Go To Site/I wanted to document my efforts in fixing up a 1997 Volvo 850 wagon to help my three children understand and appreciate what it takes to get an older car fully functional and running reliably. They may be doing something like this for themselves in the future, so this blog is for their reference. If it helps other Volvo 850 owners along the way, all the better.
Parts and labor at most shops–Volvo dealers in particular–are very costly. This effort approaches reasonable economy if you do it yourself (DIY), so most everything shown was done at home where labor is free. Cost of parts is given at the end of each task.
Postings are presented in order of task performed with most recent at top. Seemingly random, I did these tasks as time, parts and weather permitted and issues were observed. Previous owners had some work done already so I did not need to tackle those items which might seem more urgent (brakes, tires, struts).
Note: This is not a step-by-step repair document. It shows only the basic task accomplished. There are plenty of internet repair forums for this. However, many posts are detailed and somewhat educational (explanation of what/why/how). I don’t pretend to be an expert or authority on Volvos; this blog is just sharing my experience and opinions with my kids and other readers.
Jim Peisker | Cedar Park, Texas