question 1: is it a very reliable automobile? They can be if maintained properly.

q2: is it a lot more difficult to work on than a 240? Some aspects are, like timing belts but things like struts and blower motors are much easier.

q3: having repairs done at a shop, how much should one realistically budget to maintain one per year? Ballpark $1500.00 depending upon the age of it and how many miles you rack up in a year.

q4: can one realistically drive one into the 200K range like a 240 without paying drastically? Yes, it can be done but it is going to cost you. I am not entirely sure what your idea of drastic is. I just totaled a bill up on one for $1600.00 for radiator, t/stat, cap, rotor, wires, mass air flow sensor, and a major service.

q5: would a turbo model be more prone to problems than one without? Yes it will. Just the simple fact that it runs hotter under the hood due to the gigantic heat sink that the turbo is. This will make for a shorter life span for the underhood rubber stuff like engine seals and heater hoses. They tend to be harder on brakes and bushings too but this really depends on if you drive like a bat out of hell or not.

To sum it up I would have to say that the 240 is a better car if you want something to drive for 300,000 miles. The down side is that the 240 is more expensive to service than the 850. The upside is that the 240 is cheaper to maintain when it comes to repairs like water pumps brakes and things like this. The 850's are nice but because they incorporate a higher level of technology they tend to cost you more on the repairs. Examples would be ABS control units, CV joints and boots, gear position sensors. Then you couple the fact that they are tougher to work on with the technology aspect and throw in the pattern failure stuff like spring seats, fuel pumps, mass air flow meters, and a/c evaporators, you find that they are more expensive to maintain and the older they get the more they cost.

I own my own independent Volvo repair shop and with the exception of the '92 960 that I drive, my wife and three kids all drive red engine cars.

Mark