1997 850 T-5 good idea?

mschmelzer91 · Post by **mschmelzer91** » 09 Feb 2014, 00:02

Hey all, need some friendly advice and opinions on the 850 T-5. Recently had a base 95 850 and it was totaled in a crash. This one I'm looking at is amazing, mechanically well taken care of and overall just a great choice. Just wondering if anyone has had any issues with the T-5. Never had a car with a turbo and not planning to drive it like a sports car (as some do who see turbo and go crazy) so no worries there. I just want to know in general. On the car fax for this one theres just what looks like routine maintenance every 6 or so thousand miles. It has 107,000 miles right now and the odometer is stopped and it doesn't bother me a ton cause the milage matches with Carfax. I also figure I can get that off an obd reader.

Post by **matthew1** » 09 Feb 2014, 00:27

Volvo turbos on the P80 line don't add significantly to durability, longevity or expense concerns. I have one, they're great

.

Possible downside is economy. You give up a couple points compared to NA Volvos.

Post by **erikv11** » 09 Feb 2014, 09:47

If you are used to having an NA, differences in having a turbo are:

- little oil leaks are much more common
- the frequency of routine maintenance is higher for sure, the turbo-related parts work great but need maintenance (e.g. oil cooler lines, several more vacuum lines, PCV needs servicing more often)
- the engine bay is much more crowded, making it a bit of a hassle to work on
- the turbo is much more fun, even for routine, law-abiding driving

Post by **rspi** » 09 Feb 2014, 20:14

Since I purchased our first turbo car I have not looked back. I really don't know why they make non turbo cars anymore.

I would suggest using fully synthetic oil and premium gas. Other than that, no special maintenance.