17th Jul 2008, 21:58

I can only agree with the post dated "2nd May 2007, 08:04". I seem to run into the same sequence of issues on my 2002 XC70 with now 63k miles.

I bought it in 2005 certified with 35k miles, and it ran great up until now, and as soon as the warranty ran out this May, I started having these issues, i.e. turbo return line seals leaking, engine mount broken, turn signal sticking, slipping transmission, about 5 new bulbs already (but what do you expect with daytime running lights ;-).

Today, I had it all fixed and asked the dealership how much an extended warranty for another 2 years would cost. I could not believe it - ca. $100k/month on a 2 year "silver" version (that is the one beyond the power train). Initially I gasped, but after doing some research online, I may be well advised to buy it now.

On the other side, I also have a 2004 XC90 I bought last year certified and I immediately tacked on an extended warranty.6 months before it runs out. I am going to sell the piece because I don't want to run into the same issues.

Granted they are safe because they are tanks, but looking at gas mileage, dependability and repair cost, I am not sure I will buy another Volvo again.

And also, their HQ service folks are anything else but customer-friendly. Just so you take me serious: I used to be a buyer for one of the largest aftermarket parts firms in the US, so I actually saw some repair statistics for the pre-2000 models and they looked OK. Now I wonder what went wrong after Y2K with Volvo... My next one - Japanese for sure.

BTW - great site!

13th Aug 2008, 11:42

We bought a 2001 XC70 in 2003 as a Volvo Certified car with the 6 year - 100K warranty. It is a beautiful car to drive - the seats are really comfortable - the best of any car I have ever had.

The Dealer replaced the moon roof as it rattled something terrible. That was about a year after we bought it (2004). The new moon roof is rattling again.

The dealer replaced the turn signal and wiper stems. When we had high beams on, and went to dim them; you had to tap the stem many times to get the lights to dim. The wiper stem wouldn't turn on sometimes without tapping it. This was done under the extended warranty.

The transmission was replaced under warranty when the car had around 70 - 75K miles. When accelerating hard the transmission would intermittently slip.

A wiring harness for the right front turn signal was replaced along with the turn signal socket. I believe we had a socket also replaced for one of the head lamps.

All tie rods have been replaced, several twice (car just hit 100K miles) this week. They were replaced under the extended warranty.

I live driving the car, but it is unreal how many repairs have been made.

We service the car at all of the specified intervals and have not abused it. Just very poor design/manufacture of some of the car's components. I can't help but wonder if some of this is a result of FORD owning Volvo and cheapening the car. I would likely buy another XC70, but only if it had an extended warranty.

On the flip side, we also own a 1997 850 sedan with 104K miles and have only replaced a part in the emissions system (about $200). The A/C had a part replaced under warranty ($1,200 if I had to pay for it). That part needs to be replaced again. The 850 has been an excellent car.

12th Sep 2008, 04:40

I have a 2001 XC70. The transmission was overhauled just before I had it. The only issue was a sensor that had not been changed in the overhaul. It runs very smoothly for 90k.

Expected bulbs to go with daytime running lights. However that's a small price to pay as I have noticed no-one pulls out on me anymore. I have read that sideswipe accidents fell by 40% when Sweden made it a legal requirement.

I have also found a local garage with Volvo diagnostics, so my advice is shop around, it really is half the price.

18th Sep 2008, 09:33

I have a 2001 XC70 - purchased used with 101k miles on it. Solid car, probably the most comfortable seats I have ever sat in. All in all, I love me XC70 - replaced my older MB 300TE wagon as my daily driver - no comparison. Stereo and all features are amazing.

It does have some quirks:

Sunroof doesn't like to return to home when the ignition is in Powered mode - sometimes also when engine is thereafter engaged. Seems intermittent.

Check engine light comes on/off, but rarely stays on for more than a day.

It also has a hard start - takes a couple of seconds to turn over.

I took it to the local Volvo specialist (oxymoronic term) - they couldn't find a problem; they guessed perhaps something to do with the Air Mass sensor? I didn't feel like I should have to pay for "discovery" hard- start is a hard start... know your business. Removed car from service and will not return.

Love this car - it is definitely a quirk-mobile. Anyone who has had a modern-day Swedish car will tell you their build-quality is sub-par in this regard. Nothing new in that news. The only cars that Volvo produced that were "run forever, spend next to nothing" were the 240 DL's; and they made their name off of those - but those cars were simple, simple, simple...

Guessing that Ford ownership will improve their quality control - but having shopped for a new XC70, I was a bit disappointed to see new units @ $48k us. Kind of defeats the purpose.

Be prepared to shell out bank to keep it trouble-free.

IMO, if you're buying used, you should be prepared to shell out money to repair, and I am. That's no different than any used car I've ever owned. I believe having an honest and knowledgeable mechanic that also provides good customer service goes a long way in solving that problem. Those can be hard to find, however, no matter what make/model you're dealing with.

If you can live with the hassle of a constant stream of quirks and stay on top of them, then this car is a great. I love mine despite all of its issues - couldn't be happier.

BTW, a car is not an investment. It's a machine, and that makes it a depreciating asset - just thought I'd clear that point up.