I was looking for a road trip car, looking for something I could get cheap, fix up, drive all over the US visiting family and friends, and then sell when I get home. I've done well doing that in the past, and this time I was looking at several candidates when a craigslist ad for a 2001 V70 T5 popped up. There was next to no info in the ad, but the guy claimed that a) the transmission needed work, and b) that it was in otherwise great condition.

It was advertised for $1,800, but he'd dropped the ad price to $1,500 by the time I got there. The exterior was a solid 8/10 with just a couple minor dings and some rock rash on the front bumper, but the leather interior was nearly perfect (especially for 208,000 miles). The car ran like a top, other than a serious flare between 2nd and 3rd (sound familiar, techies?). I offered the guy $1,400 and he took it. $30 (for the servo cover update) and 30 minutes, plus another 15 minutes driving around to retrain the transmission control computer had it shifting like a new car. A little touch-up, new plugs, a lower control arm and a couple bushings, a transmission fluid flush and a set of new tires and the car is amazing me more every day. Smooth, quiet, powerful and it can haul a LOT more than my SUV (Jeep Cherokee). It also seats 7 (as long as a couple of them are munchkins, but I have five grandkids). The thing sounds SO much better than a wagon has a right to when it's at full throttle (and has a tendency to leave "performance cars" in the dust).

My wife's getting so attached to the car that she doesn't want me to sell it (she likes the fact we can put either our son's or daughter's entire family in it and go somewhere). I like the fact it handles so well and is SO quick. And we both like the way it looks (particularly since I painted the grille black). The only ding against it is that the turning radius is measured in counties, but we're used to that Cherokee that can turn around in its own shadow...

The bottom line is that we've got a safe, fast, comfortable $2,000 car that I turn around to look at after I park it. How cool is that?

 

Very nice, glad both of you like it.

How about a few pics?

 

Here's a recent photo of the icy road trip (that surface ice can't help aerodynamics very much!)...

 

Wow, you were able to get around ok in that stuff? The car isn't AWD is it?

All you need now is a roof rack. Does it have a hitch?

 

The car did great, even in very poor conditions (and that on a half-used set of Goodyear Eagles, not the best ice/snow tires out there). One of the tires failed so I replaced them with the proper size Kumho Ecsta tires, and got to test them last night in Missouri / Illinois (and the ice storm that has shut down much of the Midwest). Several inches of sleet, freezing rain and snow, and the car didn't put a foot wrong. I was flying by virtually everything else on the road. It's only FWD, but does have the little magic "W button"... not sure what it does, but the car was very, very capable... but it's all covered in snow, salt and ice again. I'm on my way out to get it washed off, even though the snow is still coming down.

I'm lucky it did come equipped with a factory hitch, though someone had cut off the connector for trailer wiring. I managed to rewire that using a generic 5-4 wire adapter from Autozone ($20 vs. $110 for a new harness from IPD). I'll be testing the towing capacity in a month or so when I pull a 12x6 foot trailer from Florida to Arizona.

 

LOL, you get around as much as I do. Depending on how much weight will be on the trailer, you won't even know it's back there. I recently towed a 8x5 U-Haul trailer from Little Rock to Albuquerque. My guess is that the weight was about 1600 lbs. I barely knew it was back there. I set the cruise on 63 mph most of the time and was got a little better than 18 mpg.

I grew up in Pittsburgh but have never driven my FWD Volvo up there. I'd be real hesitant about washing the car off in sub freezing weather. I had a hard time keeping my doors closed in my Honda Accord after doing that. LOL

 

Good looking car. I just found and bought a beautiful Ruby Red Metallic 2006 xc 90 2.5T. Like new interior and well maintened by older couple. I lucked out on this by searching weeks on CarGurus. Drove almost 400 miles from dealership to home and everything was fine.

 

The dealer I took mine to (for cutting and programming a second key ONLY) told me that he could see that the previous owner had our V70 T5 in the dealer shop every 3,000 miles or so. I had a pile of receipts that make me feel a whole lot better about the mileage (including a replacement turbocharger just a few years ago).

It's almost unbelievable that a car could be this fast, handle so well, handle snow and ice so well, hold so much, be so economical, pull so much weight, be in such good shape AND cost so little. I've been totally thrilled with it so far - hope that is the case a year from now!

 

Amen to that. A lot of people don't know that you need to let a turbo warm up and cool down. That along with full synthetic oil will help them last a long time.

 

I currently own a 2006 s60. I absolutely love it.
I drive a lot for work, I have to haul equipment every day all over town.
Ive been looking for an older station wagon to use for work, for mountain biking and long distance driving to help keep my s60 in good shape.

What advice do you have for someone looking to buy a v70? Any particular years I should avoid? Any problems to look out for? I am trying to spend around $1,400--$1,600.

 

Matt, at your price point you can't be too picky. I actually picked mine up for that kind of money, but the car had a bad 2nd to 3rd gear flare (which happily was fixed with a $30 part from IPD and 30 minutes of work). Otherwise the car was in really nice condition with a pristine leather interior.

My understanding is that the 2001 and 2002 models have more transmission problems. I love my T5 and the fact I can leave a lot of "performance cars" in the dust, but really appreciate the fact it can tow 3,300 pounds (something I put to good use earlier this year, pulling a 12x6x6 trailer a few thousand miles). But you might not really care about power, so I'd have to guess that the normally aspirated model might make more sense and would potentially require less maintenance.

I guess it goes without saying that the XC is a great car, but more mechanically complex (I've seen a number of them that were "converted" to front wheel drive when the AWD went south).

Maintenance records are golden when you're looking for a well-used car - it could be ready for another 200,000 miles, or ready for the junkyard. Pay very close attention to the way it shifts - some problems will occur only after the car warms up fully, so drive it enough to get it to full operating temperature.

And I'd read through this excellent website - lots of good info on potential issues: Home - Howard's Volvo Maintenance

But in general, the V70 will be so much like your S60 that you should be pretty comfortable looking over one. Good luck with your search!

 

Bought my first Volvo four weeks ago. I was actually looking at a 2005 Crossfire that died on me during the test drive and needed to be towed back to the dealership. The next morning I went back to the dealership figuring I'd test drive a few other cars on the lot. Drove a Sebring with 90k on it, a 2006 Altima with 114k, a 2007 Maxima with 129k on it. Then the 2006 S60 that has 188k on it. All of these were under $10000, with the S60 coming in at $6400.

I was amazed at the S60. Interior was almost perfect (center console cover looks like a dog held on for dear life while sitting on top of it.) The car ran perfectly, shifted smoothly, but I felt the brakes needed some work. Returning to the dealership I offered $6000 and then took the deal.

I replaced all four rotors just for peace of mind, and just love the car. I mentioned the "high" milage to the mechanic who repleced the rotors and his reply was that "It's still a puppy." Love it.

 

FYI, I was talking to a Swedish customer, and he tells me that the V70 (very similar to your S60, of course) make up the majority of the Swedish taxi fleet. He says that they tend to go 400,000 miles, so I figure I've got another 180,000 miles left on mine. ;-) They're well-engineered, well-built vehicles, if a little overly complicated. I planned on selling mine in January but the wife has grown quite attached to it. It'll be around at least until my grandkids leave after their visit in July.