6th Sep 2009, 16:18

2001 Volvo XC70, any Volvo will cost you some money, however we have owned three; the 1994 850 turbo wagon, the S60 and now this...

Bought it with 45k and now have 93k, did the "regular" maintenance and no problems... sits more comfortably than anything I've driven.

27th Oct 2009, 13:10

Bought car at 60k, now at 140K. Great car up to 100K, then wheel bearings galore, electronic throttle module replaced with recall, front tie rods, leaking power brake booster, constant check engine lights (all deemed unnecessary by my shop), light bulb eater, front boots at 100k, drivers seat memory no good but does reset the mirrors (lame), A/C blower motor shot, cruise control intermittently doesn't take command to allow for setting, occasionally the dome lights/moonroof controls lose power, access to car with key sometimes finicky (I don't carry the fob, hate full pockets), and now the tranny is going. Never buying a Volvo again.

So a positive? Car is comfy, been a great road tripper when wheel bearings weren't howling, kicks tail in the snow and can haul all my stuff better than any car/wagon on the market. I wish however, I'd bought a different car.

Word has it there's a recall on XC90 trannies, anyone know about XC70s? I know, the car has 140k, but I'm peeved at the costs this car has cost me. Good luck to you all.

27th Oct 2009, 13:24

I left an above note on October 27...

Rattles abound - drivers door window, glove box, moonroof, and misc stuff to drive a person insane.

Friend has a new 2006/7. Great car... wonder how long it will last.

11th Nov 2009, 13:18

Since when are replacing light bulbs a problem? Light bulbs don't last forever people! Also, engine mounts on Volvos are designed to be replaced -- it's because they're designed to shear off in an accident and allow the engine to go beneath the car. This is a a safety feature so that the engine doesn't end up on the driver's lap (and trust me, engines are very heavy). If you're paying for a new latch gate that is ridiculous, all you should have to do is re-adjust the position of it if the tailgate isn't closing (as they get pushed forward over time). Volvos are the best cars out there! I hit a brick wall going 70 MPH and besides the headlights, grille, driver seat, and the bumpers being messed up -- the car was fine (a 240 with no air bags).

Follow the maintenance schedule and the car will run for ever (I've got a 240 with 250k and an 850 with 162k) an 850 has the same engine as a XC, and the car is based on the 850).

20th Nov 2009, 15:21

70,000 on-road miles with all service up to date and well cared for and then:

1. Two front bushings replaced

2. One front spring broken and replaced (no off roading)

3. Turbo needs replacing - $2000 and then probably breather box whatever that is at $900 and maybe drop and clean oil pan at $700.

Bought the car new to keep as safe car for my kids to drive. Now that they finally can, I am trading it in. May be safe, but sure not reliable, and appears like others mention to be a money pit.

15th Feb 2010, 01:18

We bought our 2001 V70 cross country wagon 3 years ago for security.

So far it's been nothing but repair costs, one after another.

At the moment we are in the need of power steering pump repairs, and also a big problem is the high costs of repairs and labor for this brand.

We like the car's appearance, but is definitely discouraging to not know when it will break again...

14th Apr 2010, 11:18

2001 XC70 ~91,000 miles... purchased five years ago as a certified pre-owned with just under 50k miles.

Front seats are awesome -- that's what sold this car to my wife!

Handles well in winter weather.

Too many squeaks and rattles inside for my taste, but road/tire noise is quiet.

Engine is loud and there is a lot of vibration on acceleration.

For the first three and a half years, no big repairs (except an expensive repair to the driver's power seat that was covered under warranty -- kept blowing fuses).

Oh, we kept complaining about the transmission, but the dealer said that's just the way it is. A couple of software upgrades haven't helped. Now I know it's this car's Achilles heel.

Anyway, once the certified pre-owned warranty ran out, it's turned into a money pit.

Recurring coolant leaks -- Volvo specialist independent shop can't make up their mind whether radiator should be replaced.

Power steering leak fixed with new reservoir, but I fear pump or rack was damaged -- steering doesn't sound good now.

Lots of suspension problems. Just replaced tie rod ends (which required an alignment), and now they say the strut caps are worn, which is another $400 with another alignment. There was another suspension component failure I can't recall. Mechanics explained the raised ride height of the XC70 puts more stress on the suspension (shouldn't Volvo have spec'd better parts?). The roads in Colorado are poor, but seriously? My wife is not a hot rod driver. Of course, the transmission is still quirky. Can't help but feel it's just a matter of time.

We're thinking hard about whether to sell now while we still can. Love the comfort of the car and all the luxury features, but am disgusted by the upkeep cost. I feel like I've just hit the tip of the iceberg and have begun reconditioning this car at 90,000 miles. To me, that just isn't acceptable for a car that retailed for $43,000.

Oh, and just in case anyone doubts, I used to work for a VW Saab dealer in the shop, so I know a bit about cars. We've maintained this car as recommended, and even been overly cautious with things like transmission flushes. I could see the engine going 300k, but no way the rest of the car makes it there.