1994 Volvo 850 review from North America

Cruise control did not work - replaced vacuum line to fix.

Bad oil leaks - replaced front crank and cam seals, need to replace rear main seal.

Heated seats don't work - never bothered looking into it.

Thermostat went bad.

Replaced all shocks and struts - normal wear item.

Rear caliper seized.

Bad window regulator.

Somethings up with the sunroof causing it to sit crooked when closed - have not fixed yet.

Odometer gear - common to fail on these cars.

A.B.S. does not work - still need to look into it.

I needed a car and wanted a manual trans, but really did not want to go with a Honda or Toyota because everyone has one. I came across this high mileage Volvo and at first was kinda worried about the mileage, but after I took it for a test drive and heard it run, I could tell it was a good car with lots of life left in it. It needed normal stuff like the suspension replaced, brake work, and some steering components.

The biggest problem I have with it is a massive rear main seal leak. The transmission needs to be removed to replace it and I am not looking forward to doing it. I kinda hope I can drag it out till the clutch needs replaced so I can do both at once. Other than that, there has been no major problems other than stuff that you would expect from a car of this age.

Many people complain about how expensive these cars are to fix, which they are if you take it to a shop. If you can do the work yourself, you will save tons of money. Parts are cheap if you know where to look and you can still get factory parts at a good price. These cars really are not hard to work on, and if you need help, there are plenty of forums where people can help you out.

Overall, I am a pretty big fan of the car. The 5 speed makes it really fun to drive, and it even has decent power for a non-turbo. Gets almost 30 mpg with out babying it. When I tell people what I drive, they ask why I got that? Once they get in the car and take a drive with me, they admit that they like the car. It is also great for keeping cops from harassing you, they don't even notice the car.

I am hoping I can hit 400,000 miles without any major engine/trans failure. With how much I am driving for work, it shouldn't take long.