Faults:

70K mile service - 700 stinkin' dollars!

Exhaust gasket - 140 stinkin' dollars!

Fuel injector - 400 stinkin' dollars!

Brakes (oh yes, PADS and ROTORS!!!) - 900 stinkin' dollars!

AC dye + recharge (1st repair/look see) - 225 stinkin' dollars!

AC (repair lines + more dye + more coolant!) - 600 stinkin' dollars!

AC (replace evaporator!?$%#$#! + more dye + more coolant) - 1500 unbelievable stinkin' dollars!!!

General Comments:

Wow!!! I wish I would have found this site 6 months ago!

I bought a 1998 S70 (Non-Turbo) Sedan in Jan 04 for $8900. The car had 70K miles. I figured, "it's a Volvo, it will live forever!" WRONG!!! I am $4000 into various repairs, and the hits just keep on coming!

Now, I realize the 70k service is the fault of the stinkin' guy that sold it to me (he lied and said all service had been done). However, the AC repairs are ridiculous!!! Also, why is it that every car today needs pads + rotors when doing the brakes? I read another post on this site that said the person is changing the pads every 5k miles, is that a smart thing to do to avoid the $900 every 40k miles?

Now, for anyone thinking about buying a 1998 S70, my opinion is you probably should not. If you do decide to still buy one, you can probably minimize your risk going into it by buying a certified pre-owned, but apparently it does not eliminate all risk.

I also think the car interior was not designed that well;

The leather is separating from the driver's side door.

The cup holder is flimsy and now broken.

The heated seat buttons are very sensitive and placed in front of the change bin... they constantly turn on because I hit the buttons by accident causing hot butt in July (since my AC is on the blink, this really is uncomfortable!)

The sound system stinks. The CD player died shortly after I bought the car... essentially, it will not let me insert a new CD. The AM reception on the radio is pretty poor (my Ford gets clear signal, but the Volvo treats me to static). The balance must be broken, as sound often surges or cuts out on either side. The speakers are shot.

Lastly, the antenna mast needs to be replaced as it only goes up half way (even after WD-40ing the heck out of it!)

The funny thing is that it's a comfy car. After getting the service done and new tires the car rides very well. Acceleration is also pretty decent. I know some owners swear by their Volvo's, but mine is riddled with problems. I will NEVER buy a Volvo again. Man, I miss my BMW.

Faults:

Headlights Switch broke at 200 miles.

Electric locks (2) broke at 1,000 miles.

Door panel upholstery detaching at 3,000 miles.

Radio inoperative at 10,000 miles. Replaced by dealer and new radio only worked for an hour. Dealer had to order a new one.

Steering wheel lost color at 45,000 miles-Dealer wants $850 to replace.

Front door panels upholstery detaching at 50,000 - Cannot be repaired, dealer wants $400 per panel to replace.

ABS light coming on regularly at 60,000 miles.

Front safety belt don't retract completly. If door is closed when the safety belt is hanging loose, it will break the door safety light cover. Replaced covers five times.

Leather seats wearing badly at 61,000 miles.

General Comments:

Maintenance on the vehicle is very expensive. A change of oil will cost and average of $150. Dealer replaced the Turbo oil gasket for $80.00 (Parts $1.05, labor $75.00 (one hour at $75.00, one hour minimum) plus tax).