New here and pretty new to Volvo's... questions

[Zendragon]

Hello,

Just like the title says, I am new here and pretty new to Volvo's. My family (parents and sister) both own them and my girlfriend is in the process of looking for a decent car.

She is moving into the SF Bay Area (East Bay) and is looking for a used car, between $3500-$4000 that has decent MPG, but also some of the luxury and safety options found in the Volvo.

So for a novice, can a decent Volvo be found for the $ range? She has been looking at the S40/S60 due to the slightly smaller size.

I would love to hear what you all think about what we should be looking for.

Thanks in advance for your input.