reach. You will find an 850 a bit more taught in its handling - my wife complains that I don't use the brakes enough - no need to, just point and shoot through corners!

 

I certainly agree about the handling of the 850, it sticks like a magnet. I can't vouch for the 240 handling, but coming from a Buick Park Avenue, I can't believe the traction around corners with an 850.

 

850's Are high maintenance, especially compared to the red block Volvo's.

 

Reliable and cheap. Be careful of overspending on parts and upgrades because they aren't worth squat even in nice shape. Values really tanked over the past few years. Relatedly don't buy one with a lot of needs. Get one with all the big maintenance items done,

 

Don't buy a 93. Dif wheels and the Auto trans were the first year so extra issues.
I'd say buy two, if you can one as a parts car, because they are not very valuable now.

 

I have two friends with 850s. Great performance..... nothing be trouble maintenance wise. I have three 240s, 360K miles, 300k miles and the other says 250k, but the odometer didn't work for 7 years so who knows? All stick shifts, all run great and one of them was used to teach 3 teenagers how to drive. If you love your 240 red block and it's a stick shift, it will be a tough act to follow.

 

I got into Volvo with a 240, spent a few years with the 200 series, then the 700 series, and ultimately an 850. My first was a '94 non turbo 5 speed. At the time I was traveling all over the west coast for work, and the car got pretty decent mileage. Mid to high 20's as I recall.

Then I drove a turbo, and I was all done with the non-turbo. I've never owned another one. Your results may vary. Going fast is important to some people, and some don't care, but make sure you drive both before you decide. Also realize the turbo will get noticeably worse fuel mileage, but will be noticeably more fun.

I agree that you should avoid a '93. It's a real oddball. The wheel bolt pattern is different, and the whole front end is slightly different, which makes replacing simple things like a broken headlight a challenge.

Beyond that, I'd probably disagree on a couple points. Everybody has their opinions, but I don't consider an 850 a high maintenance car. It needs timing belts every so often, just like every other car with a timing belt, but it's much easier to do on this car than most others. There's also the normal stuff like plugs and filters, but otherwise they're pretty low maintenance I think. The PCV system needs some cleaning every so often, but it's cheap and easy to do yourself. There's also issues with the odometer not working, but that's a pretty easy fix too, and fairly common to pretty much anything from the '80's or '90's that had VDO gauges.

Other than the PCV system and odometer, I've had very few issues with my cars. I'm currently looking for a Passat with the W8 motor. You need to drop the engine to replace the cam sensors. That's my definition of a high maintenance car, not an 850.

I also don't get too worked up about maintenance records. Just because somebody has receipts for the brake job that was done last year doesn't mean it's never going to need brakes again. It's nice to see receipts for oil changes I suppose, but for pretty much everything else, I really don't care. Even the timing belt. If they have a receipt from a shop, cool, but if they show me a receipt for a belt and tell me they put it on, I replace it anyway. Twenty bucks is cheap insurance, so why take somebody's word for it, right? To me, for all the other stuff, maintenance records are just a list of things that already broke once and will probably break again. When it does break, I'll fix it. In the mean time, all I care about is how it runs right now.

However, even a poor running Volvo can be a good deal. I've bought several cars from people who have the car at a shop, and the shop told them the turbo is bad (smoke from the exhaust), and all the seals are leaking and need replacing. They get a quote for a couple grand, and sell it cheap. I clean the PCV system, put in a new hose, and all the problems are fixed because the shop didn't know anything about Volvos. Two hours of my time, and eighty bucks. Don't dismiss a car that has issues.

Again, this is the perspective from somebody who can (and does) fix their own car. If you want to take it to a shop, hand them a check and say "fix it", then you'll have a different view.

As for the R, yeah, they're nice, but the standard turbo and the T-5R only differ very slightly. Different bumper cover, different fabric on the seats, and I think the springs and anti-sway bars are slightly stiffer, along with some other little things I don't recall. The biggie is the power, but it's only 23 horsepower or so. The catch is, people are starting to ask unrealistic money for a T-5R. Personally, I'd rather buy a base turbo and have money to make it faster, but if I found an R for a decent price I'd certainly buy it.

The absolute best thing about Volvo wagons is that when you fold the seat down the floor is completely flat. I've been camping in my car many times, and on long road trips through desolate areas it's fantastic for sleeping. A 3" memory foam pad, a pillow, and tinted windows, and I never have to worry about pushing on to the next town to find a hotel.

Second best thing about the wagons is that they look really cool with the spoiler on the rear hatch.

I don't know what your skill level is, but the automatic can be swapped. There are lots of threads. Google "850 manual swap"

As for high miles, I drove to SoCal for Thanksgiving...1200 miles each way. Didn't think twice about going in a car with 233k miles on it. That was a car that I bought with no service history, and had rear-ended a pickup when I bought it...needed a hood, fenders, headlights, radiator, and intercooler, but the airbags hadn't popped. The guy was religious about oil changes though. Do that, and they'll run pretty much forever.

Good luck with your search. Don't hesitate to ask questions

 

I have owned both an '88 240 and a '96 850 non-turbo. Sold the 240 about 2 years ago and took over the 850 from my wife when she got her new XC60. Both cars were dependable considering their age and loved both. What I noticed is the parts for the 850 are little more expensive and requires a bit more maintenance. Also, I have more squeeks and rattles in the 850 than in the 240. As mentioned, my 240's undercarriage was really rusty from 20+ years of Chicago winters where the 850 has hardly any.

Overall, the 850 is a very comfortable car and definitely feels a little more luxurious compared to the spartan 240.