9-5 Aero vs V50 T5 AWD

[Kezzieboy]

So I've whittled my short-list of next cars down to two, it's either a V50 T5 or a 9-5 Aero.

I've read up on all their foibles, as well as potential avenues for tuning a year or two down the line, and I'm having trouble choosing between them (not to mention generally getting cold feet over buying a car/spending £2500!).

I've viewed one of each today, as follow:

V50 T5 AWD

9-5 Aero

Both cars seem solid, with good history, both have been very recently serviced. They are very different beasts, and in reality I'm not likely to buy this particular 9-5 because of the modifications bumping the insurance price up by a mile, however the comparison is still somewhat valid. Both have given me a number they actually want for the car, £2500 for the Volvo, £2000 for the Saab.

Whatever car I buy, it'll probably sit off the road for a month or two while I get the 306 sorted, but both are near enough to drive back on the current owners insurance/tax before transferring all the docs etc. Both are turbo petrols with over 200bhp. Both are around £400-£500 to insure, both will do nearly 40MPG if driven carefully, and less than 20 if not. The Volvo is an Auto (geartronic), but so are the vast majority of the Saabs I've seen for sale, and most of the cars in this segment in general, for that matter.

Just wondering if anyone has any reason in particular to choose one or the other, or NOT to choose one or the other.

Finally, how do you lot chop and change cars so frequently without it costing you a fortune, especially modified ones?! Insurance is giving me headaches, but I can take the hit as I'll have the car for a while, and I guess if you're just swapping standard cars insurers are a little more understanding? So if I decide I don't want it, it'll be easier to change?


Anyway, yeah, halp!?