Volvo S70

volvoretailer · October 2001

I've been around more than a few high mile Volvo's. I have a customer who owns a jewelry business in New Mexico that as of December '00 logged 316,00 on his 850GLT. Since the S70 is very similar, I would expect that a well maintained one could be expected to duplicate that.

Delreybird · October 2001

Rick,
See my post in the "meet the members" topic in the Volvo owners club for my Volvo experiences, spanning nearly 19 years.

rickpct · October 2001

thx for the input.

bimmerpilot · October 2001

My wife and I are thinking of adding another car to the garage that already has a Volvo 240 and obviously by my user ID a BMW.
One of the local (“try to guess where we get our late model cars”) lots is advertising a 98 S70 T5 with a five speed tranny for $19k. Since I haven’t seen the condition of the car or know the mileage and history, I don’t know whether $19k is a good price or not but I do intend to check it out.
What should I know about this car before I spend my time on it? What are the 70 series show stoppers?
I’d like to know of any major items that would fall into the following categories:

1) Likely to cost us over $500 to get fixed

2) Things that have been known to happen to the S70 that are urgent enough to keep it off the road (in the shop) until it is fixed

3) Things that have been known to happen that are beyond a “do-it-yourself”er’s ability to take care of or diagnose without special tools.

The wife and I have long been lured to the looks of these cars but I’ve heard many horror stories about the S and V series cars. I wonder what might be the reason this car is on such a lot.

I’m lured by possibility of me soon driving a seemingly rare *5-spd* T5 sedan but don’t want to walk onto the lot blind to what should concern me.

Thanks

godeacs · October 2001

what's with all the "spurious" characters on your post? Very hard to decipher....

bimmerpilot · October 2001

Drats

Looks like I forgot that my quotation marks and apostrophes are not compatible with this forum. Either that or its the parenthesis. Sorry

" quote
‘ apostrophe
) parenthesis

pat · October 2001

Looks like you might have used MS Word to compose that post? Microsoft uses non-standard ascii codes for some special characters (ha! non-standard, imagine that!), and the Web Crossing software can't deal with them.

You can use MS Word to compose a post and then paste it here without those oddities if you turn off "smart quotes" - you should be able to find the way to do this by using the Help feature in Word. (I know that the problem is with apostrophes, but I've been told this is still the way to fix it.)

Hope this helps.

Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board

qbrozen · October 2001

is it on a volvo lot? It so, the extended warranty should be part of the deal and curb your worries over mechanical issues.

As far as the price, as long as the miles are within reason (i'd say 40K or lower) and its not a bizarre color or have damage or anything, then that's a good price.

I was looking only a couple of months ago and didn't find any for that cheap. One that I did see at $20,700 was in horrible shape and had about 45K miles on it. The sticks seem to get beat up more than the autos. The 3 manuals that I looked at were all in far worse shape than the 4 automatics I drove (and I ended up buying one of the autos as a result). That and I didn't get along with Volvos idea of a manual transmission.

rjette · October 2001

I have an 850(1996 with 63,000 miles) and went to look at the 2001 and 2002 S70 and XC. The salespeople of course said how they great they are. They ride nicely and are safe. Then I checked the Town Hall. It is replete with experiences similar to those I have had with my 850. Number one is that Volvo customer service does not care. Numbers two through . . . are blown transmission seal at just over 50,000 miles, steering racks, brakes, light bulbs, drained battery--all kinds of stuff that they can't seem to get right after several years. Thanks for your information!

godeacs · October 2001

There is no 2002 S70 that I'm aware of....assume you mean 2001 S70 and 2002 XTC....

zipactonal · December 2001

I can't recall seeing one without it but I'm still looking...

I was hoping for a 'stealth' version

qbrozen · December 2001

mine doesn't have it.

Spoiler, leather, auto tranny, winter package, and sport suspension are all options. Yeah, usually they are fully equipped, but the one I found and bought had no spoiler and no sport suspension (i wish it had the suspension, but couldn't turn down such a clean vehicle for that).

pluckon · December 2001

I have a 1995 850 Turbo. Volvo North America was terrible with regard to the tire problems (16-inch wheels & low profile tires were a disaster), and as a result they lost a class action lawsuit. I got a $500 check from them, which covered about one-third of my costs. But they did replace my A/C compressor out of warranty.

majewicz · December 2001

I can appreciate your comments on a firm ride. I own a 1998 S70 and it took some getting used to the ride. Tire pressure is critical--I run about 30 psi in all tires. Also, I downgraded to a H rated tire which is quieter and smoother riding than the V rated Michelins that came on the car. Handling is not quite as good, but overall a better match for me.

Delreybird · December 2001

I have always kept my tires at 36 psi (cold) on my '83 240 wagon, and subsequently, on my '97 850 and my '00 S70. That's what Volvo recommends. I've been under the assumption that lower tire pressure would result in faster wear. Am I wrong?

bradleyz06 · December 2001

I am approaching 30000 miles and will need the first service since I bought the car. I suspect my brakes will be due. I suppose that they will do other routine service ( I have been changing oil/filter, monitoring fluids etc). My door panel covering is seperating at the armrest, the cup holder is broke in the armrest, and my trunk remote release is not consistant. Will they cover the door panels? What can I expect this service to cost me, about? Any suggestions?

jrosasmc · December 2001

How reliable are the automatic transmissions (any type) in the 850/S70 series? Will they last a very long time before needing replacements or rebuilds? I have an original '93 850 and the tranny is still very smooth and solid; nothing is wrong with it.

dpares · January 2002

Does anyone know how the lemon law works...especially in NY?.. Thanks for any info,

Don

Delreybird · January 2002

I have a '97 850 and a 2000 S70, both with auto. The 850 has 70,000+ miles on it and the transmission is fine. I change the fluid about every 20,000 miles. The S70 transmission is fine too, so far, but the car still has less than 20,000 miles on it. For what it's worth, we used to have a '95 Cavalier (don't laugh) that we bought used with 23,000 miles on it and drove until it had 167,000 miles on the odometer. No problems with the auto transmission there either ...

lflowers · January 2002

I'm a regular poster on the Chrysler 300M forum here at Town Hall. I have a friend who has a 1999 volvo S70. He needs to purchase new tires soon and has been having a problem finding tire choices other than the original equipment Michelins for his car. The stock tire size on his car is 195/60R15 and that is evidently an unusual size. He has been relatively happy with the original equipment tires but would like some other choices and/or recommendations from other Volvo owners. Any ideas or suggestions?
Lynn Flowers
McKinney, Texas

lngtonge18 · January 2002

195/60R15s are not unusual size tires. There are many choices out there. Tell your friend to log on to www.tirerack.com That website can tell you all sorts of good info about different tire brands and they have the best prices around. He can stick with Michelin or go with Goodyear, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Dunlop, Yokohama, etc. I personally favor Dunlop, though Bridgestone, Pirelli, and Yokohama are good tires too. I find Michelins to be very overpriced and overrated. There are as good or better tires out there for less money.

esp63 · January 2002

I just replaced the OEM tires(30k, shame on you Volvo!) on my '99 so that I can turn it in when the lease ends. I found 2 choices at BJ's wholesale club. BF Goodrich Touring TA's were around $68 each installed. Michelin MXV(?) 4's were around $113 each installed. The aspect ratio of 60 (195/60/15) is a little harder to find and a little more expensive(supply and demand...). I went with the BFG's but only because they were less expensive and I won't get much use out of them before turning the car in. They are noisier and more squirmy than the Michelins. I have Michelin X-one's on my van and they are quiet and wear very well. TireRack is a good source for tires and the consumer ratings/comments can be very helpful when it comes to making a selection.

BTW, I just leased an s60 2.4t and it's even better than the s70. The interior space is only slightly tighter, the ride and handling is far superior, the seats are superb.

burnsmr4 · January 2002

Hello,

I'm a first-timer in this discussion. I have questions about a 1998 Volvo S70 with the normally aspirated 2.4L engine. It's an automatic with 68K miles. If you can help out, I'd appreciate it.

Question 1: "Volvo" approved coolant
According to the user manual, the car requires "Volvo" approved coolant, as opposed to plain ol' Prestone or another brand. I was told by a dealership that the "Volvo" coolant had different levels of silicone in the formula for better compatibility with the engine. Can anyone verify this or tell me which name brand coolant I can use in lieu of the "Volvo" approved stuff?
Question 2: Headlight wipers
Why don't the headlight wipers work? I though they were supposed to activate when you pull the wiper stalk on the steering wheel forward to wash the windshield. I checked, and the headlight wipers don't budge. I don't think they've ever worked.

Again, I'd appreciate any help you can give me with these questions.

Later,
burnsmr4

javadoc · January 2002

Well, I don't know about the Volvo "approved" coolant, but I had mine flushed at my independent Volvo wrench in the fall and he just used Prestone. I suspect if you're under warranty, it'd be prudent to use whatever Volvo approves.

For your question about the headlight washers... you are correct that they should operate when you use the windshield washer squirters. The motors sometimes go out on the wipers and need to be replaced. I replaced the passenger side one on my 854 T5 last summer, for a cost of $115 and it took about an hour. It wasn't very hard and I imagine it's very similar in the S70 cars. Have you checked the fuses? If they're good, then I'd suspect the motors. When mine went out, it made some noise. I could activate the washers, and with the car running, walk up to the headlight and hear the wiper motor wirring away, trying to go. The gears strip, it seems.

Hope this helps.

/java

aran · January 2002

hi Volvo owners,
we are looking into buying a S70 but am not sure after reading a variety of complaints from few site message boards - would like to hear from you all if there is another model in the 2001 that is better than s70..

thank you,

aran

amazon · January 2002

I have had great lock with my MY 2000 S70. I don't regret getting one.

qbrozen · January 2002

I absolutely LOVE my '98 S70 T5. Don't know of a better vehicle (for my needs and taste) that I could have gotten for my money.

godeacs · January 2002

CR list the 98/99 S70s as used cars to avoid....

ajulius · January 2002

Hello. I am looking into purchasing a 99 Volvo S70 AWD. I was looking online and saw a 99 S70AWD Certified with 56k miles for $19,995. Edmunds has tradein at around 18000. Is the market so soft that I might be able to do somewhat better than tradein price, maybe $17000 or so or would the tradein price of $18000 be about the best I could hope for?

qbrozen · January 2002

Trade-in is $18K, I highly doubt you'd get it for even that. Certified adds about $1K to the price and there is no way a dealer is going to pay $18K for a car, clean it, certify it, and have it on their lot just to give it over to someone at a loss.
Best bet is to go over to the Real World Trade-in board and ask Bill and Terry for their thoughts on the vehicle and what you should be able to get it for.

gooddesign · January 2002

Hi! I usually hang out in the Audi A6 room but my wife is "thinking" about a trading her Subaru in for a pre-owned Volvo, and I need some serious advice.

She wants something "boxy" and always points out older 850s when we are driving. She seems less impressed with the more aerodynamic S70s, even though they are safer, imho.

My question is this: Assuming that she can live with either model, should I go for a '97 850 and save some cash, or buy a '98-'99 S70?

And if you were timewarped back to the dealer, would you buy the S/V70 model or would you "cheap out" and buy a used 850? (I found a '97 T-5 wagon for $12k and it's sharp!)

qbrozen · January 2002

I think maybe my posts thus far have indicated my answer on this. I would buy the exact same S70. The reason I initially picked it is because the specs for my '98 T5 are better than the 850. I was looking for performance, and I found it!

Delreybird · January 2002

Hi gooddesign. We have a '97 850 and a '00 S70. We like them both. We got the 850 at the beginning of 1998 with about 12,500 miles on it. It was previously in a rental fleet. It now has 75,000+ miles and runs like a champ. I've experienced few problems with it. It is not a turbo, so it doesn't have the pickup that a T-5 wagon would have. But it's a very solid vehicle. The S70, which I also bought used last May with about 12,200 miles on it (rental fleet car again) now has about 20,000 miles on the odometer. It's a "special edition" GLT with light turbo and about every bell and whistle I could ask for. It's very peppy, fun to drive, and it gets better gas mileage than the 850 -- 30+ mpg highway. I've seen a lot of complaints about the '98-99 S70s, but I haven't experienced much in the way of problems, with the following exceptions, which have all been fixed under warranty:

-- failing steering column ring antenna (which receives the signal from the encrypted ignition key)
-- faulty emergency flasher/turn-signal switch
-- failed SRS (airbag) sensor
-- failed electric-window switch
-- loose radio antenna connection

Coincidentally or not, all these problems have been electronics-related. Mechanically, the car has been great. I hope this helps.

gooddesign · January 2002

Thanks for all the advice. While I'm not necessarily looking for performance, I am looking for reliability.

Delreybird, your problems seem minor but they are many. My sense is that if I bought a '97 850, these bugs would be worked out already (?)

I'm still not sold on quality, but my '98 Audi has had just as many problems, so I can't complain too loudly.

The 850 I was going to look at this weekend was a no-show and we ended up driving a '98 BMW 528i ($22,900 - more than I want to spend) which was very nice, solid, quiet but, of all things, had broken cup holders. Interesting.

We will continue to shop and I will keep the board posted if any solid (and cheap) Volvos move into the picture.

majewicz · February 2002

The "check engine" light comes on and indicates that the air pump and check valve need to be replaced. This is a $600 job. Since it effects the emission control only, does it need to be replaced? Apparently, this is a common fault and can be a regular thing. I would not replace it except my milage has gone from 26 mpg to 20 mpg. Can the failed air pump cause this?

majewicz · February 2002

My 1998 S70 GLT has 86k miles on it and is starting to handle a little "mushy". I plan to replace the shocks. Any recommendations on shocks? I have considered Bilsteins, but do not want to do anything to the car that will make the ride any harsher.

Delreybird · February 2002

Majewicz -- The emission control components effect not only the car's emissions, but the efficiency of the engine. It's probably no coincidence that your mileage has dropped. Ultimately, these kinds of problems can cripple your engine. How many miles do you have on your car? I think that the parts-and-labor warranty on the emission control system is for more than the 50,000 miles/four years (or whatever it is) on the rest of the car. In any case, you shouldn't balk at spending the money to fix this problem.

dpares · March 2002

I have a 2000 S70 SE...bought new..love the car...has had some problems which i've mentioned before but its a very safe car..me and my wife walked away from being rear ended ($4000 worth of damage to the car) without a scratch..

Anyway.. my car makes a grinding noise which seems like its coming from the rear. On cold or damp days its louder..on warm days you can barely hear it.. I've had it to the dealer a number of times and surprisingly they can hear it faintly sometimes but can't locate it..

It comes on at a certain speed (40 mph) but seems to go away at higher speeds (I think the road noise maskes it at that speed). It doesnt change pitch when speed increases and doesn't go away when i'm breaking or cornering..its just always there..its not a turbo and not AWD...

Does anyone with a similar year/model car have this problem or any suggestions. All help is appreciated!

Thanks

qbrozen · March 2002

only thing I can think of is the wheel bearings. If it was rear-ended, then maybe they had the rear rotors off and now they need a little repacking with grease. Its cheap, quick, and easy to do, so I think its worth a shot before you delve into the possibility of more major work.

Good luck. let me know what happens.

andymsn · March 2002

Purchased a 1998 S70T5 with 33k on it yesterday from a dealer for $15,000. Long story, but the gist of it is that it was a Ford dealer in a smaller town whose "old man" (i.e., the semi-retired owner) just loves Volvos and apparently makes the used manager buy a few every year. There isn't much of a market for Volvos in this particular town. Nothing wrong with the car, other than a few minor scratches. What a STEAL!! It's manual and certainly a change for me after driving a 1992 Bonneville for over 155k since 1996. Looking forward to having the S70 for quite a while, too.

Anyway, part of the reason I got such a good deal is that it needs new tires within probably 5k. Michelin XGT H4s are the OEM tire? Has anyone run Michelin Energys, or another Michelin on theirs? I will use the car mostly for interstate or major state highway driving, with a bit of fun stuff thrown in, too. Probably 70% interstate/state highway, 10% secondary roads and 20% city driving.

Additionally, I'm an avowed Michelin Artic Alpin fan and a set of those will be purchased for winter, so I guess I'm not looking for all-season tires but rather good spring/summer/fall tires. Quieter is good, too, but that may be a trade-off with wet road grip?

Thank you in advance for taking time to give me your thoughts.

Andy

qbrozen · April 2002

33K miles for $15K. You did great! Congrats!

I'm not sure on my tires. They are probably still the original set. I'll take a look after work and let you know what I have. Whatever they are, I like them quite a bit. Good grip in all conditions. I bought the car with 30K miles, I'm up to 50K (already!) and still don't need to replace them, so they seem to wear well.

andymsn · April 2002

Has anyone run Nokia NRH2s on their S70 (T5 or other)? If so, any impressions? I saw another poster on www.brickboard.com commenting on his experiences (using 205/60 rather than 55/16s), seemed to like them very well and I'm curious to hear whether others have tried them, too.

Thanks!!

studbutter · April 2002

Thought I'd buck the usual trend and post our positive experience with our 1999 S70 base sedan.

We ordered ours from the factory in spring of 1999. It's a non-turbo, manual transmission model...the only option we ordered was the sunroof. Pewter Silver Metallic, tan (taupe?) vinyl/cloth interior.

We're up to about 55,000 miles now, and this is by far the best car we've ever owned. We have experienced absolutely no major problems to date. The minor problems we've had: Passenger window switch came loose, and was replaced under warrantee. Front blinker buckets replaced under TSB/Recall (not sure which) and headlight bulbs replaced maybe twice.

We replaced the Michelin MXV4's at about 37,000 miles...they still had some tread left, but one took a nail so we replaced all 4 with a set of Continental CH95 all-seasons -- the Continentals handle way better in the dry, and are good in the rain and snow we get up here in northern Mich.

We just had the brakes replaced -- at the 50,000 mile service, the dealership said they were down to the wear limit. They should last longer now that we're not in Indiana, where everyone forced us to use our brakes to avoid hitting them.

We have noticed no rattles. No squeaks, no detaching interior panels, no electronics going haywire. Nothing. The car is as solid as the day we bought it. When a hailstorm/tornado broke a headlight, I found that the car is amazingly easy to work on, as well. (Compared to the GM's I'm used to)

When dirty, the color hides the dirt. When clean, the car *gleams*. The interior fabric is durable with a capital D -- similar to the tough fabric on airline seats. The seats are immensely comfortable, and make 10 hour driving stints downright easy.

With the back and front seats folded down, I've carried an 8' stepladder home from the hardware store with all doors and trunk closed, and a 12' roll of carpet with the last bit hanging out of the trunk. The square design allows the trunk to be totally usable, and allows major passenger room -- adult passengers can ride in the backseat behind me, comfortably.

I would unhesitatingly recommend an S70 to anyone looking for a car, based on our experience.

deryckfm · April 2002

My dad just purchased a 99 S70 GLT and upon start-up we've noticed some kind of a rattling noise coming from underneath the driver's side towards the rear of the car. It usually disappears after the car warms up. My dad thinks it might be the catalyctic converter. Aside from that, there have been no known problems whatsoever. I too was impressed with the handling, comfort and horsepower it offered seeing how it's a 1999 with 37k miles.

dpares · April 2002

qbrozen..
bringing the car in next week and i'll ask about the wheel bearings..thanks for the idea..will post what I find out

bizprofcc · April 2002

My 98 S70 seems to have an electrical drain somewhere such that the battery has become completely dead after the car sat idle in the garage for about 10 days. The battery is only 6 months old and was fully charged (this was the second time it happened so I charged the battery fully about 2 weeks before this episode).
I am bringing it in to my local shop Wednesday but was wondering if anyone had any experience with this type of problem so I can hopefully point them in the right direction.

jrosasmc · April 2002

I test-drove a base '98 S70 today at my local Volvo dealership. Boy is that thing fun to drive! Being a 5-speed, it had unbelievable power and smoothness I haven't seen in a modern car in a long long time. It felt like it could accelerate forever. This S70 even felt faster than my own '93 850, and that's an automatic.

qbrozen · April 2002

Actually, just had this same problem with my Alfa (2nd car). The battery was new back in September and now its dead. Jumped it and ran it for a while, but it wouldn't charge up fully (just had slight juice left). So I replaced the battery and now everything is fine. Moral of the story: just cause its fairly new doesn't mean its not the culprit.

The shop will be able to tell you if the battery is taking a charge or not.

lurking · April 2002

Well, I've read three questions recently. I have experience with all three. FYI, I have a 1998 S70 T-5 automatic. It is fast. Here are my top recommendations:

Shocks:
BILSTEINS! all the way, go with the touring version if you want a comfortable ride. The Bilstein HD is a more sporting shock and is suitible if you get lowering springs. If you want a better ride, I'd replace your springs when you replace your shocks. It makes a big difference.

Tires:
I also run "summer" tires for 3 out of 4 seasons. I've been running Bridgestone S03's for the last month. They are awesome! Great grip and good ride; very quiet too. Do not use these tires when there is any chance of snow or ice!

Batteries:
Quality, quality here folks. Do not skimp and get a generic. Look! especially at CCA (cold cranking amps). For an S70 it should have at least 600CCA, preferable 650. I recently got an Interstate Battery. It works great. You can actually notice less stress on the car when starting on a cold morning!

Good luck with your maintanence issues, and have fun driving or "motoring" your Volvos!

bizprofcc · April 2002

Just talked to the shop. They said the glove compartment does not close properly and the light inside was staying on causing the drain.
Hope they are right.

Volvo S70

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