Used 1994 Volvo 850 Wagon Consumer Reviews
Best Car I've Ever Owned
Don't let the miles scare you when you are looking for a used Volvo. Mine had 152,000 miles on it when I bought it. Just passed 230,000 and this thing still runs and drives like a new car. She's built like a tank. Regular maintenance and the odd sensor or ball joint and this thing will run forever. FOLLOW THE VOLVO RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE!! I bought this car used 3 years ago after it was recommended by 3 different people. I have owned over 25 cars including Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, Jeeps, a Ford, several GM products, and a BMW and this one is BY FAR the best vehicle I've ever owned. My friends kept telling me "Once you own a Volvo, you'll never own another car. They were right.
A Good Car...all in all
has 137k, bought with 103k. Problems: - Throttle body hose, mass airflow meter, and spark plugs (about $700) at 129k - New ceramic brakes and rotors ($475) -New wiper/cruise control stock (replaced on my own at $35) Benefits: - Very comfortable car, perfect for long trips! - 26-30mpg highway - Rear seats fold flat...and passenger seat. It can sleep somebody in there!
Take care of it & it will take care of U
I bought my 850 turbo wagon brand new in 93 and have put 195,374 fun filled miles on it in the past 13 years. I have religiously maintained it as instructed by the owner's manual and have had no major problems with it. Most of the reviews Ive read about this car were given by people who bought one used and obviously did not have their mechanic look it over before purchasing. As long as you take care of this car, it will take care of you. I have changed the oil regularly and I use mobil one synthetic exclusively. The only major repairs Ive had to perform is replacing an a/c evaporator @ 132,000 miles. Other than that, Ive only had to replace the usual wear & tear items,tires,filters,etc
MY BEST VOLVO YET
MY TURBO WAGON IS FASTER THAN ANY CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. EVEN FASTER THAN MY 1997 MERCEDES E 320. ITS PROBABLY THE BEST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED IN 55 YEARS OF DRIVING. THIS IS MY 5TH VOLVO USEED AS A FAMILY CAR
Best car I've ever owed
These cars are good if you have little ones there's a booster in the middle the stereo system is premium quality and if you have a dog plenty of room I drove my car all the way to Tampa and was turning heads this red wagon is a one of a kind that even stands out with Ferraris and yet you some how know you have the better car it's won over 12 car shows because of its rare and unique look
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Value
Too much maintenance cost
Spending over $2000 per year on repairs
Ouch this is going to hurt
I bought this POS from a family member working at a dealership. The car looked great and the dealership said they would take care of any flaws. Yeah right. I took possesion of the car and 2 weeks later it had a cracked radiator, leaking oil from the rear main seal, needed a new turbo, the power steering pump went out, the rear hatch rattles horribly, the tires needed replacing due to broken belts, the front struts needed to be repaced, the alternator was replaced, and I continue to have other small things break or fall off of this vehicle. I hope that I am the only one to experience the agony of owning a VOLVO.
volvo 1994 wagon
Just an all around great car, since day 1 and has been totally reliable, safe and seats are one of the best for comfort. The car has never had a any problems, just routine maintance. Overall outstanding and would recommend highly. My next car will be a volvo again.
know what you're buying
"Sportwagon" model rides like sports car. Return rate on shocks is hard enough to bring excellent handling, but also annoyance over speed bumps and rough roads. Quick-handling PT Cruiser like Suburban next to this. Base engine needs expert touch; auto tranny cooperates once you figure out the shiftpoints. Hand dealer your Amex and pray; longer repairs than any other shop. Swapping shorted shiftlock chip (in the cabin) for the tranny cost as much as replacing the topside motor stabilizer bushing. Power seat mechanics susceptible to early failure. Paint on leather wears quickly in sun. Scheduled service expensive due to labor charge.
An excellent car for me
I've had many new Japanese and American (Acura, Nissan, Dodges, Ford, Chevy) cars before and sold them after a few years. This is my first European car and I plan to keep as long as it runs. I thought it wouldn't be as reliable as my Acura or Nissan. I've had it for 3 yrs and 55k miles and has 120k miles on it. It's much more reliable than I anticipated. I treat my cars very well and didn't buy without finding one with all maintenance records. I replaced 02 sensors at 75k and turbo hose. Only routine maintenance otherwise.
Old Driver's Opinion
These are great cars and are very safe. I have had no problems and this is my second Volvo to own. I will buy another Volvo.
Happy volvo wagon owner
Overall the vehicle has been a solid performer. Excellent power, excellent winter driving, everyone loves the heated seats, very roomy for passengers, and plenty of room for cargo. Purchased car with 30,000 miles - currently going strong at 116,000. Repairs in the first 3 years were minor. Howeer, within the last two years had to replace the transmission and correct several oil leaks. The oil leak repairs were all minor at less than $100 each. The A/C evaporator needs to be replaced. Our car included: 6 Disc CD Changer, and third seat.
Safety Matters
This is our second Volvo, and both my husband and I love it. We were originially sold on the Volvo safety record, but after driving it for a few weeks, we realized that the performance of this vehicle is also outstanding. We got it right before our son was born, and although having a rear-facing child seat in it was a bit of a tight fit, now that he's in a forward facing seat, we don't have a negative thing to say about it. It's roomy enough for our child, three dogs, and all our gear for vacations, and it's extremely reliable.
Excellent safe and fun family car
In 1997 bought 1994 Turbo Wagon with 30,000 miles. Vehicle equiped with heated front seats, headlight washers, trip computer, third-seat, integrated child seat, 6 CD disc changer, moonroof. Overall - the car has performed very well and still retains a lot of pep. Repairs in the first 3 years of ownership were minor. The car currently has 116,000 miles - and recent repairs, as one would expect, have been more serious: replaced transmission, A/C evaporator needs to be replaced. However, vehicle does not burn oil, and has only sprung minor oil leaks that were inexpensively repaired.
Great family car
These cars are very safe, and dependable. There are problems with the auto transmission, so expect to replace it about every 100K miles.
unreliable, but a good car overall
We've had our Volvo for 10 years and in the past few, it has shown much aging. The air conditioning broke approximately 6 times and was VERY costly to fix. It proved a huge paralysis in the reliability of the vehicle, and made it a bad summer car. It can have a stiff ride and can be the a little noisy because of the back door jiggling over rough pavement. However, it is a pleasant car to drive, with good pickup and surefooted handling. It can accomodate up to 5 adults in comfort, and is a quiet cruiser and highway merger. Reliability aside, it is a comfortable, capable, athletic, enjoyable car.
Fun to drive, but not fun to own
We purchased this vehicle with 82,000 miles, and sold it with 139,000. During this time, the car needed new tires every 12,000 miles because they wore unevenly, even with proper inflation. The brakes needed to be replaced every 10,000 miles, becasue the rotors warped, even with minmal use of the brakes. The radiator, catalytic coverter, O2 sensors, engine components, power seat, and blower motor needed replaced. In addition, the AC broke twice, and we had an oil and coolant leak repaired. After we were hit by a runaway car, it took 6 trips to THE DEALER to fix the car properly. The dealer parted out are car during the fifth trip, swapping used parts for the newer ones off our car.
clean machine
comfortable, reliable, I feel very safe in it
Looking for a bigger car
I replaced a 95 VW Jetta with the 850 Turbo Wagon. I am very impressed with the cargo capacity of this vehicle. The built in child seat is invaluable as it allows for a third person to sit with my two children in the back seat comfortably. It does lack a cup holder which is inconvenient but can be added via special order. The turbo adds power to create 220HP which comes in handy. Very comfortable ride. With 117K miles it drives without flaw. Mileage is fair with 18-19mpg in city. Overall a great vehicle.
more lights than a pinball machine
This car, it's not printable...O2 sensors, again and again, emission failures, power seat failure , REAR MAIN ENGINE SEAL failure. Only one Dealer in a 4 hour radius, means zero customer service, no loaners and no concern. The worst vehicle experience of my life. Don't be blinded by the look, or the pitch by other owners, they are two embarrassed to admit that this car is higher maintenance than a 6 week old infant.