I've probably bought and sold around 80 Volvos over the past three years. I absolutely love pre-Y2K Volvos and what they bring to the table. Not just for their engineering, but for the fact that they tend to be conservatively driven and well maintained.

I'll give you the last two. Both were Volvo 940's.

The first one I picked up in exchange for doing an impound lot auction in Powder Springs, Georgia (auto auctioneer here). 1994 Volvo 940 sedan in black with all the options. It looked a bit rough on the outside. But had Volvo OEM components throughout the engine bay and sounded brilliant. A half hour of auction work and I literally drove her home.

Replace the front wheel bearing, one tire, an oil change, gave her a $300 paint job (basecoat/clearcoat), and cleaned her up on the inside. She was perfect.... well, near perfect. There were assorted rips and tears in the seats due to the grandson who had inherited the vehicle and promptly registered three DUI's and about six months of neglect. I was considering doing a full revamp on the interior since my real cost basis was $350 before I put in another $400 in the the items already mentioned. Sold her for $1400.


The second Volvo was a pristine 1994 Silver Volvo 940 Wagon with 242,000 miles. It had visited a local Volvo specialty shop 48 times over the last four years and ran like a clock. I bought her for $700 ($600 plus the auction fee) and gave her an alignment. That was it. Everything worked on it and my wife spent the next few months transporting the kids and the dog. I was seriously considering keeping it. But I ended up selling it with 247k for $1700 to a really nice Volvo enthusiast who deserved a truly great vehicle. I hope she'll see the north side of 350k.


Overall I would break the Volvos down this way...

850/S70 models are the most profitable
S80 the most problematic
960 the most quirky
240 the most authentic
740/940 the most defect free

Tomorrow I will be most likely trading my auctioneering services for yet another Volvo. It's either a 740 or 940 they have in this sale. We'll find out tomorrow.
As for the rest of the Volvo fleet post-2000. I've only sold one S40 and have yet to partake of most of the other modern Volvos except the S80 which is not my cup of tea. I have no love for any of them except perhaps the C30.