Dear Bushleague,

I have two '96 850 GLT wagons with 5 speeds. One I bought new, the other used from a Volvo dealer as a VIP car with 50,000 on the clock. Today the Volvo I bought new has a 175,000 on it and the one I bought used has 130,000.I take good care of both cars, but these cars do like to be maintained. It is not a cheap process. However, I wouldn't consider buying another brand. I bring both cars to an independant garage that specializes in Volvos. The chief mechanic has told me that of all the foreign brands: Volvo, Saab, Audi, BMW and MB, Volvo is the cheapest to repair and maintain and in his opinion, the least troublesome of the lot Not as good as Toyota or Honda, but in the company it keeps, better than the others. Another reason to consider staying with the Volvo brand, is virtue we are all aware of: safety. This was brought home to me a week ago when a woman suffering from a diabetic seizure slammed into my Volvo broadside with tremendous force. I had my seatbelt on, but the Volvo absorbed the impact, and I just climbed out without a scratch. I don't think that would have happened if I was in a Asian car of a a domestic brand. Fortunately, despite nearly $7,000 in damage, my insurance company has not totaled my Volvo and it will be repaired. I wouldn't consider buying another brand.

If you bought your Volvo used, maybe it wasn't properly maintained, and doesn't make economic sense to try to make up for the prior owners lapses. It that's the case sell it or trade it in for another Volvo. As a lot of writers on this board say, the trick to getting a good used 850 is to find one that has been well maintained. Some problems you can't dodge like the rear main engine seal and the A/C evaporator, but hopefully you'll only face those expense once in the life time that you own the car. I know this may sound scandalous on an 850 column, but maybe you might consider picking up a 940. My two mechanics both say it was the most trouble free model Volvo has sold to date. I would stikc with Volvo, the safety factor, you cannot put a value on, and you can always find a better Volvo.

Hugh