Just one person's comments -

1,2, & 3 - every car seems to have one or a few things that fail much more frequently vs the same thing on some other car. Some are overall more reliable but the statistical spread these days is very narrow - especially on major items like engine and gearbox internal failures. Why not look over the history and condition of your particular car and see what you need to put into it to keep it then decide if that is worthwhile? I don't think the country or continent of origin matters nearly as much as the price in getting a good car. Throw in a good dose of subjective appeal - why not drive something you feel happy with?

4 - As an owner of a Ford with the 3-liter "Duratec" engine which appears in both the 500 and the Freestyle I would recommend you ask some owners how their fuel usage is. Although this engine performs pretty well I am lucky if I get 14 mpg on a mixed city/highway cycle, where my 850 yields 19 in the same usage. Both cars are carefully maintained. My Ford is a Taurus which does not have a great reputation - but other than the fuel usage I think it is a decent car within its price class. It is not as thoroughly engineered as the 850.

1. Has anyone else had their original equipment clamps fail like this?

I've replaced a couple with stainless hose clamps from a Marine Supply house.

2. What is going to fail next because of rust?

Got me, but I just had the heat shield fall onto my muffler because the nuts rusted.

3. Is it because of stuff like this or the every couple of years replacement of rear brake/parking brake mechanisms because of rust or is it because of other problems like AC evaporator failures that only 32% of Volvo owners replace them with other Volvos?

Got me too, but there's something in humans called "variety seeking behavior", ie. they're gonna buy something else next time, so you might as well screw them while you can. I think this might be on p. 2962 of the Ford Corporate Ethics Manual, although I wouldn't swear to it.

4. Is the Ford Freestyle likely to be any less troublesome than a Volvo?

No. Except if stuff isn't in the car in the first place, it can't break. No twin turbos or Geartronic.... no, wait, they're not in the S80 either now!

5. Does the Ford Freestyle, with its Volvo platform, have swaybar links like the Volvo? They have for us been another regular failure problem, just like the regular failures of the radio and the regular electronic missed shifts with the transmission.

I've read pretty tepid reviews on the Freestyle. Ford can't possibly make money if they sell it with the same content as the S80 for half the price. Oh, wait, that's right, Ford DOESN'T make any money!

6. Has anyone else put a board under the seat to correct failure of the wimpy seat construction?

I had my seat bottom replaced and the failure was in the seat foam which was tearing internally. I don't want to think about how much the foam, cover and seat heater cost me. I coulda leased a Bimmer for what this puppy has been costing me lately!

-BTC

'98 V70 T5 5-speed, 166k mi, front IPD stabilizer bar, rear factory HD bar, Bilstein HD, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, e-codes, V-1, Mobil-1 since new

"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair." -- Douglas Adams (1952-2001)

Will answer one question. Hose clamps, original Volvo, even with new hoses are better chucked out. This experience dates back to 2,7 and 9 series. There are lined clamps which are the best. Might check the RWD FAQ. Hoses are items which should be changed out every 5 years to be safe as they begin exploding on any car. Just PM.

The little Ford 500 is a beaut. Folks I know love the rig and gets great mileage on regular.