1. Hmmmm. My '98 T5 5-speed is just about at 140,000 miles....no, it's not for sale.

2. Mechanically, it still uses absolutely NO oil between changes. The clutch is original and the 5-speed shifts like new. The T5 motor is even more robust than the NA motor, with a stronger block, sodium-filled exhaust valves and a forged crankshaft.

3. While the car has been superb as far as the drive train, electrically it leaves a lot to be desired. Of course, with the number of Volvos you've owned you KNOW all about this. And you are probably on a first-name basis with your Volvo parts guy. There are even more electric gizmos to break on the T5 than the NA 850. See the surveys at http://kinovolvo.velez.ws/ and http://www.volvospeed.com/volvo_performance.php for some of the "problem areas".

4. The aluminum "white motors" are very sensitive to overheating and to people who are casual about oil changes. (Volvo went from recommended 5000 mile oil changes to 7500 miles on the T5s between 1998 and 1999. As far as I know, nothing much inside the motor changed to decrease wear by 50%.) I'd check the oil pressure and compression if the car you're looking at doesn't have a history.

-Punx

'98 V70T5M, 139k mi., iPd stabilizer bars, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, Bilstein HD struts and shocks, Valentine-1, Mobil-1 always, e-code headlight lenses, Dunlop SP5000AS