Well I guess everything I said before still applies. Ask for proof of all that stuff or else bargain down on your price.

I can't speak out of experience but I can lend my opinion based on the here-say in this and other forums.

If you're looking at something with AWD (looks like you are) definitely go 2003+. They went from a viscous coupler based AWD system to the Haldex one and it's much better in terms of durability. The newest ones are much better at predicting when the AWD will be needed as well. It's a great system overall really. But 2003+.

I think the new engines are probably as durable as anything Volvo has ever built. The 5 aluminum 5-cylinder engines that debuted in the 850s in 1993 have turned out to be equally as durable as the old redblock engines you know and love.

The automatic transmissions are pretty much all from Aisin. They all need fluid service ~50k miles, despite this not being on the dealer's maintenance list. This includes the 4 speed, the newer 5 speed, and the newest 6 speed.

As you probably know from your 240 years, more options = more stuff to break. I think in general the quality of electrical stuff in the 2000s is much better than it was in the 1980s, and I personally wouldn't be worried about this too much.

It seems like in the 1998-2000 set there are some things that just start to wear out around 200k miles/10 years - fuel pump, wheel bearings, PCV system, headlamp assemblies, CV boots, suspension components, timing components of course... all the normal stuff that you expect to wear out on a car. I cannot relate with personal experience from the newer 2003+ cars.