Volvo- right fuel, wrong wheel drive

[Richard]

I'd pretty much decided that the ex-Jonathan Dyane 850 TDi saloon would be my last car. 

 

2018-07-16_05-20-32 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

Lately I've gone off the diesel engine and automatic gearbox a bit and have been looking out for the same sort of spec with a manual box and petrol engine. Last month a car turned up on the Volvo forum that came close to fitting the bill. 

 

It's an estate, which I tend to avoid, and has full leather. A quick check of the registration number revealed that it has 170BHP, which means the 2.5 20V engine, which is exactly the one I was after. Judging from the pictures it had been quite well looked after and needed a bit of my idea of TLC (not to be confused with the usual seller's definition).

 

As with the TDi I broached the subject by sending my wife a link to the advert and exactly the same conversation ensued-

 

"did you want it?"

"a bit"

"ok"

 

It was in Banbury and there wasn't a free day in the foreseeable future so I got enough detail from the seller to take a punt unseen and got in touch with Mr Shiply. After a bidding war between two contractors I went with the one that had the less arsey T&Cs section.  

 

 

Excellent service from them, would definitely use them again https://www.shiply.com/transport-provider/taylordawson

 

36275635_10155486887726053_7162057381411553280_n by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

I was at work when it arrived, but got a reasonably encouraging picture.

 

36274416_10155486914596053_1876140675234267136_n by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

First impressions were that it was pretty much as described. There was definitely a slight canine aroma, which I'd anticipated because it had a dog guard. I formed a "to do" list, which I have made good progress on.

 

I finally got time to start cleaning it at the weekend and it became apparent that the interior was actually quite grubby. That was good news because it meant nobody had tried and failed to get rid of the dog smell.

 

20180716_165546 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

20180716_165611 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

I need to get some new plastic bits.

 

20180716_165956 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

20180716_170006 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

POWER

 

20180716_170106 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

Four new Avon tyres

 

20180716_170424 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

Encouraging sign

 

20180716_170119 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

PREMIUM. I'll probably stick with this instead of using the CD version that I have.

 

2018-07-15_03-18-57 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

 

I had a set of roof bars in stock.

 

20180708_153823 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

More thrilling* updates to come

 

 

[clayts450]

What's yr handy tip for purging aroma de chien ?

 

My 45 is similarly afflicted.

[Shirley Knott]

This looks lovely, I'd imagine fairly thirsty though?

 

Im toying with the idea of a diesel 850 for weekly/work duties, what kind of mpg were you getting from the derv saloon?

[Supernaut]

That's lovely!

 

Boxy old Volvos are appealing to me more and more as time goes by. I must be getting older and more Scottish.

[Richard]

What's yr handy tip for purging aroma de chien ?

 

My 45 is similarly afflicted.

 

I cleaned the boot carpet with this stuff from a shop in Stromness, because carpet shampoo is a perfectly normal thing to buy when you're on holiday.

 

 

In fact we ended up with quite a lot of random stuff from our afternoon in Stromness.

 

 

I cleaned the seats and scrubbed the plastics with Stardrops (from a pound shop I think) in some very hot water and gave the car a damn good hoovering. The interior got nice and hot in the sun today and it smells fine now. It probably helped that there was one of those plastic boot liners (which I have removed for now) and the dogs probably didn't get in the cabin.

 

The next stage, which it looks as if I won't have to do, would have been to get an Ozone generator, because Shep Shepherd reported good results with one https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B078SR9DKR/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 . There is also something called Clobberizer which I think does much the same thing, but as a one-off.

 

 

This looks lovely, I'd imagine fairly thirsty though?

 

Im toying with the idea of a diesel 850 for weekly/work duties, what kind of mpg were you getting from the derv saloon?

 

It seems easy enough to keep above 30mpg. I've been getting two months to a tank in the TDi, so even half the mpg wouldn't hurt too much. The TDi would hover around 40mpg, and could get 50 on a run if you were gentle, which isn't bad for a 200k automatic.

[anonymous user]

What's yr handy tip for purging aroma de chien ?

 

My 45 is similarly afflicted.

Mine was to get a dog, you soon get used to the smell.

 

PS lovely car.

[Twiggy]

A real bobby dazzler that one.

[320touring]

That looks smashing Richard!

 

Reckon youd've bet the rank taxi in it:)

 

Hope to see it in the metal soon!

[Jim Bell]

That looks like a red hot cracker. The cool interior hues contrast really well with the warm exterior colour. Looks like you played a blinder bidding blind.

[RobT]

Beige interior and a Premium Sound System, what's not to like.  Hope you enjoy it Richard.

 

I cleaned the boot carpet with this stuff from a shop in Stromness, because carpet shampoo is a perfectly normal thing to buy when you're on holiday.

 

 

Dr Beckmann has an impressive array of stain removal products.  He even has a stain clinic on his web-site where you enter the details and click 'Solve My Stain'.  Urine, vomit and excrement are in the drop down list...

 

http://www.dr-beckmann.co.uk/

[stuboy]

its a yes from me

[Richard]

I had a bit of a fettling session last weekend while I was cleaning. 

 

I found out that the reason the door check wasn't clicking horribly was because it had been unbolted from inside the door. As usual the spot welds had broken away from the pillar, so I whipped the door off and did my usual repair. Library pictures.

 

 

 

The ashtray and glove box were buggered, so they were liberated from the spares car and fitted. The grille too, because somebody had painted the original black and it just looked rong to me.

 

 

I'd considered trying to get dealer plates (I understand it has just got more difficult) but I think I'd have to get this dealer's name on them.

 

 

One thing that concerned me about the car was the short-ish MOT, a month and a half when it arrived. I've not really had time to have a proper look but it felt fine to drive and all the lights worked so I thought I would take a punt at my favourite test station.

 

 

Baws.

 

Luckily there is a spares car. It's one of the easier springs to change, one nut and one bolt has it out, you don't even need to take the wheel off. You do however need a 15mm socket, which disappeared half way through the job and didn't appear again until I was tidying up. I can live with that though because...

 

 

 

Good emissions results too, which is a relief. 

 

Now I can spend time and money on it, including new springs that are actually for an estate and looking at the wheel bearing, without worrying that there is an insurmountable MOT fail looming. First job will be a rear brake pad mounting kit, the rattling is quite annoying. 

 

I've been bitten in the past by replacing a car I like with what should be a better version of the same thing, but I think I've done ok this time. I've bonded with it as quickly as I did with the TDi and even the mpg isn't too painful, after I reset the average to take the MOT test an "I wonder how fast it goes" out of the equation.

 

 

That's on the local rural roads, I'd expect it to be at least that good on a run.

 

 

[bezzabsa]

diesel automatic selling????

 

price plzzz

[Richard]

My son has inherited it.

[Tickman]

diesel automatic selling????

 

price plzzz

 

The 850 has gone to Reb (Robin, Richards son) while his 850 will be going to make washing machines.

[Richard]

There, I fixed it.

 

 

I bolted a block of wood begind the broken trim and drilled a couple of holes in it.

 

 

 

 

It's got a grey blind from the shed until I get round to buying a repair kit for the beige one. It looks a lot better though, and avoids having all my quality* gear on display.

 

I think the wheel bearing advisory has been dealt with too. The driveshaft nut was a bit loose, which seems to be a TADTS because it's happened on both the other 850s here, so I torqued it up and will forget about it until it starts making a noise.

[John F]

Liked for the proper gearbox

[Richard]

It's quite hard to find them with the proper gearbox. 

 

The spring I fitted for the MOT was a temporary measure. It turns out that saloon and estate springs are the same but if you have an estate with Nivomats, which this one does, you need a softer spring. An eBay search last week turned up a brand new correct spring for £17.50 delivered. I've been away all week so I collected it from my work tonight. 

 

 

Slightly longer and slightly thinner than the saloon spring.

 

 

 

Air suspension. I need to sort out the boots on these Nivomats fairly soon, apparently that's what kills them. 

 

 

Sorted. If a matching spring turns up for the other side I'll replace that too, but if it doesn't I won't.

 

Ride is very much improved and it sits level now, I suspect the broken spring was also the wrong type. The 55 profile tyres from the 854 have also helped the ride quality a bit.

 

[rantingYoof]

Ooooof, a 2.5 20v manual!

 

I test drove a 2.0 20v saloon and it properly shifted (150hp I think?)...and made that lovely noise too.

 

Nicely bought, very jealous.

[Tetleysmooth]

Imagine what a 2.5 20v turbo is like!!

[rantingYoof]

They went into the Mk1 V70/S70 and had 190hp. This improved to 210hp in the Mk2 V70/S60.

 

It really disappoints me that Volvo have ditched the five cylinder 2.4/2.5 stuff in favour of characterless 2.0 four pots. Reading all the reviews of the latest Volvos the only consistent criticism are the harsh and dull sounding engines.

[Tetleysmooth]

My 2.5t is on 190k now and 21 years old, but still goes like shit off a stick.

[Richard]

Ooooof, a 2.5 20v manual!

 

 

Indeed. They don't come up every day. It's getting hard to find 850s that aren't one or more of 2.0, 10V, automatic, barried, workhorsed to death or massively overpriced. You're starting to see unremarkable examples advertised at several thousand, which will inevitably drive all the prices up.   

 

 

Imagine what a 2.5 20v turbo is like!!

 

Part of me wants one, and I'd probably have gone for it if the right car had come up.

[Durham850]

I have been 850less for a couple of months now after a smoking, squealing crank shaft sent mine over the bridge and I am having withdrawals from the big old beast, I need another diesel 850 in my life so so badly!

[Richard]

David Gilmour's old one was up for sale recently, it was disgusting though.

 

 

[Durham850]

bucket of water and it’s good as new that! Thing of beauty in estate form, even better in saloon flavour, I really need to find someone who wants to swap one of these for a Mazda 3!

[loserone]

I thought you had a buyer lined up for yours aaaages ago?

[GrumpiusMaximus]

My Volvo envy gets stronger with each passing day...

 

Lovely that.

[Durham850]

Today, 02:40 PM

I thought you had a buyer lined up for yours aaaages ago

 

I did and then life got in the way for a little while and then before the I could arrange to get it with the other guy it went well tits up on me, didn’t feel right selling him a car that may not get him back home so I did the most stupid thing I have ever done in my life and scrapped it, was gutted doing it but illness and money mean I can’t do much fixing right now!

[Shep Shepherd]

What's yr handy tip for purging aroma de chien ?

 

My 45 is similarly afflicted.

 

As mentioned before, a portable ozone generator. Let it run inside the car for an hour or so, then leave the car a while with the windows open to let the ozone disperse, and you'll find that the smell has gone ^^