I'm looking at a 2013 C70, 17k miles. Never owned a Volvo. I noticed a few issues on a test drive - slight vibration in steering wheel and under foot when driving over 60 mph, breaks seemed good but not perfect (hard to describe). The top worked fine but all those moving parts are a concern. And finally, when the salesperson started the car, some white smoke come out of the exhaust pipe and the fumes were strong.
Can I get thoughts, comments, your experience, suggestions.

Have you experienced the vibration described above? Any idea what could cause it?

At how many miles would you expect to have brakes fixed/replaced?

Have you experienced fumes when starting car? If so why?

How do the hard top motors stand up over time? So many parts to
It.

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

 

The hardtop is made to last 10.000 cycles, but follow the service program there are a lot of parts that need lubricating. It is electro-hydraulic and hydraulic pump and cylinders are very durable. Make sure you drive the car enough to listen for any squeak and rattle issues and also possible water ingress

 

The vibration... could be wheels need balancing.

 

Oct. 8, 2017

I would get an independent Volvo mechanic to check the engine block for leaks...it could be that coolant is leaking into a cylinder and burning off when the spark plug ignites. I'd pass on the car if that's the case.

The tops are a mechanical marvel. They are durable and rarely give problems. Volvo and Pininfarina installed those tops together and they are very well designed.

Brakes should last 40 to 50,000 miles provided you don't abuse them.

The vibration is tire/wheel related and might be something easily fixed by balancing the tires. If you buy the car be sure to rotate the tires every 5,000 miles to prevent wear problems.

I don't know where you are located but my son just traded in his 2013 Volvo C70 and it is in excellent condition. New tires, new plugs and coils. It's white with chocolate brown interior and about 82,000 miles He drives about 30k miles/year but takes good care of his cars. It will be on one of the lots at Flow Motors in North Carolina within the next day or two.
Flow Automotive | New and Used Cars Trucks SUVs Minivans | Winston-Salem Greensboro Fayetteville Raleigh Wilmington Charlottesville | Piedmont Triad - Home Page

 

Top should be good. Just make sure that you follow at least the maintenance intervals for getting it lubed.

For the vibration and brakes, if the car has been sitting a lot, which mightb e the case with low miles, this can wear/warp the brakes. This could also cause a vibration.

Also check the axle boots for tears. This may be common.

The tires being out of balance or never rotated also could be an issue. As stated above, they have negative camber in the back and need to be rotated every 5 k to wear evenly. We did not realize this and wore the inside edge of ours out.

These are good cars, very well made. Some parts for them are pricey.