http://http://columbus.craigslist.or...620416817.html

Hello everyone I am looking at this C70 today. He has agreed to sell it for $2000. Any words of advice? Is the car worth it? What are the common issues on them? What areas should I specifically look at before I buy it? How expensive are these cars to maintain? I am a college student and dont want to buy a car that costs an arm and a leg to maintain.

Help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

How many miles on the car? I have a 1998 C70 HPT 2.3 coupe also. 1998 is the only year the C70 came with plugs, distributor cap with rotor and a coil, mounted on the driver's fender. The turbo is probably the most exspensive part on the engine. The PCV system is probably the most difficult to replace.I purchased mine in 2010 with 24k miles on it! Window regulators are exspensive, replaced my driver's side myself. Replaced all the ignition parts listed above because they were original. Replaced a failed ignition/key mechanism on the steering column. change the fuel filter located forward of the right rear wheel.

 

Old Volvo's are expensive to keep maintained unless you do most of the work yourself. If you do not turn wrenches, don't walk away from old Volvo's, RUN!!!

 

Thanks for the advice.

I am a newbie but I do like to work on my cars unless it is something that is major. The car has 286,000 miles on it - but the engine only has 72,000 miles. The transmission was flushed, the distributor cap and spark plugs were changed. The water pump and timing belt and serpentine were changed. Front struts, tie rod links, axle shafts and sway bars were all changed. The car also has new rotors and brake pads all around. Everything seems to run fine. There are no error codes. Interior is also in pretty good condition.

The only thing is - I checked the car out yesterday during daytime and also had an "inspection" done at NTB for $103. They said that the PS has a leak (which the guy also told me about). But other than that the car is fine.

Today when I went to check the car out at night - I noticed that the lights flicker when I turn the indicators on (the interior lights are the most noticeable). The car has a battery from this January. Any clue what this is? Is the car worth it for $1850? I am tempted to buy it since it drives and runs good.

 

Wiring problems can be a nightmare to find problems & repair. Check all bulbs & fuses to start. Make sure all bulb holders are clean and all light switches work properly.

 

I checked for those. Everything seems fine except for the light flickering deal (cant feel it during the day). Its apparent only at night when all the lights are on. Is it something major? Is there any way to check if the voltage regulator and alternator are fine?

 

My advice is take it to a reputable mechanic and pay for a simple inspection just to be safe.
Spending $100 now could save you $1000's later

 

I disagree with this statement. The older ones are generally more simple (less expensive modules to go bad) and the parts on them are generally less expensive than their counterpart on a newer model. They aren't hard to work on either.

 

Thank you guys. I got it checked at NTB. Those guys are a bunch of crooks though. They charged me $103.66 for an hour. During this they did not check half the stuff. Finally when I insisted that I be shown the car and much questioning they looked at everything. The PS pump has a leak but doesnt seem to be too bad. I am actually happy with the car. The only thing I am concerned with is whether the voltage regulator or the alternator are weak? The lights seem to flicker when I have the hazard lamps on (the interior lights in particular). The guy said that he had never changed it though. Any thoughts on that? I got the car for $1800. Help would be appreciated.

@ES6T - I agree with you. I also have a 1990 Volvo 240. That is a much more simpler car that is very inexpensive to maintain especially for someone like me who is newbie DIY person.

 

Flickering lights? I experienced that when my alternator went out in my old ride. Have it checked at Advanced Auto Parts for free if you ended up buying the C70.

 

There is a chance that the battery is weak from sitting. It's easy to monitor the output of the alternator and check battery volts. If you now have the car, drive it for a week and see if it persist. If so, the alternator may be weak. I drove for almost 2 years with a weak alternator putting out 12.4 to 12.7 volts. Replaced it a few days ago with a newer used one from the junk yard for $25. This is why I say "they are expensive to maintain" if you don't do the work yourself. People pay over $600 to have alternators replaced.

 

I agree with you RSPI. I let the car just stand for 3 days and checked the voltage without starting the car. It showed 12.4V. Then I started the car to 1500-2000 rpm. The multimeter showed 14.6V. This value was constant even if I revved past 2000 rpm. Does that mean that everything is OK?

I intend on getting the alternator checked out once this snow storm clear out.

I also noticed that there was some oil in the large diameter pipe that comes to the block from the very back of the engine bay (from the turbo I am guessing. Sorry, I have no experience with Turbos). The oil does not seem to be dripping. More like it has collected a tiny bit around the metal clamp. Is this something that I need to worry about?