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Is this the end of my 850? 850 1996

posted by  someone claiming to be Hugh on  Tue May 24 20:08 CST 2022 [RELATED]

Hello All,

If I was sitting at a bar, I would be crying into my beer. I own a 1996 850 GLT Wagon (5-speed manual) naturally aspirated engine, that I purchased new. Today it has over 430,000 miles. I recently invested "crazy money" having the engine rebuilt, with the hope that maybe I'll put another 200,000 miles on it. Yesterday, I went to put the rear passenger seats down so I could put luggage in the rear of the car. As I put the back of the seat down (the seat directly behind the driver) in the folded position, the spindle that the seat back rotates on, separated from the body frame. When I examined the seat I found that the spindle where it attached to the body frame had become severely rusted and the surrounding area had "bubbled up" and had spontaneous broken off. I then examined the seat back on the other side (the passenger seat behind the front passenger seat) and the same condition existed. The spindle on that side had spontaneously separated from the frame due to rust that had "bubbled up" to where it was attached to the frame.

Now I imagine I could go to an auto body shop and it could cut out the rust and install new metal to re-attach the bracket that secures the spindle. That may be a big assumption. But then I began to worry this rust, which I was completely surprised to see (notwithstand I am driving a 26 year old Volvo in a New England climate) could be just the "tip of the iceberg" of more rust throughout the car body, that I cannot see. Almost like a silent cancer?

I have some questions:

1) Has anyone else experienced this rust problem on your 850 wagon?

2) If you have, were you able to get it fixed? If "Yes", how?

3) Is the presence of this interior/internal rust a sign there may be widespread rust throughout the rest of the body, that exists, even though I can't see it (yet)?

Thank you in advance to all who reply. I really wasn't expecting this problem, but with your help I want to make an informed decision on how to address it. Personally, I hope this rust is a localized issued that can be repaired. Since getting my 850 back, I really appreciate how it drives now. It's like meeting an old friend again. But I can't allow emotion to blind me. Thanks to all who respond.

Hugh







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    posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

    Hello All,

    I want to share what I did in the end with regard to my rusted 850. I found a donor Volvo, a 1999 V70 wagon that was rust free. It was a parts car that belonged to the garage that services my 4 Volvos. The owner let me have the necessary parts off of it for free. The auto body shop was less than 5 miles away and sent a flatbed down to pick up the donor Volvo and later returned it (after harvesting the necessary parts). The autobody shop charged my $1,371.82 to weld in place the portions harvested from the donor Volvo. After paying to have the engine rebuilt on this Volvo, together with the rust repairs, I hope I do not invest any more significant money into this Volvo (other than routine maintenance) for the next 4 to 5 years.

    Thank you to all who responded.

    Hugh



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    posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

    Not a "fool's errand" at all. Owning a new or used car will cost money. If you get pleasure from driving it, you win. A "fool's errand" is taking a cross country trip in an all-electric vehicle.



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      posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

      David,

      Thank you for your kind words. I just hope this investment works out.

      Hugh



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      posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

      David,

      Thank you for your kind words. I just hope this investment works out.

      Hugh



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    posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

    One of the reasons that I replaced our '96 855R was that there was a one inch rust hole between the right side rear door opening and the wheel opening.

    Plus - the brakes needed a complete overhaul - hoses, calipers, rotors , pads . etc. When my dealer evaluated this fine car, it needed enough repairs to equal its value.

    Sadly, our fire red Isabel had to go.



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      posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

      James,

      Thanks for your reply. My local auto body shop who I have had a relationship for a number of years has looked at the rust. The owner is confident he can cut out the rusted portions and install replacement parts off a donor. He said the cost will just be the time to cut the replacement portions out of the donor car and than welding them in place on my car. He said the fee will not be extravagant. I can only hope. Once this rust is repaired, I hope it doesn't return. If possible, I would like to get another 4 or 5 years out of this car before I retire it. I know just like me: it isn't immortal. I have sunk a lot of money into this car. I just hope I am not going on a financial fools errand.

      Hugh



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        posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

        hugh,

        if you get it welded, have them coat all the bare steel with cold zinc before painting. The stuff you want is 90% zinc in solution and you put it on with a brush.

        bill



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    posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

    Did you find a leak up high somewhere, sunroof? ,some clogged drain?
    Maybe it's still leaking?

    A skilled mechanic near me welds in new floors in VW beetles.
    I wish I had a picture of the car all apart on the lift, what a puzzle.

    Call around your local body shops for quotes, see what at least three of the experts say. Maybe it's not the end of the world for your 850?
    It's value as a classic car only goes up from now on.

    Cheers, Someone claiming to be Bill



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      posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

      Bill,

      Thank you for your advice. My local body shop has pulled off some "miracles" on my other cars. I hope it can do the same with my 850.

      Hugh



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    posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

    Sad news indeed. If you lived in Europe, you would fail inspection and the car taken off the road permanently, as in scrap. The USA is a bit more lax, to say the least.

    My 1995 850 has rust on the frame rails, not visible because of the plastic cover that runs from front to rear. But there is a bunch of rust. This is not repairable and will eventually doom the car to the scrap heap, this being a very salty state.

    Your car has just had a heart transplant! And now there is severe cancer diagnosed. Some of the cancer can be cut out and replaced with new parts, but not cheaply. And there is probably more cancer if someone pokes a steel rod into the underside while on a lift (what they used to do in Sweden if rust is suspected).

    Whether your beloved 850 lives or not is up to you. You have limited options: Take out the rear seats and JB Weld some metal plates over the holes to keep out the draft and water, as a 2 seater, haul anything car. Have a professional fix the current holes with mega bucks and hope nothing else falls off. Buy an 850 wagon from the southwest that needs a new engine/tranny and swap in yours (not quite the same as keeping your car).

    I wish there was better news...
    --
    Keeping it running is better than buying new



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      posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

      Klaus,

      Thank you for giving it to me straight "Like Mother Goose". I know this presence of rust does not bode well and is so unusual.

      Hugh



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