hi guys, I know it's kinda old thread already but maybe I can give my 2 sen worth as well.
I currently own a Volvo S60 T5 2006 which I bought 2nd hand for wifey when she was pregnant.
Reason i bought was to give myself peace of mind as she used to drive back home (outstation) when she was pregnant.
In terms of reliability, I found that it was so so compared to Merz C180 that I used. Things would fail more regularly on the volvo. You definitely need to get an ex-volvo mechanic or continential specialist as those jap mechanics would have totally NO idea
Maintenance cost is higher coz there are less "REM" parts (less demand so no point copying) whereas Merz had more "REM" parts available. Some rubber parts you would find was produced in 3rd world europe eg czekoslovakia,hungary,etc..but price would be high due to our lousy exchange rate..
Resale would definitely be shitty as Volvos have no resale value.
Fuel consumption is higher as it's a heavy car compared to Japanese. But for power, it was addictive.
For peace of mind, nothing beats it.
So in the end, you can't have your cake and still eat it!
Oh, by the way, wifey LOVES the car and won't part with it! hahaha.