I've owned two Volvos, so far and my mother has owned/driven them for 20+ years.

My first Volvo was an '89 240 Sedan, with only 60K miles on it when I bought it. Ran great and interior/exterior were in great shape/condition. The only problems I had with it (minus flat tires because I was a 16 year old girl) were minor oil leaks and my repairs were not THAT expensive. I was in an accident with it and had to get a new header and some minor exterior work, which was also very inexpensive.

The Volvo I have now is a '94 960 with 140K miles on it. It was passed down from my mother, who bought it brand new. I've had to replace the radiator within the last year, which is pretty standard with the milage I have on the car and have had a few MINOR oil leaks. The only other problem we have ever had with it is the air, which is a whole other story, not related to Volvo but somewhere my mother took it to be serviced. My mom was also in a major wreck in this car, but you could never tell now.

We've had 740's, 850's, 940's, etc and never had any real problems with them, that I can remember. Honestly, I love the older Volvos and think they are very reliable and easy to maintain. Just make sure you service your car regularly and take it somewhere reputable to be serviced!