Plastic breaking down Topic is solved

mhnatov · Post by **mhnatov** » 26 Apr 2017, 17:36

I'm driving a 1997 5 door 850. The plastic is disintegrating. Dashboard loose, tailgate panel breaking loose, header cloth detaching, etc.
I'd like to keep the car going. Any suggestions as to where I can find replacements.
Thanks

Post by **cn90** » 26 Apr 2017, 17:45

Junk yard or ebay ...

clifford06 · Post by **clifford06** » 26 Apr 2017, 17:55

Greetings. +1 on the suggested searches. Also try local Craigslist "parting or parts ". Private sellers tend to keep parts cars closed to weather to prevent code enforcement off their back. Junkyards cars are left open to the elements due to " I got what I want. Screw the next guy" type buyers.

Post by **erikv11** » 26 Apr 2017, 22:26

Actually for the three specific problems you mentioned, the junk yard is not going to be much help. All are repair items on a 20 year old car.

Dash: you need to tighten the four dash crews, and/or (more likely) the dash plastic mounts need to be repaired. Any junkyard dash will have the same problems with broken mounts, your best hope is to reinforce them. It's a big job, search here for how-to's.

Tailgate panel: lots of tips on the forum. The mounts break and can be easily repaired. Still, rattling tailgate is a bane of an 850 wagon.

Header: you can possibly get another one from a junkyard, that's not a bad idea, but it is difficult to remove without making it detach and many are detaching now. Repair it with spray adhesive, I've never done this job but have read about it on the forum.

mhnatov · Post by **mhnatov** » 28 Apr 2017, 07:33

Thanks everyone for your responses. I heard once that there is a Volvo used parts yard in Minnesota that is the go to place for used parts. Does anyone know of this yard?

Post by **erikv11** » 28 Apr 2017, 09:48

There are a few in the Minneapolis area. This place is good because you can check inventory http://www.upullrparts.com/ but other places often have more 850s. Some other places I have had luck with are Hiway 101 Auto Salvage and John's Auto Salvage in Blaine, you could try calling them see if they have any P80 cars. For plastics it basically must be an 850, but for mechanical parts 98 (especially) and sometimes 99-00 works too.

Your location says Brooklyn, is that the Brooklyn in NY or the one in MN?

mhnatov · Post by **mhnatov** » 08 May 2017, 17:14

Thanks erikv11. It's NY. It may not be worth it since similar aged parts are likely to have the same issues.
I also have an '89 240 wagon with shows a lot more promise.
The AC is shot and have gotten an estimate to get it up to speed. It's a risky investment.