I'm thinking about upgrading my '95 945 (299k miles) to something with fewer miles. But I don't know much about any of the newer wagons.

Whatever I get needs to have a minimum six feet of cargo space to occasionally haul a concert grand harp. Looking at the ads, it looks like my options are the V70, V90, V40 and V50. Don't know anything about the last two, except they look small. So the first question is which models will have the requisite cargo length.

Also, I don't know what I'll get into regarding maintenance requirements, especially if I get a turbo model. Are the maintenance requirements and points of failure for the V70 and V90 about the same as for my 960?

Any thoughts, suggestions, and recommendations welcome.

Personally, I like the 240/740/940 line. They have non-interference engines, meaning if the timing belt breaks, it won't kill your engine, unlike the newer models.

The 240/740/940 line wagons also have more cargo space.

Visit www.stepbystepvolvo.com for more info working on this line.

Do yourself a favor and drive your present car until it quits. Two things are for sure in the future: increased gasoline prices and electric drive autos. You may want to wait. And, don't forget the new Volvos have all been influenced by their owner, The Ford Motor company.

Perhaps a used '97 or a '98 wagon with fairly low mileage would work for you, if you just have to have a Volvo.

RW,

Since you have a 95 with almost 300k on the clock, I am guessing that, like me, you don't like to spend a pile of money on a car. Also, it sounds like you are not in panic-buy mode since your current car is still running.

If I got that right, I think you should look for a low mileage, well kept 1995 940 wagon. They are out there and they are not cost prohibitive. I just bought one with 141K. It needs a bit more sorting than would be appropriate if you don't do your own work, but it was only $1100 and is rust free with a straight body. For a bit more, you should be able to find a truly nice one, especially if you live in the northeast US where they are cheap.

I believe I am correct that 1995 is the newest Volvo you can get with the B230 engine. This is evidenced by the "83" in the VIN number. Not all 1995s have the good engine, so look for the "83" or maybe "88" if you look at an older model.

Most newer non-Volvo wagons are shorter. You judge yours by fitting your harp while I judge by being able to sleep in it on cross-country trips, but it amounts to the same thing.

Then, if at all possible where you live, keep your old one for parts. At 300K it is almost worthless as a car, but could be worth a fortune in convenience and money saved as a parts car for your new one. Try to make your replacement a 1995 and you will have the greatest chance for parts interchangeability A 1993 or 1994 would probably be pretty close.

Charley

Thanks for the comments, Charley.

If the later model Volvo wagons have less than a six foot cargo area, then I'll just stand pat with what I've got. I had a hard time finding this wagon when I bought it four years ago. I bought it sight-unseen from a dealer several hundred miles away and had it shipped here. Since then I've put on a nice paint job and wheels and door panels from my old 960 (RIP). So it's a nice car for my purposes. I'm not having any issues, even though it has ~300k miles. If the miles do become problematic, I can just swap the engine with a lower mileage version.

The leather seats are cracking, but I'm sure an upholstery shop can take care of that. I'd like to put in a new interior carpet kit, but haven't been able to find a source that's made for this car.

So it's a great DD, and I routinely take it on trips of two and three hundred miles with no concern. Plus it's easy to work on.