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You should get a lot of replies on this question. My experience is with a '93 940 wagon. It has the red-block 4 cylindar engine that made Volvo's reputation for durability. I believe '95 was the last year this maodel was made.
The Good:
1.Auto tranny can last the life of the car with regular maintenance
2.Auto tranny has lock-up torque converter for better mileage
3.On a recent 1040 mile trip to California with 600 miles of mountains and 65-80 mph freeway speeds, we averaged about 30 mpg.
4.Seats are comfortable, leather, driver's side has electric seat with memory, car has heated seats, heated rear view mirrors, sunroof that works.
5.Visibility is very good, car is fairly quiet
6.The wagon model is probably the best design I've owned and I've had quite a few.
7.The engine is durable, comparatively simple, a non-interference design, easy to work on if you DIY.
8. Differential has locking feature for snow and ice (may not be needed where you live)
9. Sound system is decent and it can control a CD changer
10. Car handles very well, brakes are good,
11. AC is very good, manual control is simple.
12. Late models of this engine had oil jets under the pistons for cooling, arguably the best of this series of engines.
The not so good:
1. The car is underpowered for its weight, acceleration is adequate in city traffic but gets really slow at about 55 and then is somewhat better by 65-80. The car cruises nicely at 70-80 though.
2. Many of the 940s have the Rex-Regina (Bendix) ignition and fuel injection system rather than the Bosch, mine does. There's nothing wrong with this system, many manufacturers use it and it may even be better than the Bosch (simpler), however, the expertise on this forum is mainly on the more common Bosch system.
If you get the 960, many of the good body features I mentioned will be found in that model. You'll have much more power along with more complexity. Someone who has owned one can better speak to the advantages and disadvantages of that model. My research between the two led me to the 940 as the more reliable of the two. A lot depends on your preferences for power and use on long trips. Try a search in the box at the bottom of the page. There have been lots of discussion about the two models.
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