Hello:

I have a semi-complex question.

I was thinking of getting a second older Volvo to drive around my small town.

Admittedly, I don't know a lot about Volvos, but I have a good dealership in my area where I go to have mine serviced.

That said, when looking...in general, prices seem to be higher for 90-92 Volvos, than 98-99.

Let's say that the average mileage is the same.

In general, why would the 90-92 model years command more than the 99?

My general rule (right or wrong) was as long as I didn't buy the Ford years, I had a better chance with an older car.

But the market pricing doesn't seem to make sense to me.

Thomas

 

I can't address your question with any degree of experience because I haven't shopped for cars from those groups in some time, but....
The 240 Volvos have a big following, great cars, RWD, and relatively straightforward to work on. 98-99 cars were transisional models, the S70's were fantastic cars but with new tech (at the time) they are really showing their age now. Most owners are fairly talented home mechanics, willing to learn, or bankrupt. 40's of that vintage (and someone will chime in that they have 2 million miles and never have opened the hood) were not Volvo's best effort. I remember seeing them on dealer lots after 2 or 3 years and being talked out of a V40 by the salesmanswho said that they were "not tough enough for a teenager" (I was looking for a school car for my oldest). How true that was I can't say but I walked away that day and he lost a sale - apparently he didn't mind either! The few I still see look poorly taken care of, I suspect that early owners did't service them regularly, though that of course is just a guess.The S80's were all new then, and the electronics were state of the art (and maybe a bit more). They would continue to be troublesome until the mid 2000's when everything got sorted out.

Thinking on this a bit more, without knowing what they are asking, I might get a 240. I loved my 98 S70, but it was getting to be more trouble than I liked. I took great care of it - it was either the dealer or me for 200,000 miles but everything was wearing out and I was always fiddling with a vacuum leak or old wiring issues. And the OBD resets were a real PITA. Again, the early 40's just don't seem to inspire great confidence and, in retrospect, don't quite deliver the "Volvo experience" in my opinion. Spend time on any forum and 98/99 S80 's seem to be a horror movie in the making.

Alternitively, my 05 s80 has been a stellar performer. Little early on the brakes but overall solid and dependable as well as a fantastic driver. They are a bit more tuned to luxury more than sport but will gobble up the highway with ease and smooth out city streets with grace without being jarring or tinny feeling My next choice would be a 700 car. or the 900 with a real strong search for a 98 S90. (Never owned a S90 from 98 but drove them new and they were really nice but still just a 900.

 

Interesting question which has some roots in car history - the 90-92 Volvos are from the "red block" era, which to many are some of the most reliable and serviceable cars ever built, period. The 98-99s are from the "white block" era which started in 93 when Volvo introduced the aluminum head 4 valve I-5s. In 99, Volvo started to introduce some more advanced engine management components - direct coil ignition, electronic throttle mechanisms and variable valve timing. The 98s were very reliable as well with some standard fault areas (the white blocks are interference engines requiring timing belt maintenance - where the red blocks were not) and the PCV systems clogging up could turn a white block into a bleeder... So why the price difference? Older models in good shape are rarer and have started to appreciate, particularly for well maintained cars. 98/99s have front wheel drive so I suspect they may have sold better in the north (which in turn is harder on cars) than the RWDs of the prior generation. As the cars got newer, there were more sensors, more plumbing and packaging under the hood and that made maintenance and repairs more complex. At the end of the day, the car's price is based on the market, ie what a buyer is willing to pay regardless of condition or functionality. For cars that are over 20 years old, that has way less to do with reliability and performance and more to do with cachet, rarity and buyer interest. What that really translates into is a wide range of pricing for the same model and as you noted, illogical price differences for comparible or even inferior madels.

 

Then there goes my operating theory about the Ford years. I thought these were supposed to be the years to avoid. Good to hear at least one person that knows what they're talking about had a good experience.

TD

 

This actually makes sense based on what I've seen on Ebay and in my local area (Craigslist/Cars.com). It does seem to be sentimental and the fact that there are fewer complications/electronics making it easier to keep in operation. Also rarity as you've said....

TD

 

Need to tell us what models you're looking at first. Certain models had very bad MYs; e.g. 99 - 2004 70 series.

 

Volvo made some extremely bad cars around 1999. I have done no work on this price question, but if there is a big black hole around 1999 sucking prices to zero, it would somewhat improve my faith in humanity. It was sudden. The 1998 cars were really excellent. When the S80 came out, it was disastrously, immediately, and tragically awful. Then in 1999 the 900's were canceled and the 70's switched to throttle-by-wire. Over the next few years they evolved to cars with a CEU (which sometimes overheats) running a car computer network. At that point nothing on the car was serviceable. Nothing was reliable either, so it was a bad combination.

Naturally they have improved some since. You will see some evidence in this forum of software problems on much later cars, but I think the major component failures are least are more understood now.

 

I picked up a '99 S70 for my daughter to drive at school. So, hopefully...I will have decent luck?

I just had it done by the dealership near me to fix any known issues.

So, we'll see how it goes.

But, I am looking to replace my old pathfinder with a Volvo and have it serviced the same place. I assumed the 99 model year was safe because it wasn't Ford.

Maybe that wasn't the right thing to do.

So, I assume 2000 isn't safe either?

TD

 

Good and pertinent question.

I just bought a 1999 S70 for my daughter to drive at the local college, so that ship has already sailed so to speak.

Looking to replace my Pathfinder with another Volvo though.

I just saw a 1990 240 Wagon with 200K Miles for 5K??? Maybe that's what generally doesn't make sense to me. And every time I see a 240 or 740 older like that, it's more $$ than the Mid to Late 90's volvos.

If I get one to replace my Pathfinder, It doesn't have to travel coast to coast, just tool around town since I work from home.

Suffice it to say, I'm not a carhandyman. I would be taking this to the Volvo guy. It's better for me to hustle for the cash rather than play under the hood. I suck at repair work on cars.

TD

 

Look, the 99's had more electronics than the 98's an, being new technology , those components will be a bit more troublesome than the equivalent systems on a 98.

BUT, , it's not the whold car that is crap - far from it!! They are still good cars - is yours a turbo? They are a blast to drive, you might want to swap out the 240 and let your daughter take it instead!ine traved Dallas to Stillwater OK for 4 years and Dallas to Galveston4 years and the only time it left my son stranded was when my mechanic handed it back to him hours befor he left home with an oil filter not tiproperly tightened. (Head of Volvo Service Dept for many years before branching out no less ). I would have no issue with him driving a 99.

That said, I think your willingness to pay a Volvo shop is both commendable and prudent. A few hundred spent there if worth thousands if your daughter breaks down with an easily preventable problem. And worth 10's of thousands if it breaks down and you are still married to her mother!

As for the 240, If is in good condition 5 k is reasonable - the Value won't tank any time soon, thought when everything goes autonomous electric you'll have to keep it out in the barn as a collectors piece.

And remember, all you HAVE to be able to do to the car is put a Prancing Moose sticker on it - any other work is purely optional.

 

If I had any of the MYs I listed of the 70 series cars, and they were still running, I'd sell them as fast as I could. Hopefully you didn't pay too much for it.

In MY 99 they changed:

1. the engine; this was actually an improvement with better flowing cylinder head and lighter crank
2. went from drive by cable to drive by wire. If you still have the original etm, it will fail soon. xemodex makes a good aftermarket replacement from what I've heard.
3. went from return type fuel pump system to returnless which is very problematic and quite unreliable by comparison
4. transmission failures; google it
5. they just changed almost everything in MY 99; not sure why, but seems like it took them at least five years to sort it all out. Mid 2000 MYs were much improved.
6. Can't blame 99 MY changes on Ford; they bought Volvo in early 1999; 99 MY cars were selling in late '98 and designed at least 1-2 in advance of that

BTW I don't hate volvos at all. I think my '96 850 T5 wagon is the best car I've ever owned and maybe the best car Volvo ever built frankly. Good luck, YMMV

 

Looks like I will have to gird my loins here. Whew.

Well, let's see what happens.

I was planning to Lucas the Tranny anyway. I think I will follow through on that, unless that too is a wives tale.

TD

 

A man who truly understand here.

I could stay married, but I may have to come and live with someone on the forum should that car not do what its supposed to do.

On another note, somebody has approached me about a 03 C70 Convertible. I'm thinking about it too. They are coming back to me with the inspection list in a couple of days. We'll see.

I could see myself replacing the Pathfinder with that. If that doesn't work out, I may have to think about kicking over the 5K for the 240.

TD