BaT Success Story: Scotty_G2020’s Belated Road Trip Diaries: A Practical Look
BaT member Scotty_G2020 wasn’t able to make a planned fly-and-drive trip after winning this 1994 Volvo 850 Turbo from silverarrowcarsltd back in June 2020. In 2022 he was able to make good on his cross-country intentions, and now he’s here to tell us his story.
I bought my 1994 Volvo 850 Turbo on Bring a Trailer, and it eventually led to the road trip of a lifetime. I hope this story inspires more people to hit the road in the cars they love. The car has an incredible origin story: it was a one-owner daily driver that had spent nearly a decade tucked away in a garage in Blaine, Washington. The seller, @silverarrowcarsltd, carefully brought it back to life the way any car person would: replacing the fuel system, water pump, and other essential items to make it roadworthy again.
When I won the auction back in June 2020, I wanted to fly out and drive the car home. But the pandemic made travel tough, so I shipped the car home to Pennsylvania instead. For the next two years, I thought about how great it would have been to drive it home. I wished I had taken that road trip.
Two years later, in May 2022, my buddies and I made it right. We packed our bags and dubbed the trip the “Coast to Coast to Coast,” driving from Pennsylvania to the Volvo parts company IPD in Portland, Oregon, for their annual car show, then up to Victoria, British Columbia—the Volvo’s original first home—and then back east.
Heading west, we stopped in Lincoln, Nebraska, to visit the Museum of American Speed. From there, we continued to Salt Lake City, Utah, before heading north toward Portland, Oregon, for IPD’s annual car show.
There, we won the “Furthest Driven” award—no surprise there— and experienced firsthand just how intense the passion of the Volvo community can be.
After the show we drove up to Blaine, Washington, and caught the ferry heading to Victoria, British Columbia, to visit the seller, Silver Arrow Cars.
In two unforgettable weeks, we covered over 6,300 miles in an almost 30-year-old car. The 850 Turbo proved to be everything I had hoped for and more: comfortable, quick, and composed—it seemed to get better with every mile.
It wasn’t just a drive. It was a full-circle moment for a car that deserved to be on the road again; it was the trip I had always imagined and a memory I’ll never forget.
Today, the 850 Turbo is still part of my regular rotation. It’s been a great driver—reliable, fun, and comfortable. It’s always ready to head out for another big trip whenever the chance comes up. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to keep the story going.
If you have a Success Story about a car you’ve bought or sold on BaT, please send a few lines and pictures (or a video) to community.content@bringatrailer.com, and we’ll send you a $50 credit to the BaT Gear Store when your story posts to the site.
We love to hear from satisfied BaT buyers and sellers, and a Success Story feature is a great addition to any car’s history when you’re ready to sell.
