Faults:

Not one fault whatsoever. Everything is sturdy, working and reliable.

General Comments:

This is the best car I have ever owned. Much more reliable and safer than my Camry, which took around five times to start, and broke down at least two times a month. Now I have a vehicle that will continue to run for years. Buy a Volvo. Never buy a Toyota.

Faults:

Clear coat peeling on boot spoiler.

Radiator is beginning to leak.

Engine vacuum leak, causing check engine light.

Front brakes are starting to shudder.

Power steering return line split.

Front upper spring seat failed.

General Comments:

Any problems I am encountering with this car are purely age related problems that are quite simple to work through for the mechanically minded. Has onboard diagnostics that don't require a scanner to read, which is very handy.

The dealers charge astronomical prices for some consumables. Thank heaven for the Internet.

For a large car, it is very fast once moving, has pleasant handling, is very quiet, and has the most comfortable seats on earth. Deceptively fast is the best way to describe this car. However, with 225hp and front wheel drive, you have to beware of torque steer!

Fuel economy is OK considering the performance available. 11 litres/100km city and 9.2l/100 highway.

This car requires a lot of maintenance, especially as it ages, and is not for the clueless or faint-hearted. They are very cheap to obtain second hand, but if you must visit the dealer for everything, will quickly bankrupt you. Having said this, when looked after, the five cylinder engine and Aisin Warner transmission will last for many hundreds of thousands of kilometers.

Faults:

Air conditioner Leaks.

Heated seats intermittent.

Multiple oil leaks.

Cruise control not working.

Front door check bolts sheared off.

Passenger door handle hard to pull open.

Odometer stopped working.

General Comments:

This has been a very good car to me, spent 1500 on 1st service, but I think the dealer was dishonest.

Second service included cam belt, different description on oil leaks through engine, and rear break replacement; all up 2500.

2.5 years since last service, the car hasn't let me down. The engine is finally starting to fail - down on power. Otherwise a very good car. Plenty of torque, and pulls the boat effortlessly.

Got rear ended buy a Toyota Hilux, came out best off!

Faults:

Fuel pump relay solder contacts failed, rear main seal leaks, one rear cam seal failed, boot light fails to close. Ignition switch was loose. Driver's door stay broke.

General Comments:

We purchased this car purely because it was a Volvo & because it had incredibly low mileage at 112,000 kms, and an almost complete dealer service history. We haggled with the dealer to lower the price by $500 because it was still on the original cam belt after 14 years!!

Also the previous owner had either neglected the last oil change or had used terrible oil, because the oil light was glowing and the tappets were noisy after only five minutes of driving. After an oil/filter change, the oil light disappeared for good and the tappets no longer make noise, so we caught this just in time before damage occurred. Also the car consumes no oil, though it does leave a leak from the rear main seal.

After only one day of driving, we noticed that on some starts the indicators would not work and one of the warning lights would also stay on (can't remember which one) Upon returning to the dealer, he told us not to use the keyless remote, which solved nothing. Knew there had to be something we could do, so I started reading the forums, which revealed all. It was the ignition switch not returning home after a start.

Once I sourced the cam belt, water pump and pulleys/bearings/seals etc, I went about replacing them which took about six hours. A new ignition switch and driver's door stay was also sourced, which both took around 60 minutes to replace.

Once the fuel pump relay was re soldered, we overcame a hot starting problem. When I say "hot starting", I mean on any day over about 21 deg C the car would not start, especially if the car was left sitting in the sun.

Once the gremlins were sorted, we began to enjoy this vehicle immensely. The performance is adequate with 106KW available. It is ready to kick down and pass with ease. I am not kidding myself about the performance. My other Volvo, a 960, has far more performance.

These 850s have amazing road manners and steering feel. After driving a 740 Turbo, 760 V6 and a 960, I can easily say this is the easiest and most comfortable to drive. They are very nimble with light steering and great handling. Mid corner bumps don't jar the suspension, and the seats, dash and general ergonomics are great.

Ours has great air-con, which easily cools the cabin down after 10 minutes of soaking in the sun for hours. One point that I dislike is the tinny exhaust note. Either some baffles are a little worn or that is how these 10 valve models sound. Either way, it's not a sexy sound going through the gears until it's cruising at 100km/h.

The factory stereo, though only a tape/radio, sounds awesome. The leather requires a treatment right now, as it is beginning to dry out, but I'm not complaining after 14 years of use.

My advice for anyone looking to purchase one of these is to look for service history and originality.