Don't do it. I bought my 1990 244DL w/sunroof and 105,000 for $1500. The seller wanted $1700. After 6 months of driving it (and constantly fixing it) I realized I should have paid her closer to $800. It's a brick, not a brick of gold. No way is a 17 year old car, 175K, with the problems you described worth $1500. IT"S AN OLD CAR WITH HIGH MILEAGE! Screw that "Volvo" toughness crap. An old car is an old car. I learned my lesson. Don't get me wrong, I love the car, I learned a lot on it and from it, but that's because I've spent untold hours on it fixing things. Your time is worth money. You're going to be working on it, your time that should come off the price. After I learned my lesson with this car I have, my dad wanted a car. I thought, "I'll buy another Volvo since I already know a lot about them. I looked at a 1981 245 with 135K. The seller wanted $1300. He tried to explain to me the same sh-t everyone says, "these cars run forever, blah, blah, blah" and that's why he spent x amount on repairs to the exhaust and other parts in the last few months. But I knew better. An old car is an old car. I offered him $700. He said he had other people interested and we parted. Don't you know, he called me back a week later and asked if my offer was still on the table. It wasn't. I had found a 1994 Sentra with 90k for $1300 ( which has only needed a new alternater - it now has 114K) The Volvo required about 3 to 4 thousand dollars in repairs. Old is Old, not Gold.