volvo xc70 awd wagon

Dijos

Dijos

Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
2,600
Any feedback on these? The one I'm looking at has 60K, about $18k Before ttl, and the extended warannty($1750). Both my cars are paid for, and it seems a little high in mileage for me. I like the car, but I fear that I'm paying for breakable features that i don't need (AWD, for example). I see that the long term reliablility on these are not quite as high as i expected. Suggestions? Feedback? Thanks, Joe
 
The older Volvos were ironhorses, but the later sufff is a little short of that. Two of my friends are auto mechanics and I've known both of these guys since high school. We're greybeards now, so I trust them very much. They both say the same thing- after the early to mid '90s the European stuff went downhill. Same story in the anual issue of Consumers. Even the Benz has taken some serious hits in QA.

The new Volvos are over priced and trouble prone in a couple of areas like transmissions and electical systems. For what you are paying for a used Volvo, you can get a new Honda Accord, Toyota Camray, and have a longer time reliable car with better resale value. The Subaru is another good bet.

I'd pass on the Volvo unless there is a low milage 240 around. Those were the original iron horse that ran like the energizer bunny.
 
What are you really looking for?

Weekend fun'mobile? Weekend warrior and Home Depot run about?

Ford SUV's are going cheap these days in memory of $3/Gal gas. Toyota's are awesome in reliability and overall quality.

Volvo is tops if like me, you have been rear ended by Cop at speed and an idiot hourly who was 5 minutes late to work in the rain. Whiplash protecting seats, Dynamic Stability, crush zones and the list goes on all started with either Volvo or Mercedes Benz for decades. If you value your life and that of your loved ones, Volvo is hard to beat. If I had it to do all over again, I would not have skimped when I bought my car because I paid a very high non-monetary price for that economy.
 
You can get a new Mazda 6 wagon in that price range, or for a bit more definitely. There is also the Subaru Legacy/Outback wagon, though I think they cost quite a bit more. If you don't mind a bit smaller car, the Subaru also sells an Impreza wagon, and Volvo has a V50 wagon priced in the mid 20s. Another alternative would be a car-based SUV like a Toyota Highlander or Ford Freestyle. I don't like truck-based SUVs, at least from my experience with them. The Mazda 3 hatchback can also be had with lots of features for the price of that Volvo, but it is smaller and more of an economy car.
 
If your looking for a sport wagon, check out a used '04 - '05 Subaru Forester XT. 2.5 liters of turbocharged flat four fun. :) It's basically a detuned version of the 300 hp WRX STi engine with a smaller turbo. Here's a review from Car & Driver.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=6854

I have an '05. Fast, fun and AWD. Not to mention pretty useful and practical. I'd buy another one.

I'd probably be more reliable and cheaper in the long run then the Volvo.
 
My law partner had one. It was his favorite car ever. Comfortable, fast, okay on gas, handled well, a ton of room inside. But it was expensive and the transmission went twice on it and it was in the shop not a lot, but a lot for a brand new 40,000 car. He traded it for a Toyota minivan for his wife (which they somehow managed to spend 40K on!) and the toyota has been dead nuts reliable, but he won't drive it.
 
a bud had one and ya wouldnt believe where all he drove it on his ranch, it did fairly well being AWD but the gound clearance wasnt the best lol. after riding with him one afternoon all i could say was "one tough volvo".
 
I got to drive my girlfriend's grandfather's Volvo wagon, and I thought it was a nice car. You couldn't really tell you were driving a wagon, and they have nice interior, but if you have long legs (like myself), sitting comfortably in Volvo's isn't always easy because the seats usually don't go back far enough. Gas and brakes are touchy, and it felt like the Corolla's we used for driver's ed with regard to throttle and braking, which I didn't care for. Also, there is no steering feel at all and it feels like there is way too much assist on them, but some people like that. They're definitely nice, but of course thanks to Ford and GM the Volvo's and SAAB's of today are no longer the refined and tough Swedish meatballs of yesteryear, so you might consider a nice used Volvo wagon ;)
 
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