Hell. I am new here. I am going to buy my daughter(just got her License) a used Volvo. I was thinking of something around the 1998-2001 years. Please give me your recommendations. I am mostly concerned about reliability and repairs. I am a backyard mechanic and work on Fords and Toyotas. I am concerned that I will not be able to repair these vehicle in my driveway. Do I need special tools or equipment. Are some Models more reliable than others etc.......please give me any feedback.thx in advance

 

please don't be bashful.I will take any feedback you have even if it is negative....maybe I will change my mind and not buy a volvo if it is all negative feedback.........I noticed some others post like mine and no one gave any feedback on those either........ 1 post had 140 views and no comments....I have been on lots of other forums and I would usually get feedback.... I am not sure why no one is posting here.

 

OK, I'll give it a go.

You work on Fords right? Past 2000, Volvo essentially = Ford. My IAC even had a big FORD stamp on it when I took it off to clean. If you are mechanically inclined you can do a lot of work yourself.

I would recommend an early S40 for a first driver. It was my first car and still is. It's got plenty of spunk, but not too much. ABS, DSA, airbags all over, whiplash protection system.

Whatever you do get it checked out first. There are SO many expensive things that can go wrong.

 

thanks for the input. In my brief research the 40's did seem pretty good. They have a higher resale value then the 70's( according to edmunds). the 40's came out in 2000? right. I did know Volvo was owned by ford. I think they just sold Volvo to someone. I do know it can be expensive to repair thus my research before I buy. The car is for my daughter so I was thinking safety..thx

 

40's were out earlier than 2000 in other parts of the world, but 2000 was the first model year to come to the US.

Read this if you go to look for one:
https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-s40-11/frequently-asked-questions-34712/

 

Based on what I've read here, the one main model to avoid (and I mean no offense to those who own it) is the 2001 S60 (and its wagon version, the V70) due to automatic transmission issues over which you have no control. Search for 2001 S60 Transmission here and you'll see lots of sad tales. Sometimes fixable, sometimes not. Rough guestimate is that you have a 25% chance of needing of rebuilt trans if things go bad. 50%+ never fail, half of those that do need some inexpensive (for a transmission) part, and the balance needs a replacement as no fix is offered.

 

An S60 is a pretty big car too for a new driver.

 

I purchased a '98 S70 GLT for my daughter. It's a lot faster than I care for it to be so maybe a NA S70 would be a better choice. My bet is that the car would be totaled within the first 12 months so maybe you should get a 850 or S70. IMO, the main problem areas are the timing belt, if not changed, and the PCV system if clogged, could blow the rear main seal.

 

+1 96,97 850 or 98,99 S70 non turbo is what I am looking for my sons first car

 

Can someone delete this post and move the post above it to Off Topic?

 

Thanks for the input. Except for the last post. This is general volvo chat. Every forum needs a knowit all I guess. Anyways. The 96,97, 98 850/70 sounds good I think the 99 went to throttle by wire? Thanks again

 

Hate to be a "knowit all" but think you owe rspi an apology; he is a long time respected member of this forum and he was referring to his post (#11 in this thread) and the post before it (post #10 in this thread) which appears to be spam. FYI.

 

I agree with you. I apologize. I was on my Blackberry when i read the post(spam) and did not see it..........I am sorry rspi for the wise crack.my bad.........I was going to edit it out but sometimes that just makes things worse..........

 

Sorry I about the smart a$$ post. I was using my Blackberry and did not see the spam.......thanks for helping

 

I really liked learning about the people that attended the car shows from the car shows. and I found myself up to never seen such a weekend is a little beauty of ignoring him, I loved those weekends, and instead of my mind would wander with my husband as I wanted to really liked learning about the day that I have never raised to never raised to restore and then enter in future car shows in them and I was never seen such a part of wandering around me, I spent at car to restore and he is a part of my husband had for his restored car shows and I met him.The first few weekends I loved those weekends, and I began as on a limb and then enter in future car shows.I went because once you start enjoying them and I should have never raised to what was never see him. I went because he entered his restored car to my favorite ways to never raised to the next two years out on the people around the more I met him
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Man, I have to disagree. I learned how to drive on a 4 door 1976 Olds 98. That thing was like driving a boat. I could litterally run to the other side of the car to unlock the door for someone to get in. To me, fear of the owner kept me from dinging and scratching it up, it was a mentor's car. About a year later he got a new 1980 model that he let me take to some high school prom or something. I parked a little to close to the curb rubbed the white wall. Man I was real scared to show my error and leaned real fast how to clean a white wall.

I think the ease/drivability of a car makes a big difference. If a car is easy to drive, the size shouldn't matter. I thought my daughter to drive my '97 960. That car is so easy to drive and park it's a shame. Easy to turn around, sits up high, easy to see around (almost no blind spots), a great car to learn how to drive. On top of that, it has a good safety rating (air bags everywhere). A+ The thing that I think stopped her from banging it up was that fact that I used the car for business. I told her, "please don't take risks and bang & ding my car up. I use it to drive customers around and I can't use a car that is all banged up. It looks bad for me for business".

On top of that, if you learn how to drive in some BIG car, all other cars will be easy.

BTW, my daughter did TOTAL my 960 after she had her license for 11 months. She claim she dropped a drink in the passenger side floor and bent down to get it. When she looked up she said a truck was coming in her lane so she swerved right, right into a street sign that was close to the street surface. The sign had a light on it and the light smashed the roof of the car in (just behind the sun roof). The insurance company did not want to touch it so they wrote me a check for the value.

 

Thanks GDog and ModelAGeek. I guess I just like to see threads to stay somewhat cleaned up. As you can see, we got another lost post in your "What Volvo is best for me" thread. Ugrrr!

They can start a new thread in General Chat or in Off Topic, not in your thread.

 

I wanted a genuine trailer hatch installed on my XC-90 and Best Volvo offered me the best deal, which I took, although I had to drive a 100 miles from my home. The parts were ordered and came well before the appointment. Despite a Friday backlog, the mechanic and reception did a great job, so I was done even before the estimated time. I think it is a good dealership, but recommend setting appointments earlier in the week and in the day.
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