1997 Volvo 850 SE from North America - Comments

Main rear Seal Blew (expensive & common)

Thermostat blew.

Drivers heated seat shorted.

Car has clunks and Rattles.

Dealer Costs are astronomical.

Rear Lift Shocks blew, separated plastic panel from slamming down.

Although it provides a firm comfortable ride, and is renown for safety, the durability has dissapointed me as well as the associated maintenenance costs. The car has very poor hear and is always requiring expensive maintenence (latest is $1400 for rear main seal, timing belt, and hood shocks) I bought this car primarily for safety, but also for for the sake of low cost and reliability where I have been disappointed. My 240 was better.

Don't complain about high repair costs if you are bringing it to the dealership. That's not the cars fault. Try a good independent Volvo shop. Repairs can be done for MUCH cheaper, believe me.

We bought our 1997 Volvo 850 Turbo only 4 months ago. We thought we had gotten a great car because it had only 57,000 miles on it and was in just perfect condition inside and out. We stated having a problem with the air conditioning blowing warm air and took it to our regular repair shop. They checked for leaks in the a/c and found none. Then the next week the head gasket blew out while driving on the interstate. That cost almost $2,000 to fix. We then found out the prior owners had already spent almost $2,000 getting some steering related problem repaired the month before we bought the car. This was a very well cared for car and we were able to get a good trade (on a Lexus) but I wish we had known how expensive these cars were to keep up. It is pretty and has a lot of pep, but it just does not have a solid feel and does not handle well. We would never buy another Volvo. I tried to research on line about what the a/c problem could have been before the head gasket blew and could find nothing. Our repairman called the Volvo company rep and they said it "might" be a leaking head gasket. We took it directly to the dealer, which is an hour away, but it overheated and blew the head gasket before we could get the car stopped and off the road.

If you are some one who is willing to go out of their way to ensure everything is running perfectly, the 1994 to most recent models are not for you. There is always, but always, something wrong with the vehicle. My Lamda sensor keeps coming on, no one knows why, it runs good, but it just comes on and off for no known reason. I also replaced a traction control module too, $400 bucks later, no one knows why it went. The dealer replaced rear brakes seized on one side, heck with going back to them for warranty. They tried to sell me a hub a didn't need too!

There is always something that it needs. The door latch breaking due to heavy doors a few dealers tell me is a common problem with all these models. I also replaced a wheel bearing and ball joint on one side under low mileage which was expensive like anything else ($2,000).

Each time it is in the shop, the dealer told me to expect between $1,200 and 2,000 in repairs. Ouch. It was in the shop every month for almost a year when I first got it serviced by a dealer I hold extrodinarily high in suspect. I paid $14,000 for the used 1997-850, and $11,000 in maintenance. I could have rented a Ferarri for that much. My feet are numb from the engine vibration and 2nd gear clunks, it is a lemmon I tell ya.

A huge, just huge difference was switching dealers. One Toronto dealer was just a total rip off, I could almost swear they ensured it kept coming back for mega buck repairs. Thank goodness they moved recently from the airport area to Mississauga. The other dealer is exponentially more proficient and honest albeit a tad longer drive. I have had very few problems since being serviced there. Even my 240 was always in the shop with this previous dealer when I was a student, when I started servicing the car myself, I never saw them again. These guys were baaaad, big time, I concluded even though they claimed the old crooks they had are gone now, every single face in the shop I saw had been there over 2 decades! At least they have a low turnover I see. I am surprised Volvo hasn't been notified on the reputation they were giving this vehicle or whether they were must making my car (s) lemmon (s).

The heater fan always goes every few years, but unlike the 240's with expensive labour costs it is easy to get to. A bulb always seems to burn out here and there and its 100 bucks to get fixed in most areas, i.e. console, instrumentation, shifter, for the labour to get there.

I learned the hard way, American cars for American roads. The good old dependable reputation of a Volvo is shot now, gone. They are a mega lemmon. I do not know how safe they are, but the maintenance to keep it running right is attrocious. The comfort is nice, so is the interior leather, and I also like the appearance. If only it ran as well as it appeared. I didn't get a Benz for the sake of seeming pretencious, I regret that decision now.

Unless you lease a new one every 2 years at most, they are a pain and expensive. Too much money for too little. German cars are exponentially better. These lemmons should depreciate as extreme as the Saab for all the trouble they are worth and cause.

The dealer that was beside the airport is gone. There have been numerous complaints about them. They have a reputation for fixing the cars to come back. I figured this was why they are gone now. Poor Mississauga.

A third party service shop is always cheaper so long as they know Volvos.

No doubt the 240 is a less problematic car than the 850. I do think the 850 is still a much better than average car compared to most though. They are solidly built like a Volvo and will last well over 200k miles if taken care of. They are much more high-tech and gadget-filled than the 240, so more is bound to go wrong. It's a trade off really. The 240 is more dependable, but the 850 is far more refined and luxurious and a tad more fuel efficient. I loved my '85 240, but it was such a very noisy car. It was also rather cramped considering the size, fuel thirsty (25mpg at best), handled terribly, and was painfully unrefined. Funny enough, it's still a very good car and highly sought after.

I also don't agree with the comment that all Volvos are lemons. Are there any cars on this site that all have positives AND made within the last few years??? All modern cars are more complicated than old ones and when they break they are more expensive - that's a fact - get over it! However, I still have faith in Volvo. My high mileage S70 has never wanted for anything except wear and tear items and I have only had one problem with my last V40. I have owned several Volvos and NONE has ever left me stranded. Over here, in the UK, they are also bloody good value - you can't get close with a German car and I don't want to lower myself to a tacky/not as safe Japanese car - why? They couldn't even be any more reliable than my Volvos!!!

I totally agree with the last comment. I have owned 1 Volvo, which was extremely dependable and very affordable to own. Cheap to buy and cheap repair costs from an independent Volvo shop. My mother is on her second Volvo. Her next car will probably be her third Volvo. They are an excellent value. Top safety and dependability for the lowest price used in its class. No other brand can match these Volvos for reliability at as low of a cost to buy. I'm currently in the market for my soon to be second Volvo. For my price range used, any other comparable luxury car would easily be double the price for same year and mileage. No joke! I've been doing tons of research. So much for that nice used Lexus, Bimmer, etc. Twice the price! Hardly worth it. And why would I step down to something like an Accord or Camry for the same cost? Silliness!

Jeff Dunsworth Volvo Specialists located outside Hubbards, NS, is the best volvo mechanic you will find. He and his crew are the bomb!!!