Volvo C70 - Should I Buy One?

hanlonrn

I am preparing to dump my Jeep as I don't really need anymore for its previous intended purposes. Just looking for a fun, reliable car for jets out of town on the weekends. I have only driven about 1000 miles in the past year.

There is a C70 for sale in my area. Seller was relocated for work and is liquidating everything. He has a 99 C70 with 133k that was used as a commuter. He is only asking $3200. I am getting the vin for a carfax. He is providing maintenance records. Anything to look out for?

qbrozen

That's scary cheap. Even with all those miles, he could sell it to a dealer for more than that, I'm pretty sure. Even if carfax is clean, I'd have a pro look it over.

And make sure all the maintenance is done.

luvhandle

Notes: the ride is terrible on city streets - all bumps make the car shudder - if the car has independent suspension it is a dismal failure. It may be the tires but I can't afford to replace them at this time. Buy an extended warranty. Only the dealer can service the transmission and this costs between $200-$300 or more if I remember correctly. Soon only dealers will be allowed to inspect the car - scared to think how much that will cost. If the gas cap is not totally closed the check engine' light will come on and you'll have no idea what the problem is. The headlights repeatedly went out in the first 2 months I owned the car - 3 times. The headlight wiper jammed and had to be replaced which took 2 visits to the dealer. The cup holder is awkward and made out of cheap plastic. The fronts seats don't fold all the way down and are a major pain to move so people can get in the back seat. The front driver seat will not move all the way up to the steering wheel so large people have a very difficult time getting in the back seat which is only large enough for children and large dogs. The trunk is too small for anything but medium-small suitcases. It's shallow but relatively deep. At 56K miles (just as the warranty has expired) the car has begun to rattle in the doors on the right side while driving on medium-to-rough city roads. I have a bad feeling that the extremely tight suspension is having a bad effect on the body integrity.

The car is very safe and handles well. I was run off the road at a very high speed. The back pillars came up (the dealer had to lower them) and the steering and brakes saved me from a very bad accident. Thankfully the airbags didn't activate. The car is fun to drive on the highway - rides smoothly, passes other cars very quickly, however when the car is accelerated quickly it veers to the right - doesn't steer straight ahead.

All of that said, thankfully the engine, transmission, exhaust and major mechanical parts have presented no problems. The top leaks slightly in a car wash but that doesn't surprise me. I'm not mechanically inclined so I dread having to pay for any repairs at this point as the dealership and other shops charge extremely high rates. A mere tune-up is almost $300. The turning radius is very bad. There are huge blind-spots when the top is up; you have to be extra, extra careful when changing lanes as well as backing out of parking spaces.

The car is very attractive and the front seats are very comfortable though the leather is beginning to crack on the drivers seat (I'll have to buy some type of cover for it). I had lower back surgery earlier in the year and the drivers seat doesn't have enough lower back support but for a healthy person it is extremely comfortable and the heating is a great feature and comes on automatically in cold weather.

The CD player is a pain to use - only holds 3 CD. One of the CD settings has developed a high pitched hum and at high volume the speakers rattle. The CD player goes out temporarily when a hard bump is hit but has managed to return each time. However the sound system is great once you find settings you can live with. There is not an input for an ipod or other external devices.

All in all, this is a great car if you can afford the upkeep. I intend to trade it in at 75K miles because I anticipate much higher-than-average maintenance costs. If you can find one (and they are extremely hard to find, at least in Texas) with low mileage I'd definitely consider purchasing one but as I said earlier, get an extended warranty because repairs and maintenance are VERY expensive.

bmyers1

I recently bought a 2000 C70 and everything luvhandle said is right on the money:) I've been driving it for a month and I love it

cu503

She loves it! So if this answers your question, go but one! She always wanted one and the hard top is great!

newvolvoowner

If you think the C70 at the Frankfurt Auto Show is the 2010 model think again. Volvo bated everyone with pictures of a new design for 2010 however, when released at the auto show Volvo has designated the C70 on display as the 2011 model to be released next year. Bate and switch!

qbrozen

Ok, first off, its bait, not bate.
Second, it has no relation to bait & switch unless you placed an order and/or plunked money down for one.
And, lastly, the media reported it as an '11 model, so not sure why you thought it was for '10. Not to mention car makers do not reveal a new model one month before it is due in showrooms (as the '10 cars are, at this point).

newvolvoowner

Thank you so much for the spelling correction. I am an uneducated, high school drop out so any help I can obtain from those more fortunate I do appreciate. If you check URL, https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/enhanced/en-gb/Models/2010/C70/Model/Rele- ases.aspx , which is a press release on September 1, 2009 about the 2010 Volvo C70 (note bottom of article C70, Model Year 2010). The information about this model being the 2011 was released just before the Frankfurt Auto show. August 31, I purchased a 2010 C70, pick up in Gothenburg on Nov 5. No problem, just believed from all of the hype the model shown on the Volvo news site was the 2010.

qbrozen

So you ordered a day before that press release came out?
Through which dealer? What did they say to you when you found out the '10 was not the model you thought it was? Did they indicate to you at the time you ordered that the '10 was the all-new C70?

newvolvoowner

I am not going to identify the dealer here because all they did was take the deposit and submit my order to Volvo USA overseas sales. When I contacted the overseas sales people they could not tell me anything. I sent a message to Volvo in Sweden and received a very "canned" reply that simply stated if I purchased a MY2010 it would be the same body and the MY2009. Appears that somewhere around the time I sent in my order, Volvo changed the VIN from 2009 to 2010 and continued with production. My understanding is that the 2011 will begin production in November (the month I pick up my C70 at the factory) with the automobile being in the USA showrooms around the first quarter of 2010. As you can see, the 2010 year model is a very short production period. Anyway, I am happy with what I will receive and have put the rest behind me.

johnh7

I think you just had some bad luck with your timing. Best guess is that there will be some pretty good deals out there on MY 2010's after the 1st of the year.

My lease on my current C70 is up mid March and I'm getting in the queue for a new MY2011. The problem of course is I won't have any leverage on price, but I like the new design and have made peace with the realization I'll be paying top dollar.

newvolvoowner

Good luck, however, from what I read the price will remain around $40,000 MSRP for the basic automobile. I wonder if the 2010 model is the shortest production cycle on record? Would be interesting to find out and I will probably ask that question when I pick up our car at the factory in November.

shaymasdaddy06

It has every option except nav. The list price is 32,900 and I plan to offer 30,900. What things should I keep in mind in terms of purchasing a used C70?

bobparis

Considering the state of the econmy and auto sales in particular, I would offer $32,900 "out-the-door" - meaning including all fees (taxes, license etc.) Assuming that sales tax and license fees come to about 10%, this reflects a discount of $3,290. Hold firm, get up to walk out and they will eventually go for it. Good luck!

mobidick

Hi , I bought a Volvo C70 Cabrio from Sweeden and all the menues are in Sweedish. How can I change it to English . The radio and the main computer.

tmart

Have you read your Owner's Manual? Instructions should be there.

mobidick

Good advice, but this is the first thing I have done, No answer there. I resolved it with the local Volvo service, they uploaded the all program in English for 100 Euro.The car is beautiful and I enjoy it now in English :-)

jlettie2

Before you purchase a Volvo C70 try it. Rent one for a week. These vehicles are not selling well at all. For the 2010 C70 there is $6,000 dealer money. Because there is dealer money, this vehicle can be purchased thousands below invoice. These vehicles have one annoying problem, they leak. They leak in car washes and some rain storms. They have had may recalls on these vehicles since 2006.Maybe for 2010 they solved the problem. Good luck

bsoslander

I agree with luvhandle on all points, and can add the following:
definitely buy the extended warranty. Repairs have to be done through Volvo on most items, and parts and labor are crazy expensive. We find that little things tend to break on this car: side mirror glass fell off ($75, you have to buy the whole thing), two window power switches failed ($300 each time), car needed a new master cylinder, there was an oil leak ($800), computer needed upgrading, etc. Some of this may be because the mechanic was looking for stuff to repair and get reimbursed for, not sure.

The car is gorgeous with the top down and drives well. Yeah, you're practically blind with the top up, you have to be extra careful in bad weather because of the visibility. All 2004 C70s also vibrate between about 40-50 mph, I've heard that this was corrected with the advent of the convertible hard top. Turning radius ls worse than our Navigator. Wheels are fragile, we cracked one with a bump on a curb, and very expensive to replace--$650 per wheel, oy vey.

Front seats are very comfortable, I like the lumbar support, but as above the leather is starting to wear from in-and-out on the driver's seat. CD player is kind of useless, but the surround sound speakers are terrific with the top down.

We're happy with ours, on the whole, BUT only because of the warranty. We've only got 43K miles on it, and are looking to extend the warranty another few years as the least expensive alternative to selling and getting something else. But if we can't, it will be sold, we can't afford the repairs otherwise.

oak7

what is the issue with the "shudder" at 40 mph? I have noticed that on my '09 C70.