1993 Volvo 850 GLT (Reaction) Motorweek Retro Review
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- Опубліковано 11 лис 2024
- This week's Motorweek Retro Review Reaction is the 1993 Volvo 850 GLT!
Boxy, luxurious.... but is is good enough to choose over an Acura?
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Back in 1995, my girlfriend bought a '93 850 GLT. It was bright red with tan leather and looked amazing. I loved almost everything about that car. The 5-cylinder was strong (even without a turbo) and sounded really great. The early 850s were known for transmission failures and her's failed around 70k. She drove it another 40k before trading it for a '98 S70 (same car).
We got married and amicably divorced a few years later. In 2005, we flew to Sweden to pick up a new '05 V70R via the European Delivery Program. Another amazing car! She still had it as of a few years ago.
I have one still going strong 👍🏴
Excellent review! This really makes me miss my old 1996 Volvo 850 Wagon. Very solid feeling car. There was some reliability issues, but nothing too bad. After Volvo I went to the 1997 Nissan Maxima and it felt much newer car and very smooth V6. However I would still love to own one of these 90's Volvos.
Great review Jon. We shopped this car when brand new, but we were looking for a wagon at the time. The 850 wagon had not come out yet and ultimately ended up with a 93 Accord EX Wagon, which I must say turned out to be one of the best cars I've ever owned in my lifetime. Still a big Volvo fan, but never ended up owning one.
When I was a kid growing up in the 80s my parents had a 1984 Volvo 760, my parents bought a new 1987 Audi 5000, they kept the Volvo because it was a really good car. In 1991 my parents traded the Audi 5000 for an Acura Legend, the legend was a great car!!! Big, roomy and low slung…. But the Volvo was a great car!!! Way better than the Audi, but probably not as great as the Acura Legend!!!!! In fact to this day my parents only buy Honda products!!!!! But I will say that the Volvo was good, it served as my sister and my first 16 year olds car!!!
$26,000 in 1993 = $55,000 in 2023.
Loved these cars! If I were shopping for an entry level luxury car in 1993, this would have been at the top of my list over the Saab or Acura. The blocky styling wins me over compared to the more generic Japanese styling. The Saab 900…just too weird for me.
I never once gave Volvos a second look UNTIL I got stuck with a rental while mine Pontiac was in the shop. They gave me a 1998 V70. They gave me a deal on it because it was a wagon, and I didn’t like it at first. I loved that car so much I kept it for a week. I’ve bought two since, 99 S70 and then a 2007 S80 with the Yamaha 8 cylinder. I’m not “in love” with their current styling, but if I could afford one, it’s only because their interiors. They are unparalleled. I look forward to sitting in them at the auto show every year.
I also thought Saabs were better looking. Volvo has the best seats, but the 1997 Saab 9000 Aero beat them ONCE. It wasn’t there usual seat, must’ve been the Aero seats.
Thanks for this review. I always look for your videos on my days off.
These cars were ok but I love the 740's and 940's.
A friend had a 740 Turbo Wagon. I wouldn't consider it exceptionally sporty or fast, but it could at least get out of its own way. Also very comfortable and well put together.
For four people plus luggage it was great for road trips. Second only to a Buick Roadmaster station wagon. But I wouldn't want to daily in one of those beached whales.
I had this same year and color, except that I had the automatic. I loved the car at first but it lacked power, the seats were a bit flat and I tired of the colors quickly.
I replaced it in 1996 with the Volvo 850 Platinum Limited Edition sedan. It came with every option including a very rich pearl white exterior and a medium gray soft leather interior. It was also turbocharged so it didn’t lack power. I kept it for eleven years which is a record for me!
Awesome!
@@AllCarswithJon Thank you sir!
I keep cars for a long time, they don’t rust much where I live, and I worked on Volvo’s for a while. In hindsight, I wish I had bought a new 240 in 1993. You could keep that car in tip top shape and still drive it today. In reality, I would have picked the 850 back then, it was just so much better in so many ways than the 240. Still, it fell apart like a modern Volvo.
The styling inside and out was what I'd call fantastic. However, what unsold this car to me was Volvos' choice to go front wheel drive. It's the same for Acura. Both had the opportunity for true greatness if they had only employed rear wheel drive with AWD as a possible option. The 850 was the beginning of the end for Volvo as far as I'm concerned despite how good it was. When I sit back and give this car some thought, compromise is the accurate word for me.
Yeah, Volvo still exists, but in name only, having been beholden to two foreign masters since and currently.
Thank you for the great review and trip down memory lane.
Acura/Honda fans weren't bothered by front wheel drive. They probably expected it. But it definitely wasn't going to convince anyone to pick an Acura over a comparable car with rear drive.
I think people just began to accept front drive in luxury or near luxury cars, I don't think most people really preferred it.
Here's an interesting comparison: 1993 Acura Vigor vs 1993 Volvo 850 GLT. Both had five cylinder engines which I don't ever recommend.
I still drive a 96 850 wagon with over 230k, it runs and drives great but at this stage it will nickel and dime u with parts replacements. But its easy to work on so u can do most repairs on ur own!😉
Thanks for sharing
just like the 780 the front wheels are covered in break dust. Ive owned everything from an 82 242 turbo to a 97 850 wagon and Volvo breaks while good they throw dust for sure. My NA 97 was my car for 11 years. & Volvos later I had to go Toyota. The wait for parts, cost and lack of them at the salvage yard ended my run. With the last 240 in 93 the cars are there but hard to find in good shape. My Toyota is common and reliable but my Volvos had passion.
The box had tapers and cool wheels.
You don't see oil pressure or bolt meter gauges on modern sedans. They just have fuel and temperature gauges. However, they are on SUVs and trucks.
Trucks and earlier SUVs were assumed to be used as trucks. Drivers needed to be warned when they were getting near the limits of what it could take. Also, if something broke, it was more likely to happen in a place you couldn't just call AAA for a tow.
Liked the Volvo, not the Acura, couldn't afford either. I kept on in my work Dakota 4x4 & Dad gave Mom an LS400 which I still have, with 274,000 miles....
Comparing volvo to buick is actually not a bad thought, Jon. Volvo has always been this subpremium brand, just like buick originally had been. The car for doctors, middle to upper management. A car to be proud of and that showed you were certainly doing well in life. Ofcourse volvo was a bit different with the 300 and 400 series, but I do agree that the comparison is apt...if it weren't fo buick's complete decline and Ford mucking up volvo...
edit: pre-ford volvo was way more reliable than acura's ever been, lol.
All Volvos are very safe tanks. I would get a Volvo for the added protection on the road. I would not get an 850 because of the five cylinder engine. I would prefer a 740 Turbo, 940 Turbo, or a 960. Even the old 240 would be worth having. A 780 coupe designed by Bertone would be great to have as well.
Coffee beverage of choice nice car a little stogie 😮
Enjoy!
At 8:10, you misspoke! add ten more years to that fuel mileage comparison!
I know you like the automatic over a manual, but not in this case. I believe Volvo souced the 4 spd auto from GM. (I may have the wrong model) Because of space limitations they used the smallest (And weakest) one available. It was probably fine for a front drive compact, but too weak for something with the 850's weight and power.
Transmission replacement became too common of an issue with these.
The GM automatic was only in early 6cyl XC90
@@robertalshamma-oo3sh I may have to model that had problems wrong, but it was an Asin sourced automatic in the 850. Though everyone and their brother used it, including GM Europe. Along with Alfa, Daewoo, Kia, Suzuki and others.
The manuals were built in house by Volvo.
It has headlights wipers like Mercedes had done
"I don't love five cylinders..." Okay. That's where the video ends for me.
I don't care for five cylinder engines, either. They're not very smooth and they're not as refined as six cylinder engines are. I have the same problem with three cylinder engines as well.