Volvo: Volvo 850, volvo 850 glt, luxury appointments

Question
Well thank you very kindly for the advice.  I presently have a bid on an 850 and I think I'll retract it.  It seems like a nice car, but I plan on driving cross-country for the next five months, putting a lot of miles and such on whatever car I buy.  Do you think that the 940 series is the way to go?  Or is another car for the same basic price $4000-$5000 is better?

thanks
Matt Jones

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Followup To
Question -
Do you have any relevant information pertaining to the 1995 Volvo 850 GLT's?  I am contemplating purchasing one on E-Bay.
Was wondering what the "word" was on this make and model.

Thanks for your expertise.
Answer -
I think you'll get wildly differing opinions on this particular car.  My take is that they have basically sound drivetrains, but come with a much higher cost of ownership, less ability to self service, and were plauged with constant random annoying issues like sensor failures, computer issues, etc.  Most people I talk to have issues like these a great majority of the time.  I think most would agree that if you want a Volvo from around that time period, going with a 740 or 940 would be a far better choice.  They had rear wheel drive as well as the unstoppable B230F engine, which has been around for 20 years and is widely thought of as one of the most robust and reliable engines ever built.  Most people can get 300-500K miles out of them.  The 940 series especially will have the luxury appointments that the 850 has, but I believe without the transverse mount and computer issues that the 850 has the reputation for.  My recommendation would be to look at 940 turbos of the same year; they'll have the same luxury, safety, and power as the 850, but much easier to work on and own.  Good luck with your decision!

Answer
I think the 940 is the clear choice over the 850, especially if you're going to be putting some miles on it.  Most will agree that the 940 drivetrain is far superior to the 850; tested and refined for 25 years (my 1980 Volvo has basically the same engine and I've got over 250K on it, and I've seen them with over 450K).  As with any car, use a good deal of scrutiny when buying online and still have the car checked thoroughly before taking it cross country, but I think it's usually a good idea to buy into proven technology (thats why I bought my car in the first place).  If you like, feel free to send me some links of auctions you might be considering, and I'll let you know what I think.  Good luck!