I am looking at a new 2008 V70 fwd wagon. Several questions. Does it require 91 octane or will it perform ok on 87? What kind of highway milage can I expect on 87 octane. I do lots of highway miles. Can any good oil change garage do an oil change? Is scheduled maintenance required at a Volvo dealer and generally how often is this due. Most importantly is the vehicle considered by Volvo owners as reliable compared to Japanese cars and as I live 3 hours from a Volvo dealer this is super important. I appreciate your help in this matter.

Possible new member,
redfish

 

In the owners manual Volvo states 87 is the minimum, but 91 or better is recommended. The car has Variable Valve Timing so lower octane will reduce the performance of the engine. But it is safe. I get mid 30s (35-36mpg) on highways in my S60 when I am not in any hurry.

You can bring it anywhere for an oil change. But honestly I don't know how much I would trust a kid to do the job right. It's easy for someone to be lazy and not replace o-rings and crush washers or to over tighten things.

You don't have to have the required services done at a dealer. But again it comes down to trust. Keeping accurate service records will be more important if you decide to use a local shop. Also, many small shops wont have the specialized computer equipment to handle all of the car's needs. These are important factors to cover when choosing a local shop.

As far as reliability... it might be too new for a lot of feedback.

 

I purchased the 2008(new) V70 3.2L wagon and am looking forward to owning the vehicle. I do think I will convert to synthetic oil on the first oil change if that is considered appropriate(Mobil 1 or Mobile 1 Hi milage). This forum looks to be very useful and I hope to use it in the future.

redfish