A.) October, 1997.

B.) Wonderfully!

It shifts better than a Saab (doesn't everything?) and also better than a Porsche with that trademark rear-mounted transmission.

It's been the most FUN of any car I've ever had. That said, it has ALSO been the most TROUBLESOME of any car I've ever had. Would I do it again? Yes! (Sigh.) How many station wagons are there that will do 0-60 in the 6s? It's been FUN!

FWIW, the vast majority of the problems that I've had have been the electronic and electrical gizmos, of which there are, it seems, bazillions. I've also had the evaporator replacement, the turbo "O" ring, the sway bar end links, a throttle cable, a ball joint or two, a strut and the torque arm bushing. And probably a few other things I've mercifully forgotten about.

But it still has the original clutch (knock on wood) the transmission still shifts like new and he engine uses no oil between changes. You can go to Kino's Volvo survey http://kinovolvo.velez.ws/ and the Bay 13 site http://www.volvospeed.com/bay13.htm and it's like looking into a crystal ball and seeing the future. Anyway, I'm certainly hoping to see it go to 150k and I now occasionally have fantasies about that Volvo 200,000 mile badge. We'll see....

-Punxsutawney Phil

'98 V70T5M, 110k white-tan cloth, (interior color-keyed to dachshund), winter package, factory sport suspension, iPd stabilizer bar, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, V-1, Mobil-1, always