[JohnM 855 T5R]

Ok, There has been a lot of speculation in this thread as to T-5R values.

I guess it's time to fully reveal my own case. I bought my gul 855 T-5R auto last August (2020) for £8500. It was originally advertised at £14K.

It had 172K miles and 15 owners but was bodily totally immaculate (and I mean immaculate) as was the interior except for a tired drivers seat and steering wheel (both need retrimmimg).
The dealer (a genuine Volvo one who had bought it for himself) had a comprehensive file of bills and history. That, plus its MOT history enabled me to work out a number of things before I bought it.

1) Half the owners kept it for less than a year
2) It's only done 25K miles in the last 11 years.
3) It appears to have been off road for 6 years of its life including 3 at the dealer who never got round to doing anything with it
4) In its last 10K miles before I bought it, a total of £9300 was spent on the car to bring the mechanicals, electrics and suspension up to scratch, including £2400 by the dealer (internal cost not retail cost).

I did a deep inspection on the car which showed it still needed some work on various items, much of which was just normal wear and tear or age related stuff. I put together a list of work I felt needed doing and negotiated with the dealer. Seeing as I was clearly an 850 enthusiast, the dealer sold it to me at cost (i.e. his purchase price plus the internal prep and repair work they had done in the Volvo workshop)

I've undertaken the following (you'll probably have seen this in another thread)

Aircon re-gassed.

All 3 main engine mounts replaced.

Lower transmission torque bar replaced.

Front & Rear discs and pads replaced with genuine Volvo parts

Deep service - Oil and Air Filters replaced, Oil change - Castrol Edge 10W/40, Distributor Cap replaced, Rotor Arm Replaced, Spark Plugs Replaced, Magnecor leads fitted, Main Fuel Filter Replaced, Rear Wiper blade & Arm replaced, Front Wiper Blades replaced along with new drivers side wiper arm

Turbo Recirculating Valve blanking plate removed and replaced with new Forge piston type TRV - standard settings

All turbo pipes replaced with Do88 silicone along with new silicone vac lines throughout.

Gearbox Leak from dipstick tube and dipstick sump eliminated by Leek Transmissions in Leek, Staffordshire

Cam cover lifted, proper anaerobic sealant applied to cure oil seepage, cams lifted and inspection of journals - all ok, 4 new cam seals, new timing belt, idler and tensioner, all by D & A autos, Witney, Oxfordshire

New Turbo Control Valve

New rear engine mounting plate and top bush

Passenger interior temp sensor replaced

Fuel filler flap hinge replaced
The work was done by my stepson and myself except where indicated.

Total costs incurred (labour and parts) come to just around £1800.
So, including the cost of the car, it stands me £10,300 in total for a gul 855 that will stand up to any in the country (once I've had the seat and steering wheel retrimmed - about another £550).

I'd call that all a result, especially given that £9300 was spent in the prior 10,000 miles!!!!!!

John