Faults:

Air conditioning evaporator at 170,000kms. Apparently this is a common problem, and a 3rd party evaporator is recommended - cost $1,200.

That is all that has gone wrong with this car. Other than some minor things, which are not worth mentioning, such as replacement wiper blades $10, and a brake light bulb $5, this car has been incredibly reliable for the last 30,000 kms.

I should point out that I do all of my own servicing every 10,000 kms. It takes about 2 hours of my time, and for a total cost of under $100 she gets new oil and filters.

I won't be surprised to see these cars on the road in another 15 to 20 years.

General Comments:

This car has been an absolute pleasure to own. This is my first Volvo, which I purchased to get the kids to and from school as well as commuting to work. Effectively an A to B vehicle that is both reliable and comfortable. This 850 passes with flying colours, it is one of the most comfortable cars I have driven with every comfort that you need; all electrics, leather interior, CD player, good sound, cruise control etc etc.

My first impressions of the car were that it is a bit of a brick, and not the sexiest thing going around, but sitting inside I felt immediately comfortable in the leather seats, which look as new as the day this thing came off the factory line. I am really impressed with the quality of material, even the driver seat has no scuff marks that are usually evident on entry.

This car is a lot of value for money, I feel very safe with the solid build and 4 airbag package. The body on this car is perfect for its age, I'm sure these things are built with thicker steel than your average car. It also has a built in roll bar across the center of the roof.

The car is not fast by any stretch, however the 5 cylinder engine is adequately powered without being thirsty, this model is the one before the 20v update engine. If you are after some power, there are T5 and R versions that are turboed for extra joy, but I suspect these may be ultimately less reliable than the naturally aspirated models.

My other car is a 2007 Holden Omega, and while this is not as quick, it is definitely more comfortable to drive, which I think is testimony to the quality of Volvo in the 90's.

If you are looking for an old second car to get around in, this is well worth a look.

My friends did have a laugh at me at first at getting this car, and while I didn't fall in love with it at first sight, I cannot see myself letting go of this gem!

Faults:

LHS outer CV boot is perishing, will need replacement (~$200AUD)

Slight knocking sound in front suspension, mechanic informs me nothing damaging, just a bit of an annoyance.

Leather seats a little worn.

Boot light automatic function inoperative (i.e. light does not turn off when shut the boot)

Driver's side reading light switch faulty.

Heating fan can "hum" and vibrate at low speeds (1 and 2) from time to time.

Nothing major as yet.

General Comments:

After driving a manual Volvo 240 that belonged to my parents, it was time to get my own car. There wasn't much of a choice for me, I knew I wanted a Volvo from the fantastic impression the 240 left me with, but something a little more modern/safer. My family have since got two other 850s for themselves, a GLE and T-5 (which have been interesting in terms of comparison with mine).

I chose this 1996 (model year) Volvo 850 S that has ABS and four airbags (two front, two side) which is still not standard in many Australian cars yet. Managed to pick it up for $4500 from an engineer who was leaving for work in another country and had a quick sale.

Had the car for about a year now and put 20,000kms on the clock. Coming from a reasonably zippy manual to this fairly sedate automatic took a little getting used to, but I now love it. This car is certainly no speed freak (the turbo T-5 is a COMPLETELY different matter!), and manages 0-100kmh in about 11 seconds. The car likes to take off slowly, unless you really stick your foot on it, in which case it will give a fairly good take-off. I always drive with the transmission mode in ECONomy (as opposed to SPORT), which is geared, as the name suggests, for economical driving, and will shift up at lower revs more quickly than in sport mode. In sport mode, the transmission is much more aware of your foot movements on the pedal, anticipating and shifting down well when you want it to. It also has a winter mode, which locks out 1st/2nd and starts the car in 3rd, allowing you to accelerate on slippery surfaces such as ice without wheelspin. This is great when you park on a wet lawn on a slope or something without digging it up. Overtaking performance is good enough, although it can have trouble holding highway speeds on a slight climb in overdrive with A/C on. 5 cyl engine has a lovely sound.

Fantastically reassuring car to drive. Handling is great, one if its best qualities, a bit "squidgier" around bends than turbo models, but obviously a little more comfortable in terms of a smoother ride. Hugs bends like nothing else, never feel like you're losing it at all. Excellent tight turning radius makes it easy to park, although visibility out of the sedan when reversing is not great. A lot of mirror use necessary.

Fuel consumption around Hobart (lots of hills, only about 10 minutes of highway between my house/city, a lot of stopping and starting in city) is about varies between 11-12L/100km, depending on how much time I spend driving around the city. Exclusively on highways or long journeys will get down to around 8.5L/100km. Not too bad for a two-tonne car.

Interior build quality is excellent, hardly any rattles, and has an excellent sounding 6-speaker sound system. Leather is a little worn in mine as I don't believe previous owners looked after it much and the car spent most of its time basking in the Victorian sun. Paintwork is in excellent condition (apart from usual stone chips/scuffs etc). Excellent heater and air conditioner. Ergonomics are spot-on, as usual with Volvo. Not many buttons but everything is there and simple to use. Heaps of room and seats are exceptionally comfortable, with tilt/reach steering and seats that adjust in every possible way. Only thing I'd add would be an armrest for the inside arm of the passenger/driver.

Transmission can give a tiny jerk changing from 1st to 2nd under light acceleration, but I have been told this is normal for a car with this many ks.

In summary:

Beautiful, luxurious car to drive, reassuring handling, excellent build (still has that lovely Volvo door-shutting "thunk"), very safe and relatively economical. Non-turbos could do with a little more oomph though. Still a joy to drive.