1998 Volvo S70 T5 turbo

Summary:

Absolutely a great car

Faults:

Air Conditioner needed refrigerant replacement after 8 years. No other issues with A/C as the unit is still cooling nicely and refrigerant seems to still be fine.

@ 61K Miles, original front brake pads needed replacement. Not bad for original Pads. Rotors were fine. Will need to replace pads and front rotors again at around 100K miles. No complaints about that. Did the replacement myself, so costs were < $100.

@ 80K Miles, Air Pump and Check Valve needed replacing - Air Pump (blower motor) had a dry bearing and was making noise when operating. Dealer Repair cost - $500.

@ 80K Miles, upper engine mount needed replacing. $20 part; Did the installation myself.

@ 93K Miles, ABS Control Unit failed. Simple to replace, but expensive part. Dealer Repair cost - $750.

General Comments:

I have always liked this car and have kept it for over 10 years.

While the few major repairs were fairly expensive, other costs have been routine - oil/filters, alignments, tires (on second set now), a new battery.

Car has consistently gotten 23-25 MPG combined town and highway. Not bad for a 270 HP Turbo.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th September, 2007

25th Sep 2008, 22:18

Don't mean to burst your bubble, but unless you modded out the engine, the S70 T5 only puts out 236 horses. Feels like 500 though once the turbos starts spooled up. Sadly my S70 was a car I hated to love. Definitely a hit or miss car.

1998 Volvo S70

Summary:

It's a nice car, but is costing more to maintain than I expected

Faults:

1.Air Conditioning went out.

2.Check Engine Light has gone out several times and is still on.

3.Antenna broke.

4.Driver's side door spring broke so the door won't close unless you push it shut.

5.ABS, Tracs Off Lights are on.

6.Electrical system is TERRIBLE!!! Half of the lights on the radio panel are out.

7.Several tail light bulbs have burned out.

General Comments:

1. The car handles well and held up great when I was rear-ended at 55 mph in a snow storm. There was only slight damage to the trunk, but the other guy's vehicle, an SUV, was crunched in the front.

2. I love the fact that the car rides and feels heavy. I really do feel safe in the car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 29th June, 2007

30th Jun 2007, 03:11

I am surprised by the electrical problems as my 1998 S70 is perfect with no problems at over 130,000 miles - not even a bulb out! Great cars.

2000 Volvo S70 SE 2.5i

Summary:

It's pretty much everything I need in a car!

Faults:

Bulb failures (super cheap & easy to replace though)

Parking brake is acting up... sometimes doesn't disengage completely at first, when cold. More of an annoyance than anything really.

Rear brake discs have become slightly warped and scored, though within acceptable limits.

Some rattling in the dash sometimes... grr...

General Comments:

Overall, pretty good!

Sometimes I wish it had more power, but chances are I'd just end up getting a lot of speeding tickets. So, I guess the power could be called "adequate".

I was hoping to get a rear drive car, but this is pretty good as far as front drives go-- It handles solidly, without torque steer or any weird stuff. It's fabulous in the snow, though!

If there's one piece of advice I can give on this car, it's to keep it maintained. Change the fluids (brake, coolant, oil, etc) regularly, and have it serviced and inspected by a good indie mechanic. This is true of any car, but with a Volvo, you'll be able to keep it for years and years...

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th November, 2006

12th Jun 2014, 11:08

I've been driving Volvo cars since 1979. The number one reason is safety, of my passengers and myself. These cars, just like others, have issues as well. I've driven a 940SE (year 1991) up to 280k km. Enjoyed this car, but it needed an expensive Nivomat leveling system. Engine and body, interior and outside, were still in great shape.

I recently purchased an S70 SE non turbo engine with 129k km only. So far it's a great car. The only thing lacking is turbo power, but the basic engine is great for what I paid ($2,500) on June 11, 2014. Hopefully I can keep the car for another 15 years, just like my Volvo 940SE; still a great car when I purchased it back in 1992.

In reply to 12th Jun 2014, 11:08

16th May 2019, 20:47

I own a Volvo, and 16 other cars. Volvos are no safer than any other similar car these days. 50 years ago, Volvo safety meant something, but every other major manufacturer has made equally safe cars.

Furthermore, older Volvos are definitely less safe than newer non-Volvo models. If you specifically want safety, you're better off buying the newest car you can afford, regardless of brand. Newer cars are safer than older ones, regardless of brand.

In reply to 16th May 2019, 20:47

18th May 2019, 21:23

Agreed. Before the mid-'80s, safety was a selling point, it cost extra to make a car more rigid in a crash, etc. Since at least the European NCAP tests, cars of all sizes have been routinely crash tested, so if one competitor stands out as being superb, all the others MUST match it, else people will buy that other car because it has cheaper insurance premiums. By the early '90s, a Ford Mondeo's crash test results were as good as a Mercedes C-class or BMW 3-series. With legislation now mandating fitting of extra equipment (side intrusion bars, a minimum number of airbags, ABS, traction control, etc.) and with such equipment coming from the same suppliers, the differentiating factor now for sales is the handling, comfort, practicality, fuel economy, even the interior plastics. Cars are definitely much safer now, and Volvos of yore are less safe than a modern car (see the YouTube clip searching for the words 'Volvo' 'Modus' 'crash' done by Fifth Gear).