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Don't think they are particularly complex compared to alot if modern cars? It was the throttle bodies that were at fault on them irrc. The suspension always suffered as it's a heavy lump the 5 pot.
Interesting delta link rear suspension, high performance 5 pot engines with a dizzying array of management systems over the years, all with different foibles.. Everything is 50% bigger, heavier, and done up tighter than a normal car. Special tools required for many mechanical jobs. High quality interiors make dismantling without breaking anything a nightmare, etc, yadda, etc.
A modern Kia or Ford might be more complex in design, but in execution they're probably far simpler.
And thats before one gets to the owners "insider" knowledge required to work on them, as Boney alludes to above. A regular garage is simply not up to the job of maintaining a P80 series Volvo - a dealer or indy specialist are essential, else a competent DIYer (like Boney or me) with the time, connections and resources to devote to running one. Fred in a Shed or Bombsite Motors down the industrial estate might be fine working on a Focus or 3 series, but can't be trusted with a P80.
Something as simple as to know to never, ever, use anything but a genuine Volvo timing or auxiliary belt is gospel to those in the know, but old Fred down the all-makes independent would whack on some Gates or Continental kit thinking he was saving the customer a few pennies - on most other cars such things would be fine, but on a whiteblock turbo you'd have just signed its death warrant, such is the failure rate among pattern belts. No-one outside of a dealer, specialist, or clued-up enthusiast owner will know that, and the list of things to "know" about P80's is extensive.
