Volvo Station Wagon

[Jaguwar]

If I can get my shit together, I should have a 1995 Volvo 850 Station wagon by the end of March, April at the latest. Ideas for what I need to travel? I'd want to do something to the windows of course, I expect to sleep in it a lot. What's your favorite "make the car/truck comfortable to live in" item?

 

[Will Dernis]

I just got a 2003 Subaru forester. And just try to keep everything you have to an absolute minimum, an empty car is a clean car. Really easy to mess up the joint.

And I suggest getting a little cooking stove. I had a primus spyder, really badass little stove, I think they're about $125. And those GPS's are badass for crazy freeway labrynths like st Louis

Good luck

 

[Jaguwar]

Yeah, I think the biggest thing I'll have is my sleeping bag and a cooler. Thanks for the advice.

 

[pigpen]

Mylar window covers are pretty sweet for temperature regulation andprivacy. if you don't wanna buy em you could get a space blanket from a shelter or drop in and cut it up and tape it to pieces of cardboard. add Velcro to the corners to keep em in place and you're golden.

 

[Jaguwar]

Space blankets! That's a good idea, actually, I like it a lot, thanks!

 

[Anagor]

Perhaps add some pillows. But as Will said, keep it to a minimum and don't mess up the car.

 

[Jaguwar]

Definitely a pillow, something small though. Thanks!

 

[FrankieC]

If you haven't got the 850 yet, if i were you i would spring for an older 200 series wagon. These were much more reliable and sturdy being rwd. The older 200's are a bit larger too i think, if you already have the 850 it eill be fine, but the 200's are bulletproof

 

[DoctorApocalypse]

I had an 855R for a lotta years and I loved that thing but holy shit did it require a lot of maintenance and not all of it is DIYable even for a gearhead, so if that's gonna be a concern you should really consider a 700 or 200 series wagon.

 

[Jaguwar]

Hmmm I appreciate that. This car is coming to me for the low low price of a new set of tires + $1 though so it'll have to do. When it breaks down, I'll hitchhike. Just as long as it doesn't die out in the desert.

 

[DoctorApocalypse]

Well, I mean despite all the maintenance it required, it only actually left me stranded once when the fuel pump died, all the other stuff like with the cooling system, O2 sensors, suspension, crankcase ventilation, and fuel evap system, caused some performance degradation, a slow coolant leak, slow oil consumption, and the occasional stall when like doing a warm restart after refueling, but didn't really affect the overall drivability.

Just check the oil and engine coolant levels like every 500 miles or so, try to keep up on the basics, and it should last ya a few years at least.

 

[Jaguwar]

Yeah that's kinda what I had in mind. But if it dies altogether... Well the idea is to go on an adventure after all.

 

[Jaguwar]

If you haven't got the 850 yet, if i were you i would spring for an older 200 series wagon. These were much more reliable and sturdy being rwd. The older 200's are a bit larger too i think, if you already have the 850 it eill be fine, but the 200's are bulletproof

I used to have one, actually, I loved that car! but it died and we couldn't afford to fix it. So it sits in a nearby car graveyard somewhere. If I wanted to, I could probably find it, but why?

 

[Durp]

I like to check my fluids every time I get fuel. Its an easy habit to get into, and it gives you something to do when the pump is going. If you are looking to pinch pennys, you can buy used tires quite afforably, or costco has good deals on new ones.