Volvo 850 buying tips - Very old car..

iv-tecman

iv-tecman

iv-tecman

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Anyone on here know what to look out for on a 1995 M registered Volvo 850 2.0 SE? Estate car, looks like crap, but looks fine for my needs. No, I'm not trading the Honda Accord for it.. LOL

I've got the chance to get one with 90K on the clock, 8 months MOT left, no tax, but looks to be in great running order, and bodywork looks fine. Used on a farm, so perfect for me as I'm going to cage it out for transporting two large collie dogs. Back seats will be ripped out, and I will install cages so we can drive the dogs to parks etc...

Wants £495 ono. I'm taking a look tomorrow, and need to know what to look for. Driveshafts, any points to look at for leaks, gearbox etc.. I don't want to spend £500 odd on a car, taxing and then it needs 2K of work doing to it.

Just cus it has MOT doesn't mean a thing.. Im hoping all the tires are 4mm but that's hoping.. Ideas anyone..? Thanks
 
im not sure if thats a part of it but i saw watchdog last night and found out that most volvos share this really bad fault.

apparently when your going fast all of a sudden, a part of the engine goes in a certain mode that only allows the car to go at 30 mph.
i will look in to that on there website.
 
shimy182 said:
im not sure if thats a part of it but i saw watchdog last night and found out that most volvos share this really bad fault.

apparently when your going fast all of a sudden, a part of the engine goes in a certain mode that only allows the car to go at 30 mph.
i will look in to that on there website.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the ' Get you home mode ' Like when Jeremy Clarkson was racing that Jaguar round the Nuerberg Ring in germany on top gear, and the car suddenly dropped to a set speed lol.

Oh and Btw 1995 Isnt old :)

I own a Peugeot 205 1.8 TD thats a K Reg. Has 202000 Miles on the clock lol, Still starts fine every day. Still quite nippy aswell, considering im only 17 :)
 
Agent_Smith357 said:
Since when is 1995 "very old" ?
Click to expand...


Well it's 11 years old... I was only 20 when it was registered in the UK, and I bet it got built 6 months prior to this.. :D

Sorry, I've been used to driving cars no older then 5 years old. I guess it's not old old, but its not new, and at £500 odd its not really anything but old to me.

*I'll get my coat on the way out..!! *
 
That's not old!

Reminds me of when I worked at KK, a vintage VW parts place.. some woman phoned up, she was like 'I've got a really old VW, I need to get a part for it and someone recommended you, but it's really really old'... the guy answering said 'well, try us, thinking she was going to need a part for a Hebmuller or something...'

'It's a mkII Golf'

Made us giggle, we had to put her through to H20 konnection which was for newer bits :D
 
it said it affected a wide variety of cars and it affects manuals as well.
i just thought it might be affected thats all.
 
shimy182 said:
im not sure if thats a part of it but i saw watchdog last night and found out that most volvos share this really bad fault.

apparently when your going fast all of a sudden, a part of the engine goes in a certain mode that only allows the car to go at 30 mph.
i will look in to that on there website.
Click to expand...

Thats nothing to do with 850s, its V70s, XC70, C70 ,S60s and S80s that are affected. From model year 1999 to some in 2002. The problem is the ETM which fails and puts the car in limp home mode.

As for the 850 they are pretty reliable. Nothing should really be a problem at that mileage although the electrics and aircon are worth checking out to make sure they all work ok.

Try checking out
www.vvspy.com
www.volvo-forums.com
http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/

These should have some good advice on buying a second hand 850.
 
The ETM failure only affects Volvos from 1999 to 2002, so it's only the later 850s.

I know this because I've just bought a 2002 S60 :(

Guess I'll be calling Volvo tomorrow.

Full list of cars affected:

VOLVO / 700 2000
VOLVO / 740 2000
VOLVO / 780 1999
VOLVO / 850 1999-2000
VOLVO / 855 2000
VOLVO / C70 1999-2002
VOLVO / C70 CONVERTIBLE 1999-2001
VOLVO / COTTRELL 1999
VOLVO / S40 2000-2001
VOLVO / S60 1999-2002
VOLVO / S70 1999-2000
VOLVO / S80 1999-2001
VOLVO / S90 1999
VOLVO / V40 2000-2001
VOLVO / V70 1999-2002
VOLVO / V70XC 1999-2001
VOLVO / V90 1999
VOLVO / VOLVO 1999-2001
VOLVO / X70 1999
VOLVO / XC70 2001
 
Mohinder said:
That's not old!

Reminds me of when I worked at KK, a vintage VW parts place.. some woman phoned up, she was like 'I've got a really old VW, I need to get a part for it and someone recommended you, but it's really really old'... the guy answering said 'well, try us, thinking she was going to need a part for a Hebmuller or something...'

'It's a mkII Golf'

Made us giggle, we had to put her through to H20 konnection which was for newer bits :D
Click to expand...

I take it KK is Karman Konnection? I havent heard anyone mention a Hebmuller since I was into VWs years ago :D
 
o dear... we got a 740 (F reg) auto but its on SORN. just before we got our new car the part that controls the engine speed at start so the engine to cutout failed. there for we had to keed the engine reving a bit untill the engine got warm enough.
it got quite enoying... and so got the almera GTi ;)
 
[DOD]Asprilla said:
The ETM failure only affects Volvos from 1999 to 2002, so it's only the later 850s.

I know this because I've just bought a 2002 S60 :(

Guess I'll be calling Volvo tomorrow.

Full list of cars affected:

VOLVO / 700 2000
VOLVO / 740 2000
VOLVO / 780 1999
VOLVO / 850 1999-2000
VOLVO / 855 2000
VOLVO / C70 1999-2002
VOLVO / C70 CONVERTIBLE 1999-2001
VOLVO / COTTRELL 1999
VOLVO / S40 2000-2001
VOLVO / S60 1999-2002
VOLVO / S70 1999-2000
VOLVO / S80 1999-2001
VOLVO / S90 1999
VOLVO / V40 2000-2001
VOLVO / V70 1999-2002
VOLVO / V70XC 1999-2001
VOLVO / V90 1999
VOLVO / VOLVO 1999-2001
VOLVO / X70 1999
VOLVO / XC70 2001
Click to expand...

This list isnt correct Ive just checked on Vadis the 850 wasnt made after 97 then the V70 took over, as did the C and S models replacing the old number designated models(in 97). The 700 and 855 models dont exist either in the Uk(although they may be American models). The V40 also uses a different ETM to the cars affected so isnt.
 
A friend has an 850 2.5 20V with 165k miles and it's still feels nice to drive. No major faults at all, though he just had to replace the fuel pump relay as it kept cutting out, quite a common fault IIRC. Don't expect the 2.0L to be a ball of fire though, it's a fair sized old bus.
 
Mohinder said:
That's not old!

Reminds me of when I worked at KK, a vintage VW parts place.. some woman phoned up, she was like 'I've got a really old VW, I need to get a part for it and someone recommended you, but it's really really old'... the guy answering said 'well, try us, thinking she was going to need a part for a Hebmuller or something...'

'It's a mkII Golf'

Made us giggle, we had to put her through to H20 konnection which was for newer bits :D
Click to expand...

It made you giggle? Don't forget the Mk2 Golf was introduced in what, 1984?

Thats a 'really old' car in anyones books, IMHO.
 
The only real faults on 95/96 850s seem to be
1) air con evaporator rotting due to no air filter
2) rotors warping due to incorrectly torqued alloys
3) abs module failure (show as rear abs sensor failure)
4) engine mounting bushes failing and engine rotation splitting exhaust downpipe
5) rear oil seal leaking (needs engine/gearbox partly dismounting to fix and a few hours labour)
6) fuel pump relay/camshaft position sensor failures

The 2l was fairly gutless, but ok if you get it cheap with mot.
 
[TW]Fox said:
Thats a 'really old' car in anyones books, IMHO.
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No, sorry, 1982 isn't "really old" in my book! '72 yes, '82 No.

Your age ,perhaps, alters your perception of "old"
I remember seeing 1982 cars when they were brand new! :o

My father, born in 1938, would think different again.
 
[DOD]Asprilla said:
The ETM failure only affects Volvos from 1999 to 2002, so it's only the later 850s.
Click to expand...

The "later 850s" being the S70/V70 then - launched on a 97R. My Dad's run a '97 V70 2.5 from new and it's never given a jot of trouble. He keeps clouting things with it but that's not the poor car's fault!

The 2.5 10v is nicer than the 2.0 as it's a big heavy thing and the fuel consumption is hardly worse.
 
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