By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
Good Luck!
This car is much louder than my 2001 and 2002 Honda Accord.
Been a long time since I have read or posted on the Volvo forums. Good to be back.
My wife and I have an American spec. T5 wagon (tiptronic)in Germany and it is a blast. We bought it in August '02 as the '03s were being introduced here in Europe. This car is made to run, and run hard. I doubt many of you have been to the governor with your turbo Volvos but I have and they love it. The faster you drive the tighter the car gets, just like our 535i.
Our car has just under 12K miles on it and I can definitely say I have experienced some of the driveability issues some of you have commented on. The posts about stumbling by k7hp are also a concern of mine. I have had this problem explained to me as an emissions issue and for gas mileage. Doesn't sound related but it does make sense. It is also related to the early brake pad replacements and brake dust on the wheels.
When you think about someone wanting to get the most horsepower out of a car targeted for 20-26 mpg and try to get this same car to be a 'green' car with the tree huggers, they have to make changes to help them meet their goals.
The transmission does 'disengage' when you don't have your foot on the gas. When I put my foot back on the pedal at slower speeds it does take a second and I can feel it 'come back into gear'. This is why your cars coast for so long when you take your foot off the gas and why your brake pads wear so badly. There is very little engine braking, as you would get in a manual, with this transmission. Is this bad? Only if it shows long term wear problems, or if it wears on you!
As for the fit, finish and interior, I have more issues. This car is not a BMW or a high end Japanese import. The materials for the door pulls are VERY cheap, fit of the glove box is not good by design, and there are visibility issues as mentioned in previous posts (mostly due to the side air bags in the B pillar).
Would I trade it for a V70R or a manual trans? No. The turbo lag with the manual trans is not good (drove an S0 T5 manual 2 weeks ago and didn't like the lag), and there is no way I would really (and legally)use the R's fun in the states. I'll return to the states next summer after a stint in Iraq.
Hope my rambling has cleared up some issues. Hang in there. These cars are very nice but do have idiosyncrasies.
Oh, Volvomax, I know your post telling the details of the V70 model engines was way back, but just to clarify/update: The '03 XC70 has a 208HP engine, as do the '04 S60 2.5T and V70 AWD and XC70.
The cross bars go over top of the roof rack.
Actually the dealer should be able to cut the moldings on the roof to install the euro rails.
You should not have to buy new moldings.
So here are the general questions.
Reliability. Having had an iron-clad Mitsubishi, Subaru and Mazda, I’m worried about maintenance costs and that $500 bill every time something goes wrong.
Actual costs to own: Does the T5 require premium fuel? That would factor into the gas cost savings equation.
Actual room in the back. The Saab’s back looked cavernous. By contrast, seems as though the back area in the Volvo was much smaller. Fair to say that any long trip requires a rocket box.
Third seat. What’s the real deal regarding the reverse seat? The dealer said the kid has to be 100 pounds. Seems to me that I’ve generally seen kids smaller than that back there. We have an infant so it doesn't matter as much now.
My next move is to drive an 01 2.4 to see if there is much power difference.
As for the roominess, I have not driven the Saab wagon but they do look a bit larger. My wife and I have packed a bunch of antiques in the back of our wagon. Not as big as our Yukon, but plenty of room. The only real way to tell if the Saab is actually larger is to look at cargo capacity numbers on this site or MSN Carpoint. Use the current year models for the best results.
The fuel mileage will be quite a bit better than your Montero but not as good as a 2.4T or 2.5T, depending on the year you choose. They are not as fun to drive, though, and ride differently. The type of driving we do achieves less than you will as far as fuel mileage is concerned. We get 21 mpg mixed driving but cruise between 85 and 90 mph on the highway. There is also a lot of merging and stop and go in our commute.
The T5 should be fed premium fuel.
I don't know about reliability. We have had several things done under warranty but no real problems. Just getting the bugs worked out. The most serious was the O2 sensor. It gave us a check engine light. Our car is an '01 and has 12k miles on it. So far the dealer has been good to us and we expect that when we bring the car back to the US, also. Our warranty period did not start until AUG '02 and we have 4 yrs 50k miles (Europe special) to 'work the bugs out. As with any used car, you have to hope the previous owner got some bugs out, too.
Good luck with your decision. Both are nice cars. I like the styling of the Volvo better, but, that is me.
Help!!!
If you look in the rain channel in your V70 you will see a couple of metal clips.
These are to secure the load bars. I have a set for my C70 they work great.
Otherwise you can install the traditional Volvo Roof Rack and the cross bars.
The load bars are cheaper and can be removed when not in use.
For the US the only options are off or on.
Either you shut the DRL system down, which is against Canadian law I believe, or you leave it alone.
But I wonder if this is actually deliberately done by Volvo for safety reasons. For FWD car, or a FWD-biased car such as the Volvo AWD models, if you're coasting downhill on a slippery surface, engine-braking may cause the front wheels to lose traction which would be disastrous if you're going around a curve. But this would not happen if the transmission completely disengages.
On a 98 Cross Country there is a small screw on the light switch panel.Turn it and the drl's turn off.
On the current Volvo's a software download has to be performed.
In Canada I thought the law mandated drl's to be on always.
Mine are off btw on my C70.
As far as reliability, no major problems at all. The only exception doesn't really have anything to do with the car itself, but rather the tires. The 17" "upgraded" Pirelli tires are complete junk. I had 3 of them develop sidewall bulges from hitting ordinary potholes, and in one instance the wheel itself cracked... very expensive. I replaced them with BF Goodrich GForce tires... I have not had a single problem since, and the Goodriches are better performing.
Aside from the tires, the only other problem was a broken mechanical cupholder that slides out from the dash (it wouldn't "squeeze" the drink)... fixed under warranty.
As already mentioned, yes you must use Premium fuel in the T5, but I think Premium is also required for the 2.4T.
Interior capacity is almost identical to the Saab 9-5 wagon (37.5 vs. 37 cu.ft. luggage; 72 vs. 73 cu.ft. total cargo (seats down)).
Should I take my chances and forget an extension?
Like some opinions please.
Get one with a clutch pedal next time, then. :-)
I can't guess what Volvo's rationale to have all the lights on all the time.
1. Traffic so lousy in Phoenix that you would wear out the throwout bearing unless went to neutral and just completely sat there.
2. Wife does not want a stick shift.
3. Worst problem is bad left hip that cannot handle holding clutch in very long ..
oh well ..But I still contend that at least MY 2003 V70 2.4T is a pitiful joke as far as drive train.
I see you are looking for a V70 going from a 740 .. I went from two 960's to the V70 and have regretted it ever since... Shame on me.
http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/townhallchat.html
6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Drop by for live chat with other members. Hope you can join us!
kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
There isn't any provision for changing the light pattern if you will.
Also, being a Canadian spec car, the program might not work. The onboard computer could refuse it.
As I mentioned a few days ago, this lack of engine braking contributes to the front brake pad wear and brake dust problems mentioned since the '01 V70's came out. In fact, the dust build-up was mentioned as one of the concerns in a major magazine review of the V70 when it was introduced. This is a huge concern in Europe, the land of the tail-gaters and Germany's unlimited speed limits.
Does anyone have infants riding in their V70s? I have a new (two week old) concern. When reading the rear facing car seat instructions, it said not to install the seat in the middle of the rear seat where there is a fold down arm rest. The reason is obvious in a crash sequence. The volvo manual does not address it at all, but only talks about the built in booster cushions.
My question: Why would the most safety conscious car manufacturer in the world not have a latch or release pull for that arm rest so infants could ride in the safest possible spot in a vehicle? I now have to put the baby in one of the outboard seats where he is more vulnerable in an accident.
Anyone have the same concern?
Thanks!
Have not even thought about taking the rear arm rest out of the $1300 leather interior. Not sure why I should have to. If I could, and I may try, this would help many with the issue I have. I don't want to, but it might be the best thing for my child's safety. Why should I have to is another story. Again I must ask, why would Volvo design that seat without a latched pull or some devise so the arm rest would not come down on my child in a crash and harm him?
Your second 906 question: I do have the T5 with the Geartronic that 'freewheels'. That is such a bad way of describing what actually happens with the XMSN but if that's what people want to use for a XMSN that lets the car coast forever, that's fine. It saves fuel and that is very important here in Europe when gas is more than $4/gallon.
Most of the Europeans drive stick shifts and diesels to save gas. Their diesels cannot even be had in the states because we use a lesser grade fuel than they do. But, a TDI Audi or a CDI Mercedes will last a whole lot longer than our engines and blow many of our cars away. Their Diesel technology is great compared to ours. When you think back to the diesel craze of the early 80's in the states and the noisy stinky problems they had, our consumers are turned off to them.
Not saying Diesel is the way to go for the US, but it is in Europe.
Our Volvo does what we need it to so far, with very few problems. It is a blast to drive on the Autobahn but a 5 or 6 speed would be even more fun. Driving a wagon at 125 or 130 MPH is amazing, but these do it with grace.
Also, when going down a long hill, have you tried putting the Geartronic in manual mode? I don't know if it'd work; I'm just wondering aloud if putting it in, say, 4th manually would hold it in that gear. Worth a shot, anyway.
I know diesels have come a long way; I've been eyeing a Golf TDi as a possible replacement for my wife's car ('94 Accord,) as she's got a longish commute. The thing that gives me pause, though, is the extreme cold temperatures we get in the winter here in Iowa and their gelling effect on diesel fuel. I know that the US is supposed to start refining "European grade" (for lack of a better word) diesel in the next several years. We'll see what technological refinements vis a vis cold weather performance that brings.
We test drove an '04 XC70 with pretty much the standard options (Premium, Booster Seats (which are really cool - and fit our needs well) and a handful of other items that make this car sticker around $39,400. My wife is really eager to move forward on this car once we get our settlement payment from Audi.
What are others paying for the new 2004 XC70? I heard about the $2K rebate. I realize that this is a dumb question, but I assume that should be incremental to any and all other discounts I can negotiate, right? It seems that there are a lot of deals going on with Volvos right now. What should I expect to pay?
Thanks a lot for your feedback! Keith
I re registered as my paswword was at work. I would be very interested in hearing your Lemon story. I drove both the XC70 and a '03 A6 Avant quattro this past Friday afternoon. I am definately leaning towards the Volvo but the Audi seems to have the edge for appearances/design/sportiness. The V6 engine is definately smoother at low revs (no smoother than my Odyssey's V6 however)than the XC70 but merging onto freeway and zipping along at 80-90 there's not much of a difference. I was struck by he A6's interior. I can only describe it as the opposite of heavy. There is something about the tops of the door panels which seems so unobtrusive. However, a few things that bothered me: The drivers seat was not particularly comfortable, the throttle was hard to control smoothly at low speeds, the console was way too busy, the price was still around 40 grand before tax etc. The Volvos that are currently available in my area come with premium and touring pkgs, child booster and xenia spoke wheels. Depending on metallic paint (extra $450) or not (white and black), the MSRP is approx $39K and the dealer wants $35K. They have a bunch of them on the lot. The above price includes the $2000 rebate to dealer. As the invoice (according to Edmunds) is about $36, I guess the dealer is making about $1000? Perhaps htere is other cash to dealer stuff going on behind the scenes? One thing I am not not crazy about the XC is the color combo's. The plastic cladding is either brown or blue. The blue looks looks really odd with the silver, which is normally a color I like. The green looks nice with the brown cladding. The rest of the colors don't look like they belong on a $40K car,perhaps this is why they have a bunch of cars on their hands? I'm located in Fairfield County, CT and I'm looking to buy in the next several weeks. Let me know what your Volvo dealer experiences have been and , of course, anything you might have to say that looking at the A^ is a waste of time.
I suspect this is simply an example of lawyers covering their clients rear end.
If anything, I would guess the risk of being injured by a falling arm rest is insignificant compared to the risk of being injured by unsecured cargo flying around the cabin after impact.
Anyone seen any, or know of a dealer who has any?
the deals should be outstanding on these right now. Go check out Edmunds TMV on them...well below MSRP.
I got the 2003 A6 Quattro 3.0 the first of March. There were some great lease deals going on and frankly I couldn't find a $42K car that I liked as much that could also be had for $400/month. I like the color and features and it seemed like an easy decision. I completed the deal in less than 30 minutes.
From the start, the car had a vibration that would appear between 40 and 75 mph. It is slight, but definitely noticeable. I took the car repeatedly to my local dealer, who I will say treated me EXTREMELY well. I have nothing but positive things to say about them. I always had a similar new loaner and they treated me respectfully.
Anyway, they kept trying new/different things including: 2 new sets of tires, 1 new set of rims (upgraded 17" wheel package), new drive shaft, new transmission ($14K itself!!!), new front differential and most recently a new rear differential was ordered. In total, there is well in excess of $20K in repairs done to my car in its 6 months and over 7 weeks in the shop.
Given the amount of time I now qualify for the Lemon Law. So far Audi has been VERY easy to deal with. I do have a problem with their most recent settlement statement in that it clearly leaves out one resolution that I understand I am entitled to under Ohio law (full refund of ALL monies paid from day 1.) They are willing to upgrade me to a 2004 A6 2.7T (twin turbo) at no cost to me (about a $5K upgrade, plus one model year newer.)
So now I am waiting to get my final resolution with them. Seriously, in spite of all this, I am still very keen on Audis and I am convinced my car is just a bad one that got through. I am not at all mad at Audi as they have treated me well thus far and have made every effort to ensure I am happy. I would buy another again tomorrow.
The reason I am looking at the XC70 is that my wife is a "take the money and run" person and she really wants to simply cash out the lease and go buy (versus lease) something else. She drove the XC70 over the weekend and really likes it. So I am weighing out that option.
I have not yet talked any pricing with the Volvo dealer, but based on what I am reading, approx $35K range sounds reasonable with the current $2K rebate. Sounds like you are seeing the same thing.
Personally I like the Audi's looks and handling, but I don't think I can touch it at the price of the Volvo if I am going to get out of the lease and do a purchase. I really do like the Audi and the Quattro system is excellent. The Volvo has price on its side and the wagon configuration, along with the built-in booster seats (which I need) are a real plus in its favor.
Decisions, decisions....
Things get a little confused with the lighting knob, which has the typical "off", "parking", and "on" positions. If the knob is in "off", then the DRLs and HIDs come on automatically as described above, but you cannot use the high beams. If the knob is on, the HIDs are on whenever the car is and you can use the high beams. To get from "off" to "on" at night to use the high beams, you must go through "parking". This move turns the headlights off for a second and then re-ignites them. This is rather annoying, especially if you're already driving, and given what it takes to ignite a HID bulb I imagine it's unnecessarily hard on the electronics.
In hi beam mode the xenon reflector tilts up to cast the light farther ahead.
The small round lights next to the xenon reflector are the DRL lights.
With the headlight switch in the OFF position the DRLs are on and the Xenons are turned on in low light situations.
With the switch in the ON position the DRLs are off and the Xenons are on always
Thanks for the help...