A former '89 240 Wagon owner, and having loved that car's simplicity and reliability, I set out to get a new (used) ride, something diagnostic-able (unlike my 1800ES), slick with lots of options: a luxury Volvo. Plus, I'm moving to the northeast, and I'd like at least FWD and maybe AWD for ease in the snow.

I found a '98 V70 XC, red as hack, fully loaded, beautiful. Thinking I might lose it, I put $500 down on it to hold it. THEN I did my research with the Brickboard, other sites and my feet. Among many other things, I find out it's on Consumer Reports do not buy list.

I go to Marin Toyota to test drive a '96 850 wag, and I see them pulling it into the service dept. The salesman says it's sold, but there is a 3-day grace period and he'll call me in the 'rare case' it comes back. Smelling a weird vibe, I go to the service manager and said I wanted to drive that car to which he said, "No, you don't." Turns out they can't figure out what's wrong with it, and it's certainly not selling. The starting price was $4900, pretty low especially for a dealer.

I then get a call from the guy selling me this '98 V70 XC. It was still in the shop for the ABS unit when they discovered a leak in the tranny. The drive shaft was slightly bent requiring a new one (no used ones could be found), they investigated further and the "planetary?" gear (is that what it is?) was screwed also. We're talking $2 to $3000 or more in repairs here. The seller explained the meachanic said the gear had 10,000 miles left and wanted to disclose this to me, but if I'd pay him $1000 additional for the car, he could replace it for me. I said, no, I'm paying $8500 for a clean car. He understood and offered my deposit back; I dodged a bullet. Some of you may say I should get it because everything is fixed, and it's a good car now. But, I ain't gonna.

So then I drive down to Volvo Marin. On the way, I call an individual advertising on Craig'sList. She says I can't see the car because it won't be out of the shop until Tuesday or Wednesday. I asked if she has maintenance records, she said yes, they've fixed a lot of stuff on it. Oh, good.

At Volvo Marin I ask to see the '96 850 for $8999, their lowest-priced car. He said it was in the back (I didn't know what that meant at the time). He drove me to it. He asked why I needed a wagon, I have a family? No, a big bass. He asked who I play with with, I told him, and I had a new best friend. I finally got him off of talking jazz and onto the car. It's in the back because it was smoking; could be a little thing or a big thing he said. Yeah! He also confided that although XC's are Volvo's most popular rides, a lot of them come back and come back often. Then he wanted to show me a 2002 V40 to which I cried, "Uncle!" It's like a Honda Accord wagon! Three 850's and an XC and can't even test drive one of them! This can't be normal, but still, it can't be good. I need to go backwards in time not forward!

I miss the dependability of my old 240, and I feel the new rides just ain't gonna cut it. If I want mystery with misery, I still have my 1800ES which, like 8's and V's, runs great when it's running great. 7's and 9's are a close second to the 2's in simplicity and dependability and that chug-on-down-the-road feel.

I'm glad someone didn't buy the '92 745 Wag with 145,000 my mechanic has for $5000 "Firm." It's California clean, red as heck, loaded, no rust not even underneath! Looks like a new car inside and out. Got it for $4500, maybe a little more than the repairs alone on the above-mentioned XC, and the 745 needs nothing except the heated seats aren't heating (I'm gonna need those).

You'll find me in the RWD section of Brickboard from now on I'm sure. Bye bye my AWD acquaintances, and thanks for your help!