Volvo 850

These cars are just starting to become affordable for those of us who don't want to pay new car prices. In addition you get an awful lot of car for your money. If you are considering purchasing one of these here is my take on the matter. First, these cars have been around a while now and it is likely that you’ll come across many models with a high mileage. In fact, it is likely that the one you like the look of has been around the world a couple of times. However, mileage in the main is not an issue. Myself and many others have bought our 850s with well over 100k miles and have had no more problems than you might expect from a less well travelled ...  Read the complete review

Well, I hope that the title has at least managed to grab your attention! Over the last few weeks my family and I (wife, toddler, and bump) have been looking for a car suitable for the family to have as a workhorse-cum-day out kind of car. Our Mondeo estate is a bit of a wreck and is a pain to drive- it's uncomfortable, does about 31mpg, and drinks a sumpfull of oil in 2000 miles. Anyway, we have been trawling around with a budget of £4000, trying to see what we could get. The only stipulation was that it had to be a car that I could fit in (I'm 6 foot 8 by the way- just thought I'd say that to excite Mrs Murphy!). I'm not going to go ...  Read the complete review

After 3 years of ownership, frankly, I wouldn't recommend the 850 model to anybody. Consider the following when making a purchase: 1. Poor steering design I believe that this was the first of Volvo's modern front wheel drive vehicles: it shows. The steering is imprecise and has far too much play, giving you the feeling that you are driving a boat rather than a car. The front tyres wear unevenly and can quickly become illegal with bald outer tread after only a few thousand miles. 2. Poor manufacture The glass sunroof rattles all the time. I believe that this is a design fault. It is really annoying. The ...  Read the complete review

Part of the attraction for me in buying an 850 T5 (2319cc, 5-cylinder 20v turbo, 225bhp model) was the fact that it looks like nothing special, but goes like a scalded cat. This seems to help the insurance cost, as nobody seems to steal them! About the only thing I can gripe about on this car is the wheelspin/front tyre wear, which is kind of inevitable on a car putting such power through the front wheels alone. Next, I think I may consider the more recent, 4x4 version of the same car, the V70 AWD, depending on a) finding one and b) affording it :) We can all dream. Oh yes, the comfort, finish, ride quality, reliability, space (lots of in estate model) ...  Read the complete review