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Every used car is a case by case basis and it will vary alot depending upon what part of the country you are in. I had a customer bring in a 1987 245 last Friday for a POST-purchase inspection (bad move). Car has about 145K, came from the second owner, was garaged so the paint and interior was in pretty nice shape. However it needs the front suspension gone through, transmission completely resealed, complete cooling system, locating arm bushings in the rear, a brush holder, tailgate harnesses, 4 tires, and align. There were a few other items as well but the bottom line was it was in the area of $3500.00 or so to square it all away. Granted some of it could be put off but alot of it needed attention in fairly short order.
Now as chance would have it I had been actively looking for a replacement Volvo (240 preferably) for my 18 year old kid. I found one on Saturday. 1991 244 DL, black, sunroof, power windows, ABS, and airbags, 207K, in really nice shape, 3rd owner. They asked $1500.00, I offered $1200.00 and it was a done deal. The one I got needs a trans (no O.D.), water pump, pinion seal, rear T/A bushings, locating arm bushings, front lower control arm bushings, fluid flushes and an oil change.
So, as you can see it is a bit of a crap shoot. To answer your question though, if that late model 240 needed less than $200.00 in maintenance then I would say that you are going to be money ahead to buy it than to get a good deal like I did and go through it. Problem is that most of them need more than a couple of hundred bucks thrown at them so you really need to get them as cheap as you can.
Good luck and whichever way you go it is hard to go wrong with a 240, especially a wagon.
Mark
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