1997 Volvo 850 R review from North America
"Astonishing car, even with the high mileage!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Head gasket went about two months after I purchased the car. It was not a big deal though because I purchased a bigger turbo.
Had to replace all bushings and had a whole in my gas tank.
Also I replaced the timing belt and water pump.
General comments?
Installed the turbo about two weeks ago, and I have the car running at 1.5 bar. It is truly a beast with the 379 horsepower my dyno test brought me.
I changed the exhaust system to a 3" and upgraded my suspension as well as added a strut bar. I changed the intercooler and added a race cat.
All in all, the car runs amazingly fast, and you can easily take it up to 160 mph+ without any problems. I wouldn't recommend to do these modifications with an automatic transmission, because it will probably not be able to handle the torque. I just love the feeling that I get when someone in a e46 M3 wants to race, and I leave them in the dust. Even if this car is stock, it is a beast and built to last!
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| Love is complicated |
|
| A comfortable luxury car with high costs |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1997 |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 2009 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.3 turbo Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 148741 miles |
| Most recent distance | 152317 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 16th October, 2009 |