Hi from a new member.
I just bought an '06 XC70 in Barents Blue which is my first Volvo since a couple of 245 GL's that I had 20 years ago.
This was a grossly misrepresented FB Marketplace purchase that I am just going to have to make the best of. I look forward to learning as much as I can to help turn my pigs ear back into the silk purse it started as.

 

welcome to the forum. Hopefully you just need to sort out a few details - best thing I can say is Volvos tend to have common problem areas for a given year/platform which are pretty well documented. As with any "new to you" car, my suggestion is to read through any maintenance history to make sure the car is on schedule. Most critical is the timing belt for the I5s (if your car has the I6 you have a timing chain - so no service interval). Next I'd make sure all fluids are clean and fresh - brakes, coolant, transmission (drain/fills are good enough - no need for an expensive flush). Next is to check out the safety items - brake pads/discs, suspension bits (any odd handling or clunks & thumps?) , any signs of oil leaks/fluids on the underside or driveway spotting? Here's where I'd be suspicious of an overly clean/detailed engine so I'd check for the first few weeks to look for any change of fluid levels/driveway spotting. If you are not handy or don't have tools or time for the DIY projects, I'd suggest paying for a safety inspection - dealers typically do this as part of regular service but havng a friendly indy tech who knows Volvos or euro cars can coach you on what to look out for. Post up any questions or concerns in the XC70 board and you'll get some good insights.

 

Thanks. This poor car is a real sow's ear. The seller was hard to contact in a timely fashion and was sparing (and outright lied) with the details and when my BF went to make the transaction while I was working, he has assumed I was aware of all the shortcomings (as per the seller). The "minimal" damage from "clipping a deer" after the car was listed looks far more like he tagged a mailbox. The interior looks and smells like a bad dive bar and there is ample evidence that the only work done lately was at the hands of a moron with a Sawzall and pliers. Needless to say, there are no service records.
If it is as clean underneath as the external body seems to be, I'm willing to put my time and money into it to end up with a nice car for my efforts. If not, I'll cut my losses and drive it thru winter and find a nicer V70 or XC70 wagon to replace it.

 

I am a firm believer in factory shop manuals and got both the service manual and wiring diagrams from the E manuals vendor who advertises here. I think I am going to have to get one of the interface devices and diagnostic software since we no longer have a Volvo dealer in town and it's about 100 miles to the nearest ones.

 

no need to buy a manual per se, plenty of content is online - including techy stuff like wiring diagrams. For an older used car, owning an OBD2 code reader is an essential tool, but if you are really looking for a pro level service tool, check out eBay for VIDA DICE software. There's usually somebody selling some theft-ware of the pre-2014 VIDA CDs and somebody is always selling the connector harness (PM hoonk - I think he was selling his recently). You can also buy a legit subscription to VIDA from Volvo for xx days for a project. I 've collected a good set of bookmarks and use other forums to find a lot of write ups and commentary, plus there's always somebody putting content on YouTube. Robert-DIY is probably the best of all for the 850/V70s plus there are others including Volvo friendly web stores like IPD USA and FCP Euro - both of whom post blogs and online DIY content. As far are your deer vs car issue, my first bookmark tip is car-part.com which is a recycle yard search engine. Need a fender or hood? there you go, down to the color...

 

Hi Guys, about to make start my first thread about my s70 98. Please check it out! My car developed some weird noises recently, and I have a hard time to pin point it... https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-...06/#post519846
Luk

 

Thanks so much for your help and the heads ups. I had downloaded the Volvo factory service manual and wiring manual yesterday from EManuals(?), an advertiser here. This vehicle has a level of electronics above what I'm use to dealing with so the more documentation the better in my book. I haven't started looking for the interface gear and software yet but I'm glad to check out your recommendations.
I stopped at a small independent shop who used to work on Volvos but limits his workload to only German cars now and he ran the car up on the hoist for me so I could have a good look at the underside. It turns out to be as corrosion free as I hoped so now I'm ready start investing my time and money to make a nice car out of it again. I'm off to a salvage yard in the Chicago area in the morning to start stripping a XC70 for parts I need.
I'll also be checking on that diagnostics adapter and look into the software options to go with it.