1995 Volvo 850 GLE Wagon review from North America
"Honda Odyssey price with Ford Taurus reliability. Handles and hauls very comfortably."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
All maintenance & repair work except starter rebuild were done by authorized Volvo service centres per Volvo maintenance and inspection schedules, from brand new.
Listed below are exceptional repairs beyond routine maintenance, tire replacement and body work, costing over $90 CAN for parts & labour:
90 (90,000 km:left side mirror defrost in-op
108: headlight glass broken on highway
111: front stabilizer link replacement
119: engine rear crank seal failure
121: transmission coolant line failure, transmission in-op
128: rear spring rebound rubber replacement
137: front stabilizer link replacement (warranty from 111 job)
143: left side mirror defrost failure
148: front brake rotor replacement
153: right lower ball joint replacement
162: rear tailgate wiper transmission failure
166: front stabilizer link replacement (not covered by warranty from 137 replacement - missed by 11 days, but Volvo Canada would not budge)
169: console transmission lever indicator light failure
169: rear brake rotors replaced
173: starter rebuild
175: sudden brake hose failure at l/f wheel, loss of brakes
175: left front axle seal failure
175: engine mount torque arm bushing failure
176: head gasket failure.
General comments?
Excellent ergonomics and safety features. Goes well in snow with 4 snow tires.
Great utility and comfort, but reliability disappointing and repair costs are expensive.
Rear crank seal failure and transmission coolant line failure had high potential for serious engine/transmission damage.
Brake failure had high accident potential.
No serious rust yet after 7 winters of heavily salted Canadian roads.
Recommended Reviews:
  | Great car if you plan on keeping it for a while and investing the money to keep it running |
| I have owned this car for a year, and still look forward to driving it every day |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | B5252S 5 cylinder 2.4L 10v 142 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 5/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 82000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 176000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 13th April, 2002 |