1995 850 T-5r Creme Yellow...

[hgray14]

I just bought this car from a guy who put just about everything that IPD offers on it, except engine mounts (go figure). The car has 200K on it and has sat for the past year or so. The paint is faded, it has a small power steering fluid leak which according to his info (I am guessing from his mechanic of a few years ago) means it needs a new rack and pinnon unit. He doesn't think it will pass SMOG because it has sat so long, although my experience is that these 850's don't usually have problems with SMOG. So, he sold it to me as a parts car. The interior is almost perfect, by the way.

So, here are my questions.

There are some performance parts I want to swap onto my daily driver (1995 850 Turbo). Other than that I am not sure what to do with it. I hate to see it go to the scrap heap, being that it is one of the rare Creme Yellows but I am also not sure if it is worth resurrecting a car with 200K on it.

How hard is it to change the steering? I am assuming it may need hubs and axles; I am doing a side on another car in the next week or two and will find out how hard that is for myself. I am assuming it isn't too bad. Other than those things what other major parts will need to be looked at and possibly changed? I have a guy locally who does Timing Belts for about $350 so that isn't a big deal. I bought it for parts so I don't want to get too far into rebuilding it. Are there Volvo fans who like these Creme Yellow R's enough to want to rebuild one with such high miles? I didn't pay much for it and am not looking to make any money off it and would rather not see it go to Pick-N-Pull but will if I can't figure out what to do with it.

Any opinions on this one?

thanks

Houston

[matt b]

YOu can turn around and sell it fairly easily, you've come to the right place.

Front end work isn't rocket science on our ars, if you know your way around a car, you can do it.

As for the engine, 200K isn't that much if the car has been maintained properly. You got pics of this car to post up ?

[hgray14]

QUOTE (matt b @ Mar 7 2008, 07:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

YOu can turn around and sell it fairly easily, you've come to the right place.

Front end work isn't rocket science on our ars, if you know your way around a car, you can do it.

As for the engine, 200K isn't that much if the car has been maintained properly. You got pics of this car to post up ?

No picks yet; he delivered it to my house right around dusk tonight. I will take some tomorrow but the exterior paint is pretty faded. What size of photo is optimum for posting to these forums?

My girlfriend really likes my other Creme Yellow T-5R but that one cost me real money and if I decide not to drive it I will sell it so I can get my money back. Tomorrow she will see the new one so who knows, maybe she will be okay with faded paint. If so, all I have to do is figure out how much all the other stuff will cost in time and money and see if it is worth keeping. I doubt it since I have other projects going but there is nothing hotter than a hot blonde chick law student driving a Creme Yellow T-5R...well, nothing I can think of anyway.

Houston

[Black Betty]

if your replacing the rack then you might want to look at replacing the lines too while your at it depending on if they look rusted, i would also check bushings for wear and the rms /pcv system a good polish and wax might liven the paint up a little bit

[AlvinL]

Swap your turbo car parts into that T-5R and make it the daily driver!

Part the turbo car.

[hgray14]

Swap your turbo car parts into that T-5R and make it the daily driver!

Part the turbo car.

na, I like the turbo. It is in such good shape, both mechanically and cosmetically that I have had two Volvo mechanics ask me where I got it. It has been an awesome car for the last 9 months/20,000 miles and once I get to know a car I like to keep it around. I can tell when something is off with this car. Plus, it is Pewter, so it never looks dirty and even with tinted windows and R wheels the cops never even give it a second look. I like slipping under the radar although with the IPD ECU and exhaust I am bound for some tickets for sure. I do really love the R interior but it is hard to find them in good shape. My tan interior has no rips and the leather looks almost brand new. kind of hard to beat. Plus, the T-5R with the nice body doesn't seem to go as fast as my Turbo. I tested them several times against each other and the turbo always wins. It might just be that the T-5R needs some tuning but with the new IPD stuff in the Pewter Turbo I am loving life.

Besides, I am not taking R parts and putting them on the Turbo...I am taking the aftermarket performance parts and swapping them. I should still have two complete and driveable cars (well, along with the other two cars, that makes four complete and driveable cars) when I am done which means I can either make some money off the extra T-5R or my girlie can drive it; she loves the colour.

Houston

[Black Betty]

sounds like to me you shouldnt part any of them, i would try to figure out whats up with the t5-r, stage 0 first and maybe grab a boost gauge to see if it boosts normal

[Gilhuly]

I agree. You can deal with that faded paint pretty easily with the proper compound and technique.

sounds like to me you shouldnt part any of them, i would try to figure out whats up with the t5-r, stage 0 first and maybe grab a boost gauge to see if it boosts normal

[volvoskiah]

where are you located?

[Ozark Lee]

In most jurisdictions it is against the law to part out a Yellow T5R. You might face jail time.

Why can't I find these kind of deals?

...Lee

[Malvasi]

In most jurisdictions it is against the law to part out a Yellow T5R. You might face jail time.

Why can't I find these kind of deals?

...Lee

Ditto to what he said on both accounts...

I wish I could find one anywhere near me let alone a sweet deal like I hear people talk about...

Post up some pics of the new one and let's see what you are working with.

[hgray14]

I will take some pics today and get them up.

As far as sweet deals on 850s go, well...the S.F. Bay Area is long on Volvos. They are pretty popular here so there are tons of them around. And since they are reaching that age where their value doesn't warrant having expensive shop work done to them (for most drivers) most people are just looking to have them removed from their driveway. That is where us semi-mechanics come in.

I got my 1995 850 Turbo in Pewter with 95K miles on it for $2,600. A freakin' steal when the condition is considered. Every Volvo person who looks at it closely notices something new that seems to have lasted longer than most 850s. I was just looking at a bike with my girlfriend yesterday and coincidentally the guy selling it was a Volvo mechanic at the dealer in Marin (very expensive county in the S.F. Bay Area). He popped the hood to show me some parts that tend to go out on 850s and was shocked that they seemed to be fine on this car. (some sort of PVC hose that comes off the intake manifold that usually collapses on itself???)

I got my first T-5R Creme Yellow for $4,000 but it needed/needs some work so that wasn't quite the deal I thought it was. First thing was the rear main seal but it seemed worth it since one of my Volvo mechanics only charged about $600 for the job. I want to bring that one back up to prime shape before decided to keep it or sell it. I am stealing parts from my second 1995 850 Turbo...you know, all the little plastic peices that break, the various switches that are tempermental, the light bulbs that are out, the seatbelts that don't work, etc, etc, etc to fix the busted ones in this car.

The 1995 850 Turbo in Gray I bought for parts for the T-5R Creme Yellow ran me $500. The seller said his son had abandoned it after the reverse gear went out and told his dad he could sell it. The engine had been ridden hard but along with the nice surprise of Volan wheels, it came with just about everything I was looking for to install in my Pewter Turbo. IPD springs, anti-sway bars, ECU, exhaust, etc.

The second T-5R in Creme Yellow came to me from an older guy who put 200K miles on it...hard miles from what the Marin mechanic told me (he had worked on the car in the past...what a coincidence...these T-5R CY's seem to stick in people's minds). He had left a note on my T-5R asking if I wanted to buy another one. Here again, it was a seller who didn't want to deal with a car and preffered to just have someone take it away. His ex-wife was complaining about it sitting in her driveway. It isn't registered and I will have to find out what it will take, if I infact go that direction. He thought the paint was faded but low and behold when the idea struck me the other night while working on another car, I took some water and a towel and doubled checked and in fact it is just very dirty. He also thinks it won't pass SMOG but I have yet to have an 850 fail so I am pretty confident. It isn't as nice as my first T-5R on the exterior but not as bad as I had thought and the interior is almost perfect (well, it will be once I get all the water off the floor...luckily the car doesn't smell) . It needs new steering and might cost a lot to register, depending on tickets. The kicker is that he spent $14K on IPD extras for the car. He claims that he purchased just about everything that was available from IPD for 850s (expect motor mounts) and the Marin mechanic confirmed that. I am sure that $14K includes installation but who cares...I bought the car for next to nothing...about the price of an IPD ECU. So, again, not sure if I want to put money into the car but I will have to wait and see what the DMV tells me about registration fees. Then I will either reg it and sell it, take the parts and salvage it or let the girlfriend have it. The girlfriend loves the Yellow and wanted the first one but I have too much money tied up in that one to not drive myself or else sell (I need a new bike). Plus, she puts over 20K miles a year on her cars and that shouldn't be done to such a nice car. This second T-5R is another story. I may get it up to par and then let her drive it into the ground since it cost me almost nothing. Well, only after scalping all the IPD parts for my Pewter Turbo. (I like the stealthiness of that colour of car...I drive like an a-hole most of the time...not bad, just fast. Love the IPD ECU by the way.)

Ah, and then there is the 1993 850 non-turbo. Picked it up with 100K miles and a smashed back bumper for $1,200. My brother needed a car but then gave it back to me when he moved to a place with no parking. I just picked up a bumper in the same colour from Pick-N-Pull for $45 and will probably sell it when I am finished with the work. They usually go for about $3,500 around here but also usually have about 150K miles on them so I am hoping for the best.

Ya, we get crazy deals out here on Volvo's. Then again, I work from home on my computer most of the time so I can keep an eye out for deals. I work for myself so if something looks good I can act immediately.

So, if anyone is looking for something let me know an I can keep an eye out. One of my mechanics has an engine he is looking to put in an S70 so I am keeping an eye out for him and can do the same for others if they want. You East Coasters might run into a shipping cost issue since these cars aren't usually worth enough to warrant shipping but hell, 850s are pretty reliable...I might be willing to drive something out to you on my next business trip and then fly home. Just a thought. I like these cars and like to see other enthusiast get the benefits of the standard consumers' practice of throwing things away when they run into any kind of upkeep costs.

Houston

[Scootdiggity]

I will take some pics today and get them up.

As far as sweet deals on 850s go, well...the S.F. Bay Area is long on Volvos. They are pretty popular here so there are tons of them around. And since they are reaching that age where their value doesn't warrant having expensive shop work done to them (for most drivers) most people are just looking to have them removed from their driveway. That is where us semi-mechanics come in.

I got my 1995 850 Turbo in Pewter with 95K miles on it for $2,600. A freakin' steal when the condition is considered. Every Volvo person who looks at it closely notices something new that seems to have lasted longer than most 850s. I was just looking at a bike with my girlfriend yesterday and coincidentally the guy selling it was a Volvo mechanic at the dealer in Marin (very expensive county in the S.F. Bay Area). He popped the hood to show me some parts that tend to go out on 850s and was shocked that they seemed to be fine on this car. (some sort of PVC hose that comes off the intake manifold that usually collapses on itself???)

I got my first T-5R Creme Yellow for $4,000 but it needed/needs some work so that wasn't quite the deal I thought it was. First thing was the rear main seal but it seemed worth it since one of my Volvo mechanics only charged about $600 for the job. I want to bring that one back up to prime shape before decided to keep it or sell it. I am stealing parts from my second 1995 850 Turbo...you know, all the little plastic peices that break, the various switches that are tempermental, the light bulbs that are out, the seatbelts that don't work, etc, etc, etc to fix the busted ones in this car.

The 1995 850 Turbo in Gray I bought for parts for the T-5R Creme Yellow ran me $500. The seller said his son had abandoned it after the reverse gear went out and told his dad he could sell it. The engine had been ridden hard but along with the nice surprise of Volan wheels, it came with just about everything I was looking for to install in my Pewter Turbo. IPD springs, anti-sway bars, ECU, exhaust, etc.

The second T-5R in Creme Yellow came to me from an older guy who put 200K miles on it...hard miles from what the Marin mechanic told me (he had worked on the car in the past...what a coincidence...these T-5R CY's seem to stick in people's minds). He had left a note on my T-5R asking if I wanted to buy another one. Here again, it was a seller who didn't want to deal with a car and preffered to just have someone take it away. His ex-wife was complaining about it sitting in her driveway. It isn't registered and I will have to find out what it will take, if I infact go that direction. He thought the paint was faded but low and behold when the idea struck me the other night while working on another car, I took some water and a towel and doubled checked and in fact it is just very dirty. He also thinks it won't pass SMOG but I have yet to have an 850 fail so I am pretty confident. It isn't as nice as my first T-5R on the exterior but not as bad as I had thought and the interior is almost perfect (well, it will be once I get all the water off the floor...luckily the car doesn't smell) . It needs new steering and might cost a lot to register, depending on tickets. The kicker is that he spent $14K on IPD extras for the car. He claims that he purchased just about everything that was available from IPD for 850s (expect motor mounts) and the Marin mechanic confirmed that. I am sure that $14K includes installation but who cares...I bought the car for next to nothing...about the price of an IPD ECU. So, again, not sure if I want to put money into the car but I will have to wait and see what the DMV tells me about registration fees. Then I will either reg it and sell it, take the parts and salvage it or let the girlfriend have it. The girlfriend loves the Yellow and wanted the first one but I have too much money tied up in that one to not drive myself or else sell (I need a new bike). Plus, she puts over 20K miles a year on her cars and that shouldn't be done to such a nice car. This second T-5R is another story. I may get it up to par and then let her drive it into the ground since it cost me almost nothing. Well, only after scalping all the IPD parts for my Pewter Turbo. (I like the stealthiness of that colour of car...I drive like an a-hole most of the time...not bad, just fast. Love the IPD ECU by the way.)

Ah, and then there is the 1993 850 non-turbo. Picked it up with 100K miles and a smashed back bumper for $1,200. My brother needed a car but then gave it back to me when he moved to a place with no parking. I just picked up a bumper in the same colour from Pick-N-Pull for $45 and will probably sell it when I am finished with the work. They usually go for about $3,500 around here but also usually have about 150K miles on them so I am hoping for the best.

Ya, we get crazy deals out here on Volvo's. Then again, I work from home on my computer most of the time so I can keep an eye out for deals. I work for myself so if something looks good I can act immediately.

So, if anyone is looking for something let me know an I can keep an eye out. One of my mechanics has an engine he is looking to put in an S70 so I am keeping an eye out for him and can do the same for others if they want. You East Coasters might run into a shipping cost issue since these cars aren't usually worth enough to warrant shipping but hell, 850s are pretty reliable...I might be willing to drive something out to you on my next business trip and then fly home. Just a thought. I like these cars and like to see other enthusiast get the benefits of the standard consumers' practice of throwing things away when they run into any kind of upkeep costs.

Houston

I would restore the yellow. Remember the yellow restored is going to fetch alot better price than a common pewter color, not a big fan of the pewter color, though. Its kind of like the yellow I saw at erievo a couple months back, all it needed was a rear bumper and they decided to part the whole thing out. They got very low prices for the exterior parts on ebay because they arent in demand because of the color factor. It would have been worth it to throw a bumper on it and sell it as a whole.

[hgray14]

I totally get what you are saying and it applies to my good Yellow.

The questionable Yellow one has over 200K miles on it and from what I hear was driven really hard. If I spent a lot to get it it would make sense to spend a little more and then resell it but since I spent close to nothing it doesn't make sense to drop $3-4K just to be able to sell it for $5K. I hate to see cars tossed to the junk yard when something little could have kept them alive but I am not about to get into a situation where I have put so much money and time into a car that cost me close to nothing in the hopes of making a profit. Also, if I were to keep it then I would have to update everything that is worn out because I don't want an unreliable car and once I did put that money into it I would be stuck having to fix anything else that came up because I was already locked into the car for so much money. It is sad but the reality is that this one might need to go to the scrap heap. I already made back my money just on the IPD ECU and exhaust so all the rest of the parts will be gravy. I don't need to make any money on the stock parts...although obviously I wouldn't mind. If I find out that there are too many repairs than I will offer it up for sale for super cheap and hopefully someone who wants a T-5R in Creme Yellow will snatch it up, fix it up and drive it like it should be.

I love seeing these things on the road but don't know how many I am going to take responsibility for...I am already committed on my first one to get it back to prime shape. If anyone wants to make me an offer on this car in stock condition I would be more than happy to consider it.

Houston

[Ex850R]

If and its a big ask,if you can hold onto these cars i reckon the market will be vbery good in many countries inc Britain which can have LHD cars . I want one in Australia,we have about 30 to60 [and i am probably wrong]Yellows in all of AUS, so dont be silly , engines are easily rebuilt,etc so go on and store these cars for the rest of us.......