I was not convinced the FWD cars were going to be all that great- they do have some expensive problems when their time comes.

Then my neighbor and I picked up a package deal- a 90 740 wagon and a 94 850 wagon. Both were basically dead, needed a number of significant things each. We traded one nice 240, all serviced ready to go, for these two cars.

My wife got the 90. After a number of individual jobs, timing belt, front suspension, exhaust, a clutch, tuneup, headliner... it drives virtually like a new car, at 273K miles.

His wife got the 850. This was a car I had actually sold when I worked at the dealership. In late 98 or early 99, I sold it with about 140K on it. When we got it as part of the trade, this spring, the car had 325K on it. The flex joint in the exhaust was completely blown out and it sounded like a very rough race car. The car needed the usual services: drive belt, timing belt, motor mounts, tune up, brakes, some oil leaks. Now it has 334K and starts, runs and drives very well. If it hadn't broken the door strap (again) you wouldn't have a clue that you're entering a high-mileage car.

I'm impressed to see that the basic integrity of the car is very similar to the old models. I think we will see 400K, 500K 850 and 70 models. I think they're that good. They aren't simple like an old one though; they're going to need a fair number of big dollar repairs if you expect them to be nice at age 15, or 200K, 250K, 300K miles.

Just with any Volvo, or really any car, the key is doing the maintenance work. Keep up with it and they seem to hang together as well as the older cars. Find the nicest 850 or 70 model you can, decide if you want a Turbo or normal model, a stick (good luck) or an auto, and what color do you want? There are a lot of them out there, for sure.
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::: Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: 92 244 M47 211K ::: 90 745GL M47 273K ::: 88 245DL AW70 190K ::: 84 242DL Project ::: 70 VW Bus ::: 70 VW Pickup Project ::: 71 VW Notchback :::