New 850. What stuff are a MUST to replace/repair if the maintenance history is unknown?

[eightfifty2x0]

As far as i know, a must to replace if one doesnt know the maintenance history is the timing belt and the water pump.
Now, is heater core a must?
I know for sure the PCV should be changed(did the glove test and it was inflated).
But other than that, change: engine oil, coolant, gearbox oil(?), spark plugs(?), air filter
Am a newbie, so i dont know much about cars, let aside older Volvos. Any tips? Have i forgotten anything significant?

[xHeart]

As far as i know, a must to replace if one doesnt know the maintenance history is the timing belt and the water pump.
Now, is heater core a must?
I know for sure the PCV should be changed(did the glove test and it was inflated).
But other than that, change: engine oil, coolant, gearbox oil(?), spark plugs(?), air filter
Am a newbie, so i dont know much about cars, let aside older Volvos. Any tips? Have i forgotten anything significant?

No rush! You waited 24 years for this new 850. I've the same but naturally aspirated.

This thread should help https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/stage-0.html

[ZionXIX]

Inspect and change all fluids as needed. Timing belt, water pump, tensioner/idle pulleys not a bad idea, serpentine belt, Pcv, air filters, inspect as many hoses and vacuum lines as possible. Replaced brittle lines. If original change spark plugs, inspect cap/rotor. Fuel filter.

[smacknab]

Yeah definitely do the stage zero checklist that xheart linked and while you're swapping the spark plugs you should check the compression on your cylinders. You can rent a tester from national parts stores for free, and it'll help you know if the engine is in good shape before you swap a bunch of stuff. I'd also recommend going over the car with a fine toothed comb to check for rust or any other problems before you start putting alot of money in it.

There's tons of write-ups on this site for most jobs you might need to do (I did my head gasket with a write up from this site), plus the Haynes Manual for my s70 has been invaluable. Also RobertDIY's videos should cover you for video tutorials for just about every part of your car, and I'd recommend howacarworks.com for general car knowledge if you're a self described newbie like I was less than a year ago.

Regarding the heater core, it's not a must as far as I know, but you should check to see if it's leaking by pulling back the carpet and trying to get under the floor foam. It's a fairly easy job if you do have to do it though. Monitor your fluids closely over the next few weeks to see if you're loosing coolant or oil as well.

[Sveedy]

All coolant system hoses. Very important, very inexpensive to replace, unlike an engine.

[erikv11]

Lots of good suggestions. Every vacuum line is a very good idea, often overlooked, and not very costly.

I'd check the date codes on the ignition wires.

Whether or not to replace coolant hoses I would base on visual inspection; especially would not touch the heater hoses if they appear in good shape.

A lot of this is based on what you think the service history has been. If it seems to have been neglected then replace more things, if it seems to have been cared for you can be more discriminate.

[scot850]

One of the major issues to consider (the other guys have covered those) is that of parts quality. There are some suppliers that sell parts I do not recommend for fluids of any time and that includes URO and Pro-Parts. That includes water, oil and brake fluids. The only exception is possibly the PCV oil catch tank which I have not heard any specific complaints on.

You have Skandix in Germany who are generally a good source for parts for Volvos.

Has the car been inspected recently? Not sure if you still have a TUV check every year in Germany. I you do, then you should hopefully have a reasonably good starting point. Can you get a copy of past TUV inspections/Tests? It may help identify any key parts that needed replaced in the last 2 years.

Over here where I line in Canada, we do not have nay annual inspections. There is a requirement for a car 12 and up to 15 years old to have a fairly basic mechanical fitness test that does not include brake efficiency or emissions testing. As such I always say there is no cheap old Volvo as you can guarantee 99% of owners skip out on expensive repairs if they can prior to selling.

As has been advised, go over all the car mechanical's and fluid systems and look carefully at the condition of the parts. They add up quickly. Rubber part like pipes and bushes perish. Bushes are likely highlighted in inspections, but non-brake rubber parts probably don't.

I hope you have a sound buy. I am always encouraged by classic car magazines from the UK where the seem to be able to find cheap Volvos that need maybe 1000 pounds or less spent on them and then run for years. I hope that is your experience too!

Good Luck,

Neil.

[eightfifty2x0]

No rush! You waited 24 years for this new 850. I've the same but naturally aspirated.

my 850 is also naturally aspirated - an automatic B5252S

No rush! You waited 24 years for this new 850. I've the same but naturally aspirated.

This thread should help https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/stage-0.html
[/quote]

I read this thread, but it Robert DYI said the heater core is a must too, so i thought that there must be more to it, so i made this post. Besides, that other post is mostly when everything is working correctly. In my case, i dont know what is about to not work correctly

[eightfifty2x0]

Has the car been inspected recently? Not sure if you still have a TUV check every year in Germany. I you do, then you should hopefully have a reasonably good starting point.

The car has TÜV till november 2021 and the previous owner did some repairs for the car, which costed him around 1000€. But he doesnt know when the timing belt was last changed + i want to change everything that might go wrong and damage my cars' performance or the car itself.4

Can you get a copy of past TUV inspections/Tests? It may help identify any key parts that needed replaced in the last 2 years.

hmm, is there such possibility? I still got the receipts from the repairs that the previous owner did, so theoretically i could go back to the workshop he did it all and ask them.

Over here where I line in Canada, we do not have nay annual inspections.

Well, that is quite awesome, if people dont neglect basic functions. Here(in Germany) you can fail inspection if you renewed your headlights with sand paper...

As has been advised, go over all the car mechanical's and fluid systems and look carefully at the condition of the parts. They add up quickly. Rubber part like pipes and bushes perish. Bushes are likely highlighted in inspections, but non-brake rubber parts probably don't.

I hope you have a sound buy. I am always encouraged by classic car magazines from the UK where the seem to be able to find cheap Volvos that need maybe 1000 pounds or less spent on them and then run for years. I hope that is your experience too!

Hey, thank you for your kind wish The car is running good, no problems(besides that fuel pump going "rrrrrrrrrrrrr" shorty after i start the car - though a guy i know said to me that there must have been some stuff in it clogged, so if i clean the stuff that need to be cleaned, the "rrrrrrrr" will go away), but i still want to get it to that point where i can drive it for a couple of years without thinking that it might brake. Plus, i love this car, i would gladly invest in it(since it is not as bad as cars of its age) so an investment will pay off

[eightfifty2x0]

Replaced brittle lines

what are these?