I'd say 96 or 97 are the best years, and by then Volvo had worked out most of the kinks. I see less problems about 97's than most years. A 97 GLT has a low-pressure turbo, and a fun kick to it off the line - I think the insurance was only $20 more a month for my Turbo model though, a Volvo is one of the few fast cars you can get with low insurance premiums. I'm not sure what it would be for 16 though - I bought mine when I turned 22 and have a clean driving record =).

They are all good cars, and they all share the same problems and nuances. A 93 has a lot of strange, different parts from the rest of them, but they are still great cars.

One thing you will definitely want to ask for is service records, so you have some idea of whether or not the car has been taken care of, otherwise you could be looking at an innocent-looking MONEY PIT, like my first car was.

Check the transmission fluid level & color, listen for random rattles and clunks, pull out the oil dipstick with the car running and look for smoke, and look for odd tire wear patterns. Give the brakes a good hard stomp and make sure the ABS module still works, this is a common failure point on these cars.

Other than that, ENJOY! I would have loved owning my S70 as my first car.