|
|
|
My wife just bought a really nice looking 93 850 GLT. White outside, brown leather, etc. Any comments or suggestions about owning a 93 would really be appreciated. I'm used to working on 240's but am ready to dive in when necessary. What idiosyncrasies do these cars have? Man, the thing looks nice!
--
Thanks for all the help. DougC 1981 242, IPD bars and Turbo wheels, M46 ::: 1993 245, B230 NA L-Block, M47, Turbo bars::::::::::::1984 760, B23FT, M46
|
|
-
|
|
|
Thanks for all the great feedback on this car. I think my wife should slow down on car chasing when I'm at work. I appreciate all the input from everyone.
--
Thanks for all the help. DougC 1981 242, IPD bars and Turbo wheels, M46 ::: 1993 245, B230 NA L-Block, M47, Turbo bars::::::::::::1984 760, B23FT, M46
|
|
-
|
|
|
Get a good buffer and past wax the car. Don't forget the inside bottom of the doors, trunk and hood. Find some low gloss vinyl preservative and do all of the exterior vinyl. Get some lanolin for the leather seat surfaces. And wash the inside of all of the windows.
Be careful ordering parts, 1993 is unique, like Lee stated. The cup holders are fragile, and when you hit a bump, the little bit of coke on the rim of the can will bounce into the window switches. Carry a shop cloth if you use the cup holders :)
The center vent allows for outside air, keep it open except when it is too hot or too cold outside.
Get a cabin filter and filter holder to keep leaves out of the evaporator and heater core. The heater core is easy to replace, the evap is like the 240 heater core :(
Klaus
--
Just driving a 1998 V70R :)
|
|
-
|
|
|
I know for a fact that your odometer will fail at some point. The dash lights too maybe. But hey, as long as the motor runs, its ok. I have a '95 Glt, and it is a tank, needed some work when I bought it, (the previous owner didnt take care of it). I drive from PA to DE every couple of months to visit my wifes family, and we go to Vermont every year in it. One thing I really like about it is the body has no rust on it, and the paint job is still shiny, and looks new.
|
|
-
|
|
|
The '93 model year is unique among the 850s. With several components specific to that year, you may have to pay extra attention when getting parts and such.
A couple of things off the top of my head: The wheels are four-lug where subsequent models had the same five-lug pattern as all the RWD bricks. The ball joints bolt to the lower control arm (think like your 240s) whereas the later cars all have one piece ball joints/lower control arms. I believe there may be a shorter timing belt change interval on the '93s also. Sone one else will fill in the gaps.
Enjoy it! They are nice cars.
-Will
--
850 / 240 / Mini
|
|
-
|
|
|
The same crap goes wrong will each and every one of them but it normally falls into the nuisance category.
With a '93 you need to be very careful about timing belt changes. The engine is an interference engine and if the belt fails your engine will be trashed. It isn't like the B230 where you can just push it off to the side of the road, drag it home and replace the belt, and motor away again. On the '93 the timing belt change interval is 50,000 miles or less.
If it hasn't already broken and been fixed:
The odometer gear will fail.
The glove box latch will break.
The dashboard mounts will break.
The Air Conditioner evaporator core will fail.
The Air Conditioner accumulator will rust out and leak.
The Air Conditioner clutch gap will get to large and the compressor will start
quiting after a few minutes.
If you have a sunroof the headliner material will fall off.
The magnets will fall off of the tweeters on the front and rear deck speakers.
The lamps in the switches on the dash will burn out and on a '93 they are soldered in and the switch needs to be taken apart to replace them.
If you have an electronic climate unit the fans in the temp sensors will fill up with lint and quit running.
The recline cable in the seat back will break.
I'm sure others can add to the list. All of the typical problems have decent writeups on one site or another to guide you through the repairs.
The rest of the things are more typical like the suspension components wearing out. At least on the '93 you can replace just the ball joints. '94 and on you need to replace the entire control arm.
The cars are a blast to drive and once you get them sorted out they are very reliable. The on board diagnostics are terrific. You can pull error codes for everything from the engine to the seats without a code reader. The space between the face of the engine and the fender/shock tower will frustrate you - particularly after working on 240's.
Here is a link to a service manual for a '95. It is about 95% accurate for a '93.
http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/downloads/Volvo_850.zip
It makes a great companion to the Haynes manual - don't even waste your money on a Chilton's.
...Lee
|
|
-
|
|
|
Lee you forgot that the ABS computers fail...
Those are most of the things that commonly fail, but one shoudn't distress too much. Most of those things have never failed on my '95, including...
The glove box latch will break.
The dashboard mounts will break.
If you have a sunroof the headliner material will fall off.
The magnets will fall off of the tweeters on the front and rear deck speakers.
The recline cable in the seat back will break.
--Well, that last one is only half true. While the seat back cable has never broken, but I have had to do work on both front seats...
In comparison to maintaining a 240, I have found that for every one thing that is more prone to break or is a PITA to fix on the 850, there is another thing on the 240 that is a PITA or more prone to fail than the 850.
-Will
--
850 / 240 / Mini
|
|
-
|
|
|
I am at the point were I would almost trade you my 96' 850R for a sweet 240 flat nose. This past year off the top of my head I have had to do the rear main seal $1,000, exhaust system(don't ever but a northern car)have not fixed it yet they say its going to cost $1,600+ , blower motor $1,000, Brakes all the way around roders 85.00 a piece, pads 160.00 a set. So if you ask me, I would stick to rear wheel drive VOLVOS. At least with an old rear wheel drive volvo you can find parts in a junk yard if you realy need to.
|
|
-
|
|
|
I had similiar peoblems with mine when I bought it. The ball jionts went on mine, and the front shocks, it seems like it always needs tires too in the front. Had to get brakes at last inspection, they squeel allot. Like I said it gives me reliable service on long trips, and here and there, but when somthing fails, man get ready.
|
|
-
|
|
|
Actually the ABS computers on the '93-'95 850's are fairly robust. From '96 and on you are screwed - they all fail - it is a matter of when. Fortunately there are soldering irons for the DIYers and Victor Rocha for the less bold at a fair price.
...Lee
|
|
-
|
|
|
Hi ,
Congrats on the new Volvo!
All of which has been previously listed is true but likely if these things haven`t gone wrong by now & been repaired you are probably fine. Of course, Tbelt change is critical as mentioned.
My wife had a 95 850 wagon which at 260K was passed along to daughter #2, car is still strong & was/is an excellent car. Now she is driving an 03 XC70 which despite a lot of negative press(more the early XC`s) is a great car. It`s a blast to drive & as much as I loved my 240`s I really don`t think I`d wanna` go back.
Good luck,
Rich
|
|
|
|
|
