Interested in buying an 850 wagon.. Buy turbo or non turbo?

[Volvo_240_Atari_2600]

Hi,

I have had plenty of help here on the 200 series page... Everyone on here
s just creat and filled with valuable knowledge and information.

Now we sold my wife's van and we are in the market for an 850 wagon or
possibly a 940 wagon... I did some reading and I am open to either one,
however my question iincludes turbos...

It's not like we need it, but is it a good thing?

We are in Florida, Orlando to be exact so is the hot weather ever a factor?

Looking for a car (wagon) 1994-1998 perhaps... A little leary of so called
low mileage cars under 100k as I feel they may have had the odometers
repaird after the gear had broken "who knows when?"

So realistically looking at a car with 100-175k on the clock.

Fuel Economy of turbo vs non turbo:
Is it economical? or does it help consume more fuel?

Repairs:
What are the expenses that come turbo malfuncions?
What are signs to look for on a turbo?
If a turbo goes bad, and the cost is something stupidly astronomical, can it be bypassed? If so, what does it do to the performance, handling and or fuel consumption?

Things that I do know to look for:
I know to see if the timing belt was done and if no record of recent replacement, that can be a barganing chip and I may just want to do the preventative replacement once I get one.

I know already about the AC evaporator and the nightmare of labor involved to replace... Can I still use it with a leak?

I know about the rear main seal on the engine with the oil leaks.

I also know about looking at the front end.

What else should I look at when inspecting this car please?

Also.... what years were better than others?

Saw this car on Autotrader

Obviously I would need to inspect and test the car out, but doesn't it look to be awefully cheap for that model, age and mileage????

Thanks....

[jbm]

I have a 97 wagon, non-turbo. I like it fine, but it is pretty slow. I don't think that the turbo will use significantly more gas unless you have a lead foot. I would recommend getting a non-turbo if you have the choice, but it depends on how you like to drive. The turbos have to have the oil changed more frequently, and of course there is more stuff under the hood. I don't think that the turbos are particularly expensive to replace, maybe a few hundred dollars.

If the AC evaporator leaks the AC will not work. Your only choices are to fix it or do without AC. People have done the repair themselves but it is a big job.

Hot weather a factor meaning what? As far as the engine goes, it will be fine if you maintain it properly. As far as your comfort goes, the AC is a little wimpy even when it works. I live in DC and when it is really hot and humid it probably takes 10 minutes to cool the car off if it has been sitting in the sun. Partially just because the air volume inside the car is large I guess. But I used to have a Honda minivan and it cooled down much faster. The Volvo does eventually get comfortable and it is fine after that, it is just the first few minutes that are a problem. If you go on a lot of short trips it would be annoying.

I have read that the ABS (anti-lock braking system) control units tend to go bad, but mine is still working at 163K miles. New units are expensive but I think you can get the old ones repaired for less than $200 if you are willing to take them out yourself and send them off somewhere.

[Volvo_240_Atari_2600]

Thank you for the reply.

I spoke to my Volvo mechaninc in downtown Orlando and he said I should look for the following things when checking out the car...

If all goes well with the owners schedule and the time I would like to see it tomorrow it will be a 1998 V70 Non-Turbo wagon with 166k on the odometer.

He said look for the presence of oil under the engine where the engine and tranny are bolted up. He said there are two types of oil leak... As it's called in Britain there is "weeping," and he said that is OK...

Then he described the "drip" leak and that would certailny meain time for a new rear main seal.

Does anyone have a photo of this so called "weeping" of oil viewed from underneath the car?

I pretty much know what else to look for and for the age, I do know the car already had the AC compressor and Evaporator replaced a year ago.

Thanks

[Volgrrr]

I'm not entirely convinced a 20V non-turbo is any more economical than a turbo.

If you want performance then there is only one way to go.

I very rarely push my T5 wagon, but it is reassuring just knowing what the vehicle is capable of doing. The few times I have let my hair down the T5 kept up with, and even outperformed, some of the acknowledged quick cars out here in Australia.

Actually the T5 is called the "sleeper model" in Aussieland as it looks like a docile, dinosaur Volvo but, in reality, actually goes like a cut-cat.

With respect to "weeping oil", put the car up on a hoist and you will soon see if it is losing any oil at all - because if it is then there will be a moist trail of oil (perhaps mixed with road dirt) stuck to the underside of the body as leaking oil (either of the dripping or weeping variety) will be swept back up and under the vehicle by air velocity as the vehicle moves along at road speed.

[volvoaddict007]

Hi V2_A2

The car you are looking at there is a low compression turbo V70GLT. This is due to the 56 in the vin#.

By comparison:

1998 V70

#55 non-turbo 168hp @ 6100rpm_____ torque: 162lbs @ 1800rpm

#56 GLT turbo 190hp @ 5200rpm_____ torque: 199lbs @ 1800rpm

#57 T-5 turbo 236hp @ 5100rpm_____ torque: 243lbs @ 2100rpm



Kelly blue book value of that car is $5535 in Good condition

http://search.netscape.com/search/searc ... lue%20Book


va007

[Volvo_240_Atari_2600]

Volvoaddict.

Thanks for the tip...

I saw the car today and one thing I have to say that as compared to the many doctored photos of shinny engine compartments this one was not.

It was filthy and before I started driving a Volvo, I always drom older American cars and I have bought several in years past that needed a good cleaning in order to do anything to them.

Here were my findings on the 1998 v70 wagon with 166k both negative and positive.

1. Body is solid and paint 99.9% w, the exception of the rear bumber that looks like it was repainted at some point and there are stress cracks on the paint... Rear bumper only...
a parking lot scuff here or there...

The front bumper was recently repainted, and I mean looks recent...
Front lip of hood looks like it took a little paint (Car is white by the way) but the car looks solid... Could not tell if it was in a wreck... If there was a wreck, must have been very light because from underneath and from above with the hood open I could not tell that there was ever bodywork or body parts replaced.

2. The engine compartment is filthy... Will need a new oil filler cap as it leaks lots of oil from the lack of a tight seal around the oilf filler cap. I replaced the one on my 240 and never lost another drop of oil.

I got underneath and the engine and tranny housing were clean. No evidence of cleaning to hide an oil leak, but from the look of the bottom of the engine I would geuss that it was lightly weeping since I could see where it was slightly damp but not saturated.

However... after letting the car run for a wile, to see and listen, I took it for a drive and when I returned instead of parking in her driveway, I left it level on the street to check ythe oil after about 5-10 minutes of sitting level the dip stick was bone dry.

So if there is no evidence of a major rear main seal leak, could it be that this car lost a good amount of oil from running trough the filler cap?

I mean the top of the engine was saturated in oil build up. The engine did not tick, tap or knock for having a low oil level. Does the engine sound trystworthy? I hate to seem naive to think that the car is excellent because it is not.

The brakes were done recently... Rotors are not new but just a visual inspection they still look thick and the pads are probably 2 months old.

The tires are premium michelins (not sure what style) but all 4 are matching and look 95% new.

While driving, the car drove nicely but pulled slightly to the right... The front right tire did look a little low so maybe that's why.

I noticed when making a hard right turn, a light nock from either the front suspension or steering somewhere below... My wife's old GMC Safar started doing something similar pulling in and out of the driveway or a parking spot.

Visial and manual inspection of the steering and suspension looks straight... all the boots look clean and there is no build up of old oil or grease there. Boots look like they were replaced a few months to a year ago.

Power steering fluid was all there and the tranny fluid was not red, but not black or showing any signs of a burnt odor so I feel safe with the tranny as it did shift right on the money.

Brakes felt good, being that the visual inspection looked good, but one thing... The ABS light stays on... Any idea of whay it may be on and if so, what are some of the repair costs associated with that?

The Check Engine Light is also continuously on and the car idles smooth so I know in my 240 did that for the longest time and the code came back as "O2 sensor" so what can the cause of the engine light be on a 240 and would you buy one with that light on?

She has two small children so the car is not spot free... I have kids too and the van was never spot free.

everything works...

So to sum things up about my fears are the following:

ABS light
Check Engine Light
Knock sound on hard right turns, but not all
the lack of oil on the dip stick (no saturation underneath, but loads of oil that was apparent to be coming from the oil filler cap.
She said it has 166k but the odometer (crystal liquid type) registers 5 digits.... 23k and change.

Asking $3,495.00 and she is open to negotiation.
She did say she replaced the evaporator and compressor a year ago and it cost her $3 gran.

What are some of your expert opinions... What are the pros and cons, and from my descriptions what would some of the costs for repairs be? (approximate of course)
Thank you for your comments and I will not hold anyone liable for anything... Just curious as to what you would do if you were looking at the car yourselves.

Thank you,
Eric

[MadeInJapan]

ABS is probably the ABS module....Volvo charges $800 for that...Victor Rocha and a few others charge less than $150 for a fix. No big deal but you can use this as a bargaining chip. The lack of oil would be a concern. What color was the oil? Mileage also doesn't match right? (If I understand you correctly). Maybe a lower price would be worth the gamble?

[Volvo_240_Atari_2600]

MIJ,

Thank you for the atention and knowledge.
The dip stic showed not a drop.. bone dry..
But I could see oil, that looked slightly golden being splashed around while I opened the oil filler cap while the engine was running.

So like I said... I saw no sign of a leak that would be evident from the underside.

Not saying no oil was present, but it looked alot cleaner than many cars I have seen over time from a rear seal or oil pan gasket leak... I had a an old chevy that you would always see droplets of oil from bellow... Not this car.

I don't believe she cleaned the undercarriage to hide a "somewhat notorious" rear main seal leak.

My mom used to have a Volkswagen Santana in Brazil that resembles the 850 and that car had a bad rear main seal leak... Oil got so low on it twice I can recall that you could hear the lifters tapping untill you added oil.

Here... the v70 wagon I looked at today did not tap, tick or knock and I did push her a little to see the response, not knowing of course the dip stich would show me nothing.

How do I get a hold of the Victor Rocha you mentioned about repairing the ABS module.

Mileage... she listed the car as 166k but I'm puzzled as to why it shows 23k

Not set on this car yet, as I will still look at a few others, but if I have leverage at lowering the price vs. what I may have to spend to leave it my wife's hands so I know she and the kids are safe and trouble free.

Thanks again.

Eric

[volvoaddict007]

I'm confused...

You were showing a link to autotrader.com earlier...

The link showed a dealership photo of a car with 112K. Now it sounds like it has 166K and you were able to speak w/ the previous owner and was she the only owner?.

Please post back if this is accurate. In other words, that the dealership falsely advertised the vehicle's mileage, and you drove 70 miles to see it. I'll be licking my chops in the meantime...


va007

[Volvo_240_Atari_2600]

Sorry Volvoaddict...

That was my error on the description vs. the link... That link is to a car that was still available when I called a short while ago but have yet to see.

Hers was on autotrader but I feel the ad has expired but it is also on craigslist in the Tampa area.

I like the car and really a used car is a used car... some are in pristine condition, others in between and some are failures.

So her description does pan out except for leaving some info out of the ad, probably knowing if it was disclosed in the ad, people would probably have bypassed her car alltogether.

OK... I carfexed the car late last night and she is the second owner since 2002 and the car was originally purchesed in Rhode Island by the first owner. Her story of acquiring the car 2002 at 80k +/- does agree with carfax and she did have a light hit on the front in 2006, but so did the first owner with the car's first two years of it's life.

My 240 wagon, Im the 3rd owner and only after buying may car under the circumstances of when I purchased the 89 240 wagon I later found out that mine did have an acident left front fender and drivers door, but I only noticed after diging through the records that came with the car and by looking at it with a fine tooth comb I realize it was in an accident but my car drives like it has never been in one.

So her car does show (low) mileage on the odometer... says 28k +/- and carfax also shows some time back, while in her posession the mileage was consistent and somewhere after tha last registry of 120k +/- an alert where it showed 23-28k in the carfax...

Odometer could have broke and they replaced it with a new unit?
She is a professional person and from the looks of her demeanor, level of education and from her address, I dont think this is someone trying to doctor things up to appear like something else, although she did leave that bit of info out, but obviosly she did sum up the right mileage for the car at this time.

The pulling to the right I do recall the front right tire being a little low.
Just that sound from a hard right turn is what I would like to know what that possibly could be and the possible cause.

The car handled well and like I said earlier that the oil level was way low but it did not tick, tap or knock.

Thanks