Here's the scoop: A cyclist rode into my 95 850 the other day, took out the fender and top of the hood (as he rolled over the hood after leaving his bike!). 210,000 miles on my car, uses about 1 qt oil every 1000 miles, and is now losing anti-freeze internally.
So, it would be time to move on. I have $28,000 saved. I could (1) buy a new Subaru Outback (2) buy an older Volvo wagon for $20K and have $8K to play with.
I don't want to shoot the whole $28 on a used car. I like wagons. I want a comfortable, quiet and efficient car that will last a long time. I am 61, and I don't want to have to think about getting another car for a while. We are long time Volvo owners (124, P1800, 240, 740, 850, S40). I had a Mercedes wagon for a while, not that impressed.
What would you do? AND...how do you do it? Dealers? I don't trust private sellers, no warranty, don't have the time.

Check around - we just bought a 2012 XC70 FWD for $29,500 - less $1000 for our "95 850 base, less $1000 for a loyalty rebate, and less $860 for two payments rebate.

That puts you in the ball park. Includes 5 year, 50,000 mile wear and tear warranty.

Compared to several SUVs that we tried - You can actually see out the rear windows and it does not look like someone stepped on the front of it!
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'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '12 XC70, the first three are mine, heh, heh, 525,000 miles put on 10 bricks

"I don't want to shoot the whole $28 on a used car. I like wagons. I want a comfortable, quiet and efficient car that will last a long time. I am 61, and I don't want to have to think about getting another car for a while. We are long time Volvo owners.....What would you do?"

Some problems have no feasible solutions.

I'm no expert but I'm guessing that between the bodywork and the motor, it's not realistic to consider fixing the 850. Or is it? (As a 1995 it does have one very desirable feature -- it's the last model year before OBD II was required!)

If not, I might look for something like my car, except I already have one, and buying a 15 year old Eurocar with 200k is not something that I'd do or recommend to anyone in one of my saner moments. I've had enough trouble with my 2008 BMW that I'm disenchanted with Eurocars now, probably for life. So I probably wouldn't buy a newer Eurocar, including a Volvo.

The most popular car model in the History of Mankind is the Toyota Corolla -- over 39 million Corollas have been sold as of 2012. There may be some reasons for that.

I'd also consider a Toyota Camry. It's a "comfortable, quiet and efficient car" that's also very reliable. I'd consider either a used one, or leasing a new one and then buying it at the end of the lease.


-BTC

'98 V70 T5 196K mi., 5-speed manual, original clutch, third evaporator, third windshield, heated velour cloth comfy chairs, factory HD suspension (1998 only), Bilstein HD, front IPD stabilizer bar, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, XC grill, C70 jewel E-Codes, V-1, Lidatek, IPD stuff, JB Weld, Original Duck Tape, zip-ties, Mobil-1 since new.

Check this out.
http://www.volvocars.com/us/sales-services/sales/volvo_overseas_delivery/Pages/default.aspx

I did it a yer ago and am not sorry. Pick up my S60-T5 and and drove it 5,500 miles all around Europe. Great vacation!!
Tom

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/3183208452.html
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My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

And I don't trust car dealers. The most fun is just looking around and 'shopping'. I found a pretty nice looking V50 on LI: http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/3179927593.html

in a few minutes. I am sure you can do the same. If you want more lattiude on price, you need to expand your hunting area. A oneway flight on Southwest is only $250 or less.

If you get a car with less than 100K miles, buy your own insurance. Dealers get 50% of the first year's commission.

I buy cars that need a 'little' bit of work and then spend around $1,000 making it road dependable. You 850 just needs a new fender and hood, not a difficult thing to repair. Those items are easily found in the correct color in a junk yard.
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My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic