Buy or not? 2000 S80 2.9

Trenchcoat · Post by **Trenchcoat** » 27 Jun 2011, 02:05

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a used Volvo to replace my limping '96 850. I checked it out and tried to notice what I can.

103K miles?
Body is pretty good shape for its age. A couple small dents and scratches.
Missing spare tire.
The engine sounds high pitched compared to other Volvos I've driven. 850, 2012 S60.
Oil is almost black on the dipstick, not frequently changed obviously.
Coolant is a bit suspicious. It's murky, and I'm wondering if there could be a gasket leak. Since there wasn't coolant on the oil dipstick, I can't tell.
AC seems to work fine. It's Florida, so that's pretty important.
Going back to the mileage, I have some reservations about the instrument panel. When the car is running, almost all the warning lights are on, and the tachometer seems off by 2K rpm. It reads 0 rpm when idling. Tampering or replacement panel? If so, will the odometer read the mileage from the onboard computer, or is it self contained?
The tranny fluid looks old, but alright. No burned smell or anything.
Brakes/rotors will probably need replacing.

The car is being offered for $2,900. And seller says its a firm price.

I've done plenty of DIY work on my 850, so I'm alright with minor issues. I won't have a garage though, so anything major like dropping the tranny will be beyond me.

Is this a fair deal? Do I need to find more info on the car?

Post by **Juan62** » 27 Jun 2011, 03:16

Before I buy, I would compare the cost of repairs/parts vs the purchase price of the car. You said that you will replace your 96 850, so how much more do you need to invest in the 850 to bring it back to specs would be the question. Or, do I for both?
I cannot advise anyone to purchase a car, but give solutions (course of actions) to problems that may have. Hope that helps.

Trenchcoat · Post by **Trenchcoat** » 27 Jun 2011, 07:54

I'm already replacing my 850 regardless. The AC doesn't work (evap most likely), alternator is weak, it has 240K+ miles on it, and an annoying but manageable oil leak (RMS job needed), could use a paint job, plus the interior is pretty rough. I can do the alternator myself, but the rest needs a garage or engine hoist or both. If I took it to a mechanic, I'm pretty sure I'd be quoted over $5,000 for all the work involved.