1986 Volvo 760 Turbo Intercooler 2.3 turbo

Summary:

A great car or is it brick?

Faults:

Well nothing has "gone wrong" but when I got it for $400, I needed to replace a taillight, and partially, the exhaust system. that's all! the front seats are worn, and the dash is cracked.

General Comments:

This car is very quick on it's feet.

It handles very nice and can take corners fast.

The turbo seems to kick in at just the right time.

It has never broken down.

The original black paint is still glossy and not peeled.

Every single electronic in the car works.

I replaced the stereo myself.

Auto A/C and heat work.

No turbo lag.

Will spin the rear tires going out of a corner if floored.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd March, 2004

9th Sep 2004, 22:41

Tail light stops working. Cruise control stops working and other than that it's a reliable safe powerful machine.

14th Nov 2005, 22:09

It goes in the small plastic black box under the hood on the left, (driver's side) fender.

1986 Volvo 760 Turbo 2.3L turbo

Summary:

If you are looking for a reliable family car with low maintenance costs, stay away from this one

Faults:

The rear shocks had to be replaced at 166,000 Km (103,000 miles) at cost of US$1,000 plus labour.

It was a shocking experience for a person like me with no deep pockets!

The heater fan started to make a lot of noise started at around 170,000 Km at a cost of $280.

From time to time, the engine won't turn over the first try. However, the second try usually would do the trick.

The brakes on my Volvo tend to require much higher frequency of service than any other vehicles I have ever owned!

General Comments:

In general, older Volvos are relatively cheap to purchase, but very expensive to maintain.

A 10 year old Volvo, given proper TLC and deep pockets, could probably last another 10 years or so.

However, be prepared to expect higher grief per mile comparing to other makes like Honda & Toyota.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 29th March, 2002

7th Sep 2002, 20:25

This was a premium vehicle in it's day, and so demands a premium for maintenance. A Toyota is certainly more suitable for those who prefer low running costs.

22nd Oct 2002, 05:33

It's a shame that the writer did not do more research into the rear shocks for this car. It appears that he was ripped off by the dealer. The original equipment BOGE NIVOMAT self adjusting shocks can be had for less than $200 each on the Internet and are easily replaced by the owner. If that is still too much, there is the option to replace the shocks with standard ones for about $100 for the pair. This only applies to sedans through 1987 and wagons with a solid rear axle. IRS models form 1988 through 1990 must use the original type of shocks for replacement.

1986 Volvo 760 Turbo 2.7L 4-Cylinder

Summary:

A high performance luxury car at its best

Faults:

The car doesn't track well on wet roads, it stalls occasionally when started up for the first time in a while (but can restart right away and run fine). Cruise control just quit working (looking into it).

General Comments:

Overall the car is awesome... Clean the turbo and maintain it and you'll get some power (requires a couple of hours of work). If you treat this car right you can get as much boost out of the turbo and engine as a medium sized V6. It's a good car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 11th June, 2000