[Evil incarnate]

I'm a newbie to Volvos (okay, I had a 1972 but a lot's changed since then) and I really can't find any info on the difference between the assorted models of 1994 vintage Volvos. Can anybody post a short summary? They all look the same to me.

If you're wondering, I'm thinking about buying one. I drove an 850 that I liked quite a bit.

 

[[email protected]]

Well, the big difference is that the 700/900 series are rear-wheel-drive with a and that the 850 is front-wheel drive.

The 700/900 also have either 4cyl or 6cyl engines whereas the 850 has a transversely mounted I-5.

 

[Evil incarnate]

Are there any I should avoid in that vintage (mid-early 90s)? I'm looking for a luxury touring vehicle for road trips, but it won't be a daily driver.

 

[Spearzy]

I hear to stay away from the 6 cylinder models of this era. Not-to common and expensive to fix. I have no first hand experience with those models though.
For the long hauls the 850 has a more modern feel but the roomyness of a 900 series volvo is good deal. The 850 and 740 are roughly the same size, the 850 replaced the 740 (and the S70 replaced the 850). The 900 series car is more or less the predisessor to the S80, the larger model.

 

[towerymt]

The last year for the RWD 760 was 1990, so that one may not fit your needs if you want a newer, lower mileage car.

The 960 from '92-'97 and the replacement, the S90/V90 from '97-'98 used an alloy inline 6cyl that can have major problems. You should probably avoid the early ones up to around '95, but if you can get an S90 (sedan) or V90 (wagon), it should be a very nice car with a smooth, powerful engine.

The 850 was introduced in '93 with a 5cyl non-turbo sedan model. Don't buy a '93 850, but consider a '94-'97 model. They all use 5cyl alloy engines, making ~168hp normally aspirated, ~190hp with the low pressure turbo (LPT) and ~222hp with the high pressure turbo (HPT). The R models of the 850 were rated at 240hp, and they were built '95-'97.