Murray
The major weak point is the auto box . As it is a post facelift car it will be a 6 speed, best check this.
The up and down changes must be absolutely smooth and seamless when the box is fully warmed up to operating temperature. Any "lumpiness" or hesitation is a sign of potential issues building up. I am sure Colin can advise how to road test one properly to highlight any issues.
However the major issue appears to have been lubrication, initially the box was considered to be "sealed for life" but after the Volvo techs starting getting warranty claims they built in an oil change (at 60k miles?) . The lube breaks down in long service and then the box can get very problematic . If the oil is changed regularly then they are capable of good long life.
If buying from a garage I would insist on them putting it up on a ramp and draining down the oil in the box (as long as they have the correct grade of fresh oil in stock), if it comes our a nice red colour it is probably OK, if it is anything else (dark brown, black etc) insist that the oil is changed totally , over and over again until it comes out really clean and red. Again I am sure Colin can give you much better information here.
