Hello all.

This is my first post on this forum. I just came across this site today. I currently own two SAABs (89 900 turbo 198k mi. & 92 9000S 150k mi.). I need to replace the 900 (wife's car) even though I hate having to do it. It still runs strong but is starting to show it's age structurally. I've always liked the look of the 850's as well as the S70's. And I feel that the only fitting replacement to the 900 (other than another SAAB) - would be a Volvo.

I haven't begun the hunt yet. Please tell me what I should focus on when inspecting potential buys. We will probably do most of our searching at volvo dealerships. Please keep in mind though that I am not incredibly savy when it comes to mechanical matters.

Thanks in advance,
-soon to be volvo owner-

I bought a 98 S70 about a year ago and have had ZERO issues. The car had 90K when I bought it and I'm at 112K now. It's comfortable for the 85+ miles I drive everyday and the safety factor is a nice piece of mind.

My only regret is that I didn't go with a turbo - next time :)

Good luck in your search.

You can enter "850 advice" in the search field and find a lot
of previous answers to this question (it comes up weekly).

I would avoid the AWD models unless you really, really need AWD.

If I was looking for a used 850 I'd look at 97 GLT models. They
are well appointed and include a nice low pressure turbo engine.

The 70 series offer a smoother ride and are basically a mid-life
kicker update of the 850s. My wife has a 95 850 and I have a 98
S70. Of the two, I prefer the 70 series more as a daily driver (note
that the 70 still has a very "European" ride -- the 850s are just a
bit too stiff, I think). So, a 98 to 00 S70 GLT would also be something
I would look at.

Some say avoid the 98 S70. It does have its share of
problems. But, the powertrain was mostly unchanged from previous
years and is pretty reliable. The other first year bugs should have
been fixed under warranty by the time the car sees the used market.

In 99 Volvo went to electronic throttle body, one coil per
plug, some model's automatic trannys went to a 5 speed, updated electronic
brake distribution, etc. So, 99s also saw quite a few changes compared
to 850s and 98 S70s (although not a lot of problems reported with
these changes so I think Volvo did a good job here).

Hi,

850s and s70s are really nice cars. And I have been lucky with my purchase and did not encounter any big problems. However, there are some owners having troubles with the evaporator, ABS control unit, heater... My experience for the time being is only minor things (relay, 1 control arm, muffler), my car has 103k on it and it had 93 when I bought it december 2001.

Almost everybody agrees that you shouldn't buy the first year models of them (93&94 for 850, 98 for s70). Other than that if you are performance oriented you should get a turbo (at least a low pressure turbo, GLTs from 97 and on). And complete servic records are almost a must to have. Good luck with your search.
ihsan

I love my 1993 850 GLT. . .
--
1993 850 GLT 92,000 miles