Here's a site where Renaults are admired:

http://www.users.wineasy.se/katriina/

You should buy both.The AMC/Renault alliance is now very rare & the convertable is even more rare.I am sure it will appreciate in Value over the coming years.Just keep it in a garage in cold storage away from the elements & you will have a classic that will get you a pretty penny in 10 or so years.Buy the Volvo & use that as your driver since the Alliance is not worth "shine" as a practical automobile.When you are done with the Volvo in 10 years,Sell both & get a really nice Volvo!

Are you kidding? Is there ANYTHING to compare between these two marques?

One is safe, one is not.

One is reliable, one is not.

One is durable, one is not.

One has dealer support, one does not.

One has internet forum, one does not-not readily identifiable.

Both have a reputation.

Hope you make the right choice!

PS-Any well worn Volvo is better than two thirds of the new cars you can buy...

It looks like you have plenty of great advice about which car to buy. I think there's one question you have to ask yourself:

"How bad do I want a convertible?"

Hopefully it's not bad enough that you would pass on the safety and reliability (among other advantages) of the Volvo 240.

Buy the 240.

The Appliance was a chunk of sh*t.

Look at how many of them survive to this day, and how many high-mileage Volvos live on and on and on.

Also, like someone mentioned, parts for the Volvo are very available, and mostly pretty cheap on the whole. And the Volvo will save your life instead of taking it, if crashed. Parts for the Appliance are expensive and hard to find, at least in the States. That I know because I had a big commercial lawn mower that had Alliance parts in it (no kidding).

The renault was one of the worst crashing automobiles ever made. I don't remember the exact horrifying numbers for the amount of force various parts of your body would experience, but I do remember that in a 35mph frontal collision, not only would your femurs be snapped in half and driven through the back of your seat, and the steering wheel thrust directly through your chest, but your head would pop like a melon hit with 00-buckshot. I feel much safer on a motorcycle. I am very serious.

Just something to consider.

Is this a joke? Having owned an 85 reliance, I can catagorically state: It is a smooth running car, fairly peppy, and lasts about 60,000 mi. After that: Plastic radiator begins to leak, unrepairable, engine overheats and needs head work. Also drain plug is notorious for falling out of: tranny, engine, radiator. Disaster. French plastic is poor (this from a dyed in the wool Peugeot owner from 1965 to 2000, just sold the last one). Cloth seats are ok, leather very poor. Don't know about the top, but assume the same quality as seats. Electrical: oh boy! First to go is headlamp combo switch. Ignition switch a close second (two over life of car)(but the're reasonably cheap so buy two at once)(save a trip to the dealer) Did I say dealer? there aren't any left. Finally do yourself a favor and disconnect the EGR and PCV hoses to the intake box. They clog up and force gallons of oil out the seals. Have I forgotten anything? Oh yes, mine was a very lovely light bronze color. i rmn & etc.. Jim A.

ANYTHING would be better than a Renault. Check out the service and repair history for this type of car. It was and is a piece of junk. It sounds like an opinion, but it is fact.

I would go with the renault. When the engine melts down, next week, the convertable top makes it much easier to transform the car into a planter. With the volvo it would still be taking up space in the garage and requier insurnace since it would still be running.

Really go with the 240 not only can you still buy parts, it is safe. also at 101,000 miles, the renalt is really at the end of its useful life and the 240 with 140,000 miles is 1/2 to 2/3s of teh way through its uselful life.