Ted --

I just returned five days ago from my Overseas Delivery trip. I picked up a loaded 1999 V70AWD in Gothenburg, drove it across northern Europe to England and visited relations for a fortnight with my family, then dropped it last week at a shipper across the road from Heathrow Airport.

I fully recommend the program. Advantages:

** Getting exactly the car you want, built just for you. No compromises. I wanted an "AWD"-badged car, no XC badging/decals/grille. And I wanted no sunroof. (Wife hates 'em, don't ask.) No problem; Volvo built me a car at the very end of the '99 model run and held it for me.

** Price. Paid just under $35k for mine, about $1000 less than dealer invoice.

** Free airfare to Europe plus one night's hotel. This is always pitched as an "Act now, program expires June 30..." type offer, but it never ever goes away.

** Adventure. We had a tour of the Volvo Gothenburg facility, got to eat lunch with the workers and chat about the Ford takeover, see the Special Vehicles conversion plant, etc. And nothing beats opening the car up on the Autobahn for the first time. It'll make you hate I-90 by comparison.

A few drawbacks:

** Long lead time. Order at least 12 weeks before pickup. In my case it was about 16. Anticipation killed me.

** Cash flow. Payment is due 30 days before delivery in Gothenburg. It's hard to work a trade into the deal and still have something to drive when you get home, while you wait for the boat to show up with your car. So we still have our old Taurus for the moment, AND we've paid for the Volvo which is on a boat somewhere. Our fridge better not break down for the next six weeks, is all I can say. :)

** Imperfections in your car once you see it are subject to negotiation, but, let's face it, they've already got your money. Story: after we'd driven our new V70 around the factory "test track" for awhile, we noticed a -- previously invisible -- shallow incision on the butt-contact part of the front passenger seat leather. Like someone had been careless with a box cutter when they took the plastic wrap off the seat. We called it to our delivery officer's attention. I wasn't too hopeful as I'd made the error of already signing the acceptance certificate. But he couldn't have been more forthcoming -- he whipped the keys away from me and had a whole new seat installed during lunch. So I was happy.

** Euro insurance for two weeks ($435) cost about what renting a car would've cost, so that's a wash.

Bottom line: the program was a no-brainer for us as we were already planning a family trip to Europe this summer. We came out a couple of grand ahead and had a cool driving adventure. Weigh the coolness against the necessary wait for delivery, then to get the car back Stateside. We would do it again, assuming Ford beancounters don't kill the program.

Tom