As usual, Punxsatawney Phil's comment about durabilty vs reliability is right on. That said, the 850 is part of the new breed of European car with overwrought (some would add inept) electrical engineering. A Volvo tech experienced with the 850 / 70-class knows a problem with the starter probably has nothing at all to do with the starter itself. It's unusual for the industrial-grade components to fail, such as alternators, starters, and turbos. This applies to all the Euro makes, including MB, BMW, and Audi

You would do well to get a diagnosis by an experienced Volvo tech. Independents are OK and someone here on the board can probably point you to a reliable indy tech near you (they're cheaper than dealers), or a dealer they feel will give you value for money.

The zen of Japanese automotive engineering is the utterly reliable car (though my Camry-driving friend has had to replace a $175 controller for his dome light three times in 70K miles, among other irritating problems, but his Honda Oddity has been bulletproof).
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(98 S70 T5SE misc mods - mostly lighting - and red calipers) (92 940GLE)