Urgent request for help and advice please!

[capt jack]

I'm going to see an S90 tomorrow. 1998 vintage. Looks amazing on the photos. Can anyone give me some clues as to what to look for? It's the 3.0litre auto. I've owned several p1 70-series cars, and the engine looks very familiar, albeit with an extra pot and turned through 90 degrees! I've also had a 740 and 940, but I think that the S90 might be a rather different beast?

I'll look for all the usual stuff of course, but I've read that the heater matrix can give out. If the front carpets are wet would this be a deal breaker do you think?

Other than that are the any S90 (960) foibles to look out for?

Cheers

Jack

[nu11eaf]

Great engine and for me best car volvo made, check heater blower and aircon are working, and electric sunroof opens and closes ok in both positions, door card tops do wrinkle but dont let that be a deal breaker as you would be hard pushed to find one that has not. Check Electric seats operate ok and seat heaters and electric windows, really all the usual checks.
Test drive and check gearbox kickdown is working and try sport mode operates and cruise control. These cars are usually bullet proof and a well looked after car should be a great buy.
Wish I had never parted with my 1998 V90.

[Forrest]

The heater matrix replacement on 900 series cars with aircon is a pig of a job, but if you’re prepared to take it on yourself it needn’t be a deal breaker. Consider it worth about ten hours’ labour off the price.

[Dibble]

Originally Posted by capt jack

I'm going to see an S90 tomorrow. 1998 vintage. Looks amazing on the photos. Can anyone give me some clues as to what to look for? It's the 3.0litre auto. I've owned several p1 70-series cars, and the engine looks very familiar, albeit with an extra pot and turned through 90 degrees! I've also had a 740 and 940, but I think that the S90 might be a rather different beast?

I'll look for all the usual stuff of course, but I've read that the heater matrix can give out. If the front carpets are wet would this be a deal breaker do you think?

Other than that are the any S90 (960) foibles to look out for?

Cheers

Jack

I had one a few years ago Jack. Ended up in Northumbria I think. Maroon with tan leather. 3.0 litre. Superb engine and superb car. You will not be disappointed. Send a PM to Migrator on here. He will tell you all about them and he still has a Royal that he will not sell. Let us know how you get on with your findings.

[capt jack]

Thanks All. Well the deed is done and I am the very proud owner of a splendid S90 3 litre auto. Less than 90,000 miles, one owner from new, looking fabulous in Nautic Blue Pearl.

The one job I think it might need is a new off-side drop link - there's a gentle low-speed knock from the OSF area over road bumps. The NS link is shiny and new, the OS one is definitely not!

I probably paid too much, but hey, in 5 years time I'll have had 5 years of glorious RWD Volvo motoring in a car that even as I drove it home was turning heads! The main benefit of being stuck in a jam on the M42 is that you can see other drivers casting a sneaky look in your direction!

If I were to have bought a new £20K car today I'd have already lost £5k - way more than changed hands today - on the VAT just by driving it home, so taking the long view, this car is a keeper and a total bargain.

Indeed I worked out that as a multiple of my weekly salary this is actually the cheapest car I've ever bought. Cheaper even than the 1966 Wolseley Hornet I bought as my first car in 1979, which cost £150 when my pay was less than £30 a week. And that little gem most certainly did not have 6 cylinders, 200+bhp and leather armchairs to die for!

It's good to be back in a Volvo!

Jack

[rwdkev]

Originally Posted by nu11eaf

Great engine and for me best car volvo made, .....These cars are usually bullet proof and a well looked after car should be a great buy.

My thoughts entirely!! I've had ten 960/90's and I absolutely love them. If you like the 940 then you'll certainly appreciate the 90, the ultimate incarnation of the RWD (proper!!) Volvo.

As well as all the points others have mentioned so far, make sure you check for head gasket problems (unfortunately common) and coolant mixing with transmission oil due to leaky cooler (assuming it's automatic and nearly all are)

Do the usual warning light checks for ABS, airbag, engine fault codes and autobox fault codes, the last of which is usually only poor contacts on the gear selector position switch (usually referred to as the starter inhibitor switch but also operates the reversing lights)

[capt jack]

Ta. Everything looks good, engine is super smooth, inaudible on tickover, gearchange is spot on, reverse lights work fine, door cards a tad wrinkled, but not much, interior is otherwise beautiful- no way does it look over 20 years old.

It’s had headlamp protectors on from new so the front lights are as new. Alloys are perfect. I’m still pinching myself to be honest. Nigh on 60 years old and too excited to sleep or eat!

I’ll try to get some pictures up over the weekend.

Cheers

Jack

[classicswede]

I am very happy with my V90, ticks all the right boxes.
Silky smooth engine
nice interior
Good handling
RWD
Good load capacity
Quick ok its not fast but I do plan to fix that

[GreenBrick]

Engage jealous face....

[Dirty Rooster]

1998 : surely the last proper Volvo.