Best value available
No problems during ownership.
Replaced tires at 50,000 miles.
This car was a pleasure to own and drive. Without the turbo and all-wheel-drive, it is very cheap to run.
Seats are comfortable.
Drives like a sports-car.
25 to 30 mpg.
Replaced with an equally good S70.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 28th February, 2004
The car of my dreams
Odometer stopped.
Motor mount replaced.
Insignificant inside lights failed.
Front brakes warped and were replaced.
O2 sensor replaced.
This was my lipstick-red dream car. It had been hit in the front before I got it and pulled a bit to the right, but still it was effortless to drive 3,000 miles cross country. I drove 60 miles a day on Seattle freeways and it made the difference between hyper-stress and happiness. And it would outrun almost anything on the road. Comfort, great AC and sound, nimble as all get-out. Financial difficulties forced me to downsize payments or I would have it still.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 30th October, 2003
Safe high performance bargain
Nothing has gone wrong with the car. It runs perfect.
The car is very quick off the line, but it struggles when it gets around 95-100. Awsome car. I'm sold on volvo's for life. Interior is good, engine runs strong. I blows the 1989 740 GLE 16 valve away with no problem. It even beat a 1972 164 E.
Can't say enough good things about the car. My best buy ever.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 11th February, 2003
A fun, safe car
Micro-switch in door failed.
Bent a rim.
Cooling fan died (burned), along with control module.
My back window motors sound like they are slowly dying.
One of the motion controls for the driver's seat does not seem to work.
This car is a lot of fun to drive! Fabulous acceleration, responsive steering and braking, and no turbo lag (I wonder how they pulled that one off!!)
The seats are very comfortable - in fact, they are the best I've ever been in. I have driven for 5 hours in the car, and gotten out, feeling like I'd been there for 15 minutes.
Overall, I've not been happy with the dealer, but I've been happy with my own independent mechanic - he does a good job with fair prices.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 11th September, 2002
Honda Odyssey price with Ford Taurus reliability. Handles and hauls very comfortably.
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.
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.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 13th April, 2002
Is the brake problem experienced by other owners as well? I was looking at one of these used, but do not want to put my son in an unsafe car.
I run a taxi company in the UK, and we used to have a fleet of 12 Volvo 850s of varying ages (1993-1996) and mileages (one reached 290,000 miles by the time it was sold).
Over the time the company had the cars (which was from new or nearly new until 150,000 miles minimum), I never experienced the sudden brake failure problem with any of the cars. And they were taxis and worked damn hard.
Generally speaking, they were very reliable; most of the work that was required was standard service items or items that were expected to have a limited life. Had a couple of automatic transmission failures at high mileage, a turbo failure, some suspension replacements and new clutches at 100,000-125,000 miles and a throttle housing replacement. Considering that's over 12 cars, it's not bad.
One thing that always wore out quickly on these cars was the tyres. The front tires always used to wear slightly unevenly, but that's a consequence of a deliberate Volvo design feature.
And they're safe cars too - one of them hit a narrow concrete bridge support at 80mph. The front passenger was bruised, but otherwise unharmed and the driver only received a broken leg. I use the term 'only' because 18 months later a similar accident occurred in the same place. Similar speed, different car of a similar age and size - unfortunately this time there were two fatalities.
30th Nov 2003, 08:42
There are only two T-5's I have seen here in the city (Lexington) one being at the University of Kentucky, it has the bigger anthracite gray colored wheels and a 850 R badge on the rear deck-lid. Wow it looks great! I think it is a 96 or 97, right before the face lift occoured to the rear brake lights. I am looking at a 93 850 and I think its about $4000, but with about 160k (unverified Odo.) It looks like I might own my first Swedish car.