Volvo! Last for ever - the rear wheel drive ones. Almost rustproof (a huge consideration here in England). Mostly hugely reliable, with just one or two little peccadillos.   The V6s are very thirsty, but the Turbos can be made extremely fast, and still quite frugal. I have a 16-valve, which I love to bits - but change the cambelts religiously (and the oil pump pulley bolt at the same time), cos if you break the cambelt on the 16 valvers it eats the whole engine (valves hit piston). The Turbos and the 8 valvers don't do that.

Most Volvo engines will last 200,000 miles - sometimes with a head gasket change needed but modern alloy-head engines a head gasket is a wearing part (it's to do with differential thermal expansion). Except on the 16 valvers, a head gasket replacement for the 4-pots is not that hard. Head gasket on the v6 is a nightmare.

Keep a stock of the relays (and probably two of the fuel pump relay) - they are easy to change (behind ashtray).   Do not let bush mechanics anywhere near the auto boxes (but I prefer the manual boxes anyway).

Avoid the early V6 (the B28). The later V6 (B280) is OK if thirsty until it breaks. Both V6s will break if you don't change the oil and water at specified intervals.

The straight 6 is tough but thirsty.

The 4 potters are all but indestructible. Look after the turbo (if its there) and it should last the life of the engine too.

The preferred gearbox is the M90 5-speed (reverse to right) or M47 5-speed (reverese to left). Avoid the autoboxes - they are OK but palm tree mechanics can wreck them - and avoid the M46 with the overdrive on a button in themiddle, there are too many possible electrical faults with the control system.

There are lots of small builders, window cleaners, and antique dealers here in the UK who use the Volvo estates in stead of vans. They do this because they are tough, tough, tough.