If you are buying used, the simpler the better. The less complicated mechanical and electronic equipment you have to deal with, the more likely you will have happy years of driving. I recommend you skip the AWD unless you are a glutton for repairs and have plenty of money. Find a 2 WD with manual transmission.

I would specifically recommend that you not buy any AWD Volvo.

Even if you go for a more recent vintage than the troublesome '98-'00 ones, there's still two of almost everything to break.

Would I recommend a 2WD Volvo, after living for 9 years and 169,000 miles with mine? Ummmmm.... Consumer Reports even recommended the V70 as a NEW car this year. There are some really good deals to be had on year-end 2WD V70s at this time of year, the V70 will probably be replaced after next year, meaning thet you'll be able to expect 2-3 years of teething problems until they get the hang of building 'em. So if you really want a Volvo wagon, I'd look for a leftover '06 V70 or a new '07 in 2WD.

If you MUST buy a Volvo by all means go for a NEW 2WD V70 but if you're just looking for a box on wheels, Toyota and Honda make fine boxes on wheels that are cheaper and much more reliable.

My $0.02, worth what you paid for it.

-BTC

'98 V70 T5 5-speed, 169k mi, velour cloth seats, front IPD stabilizer bar, rear factory HD bar, Bilstein HD, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, e-codes, XC grill, Lidatek LE30, V-1, Mobil-1 since new. Goal: "Moonshot" (227,063 miles at it's perigee)

"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair." -- Douglas Noel Adams (1952-2001)

The issue that you raise about AWD is not Volvo specific. Any AWD car is going to have problems with different tire sizes. That means that you run the risk of having to buy four new tires if one is damaged, and the other three have more than about 20 - 25,000 miles on them.

You should ask your wife to be objective and ask herself if she REALLY needs an SUV or AWD, or if she is just following fashion. Now that gas is permanently high and will only go higher, the SUV craze is about to end. In snow country, AWD is nice to have, and probably you can justify having it. But traction control is probably more important, for safety reasons, and 2 WD with traction control might be enough for an experienced driver that has to deal with snow only occasionally.

I get the impression that European cars in general have become more trouble prone over the last few years. A 2005 or 2006 XC is probably a decent car, although, I would seriously try to find out why a 2005 or 2006 car was for sale used. Either it's a used (and abused) rental car, or there was something about it that made the owner want to get rid of it. Perhaps you can find a used dealer loaner car, or factory executive car. But go into it with your eyes wide open.

I'd like to hear some advice as well.
I will probably end up with a 1998 as, from what I've read, the 99-00 models have some electronic gremlins and the 2001 had a few problems, being the first year of a new model, AND the fact that the 2002 on up are out of my price range.

After I've settled on a 98, I'm torn between finding a Manual T5 (very tough to do), finding a nice Auto T5 (though I've read that the manual can be a full second quicker to 60 with better mileage), and getting a V70R (with the surround stereo, cool seats and gauges that I love). Problem with the R is the AWD sucks power and mileage and is another moving part to maintain/replace, and there are no factory manual transmissions.

THEN you have the post about disconnecting the rear drive shaft and runnning an AWD as a FWD. Seem the more I read the less I know what I want!

Ideally I'd like a Silver/Grey FWD Manual R with the nice stereo, 3rd row seats, and roof rack... but I don't think I'll be seeing one on ebay anytime soon!