1996 Volvo 850 Turbo wagon 2.3 turbo from North America

Summary:

A sweet car that will stand the test of time with some work

Faults:

Not much. Only little things. Wiper arm needed to be replaced and upper engine mount. Very DIY stuff.

General Comments:

Let's get one thing out of the way. This is a 15 year old car now. Do not buy this car if you have no idea how to work on a car. You will pay the price at the dealer. Not sure why? Parts are cheap and are very easy to work on.

Much better then any Japanese car I've had in the past. Don't be fooled by what people say. This is a very well made car. On par with BMW and Benz of the same year.

The car is fun to drive if you want to be under cover. No one will look at you. The cops don't see you. Or the chicks. LOL. What you get is a sleeper from the pits of hell! With less than a 1000 bucks, it can run with any sports car made. No lie. The 850 is great for road trips with some of the best seats ever put in a car. Can pack almost anything you want in the back, and the car never feels over worked.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 24th February, 2011

22nd Nov 2011, 20:54

Well the 850's life came to a end. Wife got hit. Total loss. Thank you Volvo for making such a safe car. She walked away from a 50 mph side impact. Not a full t-bone. Hit towards the engine. Spun the car 90° into another car. I even drove the car back home! The other two had to be towed. Replaced with '98 V70R. We both hate the V70. They look nicer, but feel cheaper.

21st Dec 2011, 07:27

I don't understand, why did you vote NO for "buying another car from this manufacturer" after such praise?

In reply to 21st Dec 2011, 07:27

1st May 2019, 16:11

I agree. Why did you vote negative on this car, when you said such great things about it? Unless your vote was a mistake. These Volvos are amazing cars. There is one on CL now in my area for 1299.00 with 129K on it, and in great condition. If I had a place to store it, I'd buy it up as fast as I could.

1996 Volvo 850 GLT 2.4 5 cylinder from North America

Summary:

On the plus side, it's being crushed this weekend after I take delivery of a new vehicle

Faults:

The better question would be, what hasn't gone wrong?

The seats are worn, but I'm not going to slate Volvo for that, that's just general wear and tear.

Now on to the vehicle itself. So far, I've had to replace the dash unit once every 30k miles, because the odometer stops reading the mileage.

I fix an oil leak every 4,000 miles, and have to add a quart of oil every 750-1000 miles. When I fix a leak, another one starts in a different location, it's almost a game now called find the hidden leak.

It gets terrible gas mileage, around 23 highway miles mpg.

Here's a list of what I've had to replace: upper radiator hose, radiator, plugs and wires 8 times, various other hoses, fixed the 3rd brake light I don't even know how many times so far; I know it's more than 10; the last time I just soldered the connections.

It won't pass smog as it's a schedule 34 vehicle in CA, which means it absolutely will not pass smog, because it won't clear out enough monitors, so I have to take it to a referee station.

I spent $5400 on the vehicle when I took ownership, and have sunk probably the same amount in fixing it and just keeping it going.

General Comments:

Maybe I just got a lemon, but this car is a piece of garbage. Nothing but a mechanical failure fueled nightmare.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 28th June, 2010

27th Jul 2011, 14:36

It definitely sounds like you got a lemon, though a couple of those problems, like the worn seats, and the constant need to replace the odometer are common in these cars, and are currently things that I need to fix in my 850.

15th Dec 2011, 10:52

Worn seats?? What a lemon. The odometer is a 10$ part you can get off eBay, and a 30 minute DIY fix.

16th Dec 2011, 12:54

With 200000 miles on the clock, I don't think you got a lemon.

If driven normally, the gas mileage is not so bad.

The seats are top quality. Mine, after 15 years of use, still look new.