Thinking of buying a v70

[vloov]

Hi all, hope you all had a good Christmas.
Thinking about getting a newer Volvo, I have a 92 K 940s estate at the moment.
Got my eyes on a V70 2001-2004
I need to check a few basics first, like the size in the back when the rear seats are folded down, is it any smaller than the 940.
Are there any major differences.
Any problem things that I should keep an eye out for.
Any help would be great.
Many thanks

[micken]

IMHO you are potentially buying a great vehicle, but you should read all the stickys in this part of the forum and if you are thinking about the D5 then read the diesel section too. Don't know about comparison with 940 'coz never had one.

[vloov]

Cheers Micken, I have read through a couple of hundred posts now and am surprised at the amount of problems people have, but thinking about it, any car can be like this.
I noticed that for a few other models someone has produced a buyers guide of points to look out for.
Has anyone done one of these for the v70 2001 onward.

[Rossi-fan]

Hello. A V70 can be a great buy, but they don't come without their own common problems when buying an 8 - 10 year old car. Suspension and electrical problems are what knocks these cars most. You may buy a V70 that has had its usual faults sorted, therefore, you get a great car that will last another 10 years. They certainly arn't built like the older Volvo's were, and i believe a V70 is not as big in the back as the older 900's.

[david philips]

Originally Posted by Rossi-fan

Hello. A V70 can be a great buy, but they don't come without their own common problems when buying an 8 - 10 year old car. Suspension and electrical problems are what knocks these cars most. You may buy a V70 that has had its usual faults sorted, therefore, you get a great car that will last another 10 years. They certainly arn't built like the older Volvo's were, and i believe a V70 is not as big in the back as the older 900's.

i only had one v70 and it was a great car but i went back to a 940 some years ago , the v70 is a much more modern and better driving car than the 940s but as said the v70 is much smaller than the 940 and has a more complex electrical system .

[Jim314]

For maximum length when the rear seats are folded down the rear seat bottoms are removable just by prying up some latches. I have use this feature to sleep in the back of my V70 in state park camp grounds. It gives an extra 18 inches of length or more, if the front seats are moved forward.

I met an owner of an older RWD Volvo wagon who opined these were much superior to the FWD models. I decided not to counter with the fact that the newer models are much more protective in a crash (especially with the side head-curtain airbags), but instead pointed out that the FWD models were much superior on ice and snow. He claimed that his RWD Volvos performed well in Colorado winters with extra weight (maybe 200 to 300 lb) over the rear wheels.

[Rossi-fan]

Hello jim, what do you make of your XC90? They have'nt had very good press over here.

[Georgeandkira]

Hello, So vloov, after reading a couple of hundred posts you've learned that forums are for problems and can mislead in tone. People commonly don't search thus creating additional volume. Producing a "buyer's guide" would require tallying every post. There's a fellow named Michael Karesh who has started a website named Truedelta.com. There he invites people to list repairs done to their cars on a monthly basis. His nifty program organizes the posted repairs. I feel the methodology used is just fine.
All that said, my feeble brain can tally the posts I've read. TITLE: For someone considering a V70 from 2001-2004: TRANSMISSIONS:select 2003-4 to avoid transmissions damaged by the foolish "stop-neutral" feature. See to the cleanliness of any transmission's fluid since Volvo stupidly claimed their fluid was lifetime. People and dealerships stupidly went along with it. Did I mention this is stupid? 4WD SYSTEMS: Volvo changed to a more rugged system in 2003. I believe Haldex was the old system and Getrag is the new. Verify that before you buy. The old system requires you maintain 4 matched tires or the differentials within will chew themselves up. See to changing the fluid of any bevel gear in any 4WD you buy. It's commonly neglected. Consider starting with 5 matched tires and doing 5 tire rotations so you have 4 matched ones even if you destroy a wheel. ELECTRONICS: The DIM, or instrument cluster, can go out on you. There are rebuilders who beat any dealer's price on replacement. I run my A/C to remove moisture from the interior in an attempt to reduce corrosion on electrical components. The CCM, or climate control module can act up. Aside from the temperature sensor malfunctioning I believe people who fail to turn the ignition key to position 2 when reconnecting a battery are the one's who have most of the problems. I would like more data on this subject. I don't think it's a biggie. FIRST GENERATION ETM WEAR-OUT: Don't let the tail wag the dog. The contact strip wore out causing erratic RPM hunting. Solid rebuilds are available for much less than dealer replacement. It's an easy swap which doesn't loom as a feared electrical problem in my book. EVAP SYSTEM: There's a needlessly flimsy hose in the system called the "J" hose. It's a common source of a small leak code. I've had to change mine. The absence of hose routing diagrams perturbs many. PARKING BRAKE SHOES: The linings are glued, not riveted, and can destroy other parts if they come free. Inspection is an absolute necessity. DIESEL ENGINES: I think 2005 is the first year of the self cleaning exhaust systems. These newer diesels dislike local travel. SUMMATION: I share the conclusion that the P2 Volvos are well built cars. In short, the biggest problem you'll have is finding one which has been maintained. What is your budgeted amount for this purchase? Finding a reasonably serviceable 940 is unlikely. Think twice before you buy any diesel or 4WD vehicle. Don't turn a blind eye to fluid refreshment, strut and shock (dampers to you) change-out and body panel alignment. Good luck. I must rest up for New Year's Reveling. Kira

[Jim314]

Originally Posted by Rossi-fan

Hello jim, what do you make of your XC90? They have'nt had very good press over here.

I have no complaints about the base model 2007 FWD XC90, but a minivan would have met our needs better than the XC90 and at lower cost. The XC90 is extremely comfortable on the highway, but it is some trouble to get our aging dogs in and out due to the interior floor height with seats folded down.

We did get what I thought was a good deal on this US base model XC90 from dealer inventory. About 20 years ago my wife decided that Volvo was her car company (for its safety and lowest cost of a European higher end brand, i.e., significantly lower in cost than Mercedes or BMW) and says she would have gotten a Volvo minivan if Volvo made one. Given the danger on the roads I feel compelled to accept her strong preference for Volvo.

My approach is to consider a wide range of manufacturers and models with the result that from the time I start looking it can be several years for me to actually buy. She won't look until she is ready to buy. I made the mistake of taking her over to the Volvo dealer on one of my 'just looking' trips and she bought the XC90.

Her immediate concern was that her 2004 base model V70 did not have dynamic stability and traction control and she wanted one which had it. She had become aware of the advantages of DSTC, but in 2004 the base model V70 did not have DSTC. She had rolled her 1996 850 wagon following an emergency swerving maneuver on a multilane divided highway. She avoided hitting other vehicles and she was uninjured. She replaced it with the 2004 V70.

Her approach to car buying for the last 15 years has been to get the cheapest Volvo that met our needs. She has bought three of them all from the same dealer. Possibly they know that when we show up we have done some research on what we should have to pay, and are ready to close the deal if they have what we want. Each time their first offer has been at or below what I thought we would have to pay. The base model Volvos are seemingly not in demand by the Volvo buyers in our area and this may account for our getting good deals. (I can't explain why the dealer would have base models on their lot.)

[coughlanc]

Hi. My 1st Volvo was about 10 years ago. It was a 1991 760 Turbo Sedan.
I had another about 6 years ago. This was a V90 estate, 3.0l 24 valve rwd estate. Great car in my opinion.
About 7 months ago I bought a 2001 V70 T5 estate. Best one so far I rekon.

I personally love 'em. No doubt that they have their faults like any other car but they seem to look great regardless of age.
Buy, buy buy !