I purchased my 1982 240DL wagon, Daisy, when she had over 200,000 miles on the engine.  I could see she had been well cared
for.  She now has 506,000+ miles, on the original engine, and is sitting in my driveway, holding a thousand pound load, and getting
readied to pull a 20 foot flat bed trailer with 2000 lbs of my business product line (www.naturalyards.com) for a total of about 3500
lbs, from Ashland, Oregon to Utah, Colorado, and on to Cincinnati, Ohio.
 
Daisy is not only my delivery vehicle, but also is my "truck" for picking up loads of lumber at the mill 100 miles north, and pulling
them over our southern Oregon mountain ranges weekly.  She's easily carried 1200 lbs inside, (there is only a driver's seat inside)
while pulling a 3,000 lb load behind.
 
Daisy has already made a trek from Oregon, up into Washington, then down thru Idaho, Utah, Colorado, thru the mid-west, to the
eastern seaboard (Virginia), up into the New England states, on across the northern states (Michigan, Wisconsin, Montana, etc.)
and home, TWICE!
 
I needed to renew her registration recently, and she passed the inspection and maintenance emissions test with new car
standards.  She gives me between 25 and 30 miles to the gallon. I figure over the 300,000 miles I've driven her, she's cost me
about 11 cents a mile to drive. I change her fluids religiously, and she tells me when she has any other conditions that need
attention. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I give her lots of love and appreciation for a job well done, thanking her after each trip out.
 
I've purchased other vehicles to replace Daisy at times, thinking she deserved to be turned out to pasture, but when it came time to
work them, they just didn't make the grade.  Daisy was always eager to get back on the road.
 
I can't say all my Volvos have been a Daisy, but when looking for a car to buy, I would put my dollars on a used Volvo any time.  For
the cost of a new car, you can maintain a Volvo  with plenty to spare.
 
Wayne Burns
Ashland, Oregon