Discussion
Looking at maybe buying a 1996 850 T5R estate. It's on about 150K and been well looked after.
Are these cars as bullet proof as legend has them or should I stay away as seen as they are getting old now?
I have always liked them but I know they are rare now and that is why I am wondering if I should jump at the chance.
Thoughts please.
Ps the car is the dark green colour if it makes any difference.
Are these cars as bullet proof as legend has them or should I stay away as seen as they are getting old now?
I have always liked them but I know they are rare now and that is why I am wondering if I should jump at the chance.
Thoughts please.
Ps the car is the dark green colour if it makes any difference.
I've used my T5R as a daily for almost two years now without any major problems - I don't commute but ferry around four kids and visit clients so it does a good 15-18k a year still. I reckon it's done near 150k now (the speedo cogs are fragile but again a cheap fix)
The main thing that kills off these 850's seems to be due to badly maintained PCV systems - check for smoke rising from the dipstick when idling - parts are about £100 and the job took me a weekend to do but if left it blows the rear main seal which means the engine needs to be dropped to remove the gearbox in order to replace the seal. this is a lot of labour and a new clutch as its sensible to replace it whilst the gearbox is off.
Original relays and the ABS module can fail due to dry solder joints but this Is an easy fix for someone handy with a soldering iron.
Front tyres wear fast regardless of how careful you are and 27mpg is the best you'll ever get out of it. The alloy wheels are fragile but the later 850R ones are better apparently.
That said it's the most fun I've ever had with something that weighs 2 tons... it is absolutely planted and predictable through the corners even with six of us in it. I find keeping up with modern stuff easy and as long as all the toys work (usually small electrical fixes for the cruise and climate) it's a real comfortable place to be!
There is a lot of dedicated owners and a lot of good forums if you want to get your hands dirty, also partsforvolvos are a much better deal for a majority of bits than the main dealers. second hand bits are plentiful as parts are common to the standard T5 with the exception of the interior, wheels and front bumper.
I have found the green difficult to match but not enough to worry me - only be a problem if you are a concours freak!!! mine has been used rather than pampered but has no signs of corrosion at all.
I'd say go for it - but check it out thoroughly before you buy it as it seems they have problems common to both cars that have been looked after and ones that have been abused.
The main thing that kills off these 850's seems to be due to badly maintained PCV systems - check for smoke rising from the dipstick when idling - parts are about £100 and the job took me a weekend to do but if left it blows the rear main seal which means the engine needs to be dropped to remove the gearbox in order to replace the seal. this is a lot of labour and a new clutch as its sensible to replace it whilst the gearbox is off.
Original relays and the ABS module can fail due to dry solder joints but this Is an easy fix for someone handy with a soldering iron.
Front tyres wear fast regardless of how careful you are and 27mpg is the best you'll ever get out of it. The alloy wheels are fragile but the later 850R ones are better apparently.
That said it's the most fun I've ever had with something that weighs 2 tons... it is absolutely planted and predictable through the corners even with six of us in it. I find keeping up with modern stuff easy and as long as all the toys work (usually small electrical fixes for the cruise and climate) it's a real comfortable place to be!
There is a lot of dedicated owners and a lot of good forums if you want to get your hands dirty, also partsforvolvos are a much better deal for a majority of bits than the main dealers. second hand bits are plentiful as parts are common to the standard T5 with the exception of the interior, wheels and front bumper.
I have found the green difficult to match but not enough to worry me - only be a problem if you are a concours freak!!! mine has been used rather than pampered but has no signs of corrosion at all.
I'd say go for it - but check it out thoroughly before you buy it as it seems they have problems common to both cars that have been looked after and ones that have been abused.
Pretty much as above really, although the 2 tonne comment is a bit of an exaggeration - just under 1400Kg.
They're quite easy to work on but be aware that whenever you remove a nut or bolt, you'll probably need to replace it due to age/corrosion. Especially with suspension and brake components.
They're quite easy to work on but be aware that whenever you remove a nut or bolt, you'll probably need to replace it due to age/corrosion. Especially with suspension and brake components.
How much is it?
Watch out as people ask silly money for these now - They really are not much better than a standard T5 - most of the time it even runs the same 225bhp as the standard car - the 240bhp only come from an "overboost" function on the ECU that allows an extra 15bhp for a limited amount of time.
My standard T5 was easily tweaked to around 255bhp on the dyno with no major mods -
Yes T5Rs look nice but so many are being broken up these days you could buy a set of wheels and a front bumper for a standard T5 anyway - actually come to think of it - you can even buy an ECU with the T5R map on it very cheaply too these days)
Watch out as people ask silly money for these now - They really are not much better than a standard T5 - most of the time it even runs the same 225bhp as the standard car - the 240bhp only come from an "overboost" function on the ECU that allows an extra 15bhp for a limited amount of time.
My standard T5 was easily tweaked to around 255bhp on the dyno with no major mods -
Yes T5Rs look nice but so many are being broken up these days you could buy a set of wheels and a front bumper for a standard T5 anyway - actually come to think of it - you can even buy an ECU with the T5R map on it very cheaply too these days)
morgrp said:
How much is it?
Watch out as people ask silly money for these now - They really are not much better than a standard T5 - most of the time it even runs the same 225bhp as the standard car - the 240bhp only come from an "overboost" function on the ECU that allows an extra 15bhp for a limited amount of time.
My standard T5 was easily tweaked to around 255bhp on the dyno with no major mods -
Yes T5Rs look nice but so many are being broken up these days you could buy a set of wheels and a front bumper for a standard T5 anyway - actually come to think of it - you can even buy an ECU with the T5R map on it very cheaply too these days)
Kinda like buying an escort, slapping a bodykit and spoiler on it and calling it a cossie - just not the same Watch out as people ask silly money for these now - They really are not much better than a standard T5 - most of the time it even runs the same 225bhp as the standard car - the 240bhp only come from an "overboost" function on the ECU that allows an extra 15bhp for a limited amount of time.
My standard T5 was easily tweaked to around 255bhp on the dyno with no major mods -
Yes T5Rs look nice but so many are being broken up these days you could buy a set of wheels and a front bumper for a standard T5 anyway - actually come to think of it - you can even buy an ECU with the T5R map on it very cheaply too these days)
I had a black, manual 850 T5R estate for just over a year. Excellent vehicle, 155K on the clock, endlessly reliable and went like STINK.
Points to note:
Anti roll bar links, it'll eat them, but they are a cheap, easy fix, budget a pair every 15K miles, genuine Volvo ones are £40 a pair, roughly.
PCV, bit of a toughy this one, if the oil dipstick is smoking like a chimney, or the oil filler cap rattles like an old boiling kettle when slightly lose then it's blocked and replacing it is an inlet manifold off job, I'm reasonably competent with the spanners, took me two hours, never take the bottom out as they are a pig to get back in and they dont need to come out to remove the manifold. If this is blocked and has been for some time it can cause a build up in the system and blow a rear gasket which is a gearbox out job to fix, even if it is cosmetic at best.
Oil supply to the turbo, the o-rings burst and weep, cosmetic issue at best and a very easy fix but worth noting.
ABS/TRACS, if the light is on the module might be fadged, some people on ebay sell a service to sort it but guides exist if you are good with a soldering iron, £80 roughly.
It will eat front tyres if you drive with verve, do not put cheap or s
t tyres on as you will just be gimping yourself as traction out of junctions ETC will be hard to come by.
On the estate the rams that hold the boot lid up can fail, so the boot lid won't stay open, takes about an hour to fix, £50 a set off of ebay.
It may sound like a lot but it's all relativity minor bar the PCV. A good service history record is ESSENTIAL, you need to know what you are buying and ideally the person you are buying from needs to know what they are currently owning.
I loved mine, M550 BBY
Points to note:
Anti roll bar links, it'll eat them, but they are a cheap, easy fix, budget a pair every 15K miles, genuine Volvo ones are £40 a pair, roughly.
PCV, bit of a toughy this one, if the oil dipstick is smoking like a chimney, or the oil filler cap rattles like an old boiling kettle when slightly lose then it's blocked and replacing it is an inlet manifold off job, I'm reasonably competent with the spanners, took me two hours, never take the bottom out as they are a pig to get back in and they dont need to come out to remove the manifold. If this is blocked and has been for some time it can cause a build up in the system and blow a rear gasket which is a gearbox out job to fix, even if it is cosmetic at best.
Oil supply to the turbo, the o-rings burst and weep, cosmetic issue at best and a very easy fix but worth noting.
ABS/TRACS, if the light is on the module might be fadged, some people on ebay sell a service to sort it but guides exist if you are good with a soldering iron, £80 roughly.
It will eat front tyres if you drive with verve, do not put cheap or s
t tyres on as you will just be gimping yourself as traction out of junctions ETC will be hard to come by.On the estate the rams that hold the boot lid up can fail, so the boot lid won't stay open, takes about an hour to fix, £50 a set off of ebay.
It may sound like a lot but it's all relativity minor bar the PCV. A good service history record is ESSENTIAL, you need to know what you are buying and ideally the person you are buying from needs to know what they are currently owning.
I loved mine, M550 BBY
Axionknight said:
Prices vary I am afraid, if it's crap, a grand, if it's good, I've seen folk want three grand (particularly good one).
Saw a low mileage gul yellow estate for 5grand(!!!!) the other day - silly money to be honest when you consider a low mileage t5 would cost around 1500quid.martinrpeachey said:
Kinda like buying an escort, slapping a bodykit and spoiler on it and calling it a cossie - just not the same
What other Escort can you get with a cossie engine that isn't a cossie?In the Volvo, to get up to R spec you only need to change a few things. If you are modifying the car, then an R really is a waste of money.
morgrp said:
Saw a low mileage gul yellow estate for 5grand(!!!!) the other day - silly money to be honest when you consider a low mileage t5 would cost around 1500quid.
The yellow is a somewhat rarer colour and command a premium over black and green - but for five grand it would have to be something else frankly, mint in every way, new clutch, good tyres, impeccable service history, the lot, even then, I'd be surprised if it sold.458bhp said:
What other Escort can you get with a cossie engine that isn't a cossie?
In the Volvo, to get up to R spec you only need to change a few things. If you are modifying the car, then an R really is a waste of money.
Ok, not the best analogy In the Volvo, to get up to R spec you only need to change a few things. If you are modifying the car, then an R really is a waste of money.
If tuning (properly) any T5 will do although some would prefer having the R on the V5.
458bhp said:
What other Escort can you get with a cossie engine that isn't a cossie?
In the Volvo, to get up to R spec you only need to change a few things. If you are modifying the car, then an R really is a waste of money.
Disagree, you may prefer the alloys and body kit of the T5R or 850R and they have better seats, plus, if your an enthusiast the prestige of the rarer model can always shine through.In the Volvo, to get up to R spec you only need to change a few things. If you are modifying the car, then an R really is a waste of money.
Axionknight said:
Disagree, you may prefer the alloys and body kit of the T5R or 850R and they have better seats, plus, if your an enthusiast the prestige of the rarer model can always shine through.
Your last point is all that it comes down to really, prestige. The parts are easy and inexpensive to swap over if you wanted R spec or better still to go a few stages ahead of an R with better parts (talking about mechanicals mainly).Looking back I wish I had built mine from a base spec T5, rather than the full weight CD model, much better for tuning as its lighter to begin with
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