I'm on my third 240. Recent hail damage have got me pondering replacing it with a wagon. I'd been thinking of a late 90's 850 but recent posts on this Forum have got me thinking that maybe a 940 or 940T would be less trouble. Not quite as sporty, I suppose, but satisfying in a sort of a brickish way. So what do you think? Opinions, anyone? I'm especially interested in hearing from those who've owned both. For a sort of perspective on my relative "trouble threshold", by way of comparison, I don't maintain my own cars but think my maintenance on my 240 (fairly typical of the breed), is "reasonable".

Thoughts?

Thanks, in advance for any replies,

Markus
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As you have probably gathered, maintenance on the 850s will be more expenseive that your 240's. I am currently driving a 940t (92) and love it, but am thinking about going to a 97 850t5. My mother has a 96 855T and the thing is awesome. We had the tranny changed, but that was due to it having been stolen and the guys trashed it. Not necessarily Volvo's fault on that one. She is having trouble with the A/C that seems to be common. Her driver's seat is busted, so that needs be fixed. And the tranny micro switch. Other than that, there haven't been any issues other than normal wear and tear items such as squeeks here and there.

In researching my own purchase of the 850t5 I called my Volvo tech and he said that with the later model 850's, tranny problems are much less common. He claims that the '93s were the real problem years, so I would definatetly stay away from them. He can replace the ac evap core for 1100.00, which isn't cheap, but I have seen quotes higher, so be aware of that. (as high as 2 grand).

Not often mentioned, but on both the 850 and 940 turbos, tires will cost you more since they are wide and on 16" rims. Just somehting to think about.

The 940 that I have is really easy to work on if you should decide to do some of the work yourself. I highly recommend that. I don't toucht the enigne, but can do pretty much all the other stuff with little to no experience (these boards are great for info, as you know).

As for the fun aspect, I have loved the 940t. It has a good bit of get up and go and rides really well. The reason I am thinking of getting the 850 is purely out of style and speed. I think they are more refined, comfortable, and fun, which I am willing to pay a little extra for.

anyway,
my thoughts on the 940 and 850. I am sure others will have more.

Sam

Hi, I own both of the above cars and have answered this question a few times. The '94 944 I have has 175k on it and runs pretty good. The 854 I have has around 88k on it and has been trouble-free since I bought it with 72k on it (knock on wood). They are both pretty durable, but I feel the 940 being more rugged than the 850. Bottom line is that 850 can be more maintenance-intensive if the previous owner neglected it. If you find a well-maintained 850 that feels REALLY well-taken care of, go for the 850. It's niceties and feel are superb to the 940. If you want another rugged RWD car, opt for the 940. I use my 940 as a daily beater car for work (I haul people around all day), and use the 850 maybe once every two weeks or so. I really miss the 850 everytime I get in and drive it. The ride is much nicer than a 940. But FWD cars have a terrible turning radius compared to RWD Volvos, not a pleasant suprise in traffic. Your choice, but above all, give any car you are considering buying a good look-over, and remember, a better car for cheaper ALWAYS comes around after you buy your used car, so don't be in a hurry.

There may be a vast difference in turning radius between your 9 and your 8, but the 8 is nothing to complain about. The 8 I owned had an excellent turning radius comparted to almost every other car I've driven with the exception of a Citroen 2CV I drove in Europe. My Taurus needs twice the space to turn than the 850 and isn't all that much larger.
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96 850 GLT 5-Speed- Sold due to astronomical repair costs.