Volvo V70 Wagon Experience

foxgo

One of the (many) excuses that VW told me, is that Drive-By-Wire is not a factor in standard shift cars, only Automatic.

Since you are choosing your gears manually with standard shift, you do not get that lag that you get with the computerized Drive-By-Wire transmission system.

I really hope that the system has improved since 2-3 years ago, when I leased the 2001 VW Passat. My wife will freak if this new, more expensive vehicle, has the same issues as our Passat!

blockislandguy

Dardson 1, your post about getting all the good Volvo stuff but saving big bucks by buying a stick, non-turbo made a lot of sense to me. I mean, come on, lets think for ourselves and spend our money wisely. No one in New England even knew what AWD was 10 years ago and everyone got around OK. When the seats got cold you just threw a horse blanket on them. How do you think Pendleton built their business?

Then in your last post you say that the base V70 is a heck of a deal for 30K. Wow! This now doesn't sound so good. While I don't know Volvo pricing for base, stick models, I do see the ads in the Sunday papers. Seemingly, a new XC is around 34K. Maybe less. Admittedly, this is probably with no options added to this already loaded car. Volvomax and others will maintain that you would get all of this price spread and maybe even more back at trade in time three years from now. Afterall, the true cost of a car is not what you pay the dealer but the difference between what you paid for it and what you can sell it for down the road.

If you don't need AWD and automatic and have a minimalist bent, I think that a used T5 would be a great buy. All the good things (leather, roof, stick, 17" wheels, etc.) for less. I suggest used because I don't think they hold their value well (everybody coming out of a minivan now wants the XC).

Volvomax, what do you say about T5 resale?? (Keep in mind that Dardson 1 would be buying NOT selling in this case.)

volvomax

If your going to keep the car and not sell it resale doesn't matter.
ANY stick Volvo will limit your potential customer base at resale time(esp in a wagon).
However, with the advent of ebay and other national sites you can find an outlet for your vehicle.
Bottom line, I don't believe in buying a car strictly for resale, beacuse one can't know the future. You should buy what you can afford and more importantly what you like to drive.

mbnewhampshire

Amen to that volvomax...if you are buying something strictly for resale, then a car is a poor investment. Unless you plan on keeping it until it's a classic, a car can do nothing but depreciate in value. You'd be better off putting your money into a house.
As for buying slightly used (as in a former lease car), I do agree with blockisland...it's a nice way to save a couple thousand. I mean heck the minute you drive a new car off the lot it will never be worth the same.

kwarnold

Dardson,

I picked up my '04 XC70 this afternoon and I didn't even make it the 7 mile drive home without stopping at a reputable stereo installer that happened to be on my way. The base CD stereo that appears to be the ONLY stereo available on any car that is a part of dealer inventory is a 6 to 7 out of 10 at best. I would have gladly paid the extra to have the upgrade which I hear is awesome. But no such car exists if you need to buy from inventory like I did. (In my case I had to get a car TODAY and couldn't wait for a custom build.)

I saw a couple of replies to my earlier post and I tend to agree that using a single disk in-dash is probably the best in the long run. But I was really liking the idea of loading up the changer (like in my other cars) with the CDs that I tend to always listen to and use the in-dash for the times I want variety. (I change disks in the changer MAYBE twice a year.)

At the stereo dealer he made a couple of calls while I was there and apparently everything is all new for '04. I guess there are some adapter cables for pre-'04 but they will not work on the new models because Volvo went to a new wiring harness or interface or something like that. He said they may be available next year. Or I could go back to my dealer and pay them $1000 for the Volvo system. Which I alread told them "N.F.W." on that.

I hope this provides a little new/good info regarding your question.

Keith

kwarnold

OK, I know this one will generate some very divided opinions.... I am thinking about buying the Volvo extended warranty program for my new XC70. I am thinking about the 72/72 program. My reasoning is that we are thinking of keeping this car 5 years (longer than we have ever kept a car) and I am concerned about having a car out of warranty. Having owned a number of European cars, and having just today closed out a Lemon Law case on my 2003 Audi A6 Quattro that had over $20K in repairs in the 7 months I owned it, I really don't want any ugly surprises if I happen to still own this car at 50,001 miles.

With that, does anyone know if dealers will discount these programs? Mine has offered a $300 discount on the list price of the 72/72 program which $1546 ($100 deductible option). That seems pretty stiff to me and I would think something in the $750 to $1000 range would be more reasonable.

Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with these? Yes, I know people will say to save my money and not buy one, etc, etc. But after my experieces with the costs of repairing (or seeing the warranty-covered costs) on makes like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, I see it as a way to rest a little easier for a small amount of money.

Any feedback? Thanks, Keith

dardson1

My point about the base V70. At least 95% of the stuff that makes a V70 run is same/same which ever one you buy. According to the TMV on this site a base '04 with no options is buyable for $28k+ or a thousand more with an automatic and $25kish for an end-of-year '03. Not exactly cheap but a pretty nice price for an upscale Volvo wagon. If you can skip a few seconds off 0-60, live without a sunroof, manage without AWD, adjust the AC manually, get from point A to B without leather seats, and push/pull the driver's seat without an electric assist, you've got a high dollar car that gets mighty close to an every-man price.

dardson1

Thanks for the info.

jsandek1

There were a couple posts a while back about the the drive by wire throttle and gear tronic giving less than satisfactory diving experience. I have put very few miles on my 04XC70 so far, driving it only a handful of times commuting to work. The car I normally drive is an 03 Odyssey which by comparison seems much more responsive on the rural hilly winding roads I use to get to the highway. Particularly in the morning, leaving the driveway the Volvo seems to ignore the input from my right foot. With the Volvo, I seem to changing to a "stick my foot in it and back of" approach which feels strange, at least to me. The other thing is the tranny prefers to upshift when going up gentle hills rather than downshift. Applying more throttle results in downshift but quickly resumes to the higher gear if I do not keep accelerating. Is this generally the same experience other people are having? My latest approach is to put the tranny in manual mode in gear 3 so that it doesn't uphift on me. I guess this is really to be expected since we're talking about a 3600 lb vehicle with a 2.5 liter engine. Don't get me wrong, the car is powerful enough on the open highway and clearly feels much more solid than the Odyssey but it would be nice if the low speed dynamics were better

ace1000

On the issue of a Passat versus Volvo wagon, I bought a 1999 Passat wagon with the expectation that we would eventually get rid of our 1995 Volvo 850 Turbowagon. I got rid of the Passat in 2001, and we still have the Volvo. I think the following points apply to the V70 as well.

My problem with the Passat was its many design deficiencies. Some of these were corrected with the 2001 design but others still remain. You can raise and lower the Volvo rear seat without any hassle. With the Passat you need to remove three headrests and you lose the seatbelts when you fold the seat. The right front passenger seat doesn't fold down on the Passat. The outside mirror control is hard to use and easy to break. The glove compartment is worthless. I had the four cylinder with the stick, and I had to drive the car like a little old lady to avoid spinning the wheels when I started from a stop (Edmunds has commented on this). The list of deficiences goes on and on.

Several times I had to haul something that I couldn't get to fit in the Passat but popped right in the Volvo. Even my teenage son preferred the Volvo with an automatic over the Passat with a stick, and he greatly prefers cars with stick shifts. The Volvo was just a lot more fun to drive and a lot more practical and functional in its design than the Passat.

volvomax

The default program for the Volvo digital sytem is the economy setting.
So the tranny will upshift if it reads only gentle pressure on the gas pedal.
You MUST floor the pedal to activate the sport mode.
Otherwise use the geartronic function.

blockislandguy

Volvomax and Dardson 1, I agree that you should buy whatever you can afford, want to spend, and would enjoy driving. My only point was that probably the XC upgrade over a plain V70 would be "free" in the sense that you would get it all back and maybe even more when it was time to trade. (Granted, this overlooks the cost of money, "opportunity costs" you incur by not having that 4K to invest, etc. etc.) But if you posivitively don't like leather, a moonroof, and AWD then its all academic.

But resale aside I do think that Dardson 1 is on to something. I would rather have a Starbucks latte every day for three years than a moon roof. How often do you need to adjust a seat anyway if it is "your" car in the family? Automatic A/C? I've never ever seen anyone use it; rather the A/C is obsessively controlled manually. So scratch those options.

So, again resale aside, give me a V70 with just leather and heated seats as options and I'd be a happy, economical camper. With the money I saved, I'd throw on some Blizzaks or Artic Alpins and be halfway to AWD in initial traction and a lot better in stopping distance on ice.

dsandrowitz

My wife and I are looking at V70s, but can't determine whether we want to pay the extra $ for AWD. We live in the DC area, so there can be some good winter weather and all, but we won't be using the car off-road and don't drive in the snow very much. Plus, we probably wouldn't bother to put winter tires on the car. Are there benefits with AWD that I'm not really considering?

And, if AWD is really worth it, then doesn't it make sense to only consider the XC70? Why get AWD without the ground clearance...?

bodble2

If it was a 911 C4

I agree. If I were to get AWD on a Volvo wagon, or others of that ilk, go for maximum ground clearance.

explorerx4

never paid much attention to the dc weather until my one of my bro-in-laws moved there spring '02.
if you are going to lease a v70, it would be tougher to justify winter wheels and tires from a cost point of view. i think the xc comes with a more off road type of tire. neighbor has an '01 with pirelli scorpions.
btw.. how's the weather loking for thanksgiving?

dsandrowitz

Who knows? It has been a relatively cold Fall so far. Add to that the fact that we have had an absurd level of precipitation this year and I think we might be in for another big snow season. Its just a guess, though.

It has rained every week since last March, I think. In fact, I don't think we had a single day of sunshine in all of May. The summer was better, but not by much. And, this fall has been nice, but it dipped down to the 30s at night fairly early on and it hasn't gotten much better. Every time it looks like things will warm up, it last for a day or two and thats it.

Normally, late November is in the high 40s or so. It will probably be around that this year as well. But, all it takes is some real cold weather and we could have our first snow early in the season.

My wife and I looked at a used '03 XC70 last night. Now, we are just working things out with the deal as to whether we buy a slightly used one or a new one. Our local dealer says he has no new XC70s in stock, though. So, we will see...

cfh1

I have a 2001 V70 T. Never had a major problem with it, but now there are a couple things that need to be fixed. I bought the car as a Volvo Certified Used Car, and it carries an extended warranty up to 5yrs/100,000 miles.
What does the extended warranty cover and what doesn't it?
When I bought the car I was given a little brochure on all that but I lost it. The local Volvo dealer (Volvo in Barrington, IL) told me that until I buy a car from them they can't give me anything.
I called Volvo Costumer Service but they were unable to help me.
What do you think about all that?

bodble2

Now I understand why all the XC70/V70 I see on the road seem to be roaring around at full throttle -- they have to activate the performance mode on the tranny! I kept thinking "hmm, I thought Volvo drivers are sedate". But seriously, I don't understand why Volvo couldn't change the software to be less extreme.

kwarnold

Has anyone here ever purchased the Volvo extended warranty? We just bought an '04 XC70 and we think we may keep it for about 5 years. Since I have never kept a car this long I am concerned about what happens after the 4/50 warranty expires.

Opinions? Also, has anyone had experience in what kind of discount or price range is reasonable for the Volvo plan that is the 6 year/72K mile plan? Can I go to a dealer different from the one where I bought my car to purchase this? (Or another way of asking this: Will a dealer other than the original dealer sell me this plan?)

Thanks! Keith

blockislandguy

We just received a set of four Artic Alpins for our 2001 V70 XC. They look fantastic with a zillion sipes cut into them to handle ice. In looking at the review in TireWarehouse they were well reviewed although not for deep snow. This figures given their lack of traditional knobby snow tire/tractor tire tread and is OK given that we have AWD. Incidentally, the OTHER tire guy, TiresDirect had much better pricing.

It seems that Tire Warehouse is really pushing Blizzak this year, almost as a captive, house brand, with Tires Direct being less proprietary in their recommendations. I wanted to get more miles on them than what we have received on Blizzaks in the past so we went with the Artic Alpins.

We had tried to get pricing on Nokia Hakkapelita Qs (they are almost a cult tire in northern New England) but the Nokia distribution setup has an extra step in it (Nokia to regional warehouse distributor to local tire dealer). We didn't want to pay a non stocking local dealer his 25% markup just to call and order tires for us that we should have been able to call and buy direct from a Noikia warehouse distributor. Maybe the Finns don't know about toll free numbers, cheap shipping , internet sales and streamlined distribution.

Not only can't consumers buy direct from a warehouse distributor, but the Tire Warehouse says that they don't sell Noikia because the Noikia distribution system is set up territorially , e.g., people in Boston can't buy Noikia from a midwestern warehouse or else he would lose his franchise. Kind of like Budweiser. I wish the government would go after the illegal distribution schemes of the beer and wine guys and let the mutual funds do all the late trading they want because after the word gets out people will yank their money out of say Putnam and it will be self regulating.

jchock

I have a 2004 V70 2.5T FWD. Wish I would've gotten AWD (not XC70). The torque steer with the FWD is really bad--the steering feels out of control when you floor it--you've got to try with all of your might to keep the car aimed straight. I test drove a XC70, and it was much bumpier/rougher ride than the V70. I'm in NC, and have no need for AWD for snow, but would love to have had it due to the torque steer of the FWD. I believe the resale for the AWD is not as good as the XC70, though.

bodble2

Didn't you notice the torque-steer on the test drive?

k7hp

jchock ...I have a 2003 2.4T FWD and missed the torque steer issue on test drive also ... never nailed it hard(guess next time I will test drive a car I am not going to possibly own .. reluctant to nail a car with 15 miles or less on it.. as a matter of fact there are a lot of things that will be different on next car test drive.. starting with it will be rear wheel drive !)

I kinda wonder if AWD is any better on torque steer due to how its set up anyhow ..

I now have about 5000 miles and either I am getting used to it or the tires are changing or road surfaces or something , but its nowhere as bad as at first.The one to two secon lag before it starts really getting on it is still there and I am not talking about turbo lag its drive by wire lag ...

But I am stuck with 4 years of warranty for now so will grin and bear it I guess .. will not make 50K miles in 4 years anymore.

Rgds... Hank

jchock

Since I bought my 2.5T via the Overseas Delivery Program, and locked in '03 prices for my '04, I signed the contract in April before they had any '04s on the lot, so was only able to test drive the 2.4T. Due to the additional horsepower of the 2.5T, and since the turbo kicks in at lower RPMs on the 2.5T, I think the torque steer is more evident on this model than it may be on the 2.4T.

I've enjoyed the car, with just a few minor issues:

1) Rain sensor wipers sometimes get stuck in the on position when it stops raining.
2) I upgraded to the HU 803 AudioMax stereo, and the FM reception is awful--is this a known issue and are there any solutions?
3) Tires rub when making sharp left u-turn--they've tried 3 times to fix this unsuccessfully
4) Was getting poor (15mpg) mileage--they replaced the mass air sensor--seems to have helped.

Overall very happy with the car (3,500 miles) and thus far would recommend it to others.

volvomax

Torque steer is a byproduct of the FWD setup.
It is impossible to eliminate it alltogether.
Personally, I find the torque steer in the S60 and V70's to be much less intrusive than in my C70. The only way to eliminate the issue is to drive an AWD or RWD vehicle.
Also, when you are test driving a car DRIVE IT!
Its the only way to know if its right for you.

FM reception, take the radio out of the dolby surround mode, reception should improve.
Also, if your windows have aftermarket tint, be careful of the type of tint used. Tint with a high metal content will mess up the antennae in the glass.

k7hp

Volvomax .. You are sure right ... never again will it happen to me ... I traded in TWO 960's (wagon and sedan) wish I had one back ... I wanted to buy a RWD wagon but simply none available at any sane price or timing (MB E320 wagon or BMW 540 wagon) ... If Volvo brings out another RWD wagon I will look again ... but otherwise I will go to non wagon with RWD ... My mistake ... Thanks ... Hank

bodble2

Is it the car's tendency to pull or drift in the direction of the crown's slope?

noahruth

I am looking to buy a 1998 V70--trying to stay under $10,000.

The cars I am looking at are at that mileage (around 100K) that would necessitate having the timing belt replaced--although I think Volvo really recommends have the timing belt replaced at 70,000 miles.

Does it really cost around $1000 to have the timing belt replaced on a V70? and

Would you hesitate to buy a V70 that hadn't had the timing belt replaced?

Much thanks.

foxgo

I just took delivery of my 2004 V70 2.4 wagon. So far, I have no complaints, I think it is a great car! I have not experienced any noticeable torque-steering issues, nor have I had any lag due to drive-by-wire (and I know what it feels like, my 2001 VW Passat wagon had a terrible drive-by-wire lag).

I have a quick question for you Volvo experts out there regarding the back-seat vents in the pillar: how are they controlled? Do the front passenger climate controls also control the rear right-hand side vent, and the same for the driver climate controls work for the rear left-hand side vent?

I am just wondering if that is how it works, since we have kids in car-seats back there, and we want to have a handle on what is coming out of those vents. My wife and I keep the front controls very differently (I am always hot and she is always cold), so I need to know if our individual controls will flow through to the back-seat passengers in that way. I never had a car with separate driver & passenger climate controls, so I am clueless. Can anyone out there help?

safetyfirst2

We also just got our 2004 V70 2.4 wagon. Also no problems with the torque-steering issue,it practically drives itself,and no lag due to drive-by-wire. Acceleration is great, and I often find myself cruising at 40mph effortlessly in town (not so good, our speed limit is 25 mph most streets!) It is a dream to drive after bouncing around in SUVS.

I'm a bit distraught over the booster seat thing, getting one that works right in the middle of the back seat. It has the built in boosters on either side, but I really want to keep my 3 yr old in the middle. After how snugly he fit in the forward facing 5 point harness of his other seat, and how tightly it attached to the seat, I don't like the sloppy fit of the booster with seat belt(I even paid a king's ransom for the special Volvo booster after trying some other brands, and he still was a little slipped sideways when we got back home from the dealership). He is 40 lbs, and that's when they're supposed to be switched from the five point harness to the booster.. Any ideas or tips from the parents out there?

volvomax

The rear vents are slaved to the front controls.
Drivers side controls the left rear.
Passenger side controls right rear

jsandek1

I have yet to notice the side view mirror courtesy lights come on. Same for the mirrors adjusting down when the tranny is put in reverse. The car has 300 miles on it.
Thanks in advance.

tmart

the yellow button on the key remote is pressed. Press again and they turn off. Wasn't aware the mirrors tilted in reverse. Have you checked your owners manual?

sailbls

I just completed a 3800 mile trip from Arkansas to California and back driving my 04 V70 overall it performed beautifully. I got as good as 33 mpg through the desert. But on the return trip i noticed the engine reved up when the auto tranny down shifted from 2nd to 1st gear when pulling into a gas station. Then when we took off the engine reved when the tranny up shifted between 2nd and 3rd gear. Also it done it when we stopped at a stop sign.Then i shifted it through the gears manually and all is fine now.....explain that??? hmmm. Has anyone noticed that on their V70??...Also i noticed the silver paint flaking off the left front wheel(16'' Mimas wheels)appears to be the protective coating....will be taking it to the dealer tomorrow. Getting close to 7500 miles

audipayton

Did you properly break in your new V70 per the owner's manual? Often, owners forget the very basic procedures and set themselves up for later issues.

velokid

My sister is looking at getting a higher-mileage first generation XC70. Can anyone point out typical problem areas in this model? Thanks in advance for your help.

audipayton

[quote]I have a 2003 2.4T FWD and missed the torque steer issue on test drive also ... never nailed it hard(guess next time I will test drive a car I am not going to possibly own .. reluctant to nail a car with 15 miles or less on it.. as a matter of fact there are a lot of things that will be different on next car test drive.. starting with it will be rear wheel drive !)[/quote]

Are you aware that driving a Turbo assisted automobile "hard" in the first 1500 miles is a huge NoNO? Also, are you allowing your vehicle the proper idle time before and after driving? If not, you'll be in the dealer for a new turbo one day in the not so distant future. Turbos must remain ON for 1 minute prior to driving, and then remain on for another 1-2 mins. prior to turning the automobile off when you arrive at your destination. Failure to do so is a very big mistake.

//

Re the 1st gen. of Volvo XC wagons - proceed with caution. A well known problem of the XC and non AWD wagons is the ABS control module. Many people end up spending $600-800 on a new module, which causes ABS failure and the ABS dash switch to light and stay on, or to intermittantly appear. Due to research, I discovered that the problem can be fixed rather permanently for $130.00 by sending to a retired engineer who will repair your old ABS module, OR you can shell out the $600-800 for a new module, that will eventually crack/malfunction again.

Another known issue with the XC wagons is a lack of ease when you want to "do it yourself". Forget about that - after your warranty runs out, you'll need to have established a relationship with a very good mechanic. Every AWD system, not simply on Volvos, is far too complex for the average shade tree mechanic/average jane/joe. AWD parts are VERY expensive - learn how to look for parts at junk yards [seriously]. Labor is expensive too. Unless you know the entire history of the car, and have the service records to look at or discuss with the dealer/mechanic, you might need to look further.

One more thing: consider reviewing all the TSBs and the recall information at <www.alldata.com>. Plug in the year, model, make, engine size and you'll get an entire list of what is commonly known about the car. Note that the ABS module failure isn't generally noted in a TSB, but Volvo enthusiasts and mechanics have posted about it all over the boards [elsewhere] and on how to diagnose and fix. I highly recommend you do a Carfax report too prior to purchase - many dealers will append theirs to the customer and you'll never know if you got the entire report or not unless you pay for one on your own, online.

k7hp

[quote]I have a 2003 2.4T FWD and missed the torque steer issue on test drive also ... never nailed it hard(guess next time I will test drive a car I am not going to possibly own .. reluctant to nail a car with 15 miles or less on it.. as a matter of fact there are a lot of things that will be different on next car test drive.. starting with it will be rear wheel drive !)[/quote]

(quoted) Are you aware that driving a Turbo assisted automobile "hard" in the first 1500 miles is a huge NoNO? Also, are you allowing your vehicle the proper idle time before and after driving? If not, you'll be in the dealer for a new turbo one day in the not so distant future. Turbos must remain ON for 1 minute prior to driving, and then remain on for another 1-2 mins. prior to turning the automobile off when you arrive at your destination. Failure to do so is a very big mistake.(Unquoted)

First ... The quoted passage was exactly what I was saying ... I do not want to nail a brand new car .. and I did not ... but somehow it hides some bad characteristics ... whatever ... I hope I will ever own another FWD car .. hope Volvo goes back to a rear wheel drive wagon ...

Second ... Yes , I am familiar with the turbo issues .. drove a 87 Toyota pickup with turbo for 135000 miles with no problems ... I suspect with the newer synthetic oils it is not as big an issue but I still take it easy til its warmed up and idle it before shutting it down , and usually if I have been running it hard , I like to take an extra mile or so of easy driving on top of that (especially here in Phoenix at 115 )

Third ... Yesterday I was at the dealer getting a power steering leak fixed .. and had a discussion with service manager about the lag and stumble issue .. (which is getting better or I am getting immune to it) His comment was that I was not driving it hard enough to get the transmission adaptive software to act like I would like it .. He left me with "Drive it like you just stole it ! " Incidentally , I think he is probably right , my wife has been driving it for past four weeks while I recuperate from some leg surgery and she is a lot heavier on the throttle than I and I think I notice the difference in shifts and lag ...

Rgds...

systhesquid

Hi. Ordering a 2004 AWD V70 (I wanted AWD and my wife could not tolerate the look of the Cross Country - I agree, the V70 is much better looking)

Got a great price from a dealer using carsdirect.com. They got me the best price of any site and out of the 8 other dealers I called. (there are $2500 worth of dealer incentives now until 12/31.

I've never factory-ordered a car before. Anything at the dealer end that I need to be leery of?
Anyone else used carsdirect before?

volvomax

The incentives apply to a car purchased by Dec 31.
If you are ordering one to be built it won't arrive before Feb. When is your car arriving?

gbolster

Understanding the andvantages of each design, which is a better purchase? (eg. reliability, opperating cost, ect...)

Thank you!

wagonmommy2

At 55,000 miles, we had to replace the throttle on our 2001 T5 - an $800 repair. The repair included a "software reload." In the 6 weeks since the software reload, we have had numerous electrical problems - the alarm going off, the doors locking, the seats not moving. Either the car is possessed or the software reload affected the whole electrical system. Now it won't start at all unless it is jump started. I have an appointment at the dealer's service department and I'm dreading another whopping repair bill. Has anyone else experienced a similar problem? Thanks!

swedespeed

Sometimes its hard to install the seats as tightly as they need to be. Ive always had to kneel with all my body weight (220 pounds!) in the seat in order to snug it down well enough. Have you tried that?

I have also noticed that the seat tends to tilt to one side which can be corrected by using some foam under the low side of the seat. Try using some 2 inch foam blocks or cutting apart a swim noodle to the right size and shape to fit.

If that fails, take your car into an official child seat inspection. In my area, there are free events usually sponsored by the local police department or AAA, where trained people will assess and correct your installation if necessary. Usually these are cops who have completed the training course, or they are volunteers who have completed the training course. They seem to know all the tricks to getting a safe, snug fit with all types of seats and cars.

volvojohn

I test drove a new 2004 V70 and as a long time Volvo owner I was impressed. I do have one question though. At an idle should you be able to feel and hear the pulses of the engine as sort of a thrumming. It is noticable at an idle but smooths out under power. Is this normal for a transverse mounted 5 cylinder engine?

My 960 has a very smooth engine with no noticable pulsations at an idle - and that's after 150K miles.

Thanks in advance..

k7hp

The vibration you feel in the steering wheel with the V70 is normal ... will never compare to the 960 (I owned two of 'em) .. of course my wife likes the vibration , she never could tell if the 960 was running !never could teach her to look at the tach ....

If you are thinking about a V70 , find a dealer that wil let you drive it for quite awhile , I have been quite disappointed by the differences between the front wheel drive 2003 V70 2.4T and my rear wheel drive 960 Wagon .. I suspect the 2004 plain V70 (no turbo) is better based on what I have read here... FWIW my opinion .

volvojohn

Thanks for the response. Could you give me more specifics about the differences you saw between the 960 and the V70. Handling, performance, noise level, etc.

My wife's car is an S80 T-6, which has plenty of power, and is a quiet fast road car. I don't expect that the V70 will hit that mark. When driving the V70 I did notice both the vibration at an idle and some wind noise.

sailbls

i have a 04 V70 with 7200 miles on the clock.Mine has so little vibration at idle on the wheel that you hardly notice it. Also have not noticed wind noise at all. The only thing that bothers me is the high idle when you first start the engine.

volvomax

The inline 5 is not as smooth a powerpalnt as an inline 6 is.
The inline 6 is the smoothest engine type possible(short of an inline 8). The firing pulses of the engine cancel each other out in an inline 6.
The don't in the inline 5. When you accelerate the pulses come much closer together so you don't percieve them as much.
Also, the high idle on startup is an emmissions function. Cars emit most of their pollutants on startup because the catalytic converters are too cold to function properly. By going to a fast idle the car can heat the cats faster an cut the emissions levels sooner.

newbaby3

I suppose it really is a bit early as I have driven the car only a handful of times since purchasing in September but I thought I would share my experience so far.

I think I am beginning to get used to the throttle response. It's not very linear with the electronic throttle and the "learning" of computer but this AM was somewhat pleased that it felt a bit more perky. Perhaps I am just getting used to it.

After a cold start, the car feels sort of slow and the engine is noticeable and not all that pleasant to listen to. Kind of a groan? But once warmed up it seems to to run smoother. Perhaps there is an air pump or something used during the first few minutes of a cold start?

All of the interior gadgets are working properly. No squeaks. Car feels quite stable even on bumpy, curvy roads (I'm coming from an Odyssey). I did drive an Audi A6 quattro wagon before I bought. The Audi's throttle was a bit difficult to modulate at low speeds, probably something that one could get used to. The Audi did seem to benefit from (at least perception of)German build/execution but some elements of interior were just different rather than better and the seats were definately not as nice as the volvo.
Regarding the issue of reliability, it's too early to comment but I do not think Audi has bragging rights in that regard

So I'm pleased as punch so far and hopefully will not have a lemon. The price was not too bad: I think the sticker was $39.4 (premium, touring, metallic paint, xenia wheels) and before tax it came to $35 (hefty savings over the A6)

Regrets? Hard to say. My primary motivation was room for family (occasionally 3 kids using both boosters and a middle car seat) combined with awd. The new BMW X3 looks like it could have been in the running as well as the new awd infiniti sedan but both of these would be thousands more.

One concern will be cost of "normal" repairs with time. I have heard one account with a 2001 or 2002 where the dealer charged $1900 for a brake job! This was in SF where the hills wreak havoc with brakes and everything costs 2-3X what it does elsewhere. What have other peoples experiences been with service?

k7hp

You asked "Could you give me more specifics about the differences you saw between the 960 and the V70. Handling, performance, noise level, etc."

Handling ...
torque steer .. hang on when you nail it..

steering circle radius .. really miss the 960 turning radius ..

brakes .. better than the 960 sedan , about the same as my 960 wagon

Performance ..

The 2.4T feels like it would run away from the 960 at speeds from standing start to maybe 70 or so , then I have a feeling the 960 would have a better high end but thats just feeling ...(and probaly a mute point , cause I am talking about over 100mph and we selodm get to use that)

I still hate the lag and stumble between drive and coast that is totally invisible in the 960 but obtrusive in MY V70 2.4T ... some say theirs is not so bad so maybe I got a lousy one.

The gas mileage is a tad better than the 960 maybe 2 mpg at best but at least 1 mpg .

Noise level as far as wind noise might be a tad better but not night and day .. doesn't bother me. Road noise is a big function of tires and pressure .. I had one set of el cheapo that came on my 960 wagon that were really noisy .. went to Michelins touring and was fine.

FWIW