I have a guy that is actually bringing a car to me from Dallas about 3hrs away.

1 owner T5. I checked car fax. he said timing belt and water pump were done and he sold the car originally to the former 1 owner.

I just need to know what to check when it gets here.

I wont have lots of daylight left and he said it has maintenance records .

the only reason I was going to buy was the 1 owner and the records.

he said all the usual volvo fail stuff has been done.

pressed for time otherwise I would search it all. this deal just kind of fell in my lap today while I was at work so not a lot of time to check into it.

car has 137K and is a texas car . 1 owner . clean carfax

 

In addition to a thorough test drive, probably just the usual used car checklist:
tire tread depth, wear patterns
wheel condition
warning lights
engine compartment leaks or stains
clean oil
brake and emergency brake function

Activate every switch and function you can.

 

check the brakes. the brake calipers are known to stick and go bad leading to shaking steering wheel. drive it fast and when you are done feel all the wheels. they should be luke warm. if one is really hotter than the rest you have a sticking caliper.

 

The S70 is a better 850. You should be able to use the 850 guide to check most stuff. Buyer's guide - Volvo Forums - Volvo Enthusiasts Forum

As for someone bringing a car 3 hours for you to look at... personally I don't think you have a chance. That person thinks they are suck a sales person that YOU ARE GOING TO BUY THAT CAR. That's nuts!!! Unless he already has other business in your area and it was just convientant.

As for sticky brake calipers, they will cause a wheel to heat up but you really don't have to drive fast, just for a little while, like 5+ miles which people seldom do durning a test drive. I advise people to do all types of driving when they test drive, a little neighborhood, down the blvd, and especially on the freeway. Slam on the brakes twice, 1st time to see if anything weird happens then brake hard again with little grip on the steering wheel to see if the car pulls under heavy braking. What will make the steering wheel shake during braking are warped rotors.

The important things to look for to me are:
1. Smoking tail pipe on a warm car.
2. PCV system replaced last?
3. Timing belt last change.
4. Any coolant leaks, especially in the timing belt area.
5. Any oil leaks. No car should leak oil, really.
6. A/C working properly.
7. If you have a dental mirror, check the brake pads for wear. No big deal they are easy and cheap.
8. Transmission shifting.
9. Tire wear, should be even.
10. Doors lock properly with remote/switch, etc.

Remember, you are looking to purchase a (I assume) 12+ year old car, it will not be perfect. Also, unless it's real clean, try not to spend much more than www.NADAGuides.com value for it. It kinda sucks that you will not be able to start it cold however, before you start it, turn the key on and make sure all the lights in the dash light up (ABS, Check Engine, SRS, etc.). Then start it and make sure they all go out.