Volvo Values

[Lysander]

Hello everyone,
I was wondering if I could pick your brains on the value of my 1999 Volvo V70 cross country. I've had the car for about 8 months and I'm thinking of selling it. When I look in all the usual places it is very dufficult to find this specific model and the values of V70's seem to vary wildly. The car is a two owner with 77000 miles on the clock with a full service history (mostly Volvo.)
Thanks in advance for your feedback.

[richmac]

Hi,

Would you mind posting fuller, specific details and some photographs (incl eng. bay)?

Thanks,

Rich.

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by Lysander

Hello everyone,
I was wondering if I could pick your brains on the value of my 1999 Volvo V70 cross country. I've had the car for about 8 months and I'm thinking of selling it. When I look in all the usual places it is very dufficult to find this specific model and the values of V70's seem to vary wildly. The car is a two owner with 77000 miles on the clock with a full service history (mostly Volvo.)
Thanks in advance for your feedback.

To most, I'm afraid it will probably simply be just a other old banger, 'Lysander'. To the cognoscenti, it represents a safe, roomy, comfortable and, taking into account the (lack of) depreciation, economical, thoroughly competent motor car.

As to it's value? Our cars are no longer 'in the book', and their values are, as we are all too well aware, highly subjective. With it's low mileage and ownership, yours would be at the higher end of the spectrum.


Does the fact that your's is an XC have a bearing? Either increasing as an advantage, or diminishing due to the additional complexity and potential problems?

The V70 is a very good car. I bought one by default when I was looking for a replacement for my much loved 745 and could not find an acceptable 965 or V90. For the record, my car is a 2000 registered PH 1 2.4 petrol auto. This was five years ago, when it had had four owners and covered 118 thousand miles with a reasonable service history. It was not perfect, but has reliably done all that I have asked of it in the time that I have owned it. I paid all of £550 for it at a dealer. In effect, although it has little or no intrinsic value, it is worth a good deal to me and I intend to keep it for as long as possible.

I offer the foregoing simply as an example of the difficulty in assessing the value of a motor car sight unseen. Based upon your description, and what I paid for mine, my best guess is that yours would probably sell for something in the order of £1 - 1.5K in the current market conditions.

My apologies if I should be proved to be wide of the mark, but you did ask!

Regards, John.

[Familyman 90]

I think John ismprobably correct. Even if its in first class condition many buyers will view it as an elderly but big and complex car.

But there are folk out there who can see past that. The mileage is nice, its full history, with the right buyer you might manage £2000, but I think the typical buyer is going to want to pay more around the £1500 mark max.

Good luck.

[Lysander]

Thanks for the feedback guys,

I had a 850 T5 20 years ago and loved it. Earlier this year I decided to get all nostalgic and bought a V70. The car has been brilliant, I've had the cambelt and water pump done and replaced the heater matrix for the winter and she's running great. I must admit the green thing has got me thinking and I'm considering an electric car (sorry!) and the fact the Volvo isn't ULEZ compliant has got me thinking about selling it. However if it isn't worth that much it's probably worth keeping. I fear I paid way over the odds!

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by Lysander

Thanks for the feedback guys,

I had a 850 T5 20 years ago and loved it. Earlier this year I decided to get all nostalgic and bought a V70. The car has been brilliant, I've had the cambelt and water pump done and replaced the heater matrix for the winter and she's running great. I must admit the green thing has got me thinking and I'm considering an electric car (sorry!) and the fact the Volvo isn't ULEZ compliant has got me thinking about selling it. However if it isn't worth that much it's probably worth keeping. I fear I paid way over the odds!

But your Volvo is 'green', 'Lysander'!

People regard EVs as 'green' because that is what they are told and, if it is repeated often enough, believe.

An electric car has to be built using valuable resources.
The EOL costs of the vehicle that it replaces have to be met.
The battery uses scarce resources at great cost to the environment.
The electricity to replenish the battery has to be generated in some way.
If the electricity is produced by conventional means the emissions are simply removed from the tail-pipe to the cooling-tower.

Like mine, the production costs of your Volvo have already been amortised over more than 20 years (and counting).
It's EOL costs have yet to be met and will remain, hopefully, a considerable distance in time in the future.
Bearing in mind the expected selling prices that we have been discussing, the depreciation is minimal. A well-bought car may actually appreciate.

There are many other arguments that could be advanced, but I believe those above are the most telling. There is much more to being 'green' than the type of fuel that we use.

If your Volvo is as good as you describe, and if I had the means, I would definitely consider keeping it, if only to use on 'high days and holidays'. If I needed a vehicle that was ULEZ compliant - which, thankfully, I do not - I would look for something cheap and cheerful to use in that role. I sense that, again like me, your Volvo is worth much more to you than it's value on the used car market.

Best wishes, John.