I am trying to get some good advice. I currently own 4 940's. One is a crashed car serving as a feast for cannibalizing for the others. The other 3 are all 94 or 95 Turbos.

The cars have problems, but I've been working on them and eventually, I will have them all running well. Mostly its things like motor mounts, ball joints, struts, brakes, and transmission mounts. The cars basically run well, thanks to the B230 engine. Cosmetics and accessories, such as radios, window regulators, tail gate wiring ... that sort of stuff I've got in good shape and under control.

However, my wife seems to be yearning after a V70 XC. I've looked at the local dealership and in the $18,000 range I can probably buy one with 50,000 miles 4 or five years old. Generally, I would avoid buying through the dealer and paying the premium, but if I were to buy one, I would make an exception for the certified used car paperwork, that would make my wife happy. I think considerably outside the box. She doesn't.

So, gradually, I am getting comfortable with the idea of a non-940 in the family, and spending the money. My wife is not pushing me, but I know she's like the feel of a "new" car.

All was well, until I brought my 940 to my local mechanic for inspection, today. I have disparaged his work on this forum, but after picking up my other 940 from the dealer today at a cost of $540, and the items I was concerned with are worse than when I brought it in (I can elaborate) but, the point is, problem diagnosis is not a precise science and I probably should cut both the local mechanic and the dealer some slack, when they fix something that was not wrong to start with.

Because of the neighborhood I live in, the local mechanic does see a lot of Volvo's and he's been seeing them for more than 30 years. He may not be perfect, but I do believe he has a basis for an opinion about reliability. Today, and not for the first time, he insisted that the 940 is the best Volvo that was made (I think the 240 is too old to be in his consideration and besides, they are not that different). He says the V70 XC is terrible and that I'd be in his shop every other week getting it fixed.

Meanwhile the 40 year employed service manager at Dalzell, the local dealer in Dedham, MA., says his wife has the V70 XC and he loves the car.

So, what is to be believed?

I recognize this group are 940 enthusiasts and have a reason to favor the 940. Still, some of us, must own the 70 series cars, too. I don't want to create a "set up" for my wife, because she already believes down deep that I won't move from the 940 and would prefer not to spend the money. In some ways she is right, but not completely. For the sake of marital harmony, I would get the car she wants, but not if what the mechanic is saying is really true. That would be a foolish decision and if I have sufficient credible information to support keeping the 940s and maintaining them, even to the extent of putting more money into upkeep than the car is worth, I would do that.

The way I look at it, my Navy Blue 940 wagon, may have a book value of $1,500, but I can't duplicate the value to me for less than $19,000, unless I buy another used 940.

I apologize for bringing one of these typically "on the one hand / on the other hand" unanswerable questions to the group, but if you are so inclined try your best.

I suppose there must be a V70 section on the brickboard. Should I be posing my question there, as well?

Bob Franklin