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Volvo V70 Wagon Experience

1905 messages,  Last post on Aug 30, 2012 at 6:10 PM

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What is this discussion about? Volvo V70, Wagon

Messages Page 190 of 191

#1886 of 1905 SEEKING Volvo xc V70 wagon 2000 AWD by virtu

Nov 28, 2010 (1:22 pm)

I have driven several 1995-2000 Volvo wagons and like the AWD Cross Country but most have deferred maintenance issues which run up the acquisition cost. Seeking AWD, good clean interior and paint under 200K one owner, good tires and up to date timing belts, etc. Basic sport package with AC and all working electrics. My limit is $3000. Like sandstone and gray colors to match our Pacific NW dirt. If you have this vehicle consider selling it privately rather than a wholesale trade to someone who will appreciate and baby it! I'll send a temporary email if you respond to this message and we can email or skype. Thanks!

#1887 of 1905 Re: Need info about the V70XC Cross Country Wagon [shopdog97] by sonofadocker

Nov 30, 2010 (11:55 am)

Replying to: shopdog97 (Oct 07, 2010 12:14 pm)
I just purchased a 1998 v70 xc - 177,000 miles.
I knew it needed a Heater Blower Resistor per owner and one tire.
My test drive I knew the right front tire had a bad belt/buldge. I ignored the tire sound when the car steered straight or right. Turning just a bit left the silence was nice.
I paid $2100.00 for the car.Asking price was $2800.00.
Went right to the tire store - Insisted I buy four tires due to AWD. $420.00.
Up on the lift they said it needed one tie rod end and one ball joint.
I left there with my new mounted tires and went to Auto Parts Store.
$300.00 worth of parts ( control arms w/ball joints and tie rod ends) I did that myself in my driveway in 1.5 hours with hand tools and pry bar.
I made an appt for a wheel alignment next week.
The car steers straight as an arrow but I still have the horrible sound. I assume it might be the left front wheel bearing ?
Regardless the body is like new - leather interior is like new- it was a Florida car all its life until now ( in NJ) - I think I did alright - see what the shop says during the alignment appointment.
19.7 mpg I think the only option I dont have is multi disc player.

#1888 of 1905 When will Volvo bring diesel to USA? by vovo74

Dec 27, 2010 (8:06 pm)

We've had Volvo's in our family for the last 15 years - starting with an old 244, then an 850 and now we drive a 2001 V70 (135,000 miles on it and going strong) and my wife has a 2008 XC90.
 
My V70 is getting on a bit, although I will probably keep it until something major happens to it, and I like the look of new V60 wagon. However I really want to move over to a diesel for the mileage and unfortunately/fortunately the only thing really on the market in a wagon is a VW Jetta TDI (or something much more expensive).
 
Why doesn't Volvo bring the diesels they already use elsewhere in the world? The D5 is popular in Europe so it must be a good engine......

#1889 of 1905 Re: Need info about the V70XC Cross Country Wagon [sonofadocker] by shopdog97

Jan 01, 2011 (11:09 am)

Replying to: sonofadocker (Nov 30, 2010 11:55 am)
Hi, Sonofadocker, it has been a few months since I originally posted my question on this Volvo model. I will not pursue the one I first spoke of- the 99' V70 XC Cross country. I went down to the lot back in early November and asked to see it up close, and it is pretty rough. They must have had a dog inside and it is full of dog hair, the front leather seats would have to be redone if you wanted it to look good, and I couldn't even start it or find out how many miles were on it because of a dead battery. The more I went along the car, the worse I felt about it. I raised the hood to pull the engine dipstick out and the plastic ring just broke in my hand. The car would need 4 new tires, and the front rotors look as though someone jackhammered on them so you know you'd need a brake job off the bat. So THIS one ain't gonna happen.
 
Since then, I found another V70 AWD that LOOKS by the pictures to be in pristine shape. It's a 2001 with 133K on it for $5500. It's about 50 miles from me but just because it LOOKS nice, and it does, I would have no way to know how the car was taken care of. I would ask this dealer if there was a Carfax, or if there was any paperwork detailing just how the car was maintained. According to my local Volvo dealer who I called for some advice, he claims Volvo recommends the timing belt be changed at 105K, and this car has 133K on it. Was the belt changed? And if the guy says yes but has no documentation for it, how could I really be sure. The Volvo dealer says that if I couldn't be 100% sure about it, he'd want to replace the belt because if I didn't and it broke, I'd be looking at a major expense since the motor is an interference fit.
 
And to fuel more interest in these cars, there is a shop right here in my home town called Integrated Auto Service that has specialized in these cars for over 30 years. I completely forgot about this business that always has this and other model Volvos for sale. They COMPLETELY recondition them and when they leave this lot, they are absolutely great and he backs everything he sells with a warranty. He has a 2002 V70 AWD in stock now but he wants top dollar for it, like 8 grand! But he took the time to go over a lot of issues with these cars and says that while it's nothing for them to reach 200Kand more, you must maintain them properly and that can cost a nice dollar if you don't work on cars yourself. I do consider myself fairly handy at auto repair, but never worked on a Volvo. Are they that much more complicated than other vehicles? This guy's response to me when I told him I had an OBD2 code scanner was that Volvo has proprietary codes and that is what is more likely to be set than a generic code that my scannerr would be capable of reading. He also said that he charges $800 bucks for a timing belt replacement because he not only changes the belt, but the gears, tensioner, and water pump as well, because should I have an issue with the water pump, he has to tear everything apart to get to it.
 
I agree proper maintenance is key to any car's longevity. The problem is that I don't have a lot of money to make everything right like this man says is imperative. He charges $400 bucks per axle for brakes! I think that's insanity, I mean, are these parts really expensive, or what? I could see it if you had to replace the rotors and you wanted good ones, but you should NOT have to replace rotors everytime you need pads, do you agree with that? Certainly they could be machined at LEAST once unless you're really hard on brakes. And to boot, he says this model need a steady diet of at least 89 or preferably 93 octane fuel, and needless to say, you know that can be expensive. He says you CAN use 87, but you will not get the performance or mileage out of the car if you do.
 
I know this is long winded, folks, and I do apologize. But I just needed to make an informed decision on this model and to those of you who have them and love them, I wish you a good day.

#1890 of 1905 Follow up to my above post by shopdog97

Jan 05, 2011 (12:37 pm)

That 2001 V70 AWD is STILL available at this time. I did pay a visit yesterday to the business here in my hometown and speak with the owner and I could sense how much pride he has in his business. He has 2 salespeople there who do NOT work on commission. He took me out on the lot and showed me what he has to offer. He has about 5 V70's, ranging from the 2002 I saw and sat in yesterday up to a 2008 that he wants top buck for. I started and ran, but didn't drive this 2002 and it purred like a kitten and was very clean. Those leather seats are just about the most comfortable automobile seats I've ever sat on. He's asking 9K for this one with 92K on it. He assures me that there are no defects in this vehicle and even explained a transmission complaint that some of these(not all, apparently)have had and what Volvo did to solve it. It seems that sometimes when downshifting, the tranny "hunts" so to speak, for the right gear. Part of the solution was to install a shift kit, as per factory instructions. He also says it may be a software problems as well, but that this transmission was solid and told me that if I bought this or any Volvo on his lot, he'd stand by the transmission(in writing as well) for at least 2 years!
 
Half of me wants either the 2001 50 miles away or this 2002, and the other half is wondering if I can(or should) take on the expense of owning a Volvo. I asked him if I buy this 2001, can I bring it to you for a complete, unbiased and honest evaluation? He said of course. He said that if I bought his 2002, he would only be seeing me for oil changes(if I took it back to him), because ALL the other work is done: New brakes all around, anything found wrong was fixed, etc. He'd probably make more money off me if I bought something elsewhere and if it wasn't right, well, I guess I'd better have a big wallet. And his '02 has 40K LESS miles than the 2001, but the 2001 is 4000 bucks less. I'll tell ya, folks, decisions, DECISIONS!!!!! Thanks for putting up with my whining!!!!

#1891 of 1905 Re: Follow up to my above post [shopdog97] by fedlawman

Jan 05, 2011 (1:19 pm)

Replying to: shopdog97 (Jan 05, 2011 12:37 pm)
2001 was the first model year of the new body style and new Aisin 5-speed transmission. I believe most of the transmission problems you've read about are the result of either a lack of service (fluid flush) or improper flush (incorrect fluid used). This transmission required a new fluid (Mobil 3309) that is not compatible with the old Dextron III used by 90% of cars on the road. If the transmission was ever serviced with Dextron III (and I bet more than a few were), failure is inevitable.
 
Some reasons why I'm keeping my 2004 V70 is because it's such a nice car, I've maintained it religiously and never had a problem, and it has depreciated so much that it's all but worthless!
 
Yes $9000 is a lot for a 2002 V70, but based on your comments, your not going to find a nicer one with so much assurance of it's maintenance condition/history and a warranty. I would pass if you're not looking to keep it for a while, but if you want it for the long haul, then it might be worth it.
 
By the way, when you do test drive, check the rebound dampening. My original shocks were all but dead at around 70,000 miles (and we milked them over 90,000). You're probably going to need new ones (and tower mounts too) with either of these cars so factor in another $500 - $1000.
 
I can't think of anything else. These cars are basically German under the skin, so if you're used to working on BMW's (Ate, Mahle, Bosch parts), you'll be right at home.
 
Happy hunting!

#1892 of 1905 Re: Follow up to my above post [fedlawman] by shopdog97

Jan 09, 2011 (12:30 pm)

Replying to: fedlawman (Jan 05, 2011 1:19 pm)
Thanks, Fedlawman, I do appreciate your advice. Thanks for the tip on the correct trans fluid. This shop in my hometown uses a full synthetic fluid, I wonder if that is the Mobil 3309 you speak of? My biggest issue is trying to convince my wife, who would be driving this car since it'd be for her anyway, that it may be good to look at something noted for it's longevity. And she/I would NOT be putting a lot of miles on this or any other vehicle per year. To give you an example, we turned in our 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee in just before Thanksgiving last year as the lease was up and we couldn't buy it out. The Jeep had only 16,600 miles on it in 3 1/2 years! From what I've heard about these Volvos, if we DO buy one, it'd be likely to ROT rather than have any mechanical issues. If we bought the one at this man's shop with 92K on it and used it just like we used the Jeep, the thing wouldn't have 110K on it in 3 years!
 
But I'm not sure I can convince her that the Volvo is the way to go, so I may have to change plans. But I do believe that they are really good, reliable vehicles, and I thank those of you who have responded to me. Take care and God Bless!

#1893 of 1905 Re: Follow up to my above post [shopdog97] by fedlawman

Jan 09, 2011 (6:54 pm)

Replying to: shopdog97 (Jan 09, 2011 12:30 pm)
If it's synthetic, it's not 3309. But there are a few synthetics that are compatible. If you do decide on the V70, be very careful about that or you could be buying a ticking time bomb.
 
There's plenty of info on the web about it.

#1894 of 1905 2004 V70 Volvo Wagon by ronica54

Jan 30, 2011 (4:52 am)

There is a noise/buzzing coming from the back door. Does anybody know what this is and how to make it stop? Also is it common to have cabin air problems with volvos? This is the second volvo I have owned and I keep having the same problem with contaminate air coming in, ie exhaust from stinky trucks. Any solutions to this?

#1895 of 1905 Re: 2004 V70 Volvo Wagon [ronica54] by fedlawman

Jan 30, 2011 (11:11 am)

Replying to: ronica54 (Jan 30, 2011 4:52 am)
Interior rattles can be challenging, but check all the interior panels around the tailgate by tapping on them and listening for noise. Also check the two "doors" on the side are secure. Sometimes stuffing an old rag behind a panel can solve these noises.
 
As for the air problem, I don't think Volvo's are any different than any other car. Change the cabin filter and use "recirculate" when you're in traffic.

Messages Page 190 of 191

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