Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Automotive
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 06-07-2009, 03:46 AM
 
Location: Southwest Nebraska
1,297 posts, read 4,749,445 times
Reputation: 910

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by wheelsup View Post
As long as the V70 is FWD not AWD the 98 70 series Volvos are the best cars Volvo ever built. Reliable, safe, and luxurious.

Look around here for a buyers guide www.matthewsvolvosite.com or volvospeed.com.

A couple things to look for to make sure you are getting a good quality car:

No leaks from the rear main seal on the drivers side under the car.
A new evaporator, all of them fail sometime, chances are it's already failed and been replaced. If not ask for a concession.
PVC system cleaned within the last 60k (needs to be done every 60k)
Records that indicate fluid changes such as oil, coolant, and tranny
Timing belts MUST be done every 70k/5-6 years and associated components (tensioner, pulleys, and waterpump) SHOULD be done every 140k

Do a compression test to make sure the engine is in good shape

If all checks out these cars go 300k with minor mx each year (around $800-$1k/yr retail or around $200-$300 doing it yourself). The 98's are also extremely easy to work on.

I was about 5 mins too late to the dealer to buy a 98 V70 w/ 73k on it, they wanted $5900, it was a steal. Somebody beat me to the punch . I would've been driving that car when I was 40! And I'm 27 now.

My father bought a 98 Subaru, I have their previous 95 Volvo, absolutely NO COMPARISON to which is the better car. Subies are good reliable cars but don't compare to the luxuriousness and "fun to driveness" of the Volvos. Plus I'll take Swedish built over asian built (and their lightweight components) any day.

Is this list a general list of what to look for when buying any used vehicle and what would it cost at a local shop to perform these checks?

Thanks and did not mean to rob this thread.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 06-07-2009, 08:55 PM
 
Location: Grosse Ile Michigan
30,701 posts, read 79,330,237 times
Reputation: 39408
Thank you everyone for your help sofar. I think that they sold the jeep so I am happy about that. I am not thrilled about the jeep but my wife absolutely loved it.

It is my impression that the Subaru is smaller, less comofrtable, it appears to have a lot less leg room int he back seat and it does nto have a thrid seat ever. The fit and finish is not as nice, it is more of a plain car. The volvo is less reliable, not quite as good gas mileage and more expensive and more difficult to repair. The ride and handling of the Volvo are probably better (I still ahve to drive one). The Subaru is a risk if it is pre 2000 and has nto had the head gasket replaced. I read somewhere that certain Subaru year engines are so difficult to replace the head gasket, that itt is more practical to just rpelace the engine. Not sure what year.

So far we got shot down on all the volvos on our list becuase eiterh they are in need of a substantial repair, or they are smokers cars (will nto buy another smoker's car). They do not seem to sell very well. There are V70 wagons that have been listed for over a month. THe only subarus that we have found are etiehr at used car dealers, or they are completely rusted out. The dealers are only open when I am working, so I am not having a lot of luck. The other proiblem with dealers is no history. I think that most supaaru owners tend tokeep them until they are rusted out or completely dead.


I can do basic repairs. I have done complete repairs of older engines includeing several engine rebuilds, but I no longer have the time, tools or interest in doing that. I have a British roadster sitting in my yard for whenever I find time for a project car. However I can do some basic repairs that can be completed in 4-5 hours or less. I usually do my own brake jobs becuase the mechanics add such a huge premium for liability. Moch more complicated than that, and i usually go to a shop. Besides, we evnetually start running out of cars if I try to fix them all myself.

There are no subaru nor volvo dealers that I know of within 50 miles of our home. They are not very popular here.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-07-2009, 10:08 PM
 
Location: Washington, DC & New York
10,915 posts, read 31,243,414 times
Reputation: 7137
I just saw that you're in MI, which makes it difficult to find service for imports, but a friend of mine grew up in Grosse Pointe and they said that there's some Volvo mechanic out 7 Mile, between I-96 and before you get to I-275 that's called Only Volvo or something similar. It's been a while since they had a Volvo, but they did use that mechanic when they did. That might be a resource for a pre-purchase inspection or repair if you encounter something that's not an easy routine fix, should you find a good XC70.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2009, 08:59 AM
 
13,811 posts, read 27,297,800 times
Reputation: 14244
If you're going to get a Volvo 70 series do not get an AWD or you are asking for a tranny failure. Pretty much everything on the cars is solid (I disagree about less reliable, they are extremely reliable) except the early years AWD system. Subaru has done AWD for decades and really has it down (although my fathers 98 subie did need a tranny at 130k, not sure how typical that is). On some of the early Volvos the AWD system is prone to early failure (around 100-150k miles) vs. the standard FWD Aisin-Warner trannies that typically last into the 200's.

As much as I like Volvos they do take special things to keep them running well. For example I mail order my Mann oil filters (around $5 each) because they have check valves in them and are of high quality. Without a check valve the valves bleed down over time and clank on start up, causing pre-mature wear. In addition I can imagine in MI you don't have access to many mechanics who specialize in them. Personally IIWY I'd look to a lower mileage domestic around that area.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2009, 01:46 PM
 
Location: Southwest Nebraska
1,297 posts, read 4,749,445 times
Reputation: 910
Just helping out here. The correct spelling of etiehr is either. Your welcome.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2009, 02:34 PM
 
13,811 posts, read 27,297,800 times
Reputation: 14244
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigg Mann View Post
Is this list a general list of what to look for when buying any used vehicle and what would it cost at a local shop to perform these checks?

Thanks and did not mean to rob this thread.
No there are lists floating around for that, what I posted above was specific fail items for an 850 or 70 series Volvo.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2009, 02:40 PM
 
Location: Grosse Ile Michigan
30,701 posts, read 79,330,237 times
Reputation: 39408
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigg Mann View Post
Just helping out here. The correct spelling of etiehr is either. Your welcome.

The correct spelling of "Your welcome" is "You're welcome", however it is not really correct to use contractions at all.

You are welcome.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2009, 02:50 PM
 
Location: Grosse Ile Michigan
30,701 posts, read 79,330,237 times
Reputation: 39408
Hooray! The Jeep IS sold.

I have heard an awful lot of do not buy an AWD Volvo. I saw that elsewhere too. I am not sure about FWD. I have heard that FWD is almost as good in the snow as AWD, but I have only owned one ever and that was in 1985, so I do not remember how good it was. I do remember sliding off the road in the snow and hitting a tree (when someone forced me over yelling "Buy American *****hole!"), but that probably would have happened with AWD too. Maybe not. I was amazed at how well my truck handled pretty much any snow, mud, water or ice in comparison to regular cars. It does nto stop any better, but it sure goes and stays straight a lot better.

IN the past couple of winters I have occaisioanlly driven past a few FWD cars stuck in snow or more often ice on a steep incline in my 4x4 truck. A couple of times, I gave them a tug or a push and got them moving and they seemed to go ok after that. Certainly in those instances FWD was not helping them at all. Is one brand of FWD vehicle better in snow that others? Is the Volvo superior to say, a honda? Is the AWD in a Subaru or a van comparable to what I have in a pickup as far as snow and ice (and mud) handling?

I think that I am leaning more towards the Subaru even though the Volvo has a lot more excitment appeal. The volvos have neat features to get excited about while the SUbaru is just transportation. However it appears that it amy be more relaible and efficent transportaiton while being equally safe. They sure seem small inside though.

I need to find a not broken, not smoked in, volvo to go drive and compare.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2009, 02:56 PM
 
Location: Grosse Ile Michigan
30,701 posts, read 79,330,237 times
Reputation: 39408
Quote:
Originally Posted by bmwguydc View Post
I just saw that you're in MI, which makes it difficult to find service for imports, but a friend of mine grew up in Grosse Pointe and they said that there's some Volvo mechanic out 7 Mile, between I-96 and before you get to I-275 that's called Only Volvo or something similar. It's been a while since they had a Volvo, but they did use that mechanic when they did. That might be a resource for a pre-purchase inspection or repair if you encounter something that's not an easy routine fix, should you find a good XC70.

I am a little bit unclear on what the difference is between the XC 70 and the regulat V70. I know that XC stands for Cross country, but what did they change?


Than you. That shop is about 40 to 50 miles away, but that is not bad for Michigan standards. Here we drive 30 miles for a good meal. Some people have said that vilvos are really Fords made in Belgium. Can a ford dealer service a volvo and get parts?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2009, 03:28 PM
 
13,811 posts, read 27,297,800 times
Reputation: 14244
Ford bought Volvo in 1999. They didn't start impacting them until later in the 2000's (the P2 cars). The 1998 70 series is still basically an 850 which was 100% Swedish. You might try your local Ford dealer but I doubt it. Your best bet for Volvo parts is eEuroparts.com or there is a dealer down in TX that sells stuff at 10% over cost. They can be found on the forums over at volvospeed.com. I tend to stick to 100% Volvo branded parts as they are of significantly higher quality and you can buy them online for reasonable prices. I looked up a Toyota Corolla water pump and it listed at $125 where as my Volvo one can be bought for around $60-$80. Prices aren't out of line IMO.

The XC series sits higher and is similar to Subaru's Outback series (which is incidentally what my father had).

I'm not sure about the Subaru but if you do end up with an AWD Volvo and it breaks down the line you can easily disable the system by removing the driveshaft and resort to a FWD car. I drove my FWD 850 on the back roads of NH for many winters and never came close to getting stuck. Getting stuck in the snow is more about the driver than the car.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Automotive
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top