I have a '91 740 and a '95 850 turbo. The two cars are about as different as you can get. The 740 is much easier to work on and I expect it will outlast the 850. On the other hand, the 850 is a blast to drive and can run circles around most production cars.

The problems associated with the 850 are:
- Rear main seals fail resulting in oil leaks and a $1,000 repair bill.
- The engine is an interference engine. This means that you will be buying a new engine if your timing belt ever breaks.
- The odometer gear breaks easily, but it is also easy to fix.
- The weld on the door stop breaks and will need to be repaired.
- Transmission does not have a filter. System must be flushed.
- PNP switch fails resulting in transmission error codes. You should be able to fix this.

My '95 850 is OBD II compatible and I can read my codes with a scanner. The '95 model also allows you to reset the service light without a special tool or a visit to the dealer.

The biggest change that you will have to get used to after owning a 240 will be the attention that you get at stop lights from other drivers who want to see how fast the 850 really is. I can't believe the number of times I've been asked "How fast does that car really go?"

For everything you ever wanted to know about the 850, check out www.volvospeed.com.