Which one is better? 850series or S70series

mguts0125 · Post by **mguts0125** » 30 Dec 2007, 07:59

We currently have a 96 850R that my wife drives as her daily driver, and well to be frank, i really want it back as my daily driver, so I'm in search of a 2nd volvo for her. I definitely want either a 850 or S70 since her only demands are its the boxy style which she loves as do I . I've had a 740turbo, a 95 850turbo and now our 96 850R and all have been really great cars.

So which year/series/engine(turbo or non) is the best one and which ones should i stay away from?

Any input / recommendations are appreciated.
Thanks

MJG

Post by **JRL** » 30 Dec 2007, 08:36

850's and 70 series cars are virtually the same except for the obvious differences that you can see, most major mechanical parts are interchangable to a point
If you stay with a FWD and not AWD, pick the best one you can find from any year.
Naturally the leter you go the better (for the most part) they get as small things were upgraded every year.

As you should know (read the ETM forum above if you need info) the 99-01 have ETM issues but you can look those up.
The last recall software #155 took care of most (not all) of the issues.
As with all used Volvos the service history on a car is a must and is more important than which year, model, etc.
If you're on the East coast I'll be happy to find you a great Volvo (whichever you choose).
You can always think about buying my 850 R, let your wife keep the one she's driving, as mine's probably the best one in the country
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?c ... cardist=11

mguts0125 · Post by **mguts0125** » 30 Dec 2007, 12:57

WOW! JRL that is an awesome car. I usually keep an eye out for any R's for sale to see what kind of condition they are in and the going price and I'll agree with you , thats one of the sharpest I've ever seen...... now if only i can talk my wife and the bank into financing a 12 yr old car I'd be home free.

I am on the east coast, sort of , the southeast - Greenville, SC. I've got a couple people looking at my Tahoe this week that i'm selling then I'll be looking hard for another volvo.

Necromancer · Post by **Necromancer** » 30 Dec 2007, 19:21

I had leased a new V70 back in 1999. The car was a non turbo model.
When the lease was up I ended up getting a Saab 9-3 SE convertible which I still own.
Recently I had more need to haul things so I picked up a 1997 850 wagon T-5 model.
Aside from the obvious difference in power, the 850 has way more 'charm' than the V70. I like the styling of the body a lot more.
The interior (dash, console) is a lot nicer on the 850 too.
I've owned 14 Volvos through the years and the 850 seems more like a Volvo than the V70 does. The V70 is too refined and modern, much more Taurus like.
Both are great cars but the 850 gets my vote.

lucast · Post by **lucast** » 30 Dec 2007, 19:49

Before I bought my 850 T-5 sedan, I was driving a loaner 850 NA Wagon for over 8 months.

When it came to buying my own, for the money I had, it was either an 850 or an V/S70. I test drove a V70 T-5, an S70T, and decided that to stick with the 850 series.

I like the cabin trim of the 850 better and this might sound funny, but I think that the boxier look of the 850 will age better.

My only regret is that I couldn't wait long enough for a later year 850 (mine's a late 1994 production). Still, I am happy

Ken_in_D · Post by **Ken_in_D** » 31 Dec 2007, 09:35

I owned both a 97 850 non-turbo and a 98 S70 GLT. While very similar, the S70 is way more refined and many of the additions are very useful. One thing I never got used to on the 850 was the window controls on the console between seats. With the cup holder open, they were almost impossible to get to. Also, like a previous reply said, Volvo continuosly updates and improves every year, so later models are usually better. The 850 also had the chronic ABS module failures, but most have probably had these fixed by now. Overall, I liked the S70 better, mainly due the comfort/appearance upgrades.

Post by **JRL** » 31 Dec 2007, 11:48

Ken_in_D wrote: The 850 also had the chronic ABS module failures, but most have probably had these fixed by now. Overall, I liked the S70 better, mainly due the comfort/appearance upgrades.

If you had just FIXED your ABS module the first time you would not have had "chronic" problems with it and no, Volvo did not improve that until MY 2002.
ALL ABS modules from 96 thru 2001 fail at one point or another but are fixable (for life) for about $120

zenmervolt · Post by **zenmervolt** » 01 Jan 2008, 23:06

My own vote goes to the S70 series. The S70 T5 has just as much power as the 850 "R" models, and the upgrades to the interior (door mounted switches being a big thing, same with the more traditional interior door release levers) make the car overall more appealing to me. Also not to be lost is the availability of the Dynaudio speakers coupled with a Dolby Pro-Logic receiver in the S70 series cars. It is among the cleanest audio setups I've ever heard, though somewhat rare to find when searching through the local used market.

That said, there's no reason to shy away from an 850. As others have said, the same things that I list as making the S70 more appealing to me (as a "boring" daily driver) can be considered to give it less "character" than the 850.

My overall advice is to just make sure that the car is in good condition with a good history and not worry too much about 850 vs S70.