Volvo S70

gthomaspa · August 2000

I just purchased a 2000 SE GLT and find it a real fine automobile. The only problem that I'm experiencing is the lack of visibility when backing up and, in several instances, changing lanes. The high back seats and closeness to the door/window leave a very small window of sight to safely manuever the vehicle. I'm sure others have had the same problem and I'm curious as to what others have done to alleviate this potentially dangerous situation. If anyone has any ideas (such as the small "blind spot" mirrors) to lessen the danger of accident and/or injury, I would appreciate your input.

sunliner · August 2000

I'll admit that the headrests make it hard to look over my shoulder out the rear window. I've learned to use my mirrors, though. The view out the rear window from the mirror is unobstructed. I have my outside mirrors adjusted to see a decent arc behind me. I've never thought that visibility was bad from our car...quite the opposite.
Possibly it's the seat position -- I'm long-limbed, so my seatback is almost back to the b-pillar and I can see out the rear-door windows when I turn my head.

And that's another thing. I actually turn my head and look around before changing lanes...and if a headrest or pillar is blocking my view...I move my head to see around it, rather than blaming the car for having a "blind spot."

My $0.02

gthomaspa · August 2000

I appreciate your input. I am "short-legged and, perhaps, it is just going to take a little time to adjust and become a little bit of a learning process. I really do like the car very much, the first real "luxury" car that I've owned. I'm sure that I will become accustomed to the difference in driving this car and really learn to "love it". Once again, thanks for the information.

lgammill · August 2000

I too have noticed the blind spot (especially when changing lanes). My old car had really good visibility, so this is an adjustment. I am also "short-legged" so I can appreciate where you are coming from. So, I have been "re"- learning to look over my shoulder when I change lanes. And also have my mirrors adjusted so that I can see in that blind spot.

If I find anything else (e.g., different kind of mirror), I will be sure to post it. Hopefully someone else will do likewise!

lgammill

me2000 · August 2000

I love my 5-spd Honda Ex in excellent condition, however it's going to my college grad daughter, 25
on Aug. 15 now an RN. Yeah! I need a new car. Drove a S70Se in Honolulu last week, loved it...came home to the Big Island (Hilo) and now waiting for a silver S70Se automatic to be shipped here any day now. Never owned an automatic as I love that zip and punch when you need it. The Volvo is definately much more of a car and indeed more $$. No 5spd here in Hawaii so I'm nervous about automatics. I live outside of Hilo about 20 miles to work. Help! Anxious and very nervous. Have always owned 5spd Hondas,test drove Mazda, Camry, 2000 Hondas, but I surely liked the luxury of a Volvo.

speedshift · August 2000

For what it's worth--I don't own an S70, I rented one for two weeks and liked it so much I may lease one in a few months--I'm also a confirmed stick guy but was quite happy with the auto. I think you might appreciate how much more pleasant it makes driving in traffic. The S70 is very smooth, and the auto just makes it that much smoother.

dpares · August 2000

I've posted a few times about the blind spot... S70SE is a nice car and feels like a pretty safe car but between the large B pillars and large head rests rearward vision, no matter how tall or short you are, is pretty bad!

I really have to twist around to see out the back window while backing up...and have had some close calls... for a "safe" car this as a surprise...

Don't know any way around it .. just be VERY careful backing up.. lane changes don't seem to be a problem ..mirrors seem to be unobstructed as far as lane changes are concerned...

BTW... my sunroof is more like a hurricane roof.. anyone try a wind deflector to see if it reduces the noise and wind flow!

theresa11 · August 2000

Recently test drove S70SE with and without the wind deflector. What a big difference! Not only was the noise greatly reduced, so was the extreme hot sun burning down into the car. I have had sunroof's in all my cars and never have had one w/a wind deflector. I just bought my new S70SE and had the dealer add one. Hope this helps.

dpares · August 2000

theresa11. thanks for the insight on the wind deflector... am planning to add one now..

Just got home from work where someone rear ended me in my NEW VOLVO!!... hit us (was with my wife) pretty hard while we were sitting still .. not sure if anyone realizes it but those big comfy seats... felt like they just wrapped around us..VERY protective and secure.. I got out expecting to find the entire back end crumpled.. to my surprise...just the bumper cover was mis-aligned...no body damage at all!!! .. if I was in my other car.. a new Honda Civic.. I'm sure i'd be looking at substantial damage and some sore backs and necks.. a Volvo fan for life (just agreed to get a used one for my daughter .. I definitely want her in this car!)

ca1110 · August 2000

We are shopping for 2000 S70 SE. It's a very solid and comfortable car. Plus, it's safe! We are checking out the best deals.
The car has everything except a moonroof. We are fine with it. The dealer showed us the invoice price at 28,780. We'll need to pay something more than this price (anywhere from $100-500).
We like to know what kind of the price other people have paid for S70 SE. Thanks for your help!

dpares · August 2000

I paid less for mine...2000 S70 SE... was about 27,500 ..but they come with sunroof..at least mine did.

and read my post above yours....unfortunate accident but i can attest.. think its the safest car i've ever owned.. and i owned mostly BMW's.

good luck!

brazos92 · August 2000

I'm looking at buying a 1998 s70 T5 from a friend. What are the watchouts? Will he still be my friend in 6 months? I've driven it a number of times and it is rock solid. The turbo is powerful and the interior challenged my perceptions of Volvo. Can anyone comment. Thanks much.

B92

volvoscott · August 2000

How many miles are on it? If less than 50K then obviously factory warranty will still cover anything on it. If not, take it to a Volvo retailer and have them check it over for you. It's worth it. From a technician standpoint it is a solid car, but just has it's minor problems, door panels on 98's, headlight bulbs, turn signals flashing fast, door lock motors, and evap valves. On the turbo, always be aware of oil leaks. It's common for them to leak at the turbo inlet hose, and the oil return line. Both of these are easy to repair. Nice car, sure wish I owned one.

Scott

brazos92 · August 2000

Scott:

Good morning. Thx for the response. The car is coming off a 3 yr lease with 35k miles. I did think that at least for the next 15k miles I would be covered. This guy lives next door and his garage is immaculate. No visible oil stains.
The turn in number is $23k. That seems like a good whsle price. Let me know what you think.
Thx again.

B92

lurker4 · August 2000

Hi folks. I'm looking at buying a 1998 S70 GTAS(?)(I've never heard of this model--haven't seen the car yet), auto, loaded, cold weather package, moonroof, CD, leather, headlight washers, trip computer, etc. Owner believes it is the 190hp 5-cyl. (if true that would mean the LPT).

Car has only 18,000 mi. Has had one window switch replaced. Asking price $24,900. 3 questions: Ever heard of this model/trim designation? How does the price sound? Any known issues to look out for?

Owner purchased a 4 yr/50k mi. extended warranty. Do you think it's transferable? (Oops--4 questions) Thanks for any input.

ca1110 · August 2000

Thanks for your info. It seems that you bought it at a much better price. There are a few things I forgot to specify:

1. We are in California. I don't which state you are in. Did your dealer charge a $400 advertising fee?

2. The car we are looking at has Auto and metallic paint. Do you have the same feature?

Per Edmund's data: SE's invoice price is $26,485, plus $1,000 for auto transmission and $320 for Metallic paint, it comes to 27,805.
CA dealer charges us $400 advertising fee, with destination fee $575, the total comes to $28,880.

Does this deal look fine to anyone? Thanks!

dpares · August 2000

mine is black so guess thats not metallic ...SE comes with everything...has cold weather package, auto, leather,moonroof etc..etc..etc.....no touring package though..bought it in NJ.. and excludes tax...

theresa11 · August 2000

Just bought a S70 SE. 26,485 is the base, 575 is dest, 1000 for optional automatic, 960 invoice/1200 msrp for optional sunroof, 320 invoice/400 msrp for optional metallic paint. The only items that come w/the base S70 SE is the leather/woodgrain/premium stereo cd. Everything else is optional. What I found out through research was that your price is definitely dictated by where you live and how busy (volume) the dealership is. The more cars they sell, the better the price. I live in the southeast and searched over a dozen dealerships for the best deal (which does not always mean the lowest price!)and know that I got the best deal possible in my region. I was able to get a price below cost and they added free of charge a number of options because they could not reduce the price any further. SE automatic models are becoming more difficult to find - at least in my part of the country. Check some other Volvo dealerships and see how many SE's they have on their lot. That might help you determine if they will deal. Good luck.

ca1110 · August 2000

finally, we bought the new S70 SE today at $28,780. It includes everything except cold weather pkg and sunroof. This is the best price out of 3 dealers.
You are right about the business volume and the area we live in. We live in San Fransico Bay Area. The dealers are selling S70 very quickly here. we need another car very soon. I had an accident 3 weeks ago. My Infiniti I30 is a total loss. We just moved here from NJ 1 month ago. Anyway, I think this deal is not too bad. Thank you all!

sunliner · August 2000

...geez, dpares! I'm glad you and your wife are ok. What happened? Did the other driver at least stop, or drive off? How'd their car fare? Any estimates on your car for hidden damage or anything?

I'm just full of questions, aren't I? It's like this: we knew that a big intangible "feature" that we got with our Volvo is the safety...but it's not like you can test the safety features on the test drive. So I'm always curious.

lsap72 · August 2000

I had recently purchased a 2000 S70 and it has already been in the service department 4 times for the same exact problem. Within the past 4 1/2 months that I have had the car, my turn signals have failed to work. I was told by the service dept that this is a common problem among Volvo cars. What I don't understand is why Volvo cannot manufacture a car where the blinkers work and continue to work instead of failing every week or month. They are aware of the problem so why not rectify it once and for all?

If I had to do it again, I would not have bought the Volvo. For a car that is work over $30,000, I should not have to experience the stress that I had so soon after purchasing the car. Has anyone else experienced this problem like I have? I would really appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks!

hgolightly · August 2000

I'm looking to purchase a 1998 S70, automatic, sedan, cold weather pkg, leather. Anything "flookie" I should know? Do the breaks squeal? How loud is the drive? I have never owned a Volvo, but have heard great things about them. I just don't want my first experience to be with a bad year/model. Thanks!

lancerfixer · August 2000

From what I've been reading, and what I've read elsewhere, the 1998 models were pretty problematic, especially with the lighting system. I'd look at either a '99 or perhaps a '97 850, or maybe even a new 40 series.

knoxville · August 2000

I found a 1998 S70 GLT with 25000 miles. Its leather, with weather package, moonroof, split seats, etc. Best I can tell, its got every extra available. Its list price was $36,000 and the dealer is asking $24,000. From my research this seems like a good price. What do you think?

Knoxville

rollie · August 2000

Regarding post #79:

From my experience, the '98 S70s were quite reliable overall. The only widespread issue I know of was the cheap turn signal sockets that are replaced as the result of a TSB. If you don't get the new sockets then your bulbs will continue to fail. I had the fix done and didn't have any additional failures for the subsequent 20,000+ miles (I only had the car for about 32,000 miles before I sold it since I bought a S80 T6).

Thanks.

-rdo
rdollie@home.com

rollie · August 2000

Regarding post #79:

From my experience, the '98 S70s were quite reliable overall. The only widespread issue I know of was the cheap turn signal sockets that are replaced as the result of a TSB. If you don't get the new sockets then your bulbs will continue to fail. I had the fix done and didn't have any additional failures for the subsequent 20,000+ miles (I only had the car for about 32,000 miles before I sold it since I bought a S80 T6).

Thanks.

-rdo
rdollie@home.com

lgammill · August 2000

ca1110 -- Congratulations on your new purchase. I too just recently bought a 2000 S70 SE. I also live in the SF Bay Area (bought the car from Smythe Volvo in San Jose). I paid $99 over invoice, and their invoice price included a $300 advertising fee that I was told was charged by the manufacturer. My research indicated that there is an advertising fee built into the base price for a model, so I wasn't sure if I was getting a line or what. Even if the charge was bogus, all of the other charges were legit, so I took the plunge and bought it.

I have just over 800 miles on my baby at this point. Only problem -- I have a very annoying rattle in the back. Still haven't located it (but then again haven't spent much time trying to find it either).

Anyway, I love the car so far.

For dpares, my sunroof is very noisy as well. Tell us what you find out about that windshield thing so that it is no longer like a hurricane tunnel!

Also, I too (like sunliner) am very interested in the details of your little car accident. Glad to hear there was not much damage and that those great big seats did their job!

To lurker4 re: post #71. If you didn't already find out - I think the GT means turbo; the "A" means automatic and the "S" means sunroof. When I bought my car, they called it a S70 SE ASR -- meaning S70 special edition; automatic; sunroof (SR). Hope that helps.

Finally, someone posted about the stick vs. automatic. I have been an avid stick driver. My last car was a 5 spd. But with all of the traffic I drive in, I thought it was time for an automatic. I like it very much. The only problem I have is that sometimes it is difficult to get on the freeway, I have to floor it to get it up to speed -- and some of our northern California on-ramps are very short. You just don't have a lot of distance for acceleration. But once you are up to speed, I think it's great.

lgammill

turbo_rush · August 2000

I currently drive a 99 S70 GLT with approx. 20 km.
I love the car and haven't experienced any major problems, besides the annoying frequency of bulb replacements. I am relieved to hear that other owners are experiencing rattles and shakes with their vehicles. However, I've begun to notice major creaking noises. Can anyone tell me what is the cause of this? I've babied my car from day one and can't think of any reason why these noises exist. I've been to my service advisor so many times and I think they may think I am imagining these noises. Anyway, any feedback would be helpful.

Thanks!

turbo_rush

dpares · August 2000

Thanks for the concern regarding the accident.. Thank god everyone was fine .. other persons car that hit us (twice i might add.. she stepped on the accelerator instead of the breaks after the first hit) was prety messed up..she could drive it but her bumper was a mess...grill was a mess..etc..

Took our car to the body shop for an estimate yesterday.. seems the bill is about $1500 so far but I expect it to be more.. we got hit so hard that the peices of the front grill fell out due to the impact.. i didnt notice it at the time but they need replacing also.. the estimator said the trunk lid was out of line but not dented!..(not bad for such a jolt).. body seems fine but he says they'll check for alignment of the body to make sure, I also hear a noise under the car under hard acceleration.. suspect its the exhaust system..something is out of line or lose

.. I'm just astounded that the car held up as well as it did and how cushioned we were by the seats..

You dont realize it when you buy the car..you hear all the hype about safety but figure that any big car is just as safe..( maybe they are).. but when you come through something such as this with no real aches or anything broken, and the car holds up as it did ... it kinda makes you forget about the rattles and burned out bulbs etc ..etc... etc (of which mine has none of those...even after the accident).. Overall.. a GREAT CAR! ..

Thanks for the concern

gizmo98 · August 2000

when the moonroof is opened the front piece of
plastic which rises about an inch above the roof
has a tendency to rattle (especially when going over a bumpy road) other times it is fine. I know
it's the plastic because when I touch it while
rattling, it stops. This only happens at speeds
over 20 mph. Does this sound familiar to
anyone ?

trippntn · August 2000

I have a 1998 S70 that has had continuing problems with the headlights, brake lights, turn signal lights. Volvo has said that they have no solution. The only solution I have is to get rid of the car and never buy a Volvo again. The really sad thing is that aside from the problems with the lights it has been the most comfortable car I have ever owned.

rollie · August 2000

Regarding post #87:

trippntn, could you be more specific about the issues with respect to periodicity? For example, do the turn signal blow more frequently than other bulbs (if so then your dealer probably hasn't replaced the sockets per the Technical Service Bulletin).

If your headlights are lasting over a year or so and you use DRLs then you MAY not have a problem here either.

Have you tried another dealership?

Thanks.

-rdo
rdollie@home.com

pja0 · August 2000

We are considering purchasing a Volvo S70 2000 or 2001. I am interested in further comments from current owners. It seems the only real problem has been with the bulb sockets for parking/running lights and turn signals, which is supposed to be readily remedied by a technical service bulletin which requires replacement of the inferior sockets. Any comments, pro or con on this vehicle will be greatly appreciated!

jrand333 · August 2000

I bought a 2000 S70 last December and still love this car! No problems with lights, squeaks, etc. The only problem I have had is the woodgrain console cracked due to what I don't know (perhaps the heat) but the dealer has ordered it and it will be replaced free of charge. I was used to driving a 5 speed but chose the automatic transmission due to driving in heavy traffic and don't regret it at all. It is both fun to drive and the most comfortable car I've ever owned. My car is white, sunroof, leather interior, CD player, cruising package and I purchased it for 28,500 last December. Hope this info helps with your decision making process. I have found this message board to be very helpful.

bryang4 · August 2000

Turbo rush,

I believe the squeaking comes from the plastic rocker panel covers. A good quality silicone lubricant sprayed in the space between the edge of the top of that cover and the body will run down inside and stop the noise. Open the doors, and you will find this space just below where the weatherstrip fits on the body. I do this on my '98 S70 every six months and it seems to do the trick.

theresa11 · August 2000

I have a '00 S70 SE w/the SC-816 stereo system. I have noticed that the AM/FM reception is not very clear. I have also noticed that even when I turn the volume up all the way, it still is not very loud. Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions? Thanks for your input.

rollie · August 2000

Regarding post #94:

The S70 has about 1,400+ refinements over the 850 according to Volvo. The ride quality is definitely better. The light issue was associated with bad turn signal sockets. The fix is very quick and was done for most cars that experienced this issue at dealerships. I've owned T5 version of both and can tell you that the S70 T5 does reflect additional refinement efforts on the part of Volvo and the interior and exterior freshening is well done to boot. There's nothing wrong with the '97 850 - it's just a bit older in design.

Good luck.

-rdo
rdollie@home.com

cpbarton · August 2000

I've had nothing but trouble w/my 98 S70 T5. Dead radio, one of the 4 locks doesn't pop-up w/the keyless remote, the moon roof rattles, the battery died inside 10,000, the Check Engine light just came on at 16,000, a turn signal died, and the dash rattles.

The power is nice, and the car is comfortable, but for the price, I wouldn't expect so many problems. I definitely don't recommend it!

lweiss · August 2000

I've had my Volvo S-70 base model, automatic since 6/98 and I've grown to love it. It is a lease, has about 24K miles, and I will admit to the first 6 months of driving it having a bunch of little problems, including the infamous light sockets. Again, a good dealership makes all the difference and mine was great. At this point, the car is very well engineered, very comfortable seats, doesn't rattle at all, handles well (takes a little getting used to if you haven't driven Euripean cars), depreciates slowly, and even though I have the base (non-turbo) engine, has more than enough power for my mainly suburban and sometimes highway driving.

Downside? Of course there are some: a noisy engine (compared to a Honda or Camry or even GM V-6 anyway), the need for premium fuel (although the service advisor at my dealership says it really isan't necessary on the non-turbo) and when you do need non- warranty service, be prepared to pay big bucks, which is like most European cars.

I recommend the S-70. Since the model is being phased out, you can probably buy the base model for about $28K with everything, which is a lot of car for the money.

theresa11 · September 2000

Any input re: initial break-in of new engine (new car) - I have heard not to use cruise control, vary the speed, keep below 3000rpm and no hard breaking or acceleration. How many miles should I follow this advice? Any other comments would be appreciated. Thanks

sneville · September 2000

What replacement tires do you recommend for a 1998 S70? The car came with MXV4s and they are looking very thin at 45,000 miles. I have quotes from Costco for Michelin XGT H4 and Michelin MXV4+ of $105 and $109 mounted. I had heard that some Michelin's were not good in rainy conditions. I live in the SF Bay area and need an M+S all weather tire.

Would appreciate some advice.

S.

rollie · September 2000

Regarding post #99:

In general, I can highly recommend the Michelin Pilot XGT V4s for this car unless it is a T5 then I would go with the Pilot XGT Z4s. When you look up or buy these tires make sure the word 'Pilot' is in the name as there is an older discontinued tire of a similar name that is completely different.

Good luck.

-rdo
rdollie@home.com

theresa11 · September 2000

How many miles do I have to be concerned about acceleration and no cruise control - 1000, 2000 miles? I do alot of highway driving and my right foot is getting very tired. :-) Thanks for your input.

sneville · September 2000

rollie,

Thanks for your advice regarding my post #99 on the Michelin tires.

lgammill · September 2000

Hi everyone. I just took my new 2000 S70 in to the dealer to get a rattle taken care of, and I complained about a couple of other problems I was having. I am having intermittent problems with the automatic transmission (or at least I believe that it is the transmission). When I am slowing to stop or turn a corner the car downshifts very hard and makes a kind of thump sound. I cannot make this problem replicate on any kind of regular basis, although it happened three times in a row when I was driving last week. In any event, the dealer service guy told me that the 2000 S70's have a new transmission in them by Asia Warner -- made in Japan. From what I was told, the 2000 models are the first Volvo's with this transmission. I didn't know that the 2000 S70 had a new transmission (or one made in Japan for that matter). It is apparently the same tranny that is the 2001 V70. He told me that there have been reported problems with the 2000 V70 transmission -- specifically harsh or rough shifting. Does anyone have any information about this?

Also, I am having a problem with my front passenger seat. Whenever you put your weight against the back, the seat clunks and the backrest moves backwards. The dealer said that it was not supposed to do that, but was not sure that replacement parts would fix the problem (considering the replacement parts were probably the same parts I have in my seat right now). It is a manually adjustable seat. Dealer thought that it might be something with the wheel that adjusts the back rest. Anyone have any problems like this with their cars?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Also re: Post #101 -- My dealer told me that the break in period is 1200 miles -- i.e., avoid fast acceleration and breaking and don't use the cruise control.

lgammill

lgammill · September 2000

I have a correction -- dealer reported that there have been transmission problems with the 2001 V70's that have the same new transmission as the 2000 S70.

volvoscott · September 2000

The 2000 model 70 series introduced the new 5 speed automatic on the non-turbos, and yes they are having some troubles with them. Most of the ones I saw around our shop were solved with a software download or by replacing the valve body in the trans. Overall I haven't been impressed with this trans yet. Regarding the seat, it sounds like it probably needs new seat tracks and seat transmission. Your dealer may likely give you the run around about it because it is an extremely aggravating job. I know this because I had to do a set on a 98. Hope this helps.

Scott

lgammill · September 2000

Oak and Scott,

Thanks for the input. I don't have the car back from the dealer yet, and I will be sure to ask about the software download and/or replacement of the valve body.

I am disheartened to know that it is a new tranny in this model. I did my research (or so I thought), and I was trying to avoid cars that had "new" components, knowing that there are often problems with the new parts. I thought that by buying a car that had been around for a while, I was avoiding that issue. Not so, I guess.

I will also post my question on brickboard.com

lgammill

haizhong · September 2000

I'm looking for a 98/99 S70. All my candidates are certified, can anyone tell me how much adjustment I should put on the Edmunds price.

joemgr · September 2000

There is so much information in these discussions, but I need a little more, please....

Tomorrow I am buying a '98 S70 5-speed, 61K, excellent condition....with the exception of no A/C, small oil leak, and (hopefully) surface rust on the tailpipe and muffler. Was supposed to take delivery today, but refused when the dealer didn't have these items fixed.

I've test driven it at length twice. Great ride, lighting/electrical/tires/new brakes/FM&CD all work fine. What else should I expect/demand/check/scream about before I sign the papers?

Thank you in advance!

Volvo S70

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