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hi guys i am new to this site and was thinking about getting an 850 t5 as i have been offered quite a clean example with histroy and was just wondering about the model and anything that i should be looking for as i have never owned one and dont know alot about the make i come from a vw background mainly mk2 golfs so any help and advice would be greatly appreciated cheers guy for all your help in advance :)
 

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You haven't metioned how many miles it has or how many previous owners.

I personally wouldn't look at it unless it comes with a genuine, fully documented, service history. That is the starting point.

If it has been well maintained then the log book should give you a good idea of what and when everything has been done and also what probably needs doing in the near future.

Failing that, the timing belt age/mileage is critical because if it lets go, it will probably destroy the engine.

Check for crankcase pressure, oil leaks (especially around the rear crakcase seal) as this is an expensive repair job.

Also the A/C is known to have problems - run it through it's paces to see if it cools the cabin area adequately as Volvo A/Cs are also very expensive to repair.

Suspension and brakes need to be thoroughly checked over as they tend to go through rotors fairly quickly.

A crook Volvo can turn out to be an expensive pain-in-the-a$$, but if you happen to buy a good one, they are very reliable, roomy, comfortable and a really delightful vehicle to own, and you will soon find yourself loving it to death.
 

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I disagree with Sulley on the documentation. You don't need a fully documented vehicle to have a good buy. I owned my 97 850-R from new and didn't have full documentation. What I did have was a Volvo mechanic that knew every square inch of the car as I did. What I would look for? Rear main leak-happens around 90K mark. Broken dash mounts-expensive to fix. Brakes are throw away and easy to fix. Timing belt-if it breaks you are in for a new engine, make sure it is immediately replaced. A/C-have a GOOD mechanic check it. Suspension--I lost my car at 160K due to a fire, but I had never replaced any suspension components except the strut mounts on top because they were cracked. Check engine mounts. Simply put, pay $100 to a GOOD Volvo mechanic and have them do a once over and if they give it a green light then buy it.
 
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