Reliability????

I have a 850 2.5 20V late 96 model (one of the last 850's before coming V70's) It has 145,000 miles now and apart from normal servicing (which I do..oil, oil, air and fuel filters, plugs, even a few cambelt changes (I do mine at a higher frequency than Volvo)) I have had nothing else to do. (I change the waterpump with a cambely change as well)

Dave

IMHO VOLVO cars are reliable and should "go the distance". Sidney

In article , Edward Hayes wrote: :I'm a first time user here and have a question for you hi mileage Volvo :owners. My last Volvo was a P-1800 back in the dark ages. A good dependable :fun vehicle for the 170,000 miles I had it. I now drive a Subaru Forester :which is a great car but I'm thinking S40,S40T,S60 S60-4004.5. The closes :dealer is over 40 miles away and I do all my own light service like :oil/filters/tune-ups and pad changes. How is the long term reliability of :the S series vehicles? I keep cars in excess of 125,000 miles and I don't :need a car that is in need of major or many minor repairs. I would :appreciate any input. Ed Hayes : :

through the 140 series, volvoes were unstoppable. you could drivew them limpingly to a service place no matter what happened. i've done that on long cross country trips.

starting with the 200 series, the electronics have made the cars less and less simple, and more subject to stopping cold when they get old. but this is not any worse than with other cars of the same vintages.

so it you want a bullet-proof car, get a 120 or 140 series (i've had them both). if you just want a pretty damned reliable car, get anything from the 200 series on.

Friends of mine have a V70 (basically S60 technology). They have 130K Kms on it, over the past 3 years. Pretty damn good reliablity considering they took the gamble and got a model year 1 version of the new curvey body style for that wagon (a 2001 model leased in 2000, and bought off lease this year, it must have been good if they bought it). They had a couple problems with the multiplex electrical system, which were fixed by a new module for the rear (fixed under warranty) and a couple software updates from Volvo. There major repair was the complete replacement of the DSTC system, and brakes... Not to scare you but it cost them $5000 to fix, now I asked my dealer about this, and he said sure, it's possible that it could happen, but highly unlikely (was with my father looking at a V70 titanium edition to potentially replace the old 1993 965). My friend said her dealer was in shock when they saw her V70 come in on the back of a flatbed, it's incredibly rare. Yes, the car was driveable, but the red brake system light came on, as well as the DSTC light.... they didn't want to take the chance, Volvo roadside assistance paid for the tow.

Good aspects of the car are the thing looks as good as the day they bought it. No rattles/squeaks. Still has that Volvo leather smell to it (some people hate it... ours went away after about 8.5 years). Car drives so smoothly and effortlessly with the 2.4T engine.... she can get on the highway without breaking 4000rpm quite easily. The transmission shifts so smoothly.... Very nice car all around.

164E. My old one years ago had two major problems happen: 1:Water pump siezed and the fan took out the radiator. Drove it for 10 miles home with no damage to the engine(fan and radiator was toast, though). 2:Radiator hose failed. Zero coolant in the car. I was able to drive it very slowly(top gear at 30mph - low rpms and some air going over the engine) for a mile at a time. Wait 10 minutes for it to cool down again. Repeat. 5 miles to a service station. Fill with water. Drive three miles home.

No damage at all to the engine. Just awe-inspiring confidnece in the durability of the old red block engines.

my 1993 940t...eBay special "experimental volvo" after my 01 s80

2.9... we are runninf the 940t over boosted.."seeing what it will do"...blasting down the deserted wy highways...sudden billowing of white smoke @ 85mph...pulled over...broken heater valve...motor very hot...no coolant...limp 3 miles to phone...towed into laramie wy...(great volvo shop there >> bob@vdr volvo)...discovered i just blew the head gasket...but, motor on these cars can get so hot from coolant problems...all the plastic clamps & electrical connections melt...very expensive...(along w/usual head gasket replacement work)...if i drove a mile...paused, drove another mile like you did...i would have been fine...nice judgement on your behalf...thgese b230's are still a very good platform to "build on"...over engineered, oversized bearings, one or two bearings more than required....