Its a Volvo - that's barely broken in! Miles & age are just fine as long as it has been well maintained. The R is a very fun car!

There are a few basic things to look for in this whole series:

Listen for any strange noises from the AWD system & clunks from the suspension. Give the brakes a good stomping and see if the ABS still works. Make sure the A/C blows strong and cold (not that you will need it now, but you don't want the surprise of a bad evaporator when summer comes around). Check trans. fluid & ask if the bevel gear fluid has ever been changed. Finally, pull out the oil dipstick once the car is warmed up and look for smoke puffing out - this will indicate a PVC system in need of cleaning.

I bought a 98 2 1/2 years ago, and have put over 40,000 miles on it with no major mechanical problems, other than 2 sensors, a bad CV joint, and an air pump gone bad. It has been one of the more reliable cars I have owned, but it's definately one that you will want to learn to tinker with yourself, as repairs can get expensive. Find a good independent mechanic and stay away from dealers. If the timing belt was changed at 70,000, you're going to have to change it again at 140K. Not too hard to do yourself, but between $300-400 something to have done as you will have to replace tensioners as well. You may also want to change the water pump at this time.