hi,
the s60 is a great model car and so far has been fairly trouble free,however it has absolutly nothing in commen with the 850 or s/v70. yes its true that there have been problems with the electronic throttle bodies especially on the earlier models but there is no way to tell if this is the case without engine check light on or running problems etc..
some of the earlier s60 t5's had problems with rough cold starting due to software problems but again very hard to tell without symptoms.
whatever you buy spend some money and get it checked out first and if you are offered an extended warrenty then take it.
good luck

steve.

I drive a 2003 S60 base model with a stick shift, bought new. I get a little over 30 mpg in highway driving (32-33 in summer, 29 or so in winter). I have a fairly light-footed driving style. I don't do much city driving, so I can only guess that it runs 25-30 mpg. Again, I have a conservative driving style -- lots of coasting and never a jackrabbit start.

The base model may be a little easier to work on for routine maintenance than the turbos. Somewhere I heard there's a plastic plate covering the bottom of the engine compartment on the turbos (but I don't know that for certain). Getting past that would be an additional step. I do know that the base model has easy access to oil filter and drain plug. You'll need the special filter wrench from Volvo -- about $24 -- but the filter inserts are fairly cheap if you buy a case. A small set of tools comes with the car. My S60 has been trouble free for a little over a year and 18k miles. I like the car and plan on keeping it a long time.

Well the S60 is basically the 850. As I'm certain you are aware the ETS became an issue in 1999. I don't believe all the bugs were out until 2001. I haven't had many problems with any S60 that I couldn't send back to the dealer for warranty, and I have done that a handful of times. I'd believe you would be safe purchasing a 2002. I'd also price an extended warranty just for giggles; you will have the ABS controller; you will most likely have an evaporator (since the S60 and 850 are close cousins), etc.

Chris