Listen to Kira, she is right. Let your brain do the buying, not the heart.

You have lived a lifetime with RWD, why do you need AWD? FWD is better in the snow and ice than RWD and the towns usually plow the streets after a snow fall.

Look around for a cheaper V70 if you want a better wagon. The 1997-2002 AWDs have problems you don't want to worry about. Even the new XCs have bevel gear problems, if they aren't flushed every few years.

Read the posts about the fuel pumps going out on the AWD: drop the rear suspension and tank to get to the $400 pump! Good luck finding the fuel filter, which is a little easier than the pump.

Look for a plain jane V70 or a hyper T5 version. Both are fairly easy to maintain. But electrical components are prone to failure and expensive to fix. Could I suggest finding a 1998 V70? No ETM and fewer computers than the 1999+ years.

Klaus
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The more I learn, the more I forget. So why learn?