I will try to be brief and thorough.
I have about 5k to spend on a car.
I drive a work truck normally...and have a 2013 town and country mini van.
I am looking for a car that is just for me.
I have found an XC I like but has 170k miles....Miles really dont scare me in general....but I know they SHOULD scare me on some cars (I love MBs....but have been told high miles on the more modern ones 2000+ can get pricy)
I have also found 2 C70s (closer to 6k....but I bet cash would get them close to 5. they each have under 100k

Part of me wants to get something like a convertible or even a roadster...but a Miata is too small. BMW z3 or MB SLK look nice....but maint. and longevity scare me (ones I could afford would be 2000-2005 with high 150k+ miles) I Kind of like the Lexus SC and the Nissan 350 roadster also. Comfort is important because I DO put a lot of miles on...and I would like something that is more of a luxury car...drivers car than going out and getting a Toyota

The other part of me likes station wagons (always have...just a nerdy side of me)

This would be 'MY car' and so part of that means using it on long trips. I go 800 miles in a day several times a year......and a couple of times a year I do 2000+ trips over the course of a few days. I could use the room in a wagon....but honestly...I dont need it. I am thinking I like to Mt Bike....but I also have a truck I can haul my bike in.

I live 1 hour from Tulsa OK and 1 hour from OKC. Winters are not horrible....I have enough options that I could just not drive what I get if the weather is bad.

I can do most all of my own maint with help of forums and you tube....I recently did an EGR delete and a head gasket on my wifes diesel truck. That said...I dont mind it....but I dont like having a vehicle down. I like to turn the key and go.
I dont know how many miles a year I will do....depends on how much I leave the work truck at home. I drive about 45k miles a year total....but dont know how much would be in THIS vehicle. Longevity is important to me. I like to put LOTS of miles on cars before I get rid of them.

Here is what I worry about with the C70....and maybe even a S40/S60 I live on 2 miles of gravel road. While it is maintained....it has quite a bit of washboard and rough driving. I heard the C70 is heavy for its platform and the suspension can be weak on bumpy icy roads. I have to think my gravel would be just as hard on it.

So...my questions.

1. With my somewhat rough gravel driving...will the C70 hold up?

2. How much more are parts on a Volvo and how hard to find compared to a Nissan or a Lexus? What about compared to a Ford?

3. If I drive the **** out of them....but do regular maint etc.....can I get 300k out of either or both?

Thank you.

 

mcompton1973
You've asked a lot of questions that I honestly can't answer for your circumstances. I bought a 2013 C70 new. It is my mid-life crisis car. I wanted a convertible. My wife and I enjoy road trips with the top down. That's our primary use for this car. Volvo parts can be pricey when you deal with the dealers. But there are a number of options listed in these forums. I am just starting to do my own maintenance on my C70. I've only go 35k miles on it now and just coming up on the first major service, brake fluid and transmission flush, Shocks, struts and tires. I haven't heard the suspension is particularly fragile but, I must admit to being surprised that my tires cupped so bad with only 35k miles. The dealer indicated this was normal. That's why I'm not going back there. I'm not convinced the shocks and struts are bad but, by the time I get them off, I might as well replace them. My guess is by the time you see this you've already made your choices. But maybe someone else will benefit from my ramblings. Jim Compton