I got 38.8 mpg today on the way to work in my 1997 Volvo 850 T5 sedan. But don’t be shocked, it was not representative of a real world drive: 10.4 miles, highway, one way only, and the meter started after I acellerated to highway speed. My usual combined mark is 23 mpg.On 50-mile runs I’ve gotten over 30. But in-town is much lower, sometimes in the 17 range. These 5-cylinder engines have the widest city vs. highway difference of any engine I’ve had in a car.

If your trunk fails to latch when you close it, it could be the receiver. Mine got pushed down somehow, causing a temporarily inexplicably-non-latching trunk when I got my 850 back from u-Haul. (I had them install a trailer hitch.)

Hmm.

After some investigation, I adjusted the receiver loop up (star bolts) and it was once again normal. You have to remove the plastic trim to get to the bolts, but this is trivial.

Overview: How to change the distributor cap and rotor on a 1997 Volvo 850 GLT.

This job requires removal of the battery and then the bottom half of the air filter box in order to reach the bottom screw on the distributor cap. Including taking the photos, the whole job of removal and replacement took 2 hours (first time).

1) Common tools: a standard screwdriver for the distributor cap screws and a wrench or socket to disconnect the battery terminals.

Less common tools: You will need a 3mm hex key (pictured below left) for the rotor and a slim ratcheting driver with Torx bit (pictured below right) for the vacuum switch.

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Ok, after thought and consideration, I’m going with a hitch/uHaul trailer. Door2door was going to be $1150 (as was a similar service), and full-service movers were going to be $1350. The trailer rental is only $275.

[This blog post is in response to the question/advice I got in this MVS Forum thread.]

I’m having the hitch attached right this minute while I sit at a restaurant, for $325. Wiring, warranty etc.

I save $550 and get a hitch out of the deal.

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