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I have driven a 240 and now I drive a 92 960, 170 000 km. Despite a 205 hp and 195 ft.lb engine, the 960 is not a performer. I don't know what you mean by passing power but the 960, because of its weight, in not much better at passing than my 4 cyl. 5 speed 94 Sunbird (in the city the Sunbird kills the 960). The 960 is a very comfortable cruiser capable of high speed but not acceleration, in the city the body is too heavy for the engine and it handles like a truck. I found the fuel economy to be very good for a 2.9L inline 6. At about 145 km/h highway speed I computed the fuel economy several times to be about 9.5 L/100 km. In the city I get about 11.5 L/100km. The issues I had so far: AC refrigerant leaked out and the fix cost $1100 Canadian, diff. is dripping a little, I hate the load leveling shocks in the rear (unless moving the car does not sit level), the tranny frequently hunts (quirky software? switches? not worth my time!) and last week I noticed an oil spot on the bell housing of the torque converter (don't know what the deal is yet). So far (except for AC) I have been able to do most of the work myself. The parts are very expensive in Canada for this car, and the car is relatively complicated (i.e. changing the fuel filter, 15 min. job on a 94 Sunbird a hassle on the 960). I don't know if other 7xx or 9xx models are better than the 960 but the only reason I got this car is that I could not refuse the offer. In general Volvos are not performers (maybe the S60) but they do have a reputation for good ergonomics and longevity. Overall we have enjoyed the car, it is loaded has lots of room, well made (no rattles), still feels tight. My only concern now is that the car is aging and I am starting to feel nervous taking my family on longer trips. An old car is an old car no matter who made it. I don't think we will put any money into it other than for maintenance.
good luck
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