Look, I can't say it's a bad car, much less a lemon. I've covered 145,000 miles at pretty good speeds and in safety. The few dicey momen ts we've had together were on snow, ice, or torrential downpours while crossing the Catskills on the Taconic Parkway. The engine is downright excellent and the handling exeptional for a wagon.

But - and it's a but that's driven me so crazy at times that I've sworn I'd never buy another Volvo. Right from the start headlight bulbs were popping on a monthly basis. The low profile tires are such a vulnerability in New York City that Volvo owners must have made the guy who owns Fort Lee Tires a millionaire. (By the way, I think the problem may be caused by insufficiently strong front suspension. In my experience the tire blow when the suspension bottoms and something has to give.

But far and away the most buggy thing of all is the on-board computer and the warning array. I've found it impossible to keep that screen clear. Repeated visits to the dealer could not extin guish the check engine light, so I've driven the last 80,000 miles or so with it glowing away nonstop. Additionally the message screen carries more messages than Western Union. I've had warnings about coolant levels, airbag maintenance, emission system defects - you name it. The exclamation mark is permanently lit. Most of these 'problems' have. been identified by the dealer as false positives.

So the other day I was at the dealer's (yes it's in again for airbags warning and turbo leak) and a salesman was trying to interest me in a low mileage V70R. When I mentioned the reliability problems with the '01 T5, he responded that they got the bugs out after that first year, and later models were much less prone to problems.

I have to admit I'm tempted, but I'm afraid to test drive itfor fearf that it'll turn into another problem child.

So any advice from people familiar with the later model rocket wagons, would be much appreciated.