Dear Norm,

Good p.m. and hope this finds you well. I've never owned a 960. Here are some thoughts on buying a car, sight unseen.

(a) You must be able to get maintenance records, that show Ώ] oil changes done every 5K miles/9K km; ΐ] timing belt changed at factory-recommender interval [varies on 960s; on 940s it is 50K miles on B230F or 100K miles on B230FD]. You can these records from previous owner or from a dealer,if the car was taken to one. To find out which dealer serviced the car, get the CARFAX report. That tells you, where the car lived. Call Volvo dealers, ask for "Service Dept". Give them the last 6-8 VIN [vehicle identification number] digits. If they got records, ask about oil change intervals and timing belt changes. An owner, who was diligent about these things, likely got other things done. If you can't get maintenance records, walk away from a 940 and run away from a 960.

(b) If you get maintenance records, you can hire a technician to inspect the car.

(c) There are reliable long-haul car movers (e.g., Dependable Auto Shippers).

(d) Among 960 "quirks", I've heard of on this Board:
Ώ] Avoid 1992 models (problems with porous engine block castings]
ΐ] You MUST get timing belt changed on time - a broken belt wrecks the top of the engine [new head, valves, etc.], which is a costly repair (USD$1,500-2,000).

In short, trawl away. But don't compromise: no service records = no deal.

If someone will "give" you a low miles car, that checks out on CARFAX, have the auto transporter firm deliver the car to a mechanic (of your choice). Get the timing belt changed BEFORE THE ENGINE IS TURNED ON. That is, have the car unloaded onto the garage forecourt, and the pushed into the service bay, where the timing belt will be changed.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

spook

If you're that interested check out ebay motors - volvo- other models. Interestingly enough they can be had for the proverbial song, even some with low mileage. Check out autotrader.com for pricing as well. I don't know what it takes to get a used car into Canada but it might be interesting. Check out the 700/900 FAQ for the section on buying a 960. The 900 series is not without its problems or its detractors, hence, the reasonably attractive prices. A word to the wise. Go in with your eyes wide open and a firm hand on your wallet before executing the buying procedure. You might also do a search of the archives using the words, "buying a 960" or "bought a 960".

I don't know a whole lot about them, except that they seem to be extreamly nice rwd bricks, with very nice trim. They also seem to represent a good value in the used car market.