Volvo V70 Wagon Experience

alexanderp · September 2001

I have a 99 V70 with about 45,000 miles. The dealer has told me that both front and rear pads and rotors now need to be replaced, to the tune of about $800. 45K doesn't seem like a very long life span for rotors, particularly since most of the mileage comes from highway driving (I rarely use the car to commute, and I don't ride the brakes while I drive). I'm inclined to have an independent mechanic take a look. Anyone else had similar experience?

There's only about 4 months left on my lease and I'd hate to have to invest that much in the car at this point (in addition to the 4 new tires the car needs). Given the number of other problems the car has had (headlights, front end, rear seat belts, etc., but mostly covered by warranty), I'm not too interested in buying the lease out either.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Alex

glxwagon4mo · September 2001

If you're turning in your car on a lease, double check your contract to determine if you really need to replace your tires -- unless they're already down to the wear bar indicator. If you really do need to replace them, then remember that they don't have to be "new" tires, just a matching set. Many times you can find a decent set of used tires for a fraction of the cost of new ones.

George

alwaysed · September 2001

When I turned in my '98 V70AWD R at 45m miles, the original tires were still on it. Two of them were probably not driveable, but they made to the dealership. Volvo Finance did charge me back for tire wear but it was not very much--maybe $150 as I recall.

If you can hold out, give it a shot and leave the tires on. There is a very good chance they will not charge you anything if re-up for a new lease car. Also, they may let out you early on your present lease, if you re-up.

Karen_S · October 2001

....but I'm here to announce the new Volvo Owners club now available on Edmunds.com Owner's Club board. Please stop by and introduce yourself in Meet the Members and let me know how I can help build your club.

I have linked this discussion into that folder, but it will always reside here in Station Wagons.

Looking forward to meeting everyone!

KarenS
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Owner's Clubs

edevries · October 2001

I have a 99' V70 as well with 40,000 miles. My front brakes now need to be replaced, but my rear brakes are still at 5-6 m (need to be replaced at 2-3). I also had the dealer tell me my rotors were warped, but I am almost convinced that they were warped as a result of over tightening on the dealerships part. I spoke with another Volvo dealer who said it was rare to see a Volvo with only 40k that needed new rotors unless it was a factor defect or service tech error.

Hope this is helpful

Eric

debdet · October 2001

I've had my new wagon maybe one month now and am surprised at the low gas mileage I've been getting. Also,is anyone else have a problem with the "READ" expected MPG vs what the odometer indicates? I have been on the red and the computer tells me I have 100+ miles to go.

Thanks

hansry · October 2001

What kind of mileage are you getting? I have a 98 v70t5m and am getting an average of 22 mpg in mixed driving. Also, if its new, you should see improvements as the engine gets through the break-in period.

alwaysed · October 2001

I just received my Nov. Motor Trend in the mail. The S60 2.4T, the sedan version of the V70, came in first in the "affordable luxury sedan" category. It was evaluated against the Infiniti I35, Jag X-Type, Lex ES300, and the MB C320. MT praised the same aspects of the design that we have expressed on this board. The article was very worthwhile, especially when one of the reviewers described how much he liked the the S60 2.4T, but "the enthusiast driver really gets a warp-drive acceleration effect from the ..high pressure turbo."

ventanabike · October 2001

Hi guys,

Since I am still shopping I am dropping in and out of all the wagon boards and links and club sites to "keep abreast". Like I've said before...I'd just as soon keep on test driving....having fun doing that...!! Drove another T5 wagon on Friday and a SAAB Aero wagon the same day...the dealers are across the street from each other...more on this later if I get inspired.

The brake rotor/pad wear issue relates directly to your driving style and pad material. Let me relate the experience I had with my last Volvo wagon. IMHO I am a very smooth driver (my Police Officer son often says that I really don' t do too badly for an old fart). Smooth driving gets you a lot less wear on all of your components in addition to better mileage (and you don't have to drive slow to drive smoothly....I had a complete IPD suspension kit on the car along with a Weber two throat, header and straight through exhaust and of course performance tires) In 307K miles on that wagon I never had a problem with my rotors (never had the head off the engine either....oooooh, pat me on the back....;-)...) The rear pads would always wear a little more quickly than the fronts because they do work harder than the fronts. As I recall I would typically get around 60 to 90K on the fronts. I don't know for sure but the rotors on the older cars might have been thicker...that might also be a factor.

For longer brake pad life you can go to a harder pad material. You can find info on the pros and cons on changes to your system components from the guys at IPDUSA.COM. They were (and likely will continue to be) my favorite Volvo parts, toys, and accessories store.

Jesse

cpike1 · October 2001

James,

I experienced the same thing about 2 weeks ago and my dealership had it resolved in about 30 minutes.

There is a Technical Service Bulletin that came out about May relating to the S80 platform, but it also applies to the V70.

Essentially, the noise comes from the bottom piece of the steering column (the column is made up of 3 pieces). Basically, the bottom part just isn't shifting correctly with the other two parts.

The TSB calls for the part to be removed, and a special lubricant that the dealership has to order needs to be applied. Also, the part is reinstalled using a different set of bolts. The total job takes under 1 hour.

Hope this helps,

Chris

rex_ruthor · October 2001

im getting 25mpg from mixed driving on my 2001 v70 T5

get about 30 in pure highway mode.

dunka · October 2001

Cpike1 - I wonder if you are describing the issue I have with my '01 V70 T5. I mentioned it earlier in post 343. I feel the click more than I hear it is that the same for you as well? The dealer installed stabilizer links and I still have the issue - it is defintely in the steering column. I will use your information and see if that solves the problem.

As for gas mileage I am getting 22 to 23.5 in mixed driving.

cpike1 · October 2001

Dunka,

I really felt it, but I did also hear it. It sounds like we're describing the same thing. I've been told that a number of '01 V70 owners have had this issue. The fix is quick, it just means finding a dealer who keeps up to date on the TSB's!

Good Luck,

dantlo · October 2001

Can someone explain better in the noise? We have a 01 V70 2.4T. We got 23.5 mpg last tank. Great for such a big vwhicle. The car rides very good on hwy.

Dan

jj38 · October 2001

I'm considering buying a used (12K miles) V70 SE wagon and was wondering how it would handle a New England weather. I've heard that the FWD isn't too good. I understand a XC or an AWD Volvo may be better for me but the price tag's are too high. What do people think about the V70 FWD in the snow.

Thanks

lancerfixer · October 2001

Front wheel drive is fine in the snow. Whether front, rear, or all wheel drive, It's all about the tires. Make sure you have good quality all season tires and if you can afford them, a set of dedicated winter tires (preferably on steel wheels- they're cheaper and you don't expose your alloy wheels to the harsh winter conditions.)

alwaysed · October 2001

Absolutely, get winter tires-Blizzaks. I used them on my '98 V70 AWD R and they were two orders of magnitude better in snow than the performance tires on the wagon. Look at the Tire Rack web site or an ad in most car magazines.

dunka · November 2001

Getting close to resolution on the clicking noise/feel. Cpike1you were right on target - the power of "Town Hall" - I went to my dealer with your info which they confirmed is correct, the lubricant and bolts are on order and this should be put behind me in the next week or so. Of course when I brought it in the clicking was more subdued than in had been but it was still there. Naturally my wife does not notice it and she thinks I'm nuts but the fact the dealer is taking care of it she now thinks I am only partially nuts. I will keep you posted as to the final outcome.

Regarding earlier post on V70 in the snow. Ours is a '01 V70 T5 with the 17" wheels. Last winter we put on 4 Michelin Artic Pilots on 16" steel wheels, I do not recall the actually tire size. We live in the Boston area and we made it through last winter no problem, we drove in all types of conditions. The traction control was nice to have but it rarely kicked in - fwd is fine for a New England winter, add 4 good snow tires and you are that much better off.

vshea · November 2001

We're considering ordering a new V70 2.4 (not the turbo) with the stick shift. My husband is concerned that it'll be underpowered. Anyone driven one of these? Any comments? I'll be doing mostly around-town driving, but we will probably want to do some road trips as well.

Also, I'm noticing a lot of negative comments about Volvo reliability. That's a concern for me, as I've owned Toyotas for the past 13 years and don't even have a mechanic because I haven't needed one in so long. Anyone want to tell the other side of the story??

dkominos · November 2001

Hi all -

I have a 1998 V70 Wagon (the base model) with 55 K miles. I brought the car because it was making a noise when turning. On Friday, I got the bad news that the boots on the steering rack were cracked which allowed dirt in them and I have to replace the Steering rack at over $1000.

I'm wondering if this is common? Some web research I've done indicates that it is important to maintain the steering rack by inspecting it and flushing the system. However, I have found no references to this on any of the boards here and nothing on the NTSB site for this year and model (although there was something about 1997 850's).

I'm just wondering if this is common, if this will continue to happen and if there anything I can do to prevent it in the future.

Thanks for your help.

Dorothy

revka · November 2001

Sorry to hear about your V70 steering problem. While you're waiting here for feedback from other owners, you may want to check Edmunds' Maintenance Guide to see if there are any Recalls or TSBs (technical service bulletins) related to this problem. Good luck.

Revka
Host
Hatchbacks / Station Wagons / Women's Auto Center Boards

lenfreed · November 2001

I had 2001 Volvo V70 2.4 base model with auto trany. Now I have 2002 V70 XC.
The V70 2.4 no turbo in my opinion is underpowered
you better off with turbo
Regarding reliability - so far, so good
Good luck with your choice

rex_ruthor · November 2001

i agree with the last poster..i drove that model and its underpowered. its a 3300 pound car that will often be well loaded. get the turbo.

mostlyjazz · November 2001

I have a 1998 V70 XC that I have owned since new.

My power steering rack was replaced at 25,000 miles. It was covered under warranty. Volvo dealer had no explanation as to what went wrong.

It also needed the tie-rod ends replaced and air pump from the emission control system replaced at the same time. Also covered under warranty.

My wife has an incredible emotional attachment to this car and really babies it. So I know these failures are not from abuse. I like the car too but I am tiring from all the repairs.

Good Luck !

rex_ruthor · November 2001

Does anyone own the highly-touted but elusive Volvo Car Seat? Its supposed to be the revolution in car seats..this is the seat that Volvo pitches . It uses the ISOFIX system, or as the domestic manufacturers call it, LATCH. Ive been trying to get one, but my bonehead dealer said "Well, I can see it in the computer but it looks like its only available in Sweden". I dont care where i get it from, if I have to order it from Siberia, thats cool as long as I can order it.

I wish someone from Volvo USA subscribed to this board! The dealers are SO unhelpful!

lenfreed · November 2001

I have 2002 V70 XC with ISOFIX as a standard.
It is hidden under right rear seat. The simple kind of
plastic slid (provided) need to be attached in order to install child
seat.
The think is that you need child seat to fit to
this system. I have impression, this child seat is
available in Europe only

golfnuttb · November 2001

Purchased a 98 V70GLT and added Blizzak snow tires. The road noise is a bit much but they seem to handle very well. Can't wait til 1st snow here is WI.
Wondering if anyone can tell me if I can add front fog lights to my car. Would this be an after market type of thing? If, so any idea how much this would cost?

dunka · November 2001

A new bolt and some grease did the trick - Thank You Cpike1. Our '01 T5 is now click free the steering is a bit loose for my liking but it is completely smooth. The head volvo tech who did the job asked where I got my info and advised him he should be scanning these boards if he isn't already. As for the car seat question mentioned above - I was told by my dealer that the volvo car seat is not approved in the states yet. The vehicles has over 22k miles and just over a year old. Just came in off a 400 mile day, I feel great and had fun just driving on this excurison. My overall ownership experience has been outstanding with the exception of some minor cosmetic and adjustments such as the clicking issue. The issues have been taken care off quickly and professionally. Bring on more open road.

jamesgibbons · November 2001

Anyone knows what the invoice is for the 2001 XC.
Any incentives going on.
I heard a lot of people getting good deals like 36K for a fully loaded. Please help, I need to buy one within the next 2 weeks

Thanks

James

lowenstein · November 2001

I am thinking of buying a used '99 V70 XC (leather interior, whole 9 yards) with 32,000 miles from a reputable dealer close to where I live (12 miles away). They're asking $32,995 and I got them down to $28,995 without trying too hard. However, it's still a but above my price range. Does that price seem too high to anyone? Any reason not to buy a seemingly perfect car? Are the maintenance expenses really that manageable as most posts have alluded to. Is there some way I could find out what these maintenance costs look like? Thanks for anyones help. Thanks, Chris

rex_ruthor · November 2001

That seems really high to me. First, its the old platform, second, its got 32,000 miles, and third, if the dealer was asking $33K, they are not "reputable", any opinion to the contrary. Thats pure price gouging. Edmunds TMV on that car, for a dealer transaction, is only 27.3. and that was when i ran it as a CA car, so there was an upcharge for it...you should redo it for your own area. And, private part was about 3K less. Save the 3K, buy private party, and put it in a savings account for future repairs. You'll be much happier.

lowenstein · November 2001

Hey Rex,
Ok. Thanks for the input. I thought the figures indicated a car that should retail for about $32 or so. But then they came down easily to $29K. I still don't want to spend more than $25K but think they'll laugh in my face. Is it your opinion that I could get them to $25K? Should I be able to do that and then get them to give me a few K for my Trade? Or am I only gonna be able to get them to $25K with the trade. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY should I be spending this much money on a used car? Volvo or no Volvo. Thanks in advance for any response. Chris

rex_ruthor · November 2001

Chris, have no fear of a dealer laughing at you. Thats the oldest trick in the book. Dealers are starving right now. You have a huge advantage. I say, name your price. Just say "Heres what I want to pay"...and then dont say anything else...just wait for a response. If its laughter, just turn and walk straight out the door. You dont need to deal with people like that, and believe me, in this economy, 25K is not an unrealistic price. I think you could easily start there and get out the door for under $27K. And dont negotiated based on monthly payment or trade in value of your old car...thats how they chip away at you. Sell your car yourself, get a specific price for the XC in your head and stick to it like glue when negotiating up to it.

Good luck. Dont be intimidated, and dont get fixated on a dealer car. THere are lots of private party cars out there, and at that mileage, you can still buy an extended warranty if you are really concerned about reliability. I cant address that part of your question, but I do follow Volvo fairly closely and havent seen much evidence that there are any serious XC specific problems.

dallasmom · November 2001

HI! I am looking for a reliable,friendly dealer in the area to purchase/repair my v70

mikenk · November 2001

Although I sold the Volvo, I was pleased with the service department at Volvo of Richardson on U.S. 75 north of Arapaho.

Good luck
Mike

drej · December 2001

We too have the same year car, I hope that's all that goes wrong with yours. Typically I've read that if the rubber boots tear at the bottom & allow the lubricant to escape & moisture to get into it the steering unit will fail, Is this what was explained to you or was it a Volv-Quality problem. 25K seems very soon?At brickboard.com site I found many other problem to look out for!Good luck, I've just started having some tranny and vibrations problems myself!...D.

sbcooke · December 2001

The dealer is offering invoice +2.5%, no haggle price, on their cars. Of course I am going to try to haggle. I am oscillating between the V70 FWD and the XC. The AWD V70 would be a nice compromise, but it won't be available until next year from what I am told.

Any advice? Any horror stories? Whatever 11th hour input I can get would be appreciated.

dunka · December 2001

Post 388 - I am not sure where you are from, but unless you are in a region with a very limited supply of volvos or number of dealers I would think you can do much better than 2.5% over invoice. If you are flexible with V70 FWD vs the XC you should be in an even better negotiating position. I bought last fall and paid invoice plus the questionable adverstising fee... they got me on that one. As for FWD vs AWD, I opted for FWD and purchased 4 snow tires and did not have a problem in a Eastern MA winter and seeing as it is 70 degress right now we may skip winter this year... yeah right.

vonn1 · December 2001

In my opinion you should be able to do better than the 2.5 over invoice. Here in Minnesota I know of two Volvo dealers and they are both bloated with V70 XC's. If you want a better deal you should be able to get an XC at a fair price. This no haggle bit is just a way for dealers get more money through less work. I am guessing you will not get a very good deal on the V70 AWD as they are not stateside yet. I purchased my 01 V70 T5 through the OSD program, saved 4 grand over book and got the exact car I wanted at what I feel is a fair price. This is a great program, but you have to wait a long time to get your car. It is nice if you are already planing a trip to Europe. If you are looking for the best price, I'd go with an existing XC and shop around. I cannot believe that dealers would not want to move these as there seems to be so many sitting in dealer lots. Good luck and happy shopping. Oh, if you come across a good deal on a FWD V70 that is a good deal, buy it and add snow tires. I have a set of Blizzak LM-22's on my T5 and it stomps 4X4's on regular tires in the snow. However, I tend to believe that your best deal will come with an XC.

sbcooke · December 2001

I doubt I will do better than invoice, but I think I can get them to eliminate the 2.5. I plan on shopping around at a few dealers after they give me their sale price. There are still a lot of other cars on the list, but the volvo is at the top. Subaru Outback wagon, Sienna Minivan, Acura MDX, Camry, Highlander, well that about rounds it off. I have been shopping for a while, and the volvo seems to offer the best of all those, bigger than the subaru, smaller than the van and MDX, and offers premium safety, which is my ultimate goal in this new car purchase.

joecone · December 2001

Can anyone offer suggestions regarding choosing between the V70 2.4 T and the T5 ????

Is the 2.4T underpowered ??? Is the ride any different ???

Thanks...

cpike1 · December 2001

Dunka,

Glad to hear it's all resolved. It's a great car, hopefully these little annoyances won't happen too often.

rangersjeff · December 2001

I am going to purchase a 2002 XC and looking for a good dealer. Also looking to get the best price- any help would be great.

revka · December 2001

In addition to the feedback here, you may also want to check out Edmunds' New Vehicle PowerShopper? Good luck. ;-)

Revka
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Hatchbacks / Station Wagons / Women's Auto Center Boards

aawdwagonbob · December 2001

Oh us americans and our thirst for power. I just bought a 95 940 with 32k for 11k, It has 114 horsepower and it gets me where I want and when i want. so the 2.4t has something around 170 hp and the 2.45 t has well over 200hp. Ya know all these cars built today except for the smallest will do the job. Learn to anticipate, give up on 10 % of your passing opportunities and any will do fine.

As far as awd Im an avid sierra skier, and snows and Spikes spider chains (on in 2 min off in 3)drive at the posted speed (30 mph max) and there should be no problem. If you drive a safe car and drive safely why do you need awd.My last 3 cars were a 95 subaru, a 88 740 which I thought was a better snow car with the spiders and now the 940 with dual airbags and abs. I can afford anything I want, but dont always choose new and better/best, although I do have a sweet 2k saab convertible.

vonn1 · December 2001

I have not driven the 2.4T, but I do own a 2001 T5. I can tell you that from what I have read about the 2.4T, it is not under powered. The T5 offers power that is over and beyond the call of duty. I went with the T5 as I was tired of driving underachievers. I fully believe that the 2.4T is very nicely balanced with 200hp. For me the little bit of extra expense was worth the extra passing power. It's nice to know that when you do need that extra kick, it is there in the T5. Other than that, it's more bragging rights with the T5. There aren't many wagons (or other normal cars) that can beat it down an entrance ramp. I could have been happy with a 2.4T, but for once I went for the double chocolate fudge cake instead of the apple pie. Keep in mind, in Sweden almost all of the New V70's on the road are sold with the base engine. When my wife and I picked up our T5 in Sweden we drove 1400 miles and never saw another T5. I think I saw two 2.4T's. Gas does cost 6 bucks a gallon which is the main reason for the engine choice, but my point is that the 2.4T will do more than supply you with enough get up and get. However, if you have a bit of a wild side, the T5 delivers.

rex_ruthor · December 2001

Yes, it has almost 200 hp, but its also a 3500 pound car. Plus, being small displacement, there isnt a lot of torque. The T5 is a huge step up though. I have the auto, but i wish it was a stick...the car would really be a scream. Most soccer mom commuters arent going to care about power, but it matters to many other people (my apologies if anyone here is offended by that...

I would recommend to drive both, making sure to experience both of them at full throttle under a variety of conditions and make your decision based on that. Personally, I did not feel safe merging in the 2.4T. I live in the SF bay area and people drive crazy fast on the freeways sometimes. Its my experience that fast lane speeds are, on average, in excess of 80 mph. With the huge velocity differentials between that and the slow lanes, its important to get up to speed quick.

So, as you can see, there are several practical reasons to pick a car with more power, and this is just one of the most obvious. Another might be to compensate for a heavy load (as you might experience with all your soccer kids in the car) or just to adapt to local driving conditions (lots of hills where more power helps you out, or a very urban commute with lots of freeway merging to do)....

cayennered1 · December 2001

Haven't driven a V70 with a base enginem but I recently rented an S60 base in Florida and was pleasantly surprised with the performance. Without air on performance was more than adequate at all times. A tad underpowered with the air on but only slightly (I live in Michigan so air isn't on that often).

I drive a 196hp Mitsubishi V6 and the performance in my 3100 lb car is great. I don't know how much heavier the V70 is than the S60 but I can't imagine that the 2.4T wouldn't be fine.

I'm considering the S60 for my next car (Nov.2002) but money is tight and the base with premium package (moonroof, leather, pwr. seat, CD) stickers around 31000. The 2.4T with very little additional equipment is over 34000. I can't justify the extra money. But I think the base performance in that car will be fine. I just won't be taking out people at stoplights like I do now.

sandhurst · December 2001

Re: your conclusion about the S60 vs. V70 --
I have some similar thoughts about the V40 vs. V70. The V40 with premium package approaches $30,000. The V70 base is almost $35,000. One big difference is that the V40 is smaller (2800 lbs vs 3700 lbs for the V70). The safety equipment is about the same, but the weight difference has safety implications too. Also, Consumer Reports suggests that there are greater reliability problems with the V70 than with the V40. Because of all of this, it
is difficult to decide which one to buy, although I'm leaning toward the V40.

rex_ruthor · December 2001

I would seriously investigate the V40 reliability issue. I have heard it the other way around, and you may be confusing the newer generation of V70 with the last one, which had a lot of electrical issues. Ive heard that there are scads of problems with the V40. It has a 1.9L f-banger motor compared to the V70's 2.3 or 2.4L five, and its built with Mitsubishi, which is in itself not known for building reliable cars (when compared to Honda or Toyota, or even Volvo, for that matter)

You could try stopping into a local Volvo dealer and talking to the service manager or a tech. When you tell them you arent buying a car at their dealership and just want advice, they will probably be more than happy to share their candid experience. The tech at my dealer told me that the old V70's were horrible, from a warranty work standpoint, but that they havent seen many problems with the new ones.

Volvo V70 Wagon Experience

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