Oh! This is a great series of responses. I want to chime in. Why?

o My wife drove the same 1987 Nova. Until it ran with low oil/low oil pressure. The end.

o We got a 1987 Volvo as a replacement. Which worked fine until its front end got beat up. It then became mine when I repaired it.

o My wife wanted a car smaller than the Volvo. We got a very nice (knock on wood!) 1994 Geo Prizm/Chev Nova/Toyota Corolla/When will it even end?

o My 16 year-old daughter, Erika, will have her driver's license any day now.

o 3 students from a local college were killed recently when struck head-on by a drunk. 2 other student passengers survived. Friends have taught at the school, friends attend the school, so it seems close.

Upshot?

o I think we have owned 4 or 5 Toyotas/Novas/Geos/Whens. +++ They are reliable as heck. Until they start needing more frequent repair, in our case, around 160k miles. 10 years+. ++ They are light, fun cars. Erika, for instance, prefers the 2700 lb, 5 sp., 16-valve Geo to the 3200 lb (min.) Volvo wagon with automatic transmission. ++ Common car, so you can find lots of repair help.

o A Volvo wagon is a very different beast. It's heavier, stronger. +++ Hauls lots of stuff. Are you into gardening, construction...? ++ Built the old, rear wheel drive way, which is more open and accessible for home repair. My arms, for instance, just will not fit into the 1994 Geo's engine compartment in any meaningful and comfortable way. + MOST of it is built very damn sensibly. The parts that aren't so great are covered in the Bentley book (a 240 "bible") and on this board. Address them.

o If your driving is at moderate speeds you can tolerate either car. If you are driving at high speeds, in an accident the Nova will crumple like the steel soda can it is. If our daughter wants to drive somewhere that &^%&*% SUVs travel at 70 mph, I prefer she take the Volvo. If she wants to do the same with friends they deserve the Volvo.

o Too many people were hurt when those college kids were killed. Isn't there some way that short-term rental Volvos could be offered for a reasonable fee on campuses? (With all the usual caveats and promises and whereas clauses.) There's no comparison with other cars. Parents would throw money at students to ensure their safety coming home on break, etc. (Maybe.) With some kind of backing from

-- a farsighted Volvo Cars of North America (hook a generation!),

-- some link to Volvo Club of America (recruiting arm!),

-- some insurance agency's national (economies of scale) program (the brave one gets the good name with the students!),

-- local Volvo dealers (ahhh... which ones are sufficiently on the ball to gain wary customers?),

-- and on-campus car clubs (get to play with cars! [keep them going, I mean])

... there may be a way to serve many profitable constituencies. Serve them profitably. Whatever. Lots of potential problems. (Ha!) But, hey!, start with private colleges that have high tuition ($$$) and incredible penalties for alcohol abuse and very wise and wonderful and responsible students. (Theological seminary?)

What would it take to make it work?

Gregg