RE: Shed Of The Week: Volvo 850 T-5

[klunkT5]

VolvoT5 said:

Also rusty wings....... never seen a rusty one so that seems odd to me.

One of the few places 850's rust, Theres a support bar that bolts from the inner to outer wing, Where its bolted to the outer wing is where the rust starts, Moisture and trapped muck, Easy to prevent if your wings are good, That and tailgates below the screen on estates is about it on the rust front, These cars are seriously well built and corrosion protected, Brings a lot of other car manufacturers to shame, My T5 is 19 yrs old and doesnt have a spot of rust on it

[Harji]

Boxtastic!

[blade7]

More money for sure but an Audi S2 would run rings around a Volvo T5.

[Fattyfat]

Ecurie Ecosse said:

Thanks PH for mentioning my car in the write up. About to hit 201k miles now

What more can be said? The longer I own mine the more I think it's the best car ever made.

It's a laugh out loud old school (big) hot hatch with a fantastic sounding 5 cylinder unit.

It's a magnificently built Volvo estate which is incredibly comfortable and practical.

All the bits for it are really cheap, and it is really easy to fix and rtune.

And it can out-run many new cars, which is endlessly satisfying, especially when the car is filthy.

Here's a video of mine with its previous exhaust, which the previous owner made. It sounded amazing with that exhaust and the dump valve, but sadly it needed replaced. It has a Ferrita exhaust now which is quieter, but still sounds majestically good. Like Walter Rohrl.

http://youtu.be/XeCwbFtW2g8

Amazing how the non R models have been in shed territory for a good few years now. I think values may actually start to firm up very slightly through rarity and owners realising what bloody good cars they are. Certainly angular but well screwed together and although the kerb weight is pretty average now, built from granite.

I owned 2 T5s models consecutively, one saloon and one estate a few years back now and actually regret selling either. neither of mine had traction control or LSD so progress could be interesting in damp conditions.

As for outrunning newer cars, they could outrun older stuff too. I remember passing a 968 in a bit of a dual carriageway drag race, silly of course but he was really trying and I (genuinely) had the car loaded.

[thenomis]

Great Shed.

The comments read like a self help group. Every time I see a Volvo of this era I think is it ok to love this style the more I see it. The wife says it is wrong, luckily I've got SOTW to reassure me.

I would still prefer the estate, but the wedge box styling of these Volvos is really coming back into its own, especially combined with decent performance.

[njw1]

Yes!! always liked the chunky styling and solid build quality of these, I've been tempted by them a few times before but the fwd put me off.

[Baryonyx]

mrtwisty said:

I think I must be one of the only people on PH who prefers the saloon shape 850. There's just something about that three-box shape. I would imagine the saloon is a little less 'boomy' on the inside at speed also?

Great shed.

I'm with you on that. I adore the 850 and S70 saloon shapes. They're considerably more attractive than the already handsome estate cars.

[anonymous-user]

Baryonyx said:

mrtwisty said:

I think I must be one of the only people on PH who prefers the saloon shape 850. There's just something about that three-box shape. I would imagine the saloon is a little less 'boomy' on the inside at speed also?

Great shed.

I'm with you on that. I adore the 850 and S70 saloon shapes. They're considerably more attractive than the already handsome estate cars.

Agreed. Designed with a ruler, not a wind tunnel. And the interiors are just as much function over form. I just wish there were more 60k milers out there. Comfortable, swift, huge and very well built. As a shed they're perfect, but they also hold their own as a good, usable family daily too. Even now, 20 years old (them, not me), I'd never be ashamed to be seen in one.

[s m]

Fattyfat said:

As for outrunning newer cars, they could outrun older stuff too. I remember passing a 968 in a bit of a dual carriageway drag race, silly of course but he was really trying and I (genuinely) had the car loaded.

Was your T5 slightly tweaked? I suspect it would be much more expensive to up the performance on the 968.

The 5-pots do sound nice but they are quite a big thing for the standard power compared to something like a 328 touring ( which won't cart anywhere near the amount the Volvo will hold )

[kwk]

My first 850 experience. There were many more.

[Max M4X WW]

Only just spotted this and very happy after picking one up on Tuesday! No photos yet, as it needs a bit of light restoration but I'm hoping it turns out well!

[Axionknight]

fivetenben said:

I bought a T5 manual off Ebay last August. I planned on keeping it for a month, using it for a house move, then getting something more economical, but it's still with me, ten months later. In that time all it's needed is some oil and new tyres; if you're in the market for a cheap fast barge, I emplore you to get one!

The only downsides I've found are the excessive fuel consumption (low 30's on a run, so not totally ridiculous, but still...) and the fact that every time anyone you know needs to move anything remotely bulky, they come straight to you - though this probably isn't such an issue with the saloon version however...

Superb! I loved my T5R, but I was roped into assisting in two house moves, I had a washing machine and a tumble dryer in the back of my estate and a MK5 Golf GTI didn't know what had hit it down the slip road onto the M62 at J24, , once she got into her stride he had no chance!

[klunkT5]

Here's mine, Manual, CD spec with sunroof, Winter pack etc, 2 previous owners, FVSH, Currently on 75K (Surely one of the lowest mileage ones around now?), White injectors, 16T, HLM304 remap, Genuine RIP kit, 302mm Discs, Gen Volvo strutbrace, 850R front bumper cover and Volans, Tomcat splitter. Stands me in for a fraction of the cost of an average condition, High mileage T5-R/850R and its quicker!

Edited by klunkT5 on Saturday 6th June 23:19

[VolvoT5]

fivetenben said:

The only downsides I've found are the excessive fuel consumption (low 30's on a run, so not totally ridiculous, but still...) a

If you are getting low 30s, ever, you are not driving it hard enough. Had several of these and never got more than about 24 mpg.

[moustache]

Great shed, always had a soft spot for volvos and in particular the T5 estates. Something about grown up, fast but inconspicuous estates that appeals. Currently own a Saab 9-5 Aero estate (manual box and 275bhp) but feel like I have to own one these at some point.

[Fattyfat]

s m said:

Was your T5 slightly tweaked? I suspect it would be much more expensive to up the performance on the 968.

The 5-pots do sound nice but they are quite a big thing for the standard power compared to something like a 328 touring ( which won't cart anywhere near the amount the Volvo will hold )

Just a remap.

[J4CKO]

klunkT5 said:

Here's mine, Manual, CD spec with sunroof, Winter pack etc, 2 previous owners, FVSH, Currently on 75K (Surely one of the lowest mileage ones around now?), White injectors, 16T, HLM304 remap, Genuine RIP kit, 302mm Discs, Gen Volvo strutbrace, 850R front bumper cover and Volans, Tomcat splitter. Stands me in for a fraction of the cost of an average condition, High mileage T5-R/850R and its quicker!

Edited by klunkT5 on Saturday 6th June 23:19

Hi the reg on on that isnt L*** AFE is it ?

[s m]

Fattyfat said:

s m said:

Was your T5 slightly tweaked? I suspect it would be much more expensive to up the performance on the 968.

The 5-pots do sound nice but they are quite a big thing for the standard power compared to something like a 328 touring ( which won't cart anywhere near the amount the Volvo will hold )

Just a remap.

I suspected it must have been more than standard as the 968 has more poke than the T5

[Martin_M]

Having recently bought my first Volvo I'm a convert to the brand - at present I can't fault my V60.

If I had a spare £850 I'd buy this as a project. Do we really think that the price of these will increase and if so, to what extent?

[klunkT5]

J4CKO said:

Hi the reg on on that isnt L*** AFE is it ?

No, Mines a 95.

As for values good examples of T5's are on the up and IMO are much better value than the T5-R/850R if you can live without an R badge, I certainly can when some Guls have been selling for around the 5K mark. Ive only had mine a few years, Had i known how easy they are to make faster (£150 HLM remap) How bullet proof and how much fun they are i would have got one earlier, I bought this to replace my Stage 1 R33 GTST and dont regret it one bit though its a bit slower.