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Comments
My dad is going to wait till '08 to get an '06 V70 2.4 because he knows well that Volvos depreciate by a good number in the first two years after they are new. He says that the cars will be a relative bargain after they are gently used, with low mileage. True?
There will be an all new V70 out in 2008.
i have the exact same symptoms and do not know what to do, exactly.
the first mechanic thought it was the left front axle, wrong
the volvo dealership said replace angle gear and rear differential ??
the third mechanic thinks it is the viscous bearing ( he temporarily removed drive shaft and car runs just fine). so what to do?
what did you end up doing?
ps replaced viscous bearing once already at 66,000 , now at 106,000
I've read almost all of the 80 pages contained in this forum, but was hoping for some information from all older V70 owners. I'm thinking of buying one from the 1998-2001 vintage. I know that in 2000 the V70 changed, but I'd still like info on all vintages if it'd not be too much trouble, please?
What year is it?
Are you happy overall with the car?
How many miles do you have on it now?
What sort of maintenance costs have you incurred?
Thanks a ton!
Dan
In Dallas regular unleaded is AKI 87, and I assume it is where you are. So technically the salesman is correct. Right now here in Dallas AKI 87 is $2.45/gal, AKI 89 is $2.55/gal and AKI 93 is $2.65/gal. We use AKI 93 in our 2004 V70 2.4L non-turbo, because they don't sell AKI 91 here. I may start mixing equal volumes of 89 and 93 ($2.60/gal) or 1/3 AKI87 and 2/3 AKI93 ($2.58/gal) to make AKI 91. This would save about $1.00 per 15 gal of fuel over using premium AKI 93 (about 2.6%). I'm not sure it's worth it to us, as little as we drive, 17 kmi in 2.5 years since buying this V70 ~1 Sept 2003, so only 7 kmi/yr.
2. very happy with car, bought it with 16,000km.
3. 130,000 km (81,000 miles)
4. no after warranty problems other than mass flow meter. Regular dealer service and the following work done;
- on our third mass flow meter (last one cost us $300 cdn)
- new discs and pads on front
- new pads on rear
- on our second set of tires
- timing belt done a 120k (preventative, this was done with the brakes and 120k service for about $1500 cdn - but now good for another 100?)
- hit a deer and held up well (or as my wife says - deer ran into her
Will look at replacing it with another Volvo when it gets tired - another year or two maybe - or keep and use as a hand me down.
1. Mostly premium 91 octane and mostly Esso or Shell. Have run the odd tank with 87 octane. I don't notice any difference in performance but my wife says she does.
2. Mobil 1 synthetic. Not sure on grade - I think 5W40. I only started using synthetic at about 40,000 km. Change schedule per Volvo recommendations - here is it 7500 km but there have been excursions to 10,000 km.
3. Still running same water pump. I think the coolant has been changed - if it is in the regular recommended service, it was done.
4. All parts replacements on the car are Volvo - from the dealer (except light bulbs).
This car has not been 'over' serviced nor have we done anything that exceeds any Volvo recommendations (other than synthetic oil and 91 octane). All work done by local Volvo dealer and full service records (which I would always look for in purchasing a used one). We are lucky where we live and have a top notch service oriented dealer.
1.AKI 91 octane or above is the recommended fuel for optimum performance; AKI 87 is the minimum requirement. There could be a performance difference. Under some conditions with AKI 87 the knock sensor might detect knocking and derate the engine by "changing the timing." I am not sure if this is just the spark timing or the valve timing. Either way the power would be less.
2.The oil change interval is 7,500 mi (12,000 km) and that's what I have it changed at. We are only putting 7000 mi a year on our 2004 V70 2.4L so I have the oil changed once a year. Even after a year in the car the oil is not dark.
I use Mobile1 10W-30 because of the temperature regime we have in Dallas. Mobile1 5W-40 is also recommended and theoretically should be even better, but it doesn't get cold enough here to drop to 5W. Mobile1 used to have a 0W-40 which should be better still. I once used it on a previous Volvo 850 wagon. Synthetic oil should produce much less fouling of the crankcase ventilation system. I changed to Mobile1 from the original oil at 4000 mi at my expense because I thought the engine was fully broken-in and I didn't want to be obsessive and waste the original oil.
3.The manual states, "Normally, the [engine] coolant does not need to be changed. If the system needs to be drained, consult your Volvo retailer. . .Top off with Volvo Genuine Coolant/Antifreeze only."
Six months or so ago the "Coolant low" light came on and I added a small amount of water to the reservoir, just enough to make the light go out. I didn't want to make a trip to the dealer right then, but I could have just left the light on. It looks like we might be losing a little coolant. There are several different anti-corrosive additive systems used in anti-freeze, and they are not compatible, but Volvo doesn't state which one they use. Some last a long time, but none of them last forever. I don't smell antifreeze which indicates that either it is leaking internally or is so slight that the smell is undetectable. I'll tell the dealer when I take it in for the free oil change. I have to supply the Mobile1 and they supply the filter and labor.
Different manufacturers do compete on the basis of cost and convenience of the maintenance schedule so Volvo could be recommending a longer oil change interval than would be recommended for the longest life of the engine. But I have decided to assume that they are giving the correct instructions, especially since I am using synthetic oil which costs with sales tax about US$40 per 6 quarts. Volvo does not require synthetic under nornal use, but does recommend it for towing (which I do a little of), and I think synthetic changed at 7500 mi (12 000km) is a better lubrication scheme than regular oil at 5000 mi. I really think the Mobile1 Extended life would go for 10 000 mi or 15 000 km easily. I believe this would be proper care for this fine vehicle.
Even in Dallas, when I take a short trip (something which I try hard to avoid) I will take an extra loop to try to get the engine to full operating temperature. Of course this consumes more fuel so there is a tradeoff.
I have noticed the temperature gauge on our '04 V70 base non-turbo 168hp indicates full operating temperature very rapidly compared to other vehicles we have owned, except for our previous '96 850 wgn which I recall did also. I have wondered if this means that the engine as a whole is reaching operating temperature more quickly.
And it has occurred to me that Volvo could set-up the temperature gauge to be non-linear and stay right in the middle of theoperating range to give satisfaction to the wonky Volvo owner who cares about such things. My 'fishing car' is a '91 Dodge Spirit 4-cyl 2.5L 100hp 5-spd manual, and the temperature gauge moves all over the place as the engine warms up from a cold start, including overshooting to near the top of the normal range before settling down in the middle. Also when I exit from an interstate and slow down after extended driving at 70mph in hot weather, the temp gauge will transiently rise somewhat before returning to the same value, indicating that the thermostat has had to adjust to the lower level of air flow across the radiator. I haven't changed the thermostat in the Spirit in some time; maybe it's gotten sticky.
By contrast, the gauge on the V70 moves smoothly and quickly from off-scale cold to straight-up with no overshoot. And when we pull off the interstate to a rest stop the temp needle doesn't show a transient rise. Maybe the Volvo has a much better temperature regulation system than the Spirit, but I'm kinda suspicious that Volvo has it rigged to not alarm the operator.
The tech was explaing this to me in front of the parts counter as I was taking possession of the hitch and out of the corner of my eye I could see the parts guy studying my face to see if I was getting sick at how involved and technically demanning the installation was. I had just expressed honest and polite but emphatic dismay at the high cost of the hitch and the extremely high installation charge. I announced I was going to try it myself. He called the tech from the back to explain to me why the labor charge was so high and I think they were going to have a little genial fun in explaining it to me. This did not bother me because I am not above this sort of teasing myself.
The tech told me that he was the only one in the shop who did these hitches because they were so much trouble, but he said he did have it down to 3.5 actual hours using the lift and all the air tools in the world. I countered that I was currently unemployed (true) and that my time wasn't an issue but money was. However, he could tell that I probably wasn't eating at a soup kitchen and proceeded to use the faux reassuring approach of saying that if I took my time I should have no trouble and proceeded to give me a bunch of pointers which were partly designed to make me just say, "Hummm. . .I'm willing to wait could you just put it on this afternoon."
At this point the parts guy was watching me intently, and so I paused a little before sincerely thanking them for the help, but stating I was going to give it a try. Both the parts guy and the tech seemed a little disappointed that they had not been able to reel me in, and I didn't take pleasure in depriving them of some legitimate income, but I did get a little wicked pleasure in successfully neutralizing their attempt to tease me.
I wanted the Volvo hitch because it fits behind the plastic bumper cover and fits higher so the ground clearance in back is not reduced. You cut a large slot in the plastic bumper cover for the hitch 2" receiver to protrude through. The receiver for the after-market hitches projects underneath the bumper cover.
If I had to do it again I would just buy the trailer wiring harness from Volvo (a separate part from the hitch itself about US$80) and get a 'Hidden Hitch' or other good brand mailorder and have it installed by one of the hitch places, or do that myself. Frankly, I'm not sure the Volvo wiring harness is as good as the best aftermarket ones. The Volvo harness plugs directly into a receptacle in the spare tire well and installation is a snap (I didn't even disconnect the battery as the instructions specify, or move the battery because there was no need.)
But I wonder if the Volvo harness has as good an overload protection as the good aftermarket ones which connect directly to the battery and have a circuit breaker. Overload protection in the Volvo system is by existing fuses. At least I didn't have to insert any additional fuses. There was no explanation and I think that if the trailer blows a fuse some of the vehicle lights go out too. That is, there do not seem to be fuses solely for the trailer, but I'm not sure.
The Volvo hitch is in several parts which bolt together, and I found it was possible to put the parts separately into place and then fit them and bolt them together. I did have to cut a 1.5" diameter hole in the bumper cover on the left side to be able to hold the upper nut, and I just inserted a black grommet in the hole, which is in the black lower part of the bumper cover. It looks fine to me although extremely picky people might not like the look.
If one wanted to they could get another rectangular cover (approx 3" square) like the one on the right side and cut and shape a larger hole which would be covered by that cover. I personally think that should be part of the trailer hitch kit from Volvo. To tighten the main bolts I also had to to cut two more 1.5" dia holes in the underside of the bumper cover, but these are not visible and I just left them.
I personally think that the Volvo engineers designed the hitch in parts so that it could be installed in the way i did it, but it turned out that in the Volvo service shops it was just as easy or even easier to jack the car up, remove the rear wheels, drill out the rivets in the wheel wells which hold the bumper cover in place, etc. and then assemble the hitch off the vehicle and bolt it into place. But I wanted to do it without removing the wheels and without jackstands (which I don't have). I don't even think I used ramps. I did borrow a torque wrench to tighten the main bolts to the spec in the instructions and an electric sabre saw to cut the slot in the bumper cover for the receiver to protrude through. I had a drill and keyhole saws for cutting the holes in the bumper cover. One other thing is that you have to drill a small hole in the receiver to secure the 'flat-four plug'. If you do this before you put it on the car (which I didn't do) it would be a lot easier. Also the drill bit needs to be rated for cutting 1/8" thick steel.
Anyone else w/ideas, please post.
This was an emergency transporting trip to transfer a 78-year-old relative from Katrina devasted south Louisiana to Kansas and we stopped regularly to check his blood sugar and administer insulin. Naturally the engine was left idling while doing this. Right after leaving the nursing home I had to go to a pharmacy to get insulin and syringes because the nursing home couldn't spare any. The car was idling in the parking lot for 45 minutes while I got the insulin and syringes and we still got over 30 mpg for that leg.
I had the relative in the front passenger seat
The owner's manual states that the minimum acceptable octane rating of the fuel is AKI 87, but that the Volvo engines are designed to run optimally on premium AKI 91 or higher. But "minimum" acceptable, means acceptable. However, we use premium AKI 93 because only 87, 89, and 93 are available in Dallas and right now it's only 10 cents a gallon more than 89 which is 10 cents for than 87. But I think the engine would perform nearly the same with 87 octane except under heavy accelerator pressure, in which case the knock sensor should be sending the appropriate signals to the engine computer which would adjust the timing. We don't drive enough miles right now for the extra cost to be a factor, only 7000 mi/year, going to 89 would only save $30/year and to 87 only $60/year.
I was able to adjust the manual adjust passenger side front seat of the V70 to about a 3/4 reclined position at which he said he was relatively free of pain. I removed the rear seat bottom on the right side to allow full reclining range even with the front passenger seat positioned all the way to the rear. The rear seat back on the back right was in the up position. His daughter, my niece, was with me and she sat behind me.
At one point I adjusted the seat to shift his position to try to increase his comfort, but we had not gone far when he said that the new position was extremely uncomfortable and I had to pull over and adjust back to the original position.
This was a sudden trip and I made some attempt to rent a minivan, because I thought a minivan would be better for this application because of having more leg room in the rear. But none were immediately available so I decided to take the V70. Because of his broken hip it was not easy to get him into the front seat of the V70, but I don't think he could have gotten into the backseat at all.
The trip with him was 2 days--south Louisiana to Dallas (about 400 miles) where we spent the night and then about 500 mi from Dallas to the new nursing home in Kansas. The first day was so difficult that in the morning I considered putting a twin mattress in the back and transporting him lying down. I removed both rear seat cushions and folded down both parts of the rear seat backs and put in a standard twin mattress which fit perfectly. But by trying to get in and out myself I saw that this required flexibility that my brother-in-law didn't have. Also he would not have been restrained. So we used the same arrangement as the first day.
We arrived before dark at the nursing home in the small town of Alma, Kansas, 40 miles or so west of Lawrence, and they were ready and waiting for for us. After my brother-in-law was settled, I headed west on the interstate and then south on a 2-lane road through the Flint Hills ranch country. Very pretty. As full darkness came I became really tired when I chanced upon a Corps of Engineers campground just north of Council Grove KS on a reservoir on the Neosho River. I pulled in and for about $10 had a shower in their very nice facilities and slept in the back of the the V70. I hadn't brought a sleeping bag or pad, but I had a fleece blanket and that was enough. There was plenty of room in the back to stretch out fully with the rear seat cushion removed. I slept OK and was on my way back to Dallas early the next morning.
My total distance for this trip was about 1800 miles and the V70 averaged slightly over 30 mpg. The EPA highway estimate for the 2004 V70 with this engine is 30 mpg.
Point of all this is that a V70 is a good all purpose vehicle that gets pretty good fuel economy. I put the Volvo trailer hitch on it with the 2" square receiver and we tow a small utility trailer for local hauling. I could also put a bicycle carrier in the hitch and a cargo box on the roof for extra capacity.
My brother-in-law has had outstanding care in the 7 months he's been in the home in Alma and has recovered a lot of function. He was a lifelong New Orleanean, but he'll never go back.
thanks.
The Convienence pkg is gone, the contents minus the Park Assist are now standard equipment. Park Assist is a stand alone option.
Any new colour choices?
Atacama leather still available?
thanks,
e
Chances are you will have to order one to get it how you like it.
Very few R wagons are built and alot of retailers don't carry any.
Just wasn't popular enough to warrant building any at the factory.
Anytime the battery is replaced, this must be done.
Disconnect the battery, wait a couple of minutes, reconnect the battery then take the remote and lock and then unlock the car doors. This should restore the systems.
thank you.
The independent service station that worked on my old 945 and 745 made a persuasive argument that those cars did, but I haven't found or heard anything about it for a car as new as a 2005 v70.
Thank you.
As long as your oil meets the requirements, no "special" oil is necessary.
Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:
11/07/2003 US Customs Vehicle exported from
Belgium
and imported to
Brunswick, GA
03/17/2004 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Delray Beach, FL Registered as
personal vehicle
03/17/2004 29 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Delray Beach, FL
Title #0090208620 Odometer reading reported for title
or registration
03/31/2004 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Delray Beach, FL
Title #0090208620 Title issued or updated
First owner reported
Loan or lien reported
07/12/2004 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Delray Beach, FL
Title #0090208620 Registration issued or renewed
Registered as
personal vehicle
Loan or lien reported
Vehicle color noted as White
08/27/2004 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Delray Beach, FL
Title #0090208620 Title issued or updated
07/12/2005 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Delray Beach, FL
Title #0090208620 Registration issued or renewed
Registered as
personal vehicle
Vehicle color noted as White
11/21/2005 20,156 Lehman Motors
Mechanicsburg, PA
717-691-8400
www.lehmanvolvo.com Vehicle serviced
12/23/2005 20,677 Volvo Certified Retailer
Mechanicsburg, PA Offered for sale as a Volvo Certified Vehicle
12/23/2005 Lehman Motors
Mechanicsburg, PA
717-691-8400
www.lehmanvolvo.com Vehicle serviced
12/26/2005 Dealer Inventory Vehicle offered for sale
Purchased: 2005
Where: Pennsylvania
Est. miles/year: ---
Est. length owned: 12/30/05 - 4/25/06
(3 months)
Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:
12/30/2005 Pennsylvania
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Mechanicsburg, PA Title issued or updated
New owner reported
02/06/2006 20,678 Lehman Motors
Mechanicsburg, PA
717-691-8400
www.lehmanvolvo.com Vehicle serviced
04/25/2006 Dealer Inventory
Mechanicsburg, PA Vehicle offered for sale
05/13/2006 Volvo Certified Retailer
Mechanicsburg, PA Offered for sale as a Volvo Certified Vehicle
05/18/2006 Pennsylvania
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Mechanicsburg, PA Title issued or updated
Duplicate title issued
06/11/2006 Volvo Cars of North America, LLC No recalls open for repair
No red flags (lemon, accident etc.) according to carfax, but it looks odd that vehicle was put up for sale twice between December 05 and May 06. Am I reading this wrong?
Just wondering if I should persue this further. Noticed yesterday when (6/10) when I sat inside the wagon that it smelled like it had just been shampooed. Anything to be concerned about? BTW--how would the service costs for this vehicle compare to an 05 camry (our other vehicle). Thanks!
The first offer from the dealer on ours, which was one of two like it on the lot, was $26,400 (8.25% sales tax and title, license fees extra), and we took it. This was lower than I thought I could get to. My wife asked the dealer to add the fixed roof rails and this was about $500 more, but total was less than $27,000 (+TTL). Maybe base models at that time did not move well in Dallas.
Based on our deal the price for this used one is way too high, it seems to me.
The probability is that this V70 would cost much more to maintain than a 2005 Camry. Ours has not given any real trouble. The catalytic converter was replaced at 15,000 miles under warranty. An element inside the cat became loose and noisy.
We use this wagon for carrying gear and dogs. In campgrounds, I have slept in the back of this V70 and in a previous 850 wgn. We get 30 mpg on the highway and 23 to 24 mpg around town.
Do you need a wagon? You should stick with the Pathfinder, unless you are putting so many miles on it that the fuel bills are truly outrageous. People are trading fuel guzzling SUVs without analyzing the costs of changing. However, the V70 would be safer in most crashes--better structure and side and head curtain air bags. My wife bought a 1996 850 wgn for safety and this '04 V70 for safety, fuel economy and sufficient utility. She also just likes Volvos.
I am considering buying a new 2006 because of the following issues. Has anyone had the same problems?
* left turn signal shorts out all the time.
* headlights burn out frequently
* temperature gauge never registers right temperature
* pvc issues/emissions light on all the time
* need new AC at 94k
* had engine pulled because of possible sludge issues. Switched to synthetic oil. There was no oil in the pan. Turns out volvo changed the engine in 2001 which has caused oil buildup I recommend every volvo owner post 2000 switch to synthetic if they have not already.
I had the original oil replaced at 4000 mi with Mobile1 10W-30 and have used Mobile1 10W-30 ever since. The Volvo dealer changes the oil and filter at 7500 mi intervals at no charge (for first 3? years) and would use semi-synthetic Castrol, but I supply 6 qts of Mobile1 10W-30 each time at my expense. Last time I gave them Mobile1 "Extended Sevice" at about $6.30/qt so about $40 incl tax. I thought perhaps using synthetic was an unnecessary expense on my part, but given your experience maybe not.
Toyota had a big problem with engine oil systems blocked by sludge, apparently due to overheating of conventional oil in the head. Your report is the 1st one I have see of this problem in a Volvo.
I am starting to look around for a new car. I am thinking the V-70 Turbo.
I would like to know before I walk onto a dealer lot what the owner's manual says about how often the oil needs to be changed in this car?
Thanks.
Dave
We use Mobile1 in our 2004 V70 168 hp 2.4L non-turbo. I take it to the Volvo dealer at 7500 mi intervals to satisfy the warranty requirement and provide a case of Mobile1 10W-30, appropriate for the Dallas TX climate. The oil looks great even after 7500 mi, and the consumption is negligible. However, we don't drive the V70 hard. With Mobile1 "extended interval" oil you could probably go 10,000 mi to 15,000 miles or 1 year, but even full synthetic oil is so cheap compared to the total cost of ownership of a Volvo there is no incentive to stretch the interval.
I'm sure the extra power of these turbos makes a difference in the "driving experience", but the non-turbo is sufficient for me.
It seems to me that it would be prudent to use full synthetic oil in any Volvo engine especially if it is driven hard, and especially in a turbo charged model, assuming that engine oil is used to lubricate the bearings of the turbocharger.
Currently you have the V70 2.4, V70 2.5T, and the V70R.
Full synthetic isn't required, even by the R engine.
Volvo mandates a synthetic blend which is more than sufficent to protect the engine.
If you really want to use a full synthetic, go ahead but it really isn't necessary.
But I nevertheless spend an extra $40 on each oil change to provide the dealer with Mobile1. I got concerned when Toyota had a sludging problem with conventional oil in some of its engines, and we hope to keep this car for a long time. I'm willing to spend the extra money for full synthetic when it almost certainly isn't necessary. We are only putting about 8000 mi per year on the car, and I have the oil changed annually at the dealer.
I put a trailer hitch on this V70 and do some towing (so far about 1000 lb gross trailer wt) in hot weather. Under the section "Towing a trailer" (pg 102 of 2004 Manual for V70 and V70R) the manual states: Volvo recommends the use of a synthetic engine oil when towing a trailer over long distances or in mountainous areas.