Sorry for posting here, but getting frustrated.

I've been looking for several weeks now, and it seems
all the good ones are kept, and only half-junks are for
sale. Most of private sales have had body work done to
them. I've been looking at different volvo dealers,
wantad, cars.com & yahoo with no apparent luck.

Anyone recommend any other place to look?

I don't know why, but I really like 850 styling, even
over 70's, 80's, & 90's.

Almost bought one, but had a last minute snafu... there
still is a chance to get it. I already ordered Haynes
manual (ha!).

Fyi, I'm looking for an 850GLT or turbo wagon, 97 (or 96).
Or, should I give up and look at the V70's?

I should've bought one way back when they were new, it was
actually my dream car (don't laugh, please).

Sorry again if this sounded like a WTB (which I placed already,
under a different handle - a long story),
but I really, really, really want one. Good thing is, my
wife likes it too.

You have to find a dealer that goes to auctions and is a good judge of quality. Typically, the dealers get a listing of the vehicles that are being auctioned that week the day before the auction. They will either call you if they know you're interested or you will have to call them every Tuesday. After several weeks of this I found my T5. I am now trying to sell my '94 850 sedan with 105,000 miles (sorry not a wagon). Good luck.

Keep looking, it took me 2 years to find my 95 850 GLT Wagon. I was looking in about a 500 mile radius in Illinois. Finally found one about a mile from my house with 85k for $8,900. It needed a few repairs, but the body was in wonderful shape.

So, either compromise or stay patient.

Good luck!

--
1995 850 GLT Wagon

Thanks to everyone that replied.

I'm working with a local dealer on a car that I like. It just needs some
paperwork on the title (clean, but need notarization from out of state).
If this takes too long, I'm going to ask my mechanic to find one for me.

I thought about doing a national search (actually, I did it on the web),
but to fly out thousands of miles to look at a car, and if I don't like it,
or the person wasn't telling the truth, what do I do? I wouldn't ask anyone
to ship it just so I can take a look. Wouldn't feel right doing that.

I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks again.

There ARE a lot of half-junks out there. But look at it... it's a wagon, and most (not all, most) people who buy wagons are using them for hauling kids and dogs around.

That's also the reason you're finding a lot of cars with bodywork. I fail to understand why people get upended when they see paintwork on a car. Who hasn't scraped or banged up their own car before? I've done it a bunch of times. I had, in fact, a certain Volvo that had been hit just about everywhere. It had been put back together a bunch of times, and very well. And it lasted forever. Mechanically, it was a perfect car, and it was a sharp looker too. It's just something to look out for, but not necessarily run away from. Think of the multitude of reasons why a family with kids has a car that's seen the body shop a few times... bikes, garage accidents, scratches...

The funny thing is, a lot of people run from mechanically intact cars because they had two doors painted, or quarters replaced, or whatever. In my opinion that's putting the cart before the horse. And besides, there are reasons why used cars are called "used cars". Stranger still, is the fact that a master body tech, using some newer technology, will put together the car SO WELL that you won't see the bodywork. That perfect car you just bought might have had the side replaced for all you know (or all you'll be told). There are cars that haven't EVER seen a paint shop, but seriously, the ones that haven't seen the shop, sometimes are begging for a little attention in the coachwork department.

Then add to the mix, the fact that people are lease-crazy lately, and look at what's happened. There is crap from sea to shining sea, on the used car market. Lease returns with virtually no maintenance, and people who have bought a car that their hastily-earned "fortune" supported at the time. Until they had to maintain it too, and soon found out that it can eat one alive, trying to keep up with maintenance schedules and service prices. Pretty soon it just becomes more practical to avoid any service except to fix what broke.

Or they've just gotten an estimate for $4500 worth of problems, which can easily accumulate over a few years (A/C evaporator, 4 wheel brake job, and some suspension parts, plus timing belt/pump, etc).

I always cite "Uncle Billy Bob". He's everyone's legendary backwater cousin who gets all the deals, finds cream puff cars all over the place, and never pays a dime for them. Reality, however, is harsh; Billy Bob isn't the most honest guy when he relays the deals to his friends and family.

Having dealt a LOT in used cars (esp Volvos) the bottom line is, be prepared to compromise a little bit, and you'll widen your horizons somewhat. With as thoroughly as you're looking, you will probably be happy with what you get. And one last thing... if you doubt you will like the car, or you sense something isn't right, just forget it. They made a lot of them!




--
Chris Herbst
1992 945, 71k
Volvo shop tech

Good points. I have bought European cars for years. No one takes care of a car like I do (?). So.. when I buy one, I always expect to put $1-2k in the car right up front. It never ends up being a steal for me, but I have a car that I know exactly where things are, and everything is fixed and working.

Thank you for your insight.

I totally agree with what you said about lease. I run carfax on
every single 850 I come across, and if it was leased, I insist
on service records. 850's leases are probably all but terminated
now, so good one are either bought back, or found second owners.

If I see a bodywork done, well, depending on how I 'read' the
seller, I might just walk away. There were people that tried to
hide the fact that body work was done, and when I point it out,
they start telling me how minor the accident was in gory detail,
but somehow forgot what kind of work was done, other than that it
was very minor, and most of the time, done out of state during a
trip. Or, the wife got it done and the husband doesn't know the
details. Things like that make me suspicious. If it was truly
minor and I feel that I can trust the person telling me the story,
hopefully with the paperwork that can back it up, I have no problem.

I'm getting the wagon as a family car, and with 2 young kids, I
cannot take a chance on safety issue. 5 years ago, I may not have
paid as much attention as I do now to bodywork.

Luckily, I have a mechanic that I trust, and he weeds out junks
for me. He did save me a lot of headache and $$$ on one car that
looked pretty good to me, but to his trained eye, it had a major
bodywork done (entire side panel replaced, among other things).
I'm learning as time goes on myself, which is a good thin. :)

Again, thanks.

I found something even more rare, a 98 R AWD wagon with 42k miles, using yahoo search. I just went to Yahoo search, typed in Volvo and went to used cars, thousands are listed from all areas of the country. You can refine the search to just the model you want, but then you are depending on the advertiser to accurately descibe the car. I found my R wagon by looking under v70 wagon.

Good Luck

Spence

People like us are hard to pry out of their Volvos, and I'm still looking for the same car you are. I guess luck and patience is the thing.


--
The 96 is number 8.

Hi, I thought I saw a few in PA are that looked and sounded good
(on the web). I almost thought about driving down to NJ/NY/PA area
on an 850 hunt. You might want to do a search on either yahoo or cars.com.
At the time, I had wished I lived in your area. :)

Hi there,

I just bought a 1997 855 back in January here in Pittsburgh area. The price is great (I thought). I saw a 1996 855 GLT for sale by owner here in a local paper (www.postgazette.com) for ($9k something) with $105k(?) miles.

Good luck.

1997 855, 95k miles
1995 854 GLT, 206k miles

I feel you... believe me I do. I had a few Volvo dealers activly looking for a 1996 or 1997 850 wagon with a 5spd. There were NONE to be found and after them desperatly trying to locate one for me for THREE YEARS I gave up!

I ended up settling for a 1994 fully loaded stick... a little older than what I wanted... more miles that I really wanted (although miles don't scare me at all if it's been cared for, which this was). I'm not complaining though... $4,000 cash wasn't a bad deal at all!!!

There are a number of reputable dealers selling on E-bay now. You should wander over and take a look around... check feedback and all that. Other than that I'd suggest talking to all the Volvo dealers within an acceptable distance from you and see what they have... or have them try to locate you one. I bought mine from E-bay about 4 months ago.. and guess what showed up a week after I bought mine... several '96-'97 low mileage sticks... oh well.

I don't know if you get to Albany NY...

Precision Volvo Repairs
2200 Central Ave
Schenectady, NY
518-382-9005

This guy is great and EXCELLENT service!!! They should be able to find something for you. Ask for Scott Townsend. Hope I helped.

-Joel
--
'94 855 5spd 'Drew' My E-Bay Ride 202,000 Miles

You live in the area?

I lived up there all my life basically...

I just moved to Atlanta last year... the economy bottomed out... and will be limping home broke the end of the month when my lease is up. Can't wait to be back up there though... I really missed being so close to the Adirondacks, Montrael, Boston and NYC

I'm actually from a little known historic town on the river... New Baltimore... 15 miles south of Albany

-J
--
'94 855 5spd 'Drew' My E-Bay Ride 202,000 Miles

Welcome back. I also take my car to Precision. They do a great job at a reasonable price.

Thanks...

Yea Scott is a great guy too.. I've known him since we both worked for Keeler Volvo years ago. I'm going to go to him for anything I can't do myself.
--
'94 855 5spd 'Drew' My E-Bay Ride 202,000 Miles

Hi - the thing that scares me about e-bay is... I have no chance to take a look at the car, or have my mechanic check it out before I buy it. Or, is there a conditional clause you can put in?

Whenever I do a wider search, I do see something I like, and I just get depressed (well, not really) 'cause I can't have it.

If I were single, I'd actually drive/fly around to find a good one. Wouldn't that be fun?

Btw, I'm getting no work done these days...

You may want to check with solidcars.com, here in Denver. He has a very good reputation, and I have a mech at McDonald Volvo just down the street in Littleton, that will thoroughly check the car out. He seems to have a fairly good inventory, and it moves. Just a thought....

Thanks, but I'm in MA...

I did think about doing a national search, but logistically, it seems too
complicated. I don't want anyone do any work unless I see/check it myself
and like it.

Thanks again.

Air fares aren't too bad right now. Could make it a cool vacation thing..

if u'r getting a glt, stick with model year 97 or higher, cause that's when volvo upgraded the engine from na to light pressured turbo, resulting in significant power enhancement. i like the 850 better than the prev gen 70...more characteristic in styling, the new 70 series aka 60/80series is just...a little weird. but happy hunting anyway.

I did a lot of looking too, and finally got a '97 na wagon with 110K on it for under $11,000 from a dealer in NJ. It had an oil leak and other stuff wrong, not revealed to me by the dealer. Have your car checked out. I love my 850
Good luck & Have fun