hi all,

tomorrow i'm looking at this '94 850 w/ 144,000 miles on it, (auto/leather) which they're asking $5,900 for. i'm interested but concerned as i've heard that the 850 tends to need more repairs than other volvo's. among the familiar 850 woes, this car stacks up like this:

has a new a/c evaporator
has the orig. tranny (will ask if flushed/maintained)
rear main seals were replaced three years ago
ABS module - don't know.

what do you think? could i expect to need a new trans with this soon? anything else i should look carefully at???

i've had a couple 245's and liked them, tempted to get another one, but the 850's i've tested seem to drive soooo nice. for long term reliability, i'm i better off sacrificing performance and going with a 240 over an early model 850???

i'd truly appreciate any feedback!

thanks,
byron

well, its a beautiful car, obviously given TLC but i think i'll pass on it for now. really hard though cuz it drives like a dream and it's my favorite volvo color (deep blue!).
i could probably get it for $5,000, seller and i are both mulling it over.

but its not a turbo, though its otherwise loaded. and despite all they've done with it (almost brand new michelins, for ex.) they weren't able to produce receipts of tranny flushes, and that kinda scares me.

so i'm gonna look a bit more. if i'm gonna spend between $5 - $6,000, it'd be nice to have the turbo and few less miles.

actually just noticed a 940 wagon online i might check out, as i've been told they have fewer problems. any thoughts on pros/cons between the 850 and 940?

thanks for all the great feedback!
byron

You didn't say if this is a GLT or Turbo, or what other options it may have (TRACS, winter package, ECC, etc.), but the price seems very high for a '94 with that many miles. Check with edmunds.com for an estimate of used values. I'm guessing <$4000.

Gerald C

I have the same car. Other than the usual stuff that flakes out
on these cars..... cruise control, dash bulbs etc, stuck lifters in the wintertime, and various interior
pieces that snap off.......you should be O.K. Check the other replies...
...they are dead on. If the prior owner was a maintenace freak....i.e.

tranny flush every 20K
cap, rotor, plugs, wires as scheduled
timing belt replacement at 70K
other belts
oil change every 3K
rotors, pads, brake flush as scheduled
coolant flush every other year
etc.

you should be o.k.

My only other comment is if it's a turbo, then you might be in the
right ball park..... pricewise, if not then it seems a little pricey
for a stock 850 with 144K.

Good Luck!

Back in Februrary 2002 I bought a '94 854 N/A for $9,995 (!) from a local Volvo dealer. The car had 70k and was a creampuff with all records and documents. It was in like-new condition. I haven't had to fix a THING 16,000 miles later and it has been the best Volvo I have owned to date. If you're buying an 850, I would definitely recommend you be willing to spend a little more for a car that has been very well taken care of. I have seen many 850's for much less than what I paid for but there are many repairs waiting to be had on such cars. If you're buying from a private owner, make sure they cared about their 850 as much as you will. When meticulously cared for (like any car), 850's will last a very long time and hold up exceptionally well. Unfortunantely, 850's don't take neglect or abuse as well as most other cars would (200's, 700's, and 900's included.) My 2 cents. Good luck and have fun!! The car that you have described sounds good, but I feel 144k is a little high for the price they are asking. 144k for a '94 shows that it was someone's daily driver, and if they have maintained it as often as they drove it, it should still be in very good shape. Give it a very good look over before making a decision, but I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding a similar car for sale.....

Is the car N/A or a Turbo model? I think it sounds like a good deal to me, especially if it's a Turbo. The tranny should be fine if it wasn't thrashed around by the previous owner, and if ATF was changed regularly. If it's a new A/C evaporator then that's one major expensive(repair) out of the way. Also make sure that timing belt was replaced at least twice. From what I hear on the forum 144k isn't THAT high of mileage for these cars as they tend to last a long time. GOOD LUCK!



--
'95 Volvo 854 Turbo: Gold Edition
K&N Air Filter, Leather, 6 disc CD-changer, Rear Spoiler
tinted windows

I've got a 96 850 GLT BLK w/145k fully loaded that's in excel condition that I'm considering selling for not much more than that. Personally, I think 5,900 is a little steep for a 94. I would shop around and not rush into this purchase


Jim