tuner4life Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 This may just be the most boring showroom thread you will ever read... We were looking for an 850/S70 to replace my wife's old and falling apart Infiniti G20. She wanted something similar to the C70, but with more doors and less worry of messing up a rare car in the winter. She almost preferred non turbo base model for the winter for simplicity's sake... Oh, and it had to be white. Well after a fairly long conversation the other day we agreed that condition > color, and we started looking. Yesterday this little gem pops up on the local craigslist. I didn't give it a second look at first because the silver just kind of looked bad in the picture, but it turned out to be quite the good car as well as being well below our budget. It's a 1997 850 base, and I mean base! n/a, no options besides an automatic transmission. It doesn't even have a sunroof (I thought they all did from 1994+). It has 137k miles and has had the same owner since 30k. Besides a few superficial scuffs on the bumpers, and a few small dings, the body is in pretty good shape. Maintenance seems to have been mostly kept up with. The Grey Cloth interior is imaculate: I don't know, but I really like the base model-ness of it. There is no sunroof to whistle, it's quiet, comfy, and just seems to work. It should make a great second/winter car and keep the C70 out of the snow. Maintenance things that I need to do: -Due for timing belt service -PCV system -Fluids/filters -A/C clutch adjustment (every now and then shuts off when hot, Freon pressures are fine) -That's about it... Once the basic maintenance is taken care of, I'll probably throw some OEM volvo Alloys of some sort on it, maybe a spoiler if I can find one at the junk yard, and a decent radio.. That's it, the most boring showroom thread you will ever read. And a crappy rolling shot from the way home to finish it off: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burn-E Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 With a sweet peek of the saffron coupe's driver side mirror! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuner4life Posted June 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2013 One comment, and it's about the other car. lol.. More (not very) exciting news! -Replaced snapped front end links. No more caddilac style body roll. -Trans fluid changed -Oil Changed -trunk hinge tweaked back to the right shape. No more trunk swimming pool. Need new non rusty jack and related things now. -A/C Clutch gap fixed, A/C now works all the time! It will seriously give you freezer burn now. -PCV completed.. Well almost.. Found a big split in the big intake tube from the airbox to the throttle body. New one is on order. I seriously don't know how this car ran so well. I found multiple vacuum leaks while doing the PCV. The PCV system was original and really bad. Every vacuum elbow was split, and the main tube wasn't even attached. I have never driven a car that runs as smoothly or quietly as this one. I can't imagine how much better it will be with all these vacuum leaks fixed and a working PCV! I also made a list, and am currently checking it twice. Still to do: -Timing belt/water pump job -Thermostat while coolant is drained. -Brakes all around -Find little ball stud that connects the gas pedal to the cruise control actuator (I really need to get to the junk yard) -replace cracked turn signal lamps -Put a decent radio in it. -Fix bumper -(Maybe) Repaint bumpers. (Previous owners were seemingly horrible at parking) -etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuner4life Posted June 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 First thorough cleaning. Washed, dried, clay bared, Meguiars Gold Class. etc.. Also touched up the scratches on the bumpers, conditioned the plastic bumper caps/door moldings, and removed the dealer sticker. Timing belt, water pump, thermostat, etc are on order. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuner4life Posted November 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 (edited) Since the C70 is put away for the winter, we've been driving this one more. We are really liking the simplicity of this car! Everything just seems to work and work well. It has been turn key reliable thus far. I recently completed the timing belt, water pump, thermostat, cam seals, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, etc.. I also had to find a charcoal canister because the previous owner had it removed and bypassed and would throw a CEL.. That had me chasing my tail for a few weeks. It's fixed now. You can read more about that here if interested: I also installed IPD subframe bushing inserts and they are great, really fixed most of the steering wander. It still needs control arms, tie rods, tires, brakes, etc.. but it is good enough for this winter. I also picked up a set of IPDs all weather floor mats and rear mud flaps to match the fronts. And lastly, to help combat the stupid salt they use around here, I sprayed the underside with a generous amount of "Fluid Film". If you havent heard of it, look it up. Good stuff. Anyways, what you really want to see.. Sitting at work the other night: And the mud flaps.. BTW: I have SEM charcoal paint for the bumpers and trim, but that's a spring project for when it warms up.. Edited November 11, 2013 by tuner4life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuner4life Posted November 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 So the locks keep freezing.. I'll spray some lock oil in them at night and they will be stuck again the next morning.. The drivers side is missing the little flap that covers the key hole, so I'm going to have to find one of those at the junk yard, but the pass side has the flap and it freezes too.. Idk. Random little annoyance I guess.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorse Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 So the locks keep freezing.. I'll spray some lock oil in them at night and they will be stuck again the next morning.. The drivers side is missing the little flap that covers the key hole, so I'm going to have to find one of those at the junk yard, but the pass side has the flap and it freezes too.. Idk. Random little annoyance I guess.. What flap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuner4life Posted November 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 There's a little metal flap that springs closed over the key slot when the key is removed from the door locks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commander Riker Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Heat gun to the trim would darken it up. If it's anything like the XC trim that fades, Kiwi dye does great, though it takes a good 4 coats. Nice job cleaning it up. Quite a bit better then when you picked it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuner4life Posted May 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 (edited) Drove it to work this morning. It feels like a brand new car now! Last week I did the following: -Meyle HD Lower control arms -Inner and outer Lemforder tie rod ends -Front Struts -IPD HD upper strut mounts and new bearing plates -Ceramic pads and new rotors all around -Replaced e-brake cables -Alignment I also installed this: Tape players suck. This thing is rock solid now. Drives great and doesn't wander, literally feels like a new car. The only things I still want to do before next winter: -New all season tires -Fix the dash squeaks and rattles -Paint or dye the trim -15mm spacers in the rear. -"Fluid-Film" the underside and wheel wells. -Detail and clean. This is the most boring thread ever. Edited May 6, 2014 by tuner4life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuner4life Posted May 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 (edited) Over the winter I used Fluid Film on my door locks to keep them from freezing. One spring came around I noticed something interesting. The area on the handle around the door locks looked new, while the rest of the black plastic looked old and chalky. Turns out Fluid Film will actually will soak into the plastic and make it look new again. So on a whim, I wiped down all the plastics with the stuff and I am impressed with the results. I will have to see how long it lasts for, but it might be the best option I have found besides painting the trim.. Anyways, Pictures of it all clean and with like-new plastics.. Just realized you can see the C70 in the reflection, lol. I also snagged a pair of good side mirrors at the junk yard over the weekend. Mine just kind of flop around.. That's another project for another day though.. This thing needs spacers in the rear and better tires asap.. Edited May 13, 2014 by tuner4life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ol' Dirty Noodle Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 Very interesting good to know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuner4life Posted May 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2014 Over the weekend, we took the 850 on a mini vacation to Brown County State park in Indiana. It was a nice little getaway with a couple of friends. I took lots of pictures, but I'll post the pictures of the car here. If the back seems low, Keep in mind, the trunk was absolutely packed and there were probably people in the back seat , lol. Nashville, IN: In the Park: Loaded up to head back. Tuckin a little tire. Overall the car preformed flawlessly. Although it could use new tires. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuner4life Posted September 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2014 Minot update.. I spend several hours cleaning/detailing this one yesterday, and now this morning it's raining on it. Typical... I Finally got the mirrors installed, so they work right now.. All that's left to do before winter is: -New all season tires -Alignment check -Do something with the park lock out on the shifter. It sticks sometimes. This car has been great. Simple, comfy, reliable. Couldn't ask for a better daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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