Got a Volvo S90 for the wife

[trekkor]

'98 with 141k miles- $1000.
Big four door luxury sedan.

Needed a battery, then drove it 80 miles home.
No problems. Everything works. Since the battery was replaced ( power interrupt ), the stereo needs a dealer code to reset. AM/FM,cassette/CD

It needs front suspension bushings, a front turn signal lens, rear bumper valence to rocker panel body fastening clips, timing belt, serpentine belt, oil/filter change.

Has brand new tires, drives and stops very well.
Top of the line Volvo for that year.

2.9 liter with 181HP

1998 sticker price of $36k.

Opinions?






KT

[aigel]

Why so cheap? Crack head owner? Those are nice cars. They are FWD, right?

George

[trekkor]

Rear wheel drive.

Bought it from a fellow PCA/Pelican/914club buddy.

It's been sitting unused for several months and he really did us a solid favor.



KT

[Tobra]

As I understand it, those are generally pretty tough to work on.

Like a Swedish Audi. Good score though.

[Hugh R]

$1,000 wow, nice score. I'm looking to sell a 1996 pop-up camping trailer soon for 3-4X that amount, and it doesn't even have an engine. A little rattle can paint on the left rear corner of the rear bumper and you would be hard pressed to notice it.

[aigel]

Oh, nice! I thought volvo had gone to FWD. The friend deal explains it. I always tell people that are ready to buy a new car to sell me their old one for $500 over what the trade in offered is. Often they still don't do it, worried their car will break when I get it.

It still amazes me how many people just grab their old car, drive it to the new car dealership and dump it for peanuts.

George

[trekkor]

Another pro mechanic friend needs some tile work...

We'll trade some labor.


KT

[Alex5]

Great buy KT! My wife drives a V70 Turbo Wagon with 85K miles on it and its cost us nothing other than regular maintenance. She's been hit twice in teh rear with the kids in it, once side swiped by an eighteen wheeler and the car is just a tank...We got sick of the Audi A6 Avant we used to have, it nickle and dimed us every time it went into the dealer.

Great high mileage motors on those cars...I used to have a 1993- 850 Model that I bought for $3K (145k Miles) and sold it 3 years later for $5K with 200K miles..They're like Energizer Bunnies.

[trekkor]

...As long as I keep it off the track, right!?!


KT

[yellowline]

Originally Posted by Tobra

As I understand it, those are generally pretty tough to work on.

My mother has a 960 (same difference), and my dad hates working on it. I think most of the problem is that Haynes and Chilton manuals cover all the RWD cars. Of course, the steps are easily followed when you have one of the more common Volvos.

An example- the 960 differential has no drain plug. You drain and refill through the same (hard to access) plug. No note of this is made in the service manuals- they just say to drain the oil, and are obviously illustrating the process on a 740.

Incidentally, Volvo consulted Porsche to design the inline-6. It acts like my 2.8 BMW motor- lots of torque, pretty smooth. Decent car all around.

[beepbeep]

Nice car. Basically a 940 with inline-6. Pretty bulletproof but engine is more refined than 4-banger. Be careful with oil/belt changes and it will last forever.

[fastfredracing]

We have a 960 wagon, basically same car. Bought it with 120k, now has 170k. In my ownership, I have had to replace the radiator, and power steering pump.
Has been a real good car, and reliable as can be. I actually think it is pretty easy to work on. I can do the timing belt/water pump job in just about 2 hours. Plugs and filters are real easy to get at. You will never have to see the insides of the motor. It is a really nice riding car, and gets pretty good mileage for its size.
I bought the family a newer 528 it wagon to replace it . But I kept the volvo for a back up/winter car. They have low resale value, and it is such a good running vehicle, I hated to get rid of it. The paint ,body and interior have also held up extremely well.
I have been fairly diligent about maintenance on it. It seems to like synthetic motor oil. I cheated once and used dino oil, and noticed a slight lifter tick a few days later. Back to Mob 1 15 50, and all is quiet again. I h ave no doubts that this car will still be running well past 200k. I have been making my lady drive it lately because of the bad weather, and she made a comment the other day about what a good car it has been, and how good it still drives after all of those miles
Best of luck

[fastfredracing]

Unless you know the history, I would toss on a timing belt, and check the water pump and rollers just for safe measure. But you are a car guy, you already know that.
When I did my 2nd timing belt change, I noticed a little play and some noisy bearings in the belt tensioner roller.

[trekkor]

Thanks for the replies.


KT