I own a '95 850 and it has been great for 9 years (built in '94). It seems that the middle 90's years were great for Volvos and then there was the sale to Ford. Consumer Reports is a great barometer of how they have faired through the years but you're buying one of the best years--I love 240's and if I didn't live up north I'd still have one--the EARLY YEARS 850's are the second best. - Tom Anderson/Pgh. PA./ 412-635-9927.

wife just bought a 95 850GLT, 126,000 was the dealerships courtesy car(they had an old retired gentlman who drove it to take people back to work when they would drop off their car for service)since it had 80,000 on it. they were askin $5900 for it wifes said she would give them $5000 and she owns it. its all new to me, but i love the ride, and handling.....we almost bought a 93 190E 2.6 and this volvo is as good as the mercedes was.

Seth:

I'm sure not the one to tell you about ease of working on the 95 850, but I recently bought one to replace a 91 940T that was rear-ended and totaled. Mine also was "owned by an old lady". I paid a hair over $10,900, but mine had only 38K on it (bought it in August). It's a turbo automatic, runs exceptionally well, corners better than any car I have owned. I live in the mountains and drive a winding 4 mile road to get to the nearest services. This car goes up and down the mountain with ease and is the most comfortable car I've ever driven. Everything works on it so I can't tell you about any issues to encounter. I need to replace the timing belt (had my very reputable Volvo mechanic look at it and he said if it were his, he'd change at 50K--nothing serious was going on with it) and have the ATF flushed, which I will do next week. I have the stamped maintenance book and mine has been regularly maintained every 5K miles by the same dealer.

My mechanic said there are no issues with these cars as long as they're regulartly maintained. They aren't cheap to maintain, but we spend what seems like a bundle every time we take my husband's Toyota pickup to the garage, and I a whole lot rather ride in the comfort of my 850.

Suzanne