I always amazed at how cheap I hear folks buying Volvos. Granted, these are Eastern U.S. prices...

For comparison, click on description to see pic:

1993 VOLVO 940, 4 dr, auto, 136800 kms Gold, 940 excellent condition, sunroof, leather, power group . $12800. Stk# U3244. Call Volvo Of North Vancouver, open Sundays, in the North Shore Automall, 809 Automall Dr. Tel: 604-986-9889

Canadian dollars/Westcoast car, but still..

--
Norm Cook Vancouver BC; 1989 745T 200,000KM

At some point the 740 wagon became the 940 which was made until '95. I looked at a 91 or 92 940 but eventually found a '93 940 wagon. It is a really great car!. Volvo improved the rear seat fold-down over the earlier 740/940. In the earlier models where the head rests had to be removed to the lower the seat back. On the '93 the headrests automtically retract as the seat back fold down. 'Works really slick.

The engine also was improved with oil jets to cool the pistons. This allowed closer piston fit which reduces the chances for piston slap which my '88 240 has. The AC system is set up with R134 and really cools. The cooling fan is electric.

I'd strongly recommend a '93 - '95 940 wagon. The last and best of the Volvo red-block engines which you know how to maintain, rear wheel drive, great cargo room, comfortable. My '93 came with leather seats, heated electric rear view mirrors, heated seats, sunroof, decent stereo, is quiet, has locking torque converter, dash lighting wuch lets you see the instruments at night.

My only gripes are it could use a little more power (VX cam?) and the alloy wheels collect brake dust which seems to bond permanently to the wheel paint.

You could consider the 960 wagon but there you'll have to learn a new set of maintenance problems.

If it's been well maintained, there's no reason not to consider it. As you already know from your 89, it's a great car for the DIY'er. There may be little differences in the dash / climate control area, but other than that, it's pretty much the same car.

I couldn't tell from your post if it IS or ISN'T a turbo. If it's a non-turbo it will probably have the Bendix-Regina fuel system vs Bosch on the 89, but that's no biggy - you trade an AMM and one of the fuel pumps for a little more expense on some of the other components. I have the Regina on our 90 740 and I have found it to be a rather robust system (original O2 sensor and Idle Control Motor at about 140,000 miles. The longivity of the RPM sensor, RS relay, and fuel pump relay will be just like the Bosch (and so will the price).