The right side headlight wiper on my Volvo does not work. The estimate from the dealer is to replace the wiper motor for $280 or so.

Any suggestions on how i could maybe purchase one online or from a store and install it myself

Any tips tricks or suggestions are MORE than Welcome!!

I replaced the wiper blades on my ma-in-law's '97 960 last year. I bought some cheapo replacement windsheild wiper blades, then used sharp shears to cut them down to size. good luck

do a sway bar upgrade or exhaust upgrade....money well spent.

Although the car did come with those, they're really worthless devices if you think about it. Non of my cars have ever had that feature yet I can still see fine at night w/o them. Most people wash their cars periodically or wipe obvious dirt off the headlamps if it becomes an issue, usually in winter.
The ONLY time I ever need to clean my headlamps only is in winter when heavy salt can worsen the headlamps efficiency, otherwise you'll never really them.

Wilde and Jenkins seem to both have a VERY high retail on most parts. Higher than a lot of other Volvo dealers. I think my last purchase from Fields Volvo in Libertyville, was cheaper than either Milwaukee dealer would do. I have to say, however, that a lot of people in BOTH Parts & Service at Jenkins, have been very nice to me. In fact, they've gone far out of their way a few times, to get good answers for technical questions that I've asked when buying parts. That's worth something to me personally, although I do buy a lot elsewhere simply because of price.

If you're in Milwaukee proper, or the closer 'burbs, try Pinkey's Capital Auto Body. Ask for Rick. They buy literally hundreds of salvaged Volvos a year, and a lot of them are, of course, 850s. Naturally a lot of cars have front end damage so I can't really comment on how common that part would be, but they are literally a HUGE operation in the Volvo recycling business. Nice body work also. Their prices seem to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 1/2 new retail which isn't cheap. But that's much better than almost $300.

If you aren't familiar with Pinkey's, they're just south of Capitol Drive on Richards St (less than a mile from Jenkins).

Pinkeys and RP Motors are the big Volvo salvage buyers in southeastern Wisconsin and even northern IL. RP Motors doesn't sell used parts to retail customers, though--they recycle for their own inventory mostly. Because of the volume purchased by these two, the used Volvo parts market is pretty much limited to Pinkeys. And rightfully so--they've built quite a name.

Otherwise for new parts, you could give a shot to Borton Volvo in Minneapolis. Their parts quotes that I've gotten on other Volvo parts have been great.
--
1992 940 wagon, 72k
make people envious; smile often.

If you decide to just remove the motors, there is a rubber, oval-shaped trim plug available from Volvo to cover the hole. My '86 240 has these plugs, and the opening is the same size as the 850's.

Leon

How about disconnecting the OTHER one? Unless you live on a mud road or above the Arctic Circle I don't think the headlight washers are very helpful. I DO think the headlight stoneshields available from iPd for $$ are VERY helpful, since the headlights are $$$ if they get hit by a rock. I've lost 1 headlight, one iPd stoneshield, snd 1 foglight to rocks s far. The wipers don't really work too well with the stoneshields, since the dirt accumulates UNDER the shields.

If everything MUST work, you could also find a wreck, or ask one of the Volvo recyclers like Erie Volvo, or one of the Volvo parts discounters like Nils Sefeldt/Volvo of Houston of Verrigni Marine (see pull down menu.)

You seem to have enough do-it-yourself projects on your car to keep you out of trouble for half the Summer! Good luck!

$280.....hmmmmm........a Valentine-1 is only $399..............

-Punxsutawney Phil