My V70T5 (no better or worse than the 850) still has the original clutch (knock-on-wood), still uses no oil between changes and still shifts like new (notchy). The drivetrain has been great, it's everything attached to the drivetrain that's been the problem....

Sometimes the maintenance is a pain, but I prefer driving it to driving my "new" Acura, the seats are much better. I've had a couple of Saabs and a Porsche, the maintenance requirements and costs of the Volvo are no worse, in fact they're probably better.

You can drive a Toyota and hate it all the time, or drive a Volvo and hate it when it breaks. Ain't choices grand? I have a decent indy Volvo shop 20 minutes away, that's critical to keeping you out of the poorhouse with these puppies. You should also learn do all the "little stuff" yourself.

-BTC

'98 V70 T5 5-speed, 165k mi, front IPD stabilizer bar, rear factory HD bar, Bilstein HD, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, e-codes, V-1, Mobil-1 since new

"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair." -- Douglas Adams (1952-2001)