My 1987 740 manual with push button overdrive and turbo, made in Sweden, is my pride and joy. However last winter I had to jump it all the time to get it to start so I put a new battery in. Seemed fine. Then it sat for about a month+ and I tried to start it up yesterday, no juice. Jumped it, put the battery charger on. But I'm thinking something is draining the juice. Friend put a tester on the alternator and said that part was fine. When I had it running, I did note that when the lights were turned on, the needle indicating battery power really dropped down low.

Any ideas? I'd like to keep it but it's also starting to get really weird millage, sometimes down to 12 or 16, then will jump up to about 26 mpg, no reason, same driving, same roads, etc. Has about 290,000+ on original engine.

I got talked into getting a 2005 Subaru outback wagon, AWD, looks nice but it only gets 20 mpg and that's only if I drive like an old woman. I don't want AWD!

So if I were to trade off the 1987 for a diff Volvo wagon, any recommendations?