PROJECT BUYER
You won’t find many people restoring a Volvo 850 yet; to most people an 850 project means either recommissioning a car that’s been standing for ages or creating a fast road or track car, as there’s a surprisingly large number of go-faster products available.
If you’re in the former category, there isn’t much to fear; most jobs are within the realms of the DIYER. Earlier cars tend to be easier to work on from an electronics point of view because it’s easier to trace faults with the engine management system. However, an onboard diagnostic tester or Volvo Scan Tool aren’t costly at around £50 and can be used to get the car to tell you what’s wrong with it.
If you’re buying an 850 to tune it then you’ll be in good company; there’s no shortage of enthusiasts pepping up T5s by boosting the engine and upgrading the brakes and suspension. It’s easy to coax a reliable 350bhp from the T5 engine; 400bhp is possible but beyond that you run the risk of compromosing reliability. It helps that the
gearboxes are strong enough to cope ifthe fluid is changed at least every couple of years. WHAT TO PAY? Project: £300-£1000 Runner: £1000-£3000 Good: £800-£5000 Estates are more desirable than saloons and command slightly higher prices. THINK AGAIN IF…
There’s significant corrosion to any of the outer panels; the cost of repair or replacements will be too much relative to the car’s eventual value, unless it’s a T5-R.
There’s significant accident damage, especially if it extends to the chassis. You’ll never recoup the cost of professional repairs, unless it’s a T5-R or you have a donor car you can plunder for parts.