[CJFusco]

So, my beloved 1997 850 Wagon met its end today -- apparently I hit something (probably in my driveway, which was just plowed after a snow storm; there might have been a rock hiding in the random mounds of snow) that punctured the oil pan; by the time I realized something was wrong, the engine was already toast. Almost made it to 300K miles!

It's currently sitting at the local Volvo independent specialists' shop; he has a reputation for being very honest and reputable, and told me that these things are basically worthless once they suffer a critical issue -- that the market for parts on them has basically dried up.

But then I heard from another knowledgeable friend in the automotive world that old Volvo parts are in high demand (he claims that a friend of his made $5800 from parting out a Volvo wagon, but was unsure about the model). Is this true? Would it be more worthwhile to scrap the car for $100-200 (as my mechanic suggests), or part it out?

And yes, I am also considering finding a used engine and dropping it in as an option.