Good morning! I have always had 240's and one 740 in the past and now considering a 1994 850 wagon. It has 125K and looks to be in very good condition. I have heard one big problem is the heater core can be a nightmare to replace? any other known problems I should look for? I think I can get this for 2K, is that fair? it is from a private owner, thanks! - don -

Actually, 94-95 850s are pretty good except for the AC evaporator which has a book rate of 10 hours of labor to replace (similar to the heater core for the 240/140). I think Fixit has the 94 confused with the 93, which has some unique parts.

The heater core is a 2 hour DIY replace, not a big deal.

If the current owner has service records or a single garage where he had all of his maint performed and is willing to talk to you, then that is a plus.

Before you buy:

Check the AC if it warms up outside.
Check the tranny fluid for color and smell - no burned smell and reddish. Be prepared to flush the ATF with new, easy DIY.
Check ALL of the electricals.
Check the DTCs, especially A-1, A-2, and A-6 for any codes.
Be prepared to install new struts, shocks within a year or so.
The PCV system will most likely need to be replaced.

Depending on the interior, $2K is not a bad price. I always assume that I will invest an additional $1K within the first year to get a car up to my specs and make it trustworthy as a daily driver.

Klaus
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Praying for Cynthia Amendt, heaven bound

'94 does not seem to one of the better years to buy. I believe it has some year specific parts that may be getting harder to find. It does have on board fault detection which is a plus. The heater core is not that big an issue although it is not an easy job. What is REALLY the problem is the AC evaporator. Tough job and expensive ($1200) to source out if you can't do it yourself. If you don't need AC then it's not an issue. Make sure the odometer is working and indicating true mileage. I believe the '94 also has the norrow timing belt that needs to be changed more frequently. If it hasn't been recently changed then this car is overdue. A 3-4 hundred dollar job if you can't do it. Two grand seems OK if the overall condition is good but keep possible future repair costs in mind.