My first snubby (and second revolver) was an 85. I paid about $150 new for it (discount from a gunshop owner I knew). Fit and finish were excellent. Only put about 500 rounds through it, but it never missed a beat. If I remember correctly it was about as accurate as my S&W 640. Finish was a high gloss blue, but now I would go for stainless (I love a good blue job, but not for a gun I buy for carry). Grips were the old taurus lamnated wood grips that fully enclosed the front and back straps - considerably less bulky than the current rubber grips. I, personally would replace the Taurus rubbers with Uncle Mike's (Butler Creek) boot grips - they're more concealalbe. Ended up trading (big mistake) for an FEG Hi-Power clone.
Missed it for a while, then when the 85 TI came out, I bought one. Same boring reliability, although I don't like the compensator holes in the top of the barrel and the TI model isn't nearly as easy to shoot as the 85.
All in all, I think they're good guns. I would buy another regular 85 if it wasn't for the fact that I'm way overloaded on small frame guns (S&W 642, 640, Taurus 650 and 85TI, and Colt Detective Special).