Faults:

Needed a major overhaul, as it had not been used in years. New battery, rear shocks, a small amount of welding, paintwork.

General Comments:

Bought this car on a whim, not knowing much about Volvos - well I do now, and have great respect for them. It is handsome, quiet, surprisingly fast, and has the most comfortable seats in any car I've driven. For a large car, it has a small turning radius, and the vision is excellent.

Access for repairs is excellent. There are no squeaks or rattles whatsoever, and the build quality is top drawer.

On the road it is very easy to drive, as it has power steering. Despite being automatic, it is quite sharp, and will happily cruise all day at 80mph. Downsides are the high fuel consumption; averages 20 MPG, but that's to be expected with a 3.0L 6 cylinder block. Strong understeer; again, typical of cars of this sort.

The BW35 gearbox a bit jerky - though it is simple and kicks down nicely.

Faults:

Nothing, other than age related wear.

General Comments:

A impressive car, even in Auto form. Powerful, fast, reliable, comfortable, and for its age, quiet.

The manual, fuel injected model really flies, and will shock many a modern car.

Best points are the turbine smooth straight six, powerful heating/ventilation system, excellent 4 wheel disc brakes, ultra comfortable leather seats, good cabin ergonomics, easy maintenance.

Poor points are the BW35 gearbox - already out of date by that time, and no intermittent wiper speed.