1995 Volvo 850

T-5R Wagon

5 - Cyl.

Automatic

YV1LW5814S2129124

Clear

Gasoline

1995 Volvo 850 T-5R Wagon Black Paint, Black Leather/Suede Interior 178,000 Miles 2.3-liter Inline-5, Turbocharged Automatic Transmission The 850 T-5R was a fully-loaded, top of the line sport model introduced by Volvo in 1995, and was known in later years as the 850R. For 1995, only 2000 were produced as wagons and sedans in black or yellow, making this a true collector’s item. For the past 16 months, the car has been used as a project car on the world’s largest Volvo enthusiast website, Swedespeed.com, and has been driven less than 2000 miles in that time. It has also been subject to a good number of repairs and upgrades, all listed below. Engine: New battery last month. New distributor cap and rotor. New upgraded spark plugs. New PCV valve system. New air intake hoses between the turbocharger and intercooler. Free-flow air intake, full exhaust, and engine ECU reflash from EuroSport Tuning. The combination is good for around 300 hp, an upgrade from 240 hp stock. Engine is running strong with no leaks. The air filter might be loud for the tastes of some, and the original airbox will be included. Suspension/Brakes: New Bilstein struts and shocks. New IPD coil springs, which lower the car 1.75 inches and provide sharper handling. New front and rear strut tower mounts and new strut tower bearings up front. New control arms. New sway bar links. Strut tower brace from IPD added under the hood. Front brakes are new, rears are in good shape. All parts listed were added in Spring of 2009. Interior: New Alpine touch-screen stereo head unit added last fall. Model iXA-W404. It is designed to work only with MP3 players and does not have a CD player. Cost approximately $500 new. Works well, and can be upgraded with additional features like a backup camera or navigation, available from Alpine. Speakers are mostly original, though another owner upgraded those in the front doors at some point. Original wood dashboard trim was upgraded to carbon fiber overlays last fall. I’ll be honest, the job was not done as well as I was hoping—the company responsible turned out to be a bit of a mess and there are some imperfections here and there. The job was never finished so I finished the center console pieces in suede to match the seats instead. Looks better than the original faded and cracked trim, but isn’t award-winning. Everything in the interior works, including heated front seats and sunroof. The upholstery is great for such an old vehicle, but the driver’s seat does have one seam that has come loose. Exterior: Paint is good from ten feet but is definitely showing its age up close. No major dents, just a few nicks, blemishes, and scratches. An earlier owner painted the 16-inch alloy wheels at some point, and they could definitely use a refinish or a swap for a different set. Front bumper is not the original T-5R-specific piece with an integrated spoiler, though I do have an unpainted one new in the Volvo OEM parts box that I will include for $200 more. Continental tires have good tread left. Unpainted plastic bump strips on front and rear bumpers are faded and rough, could use refurbishing or replacement to make the car look at its best. I just haven’t found good replacements at a junkyard yet. Overall, the car is a blast to drive. I like it quite a lot and know it has a lot of miles left in it, and it’ll always be a collector’s item. Lots of 850s for sale out there, but fewer turbos and even fewer T-5Rs. I’ve invested a lot of time and money into this car and hate to see it go, but simply don’t have the time, space, or need for it any longer since it has been treated as a toy, not a daily driver. Available for drives and viewings in Lombard, preferably during the day on weekdays but I’m flexible. E-mail any further questions.