29th Jul 2007, 22:14

Good luck with Audi. That German piece of... is even worse, believe me. Just had a 8,000€ worth of repairs on my Audi. One would think, that one bad experience is enough. No, I just had to go and get me another Audi.

1st Aug 2007, 14:12

I'm sorry you hate your S70. Believe it or not, it's still more reliable and longer lasting than the average car. Repair costs are high, but that can be said for any foreign luxury car. Volvo is actually the lowest in cost. The costs you mentioned are astronomically high though. If you went to the dealership, that was a huge mistake and explains the crazy figures.

1st Aug 2007, 20:22

Yep, another $600 for check engine light. Evaporation system leaks. Anyone know how many problem areas will activate that annoying light? CB.

16th Aug 2007, 10:50

I've had my S70 for 13 months now and I absolutely love it!!! I have never had a better car and I got it with 148k. The only thing I've had to fix was the thermostat. The brakes are just now starting to let me know they need to be changed, but we will do it ourselves before it gets so bad that I have to take it in somewhere. That is a big part of saving money on repairs; If you know your car well you will be able to tell when something goes wrong before it's too late. I definitely would buy another Volvo some day. I was told I could get at least another 1k out of it by the garage when I had the thermostat changed.

6th Oct 2007, 07:55

I own a 1998 Volvo S70 T5 with the winter package and all the trimmings, I got a killer deal on it because I worked at a dealership. $4000 for it with 80,000 miles on it at the time.

I am now at 180,000 miles, and it has been nothing but reliable. I am just doing the brakes now (original set of rotors still!); I chose to go aftermarket slotted and drilled, because my old ones warped after hundreds of high speed slow downs in mountains due to wildlife. I have never seen a better braking car; I have the 16" wheels with the 12 inch rotors and they bite like crazy.

My cruise still works; same with my radio, sunroof and power antenna. I do all my own maintenance. I change my oil with synthetic at 4000 miles as it seems to get dirty fast (high pressure turbo possibly???) This car is faster than any similarly classed BMW, Audi, Mercedes or Saab; and is such a masculine looking car.

All in all, it has been very good for me, only scheduled maintenance on my part. It is extremely tight and good at handling. I generally drive it easy, but sometimes I put the pedal to the metal under the right conditions for the car (warmed up, I use my foot with predictability for the engine and tranny (no abrupt moves, and I use electronic dudads to a minimum to prolong their life. I have never had a bulb go out on this thing, surprisingly in 80,000 miles).

The car is so stable at speed, that I can go 150 MPH and take my hands of the steering wheel and take a picture (yes, I have done it) Very stiff steering, wobble free; confidence inspiring on the highway. My biggest complaint with this car is that the chrome exhaust tip is corroding from carbon buildup from the exhaust. At 180,000 miles I would still take this car across the continent (and I have). Just do your upkeep so you can avoid going to a costly Volvo dealer on a trip (a lot of places don't carry Volvo parts).

The stereo system in this car is top notch; I have the SC-816 unit with 2 factory 3 way 8 inch subs in the back, as well as a high line input into an aftermarket amp powering a 10" sealed sub. The factory tweeters and door speakers do a marvelous job of keeping up, and sound really defined and clear.

For those of you who think Volvo electronics suck, and have had problems with them, consider having failed components rebuilt; way cheaper, and generally a failure is caused by a weak component, which most companies will upgrade, thus making the unit better than new generally.

I would recommend this car, but only if you realize that a major failure will cost you money; something that can be mostly mitigated by taking care of your vehicle. Yes, Volvos are known for weak electronics, but smart use of buttons etc should help that a lot (as it has me) Sorry for writing an essay LOL :)

Regards.

- Jesse.

24th Oct 2007, 22:41

Why.. I get a notion that buying a used European car is a risky undertaking compared to buying its Japanese counterparts. Seems that the latter can take way much more abuse than the former, and still please its next owner. I think that's something we must admit. (no offense intended).

But if you insist on purchasing European used cars, you got to get to know more about your targeted car BEFORE you spend that transportation budget. Find a friend, a neighbour, or office colleague who own S70 and ask him/her about it. If possible, join the ride with him.. listen to his/her complaints or praises.. and most importantly: how he/she treats the car.

Alternatively, just buy a new one.. so that you'll be the one to enjoy it hassle-free, and make a good track record for the next owner.

That way, you would not regret your purchase.. That'll be silly if we feel such a remorse, but knowing very much that we knew very little about the car's previous "life".

Be a smart buyer. Do your homework.

Regards from Indonesia.

3rd Feb 2008, 23:16

Every front wheel drive car eats rotors and pads. Learn to fix them yourself. On this car it takes 2 hours. Easy.

Change the oil and fluids periodically. Do this at Valvoline or some other instant oil change. Never at the dealer. The car also eats tires in front --- especially my GLT -- small tires, big engine.. By long wearing tires from Sam's club, obey the rules of tire rotation (which they offer free every 7500 miles) and get an extra set free.

Delamination of door panels is a recall issue.. as is the headlight switch. If you blow the radio, pick one up on ebay -- I did when my 2 year old emptied his piggybank into the CD player.

This car is made to stand up. I have 120K miles no problems, doing my own service and brakes. The only lingering issue is the clanky front suspension, which is probably the ball joints in front, but the car still tracks great and wears the tires evenly so who cares.

My last HONDA and MAZDA were done at 130K. Transmission, engine, interior, electrical.. everything.