1996 Volvo 850 T (LW56) from Denmark - Comments

Volvo 850T (LW56) 1997 and other tales

From Denmark, where car tax (180%) makes buying cars a serious business.

In 2005 I owned a Volvo 240 from 1988 (bought in 1992 with 60.000km on the tacho) and a Volvo 945 estate turbo (bought new in 1998, price with the current exchange rate $70.000!). The 240 was starting to show it's age by way of rust (we use a lot of salt on the roads during the winter). Anyway, a replacement was needed and one showed up. A friend of a friend.. had a 1994 850 (forget power windows and similar extras) for sale. It was never anybody's love of their life, - when my trusty mechanic looked through the drivers door the day we bought it his reaction was: Does anybody live in here? Well it was a bargain 210.000km and only $12.500 (remember the 180%). My mechanic changed all fluids, front struts and other parts necessary for the survival of the driver and the car. Little else was changed for the next year (the automatic belt tension system and belt for cooling pump and generator was changed later). After 10.000 miles in my possession, on a sunny day in the summer 2006, just before I reached my home, a smell of gasoline leaked into the cabin. The only thing that went through my mind was: my gasoline spare container is not in the car! when a sound like that of an old oil furnace that eventually starts up, whouffff, came from the engine compartment. I do not have to explain more. Cut the engine and going downhill I reached my home. After fetching the garden hose, I opened the hood (or is it bonnet?) and right I was, lots of fire. From the distance (don't mix burning gasoline and water in your close proximity) I managed to put out the fire. The 850 was beyond repair, but my insurance accepted the case. My local Volvo dealer, where the car ended, said they had never heard about an incident like that before; I believe them.

Now to the 1997 850T.

I still had the old 240, but the situation was the same, it's a nice old car, but I haven't got the time to keep it alive anymore (using too much time working to make the money needed to buy the new car!) (oh, I didn't tell you that we pay 60% tax of the part of our income above $65.000 a year and 25% VAT (also on top of the 180%) ).

A nice 850T from 1997, one owner, 150.000 km (~92.000mls), 193HP, leather trim, air-con, power windows, automatic transmission, a rare thing in Denmark, popped up. I bought it in November '06 and I have no regrets. It's going to have all wheel suspension rubber, engine suspension rubber, brake disks and pads, and front dampers replaced. I don't need to mention that all fluids and belts are to be replaced as well. It totals to $3000, including installation. You never know how the old owner treated the car, no matter what the official Volvo book tells. My goal is to have a car that will run for the next 100.000km without other trouble than the 10.000mls service. It drives like a wonder; I can't wait to have back from the mechanic.

From a tax ribbed, but happy Danish Volvo owner.

Drive carefully out there.

Drives like a dream.

Wow! I thought 6% sales tax was high; it sounds like you have to move to the U.S.A. Denmark is a very nice country, but how can people afford anything there?

Though highly taxed, several worldwide surveys have ranked Denmark on the top when it comes to the general satisfaction and happiness of the population - strange world, isn't it?

Maybe it is due to our low crime rate, no guns allowed outside sports shooting clubs, free medical treatment and hospitals, low poverty rate, social benefits you could only dream of while our unemployment rate is less than 5% and a population with a high level of education.

So we grumble when we buy a new car and when we pay our taxes and when we fill our expensive cars with gas. The rest of the time (which is the most of the time) life is nice.

Back to the basics, - my 850 LW56 is still running (now 205.000km / 13 years) but has started to show it's age (like myself, at 54).

Since my original comments the crankshaft seal towards the automatic gearbox has been changed ($2500) and the head gasket has been changed due to water pump failure ($2800).

Surface corrosion on the exterior is beginning to appear. The original paint changes between blue and green depending on the viewing angle. Nice when the car is new but very difficult (read expensive) to repair.

From the time I bought the 850 (@150.000km) the power brakes has constituted a problem. With varying intervals (1 - 6 months) the power assistance suddenly disappears and excessive force on the pedal is necessary to make the car stop. It happens both during the summer (-holiday) after an extended ride on German highways at +200km/h (very unpleasant) and in the Danish winter immediately after starting the engine.

The automatic gearbox has never been 'smooth' while I've had the car, but it is not getting better.

Still, like the fool I am, my next car could very well turn out to be a Volvo, - maybe an S80, since there is no replacement for the 945/965/V90, or a V70.

On the other hand, now Volvo is a Ford I might consider changing to Mercedes Benz.

Volvo since 1986.