Thanks for all the timely and helpful responses to my questions over the past year and a half or so. I hope my meager contributions were helpful.
I traded my S80 in last night on a smaller, less thirsty, and hopefully less cantankorous car - not another Volvo so I probably won't be checking back in but wanted to say thanks for all the help during my Volvo ownership. This forum was a bright spot in that experience

 

awwww...it was great too.hope you still stay in touch.so what car did u get..

 

Wanted to go back to a manual so I picked a 2012 Nissan Sentra with the 6 speed. Won't be as nice if we take a long trip in it but our trips typically involve taking my wife's vehicle anyway with a hitch rack loaded with bicycles. I'm sure the new-car "honeymoon" will wear off soon enough but so far it's better and more fun than the old BMW 320i I had several years ago.