New member here and I wanted to say hi!. I've always had a summer convertible and a winter vehicle but its gotten rediculous financially because I buy a different vert every year for the summer and then sell it in the fall. I've come to the conclusion that financially I am going to buy 1 convertible and then just use that as my year round full-time vehicle. Since I already had bought a new volvo s60 2.5t awd for the wife - I am going to go with the C70 for myself. I will be looking for anything from a 98 - 01 for model years. I have seen some really low mileage perfect looking units locally and on ebay but sine this is a new model for me I was wondering if you experts here could tell me what I should either be looking for or staying away from as far as potential or known problems with the convertible.

Thanks in advance for you help and advise.

sincerely

pj

 

I personally would get a 1998 c70 convertable.

1999 model Volvo's had the ETM problems and you would have to ask whoever is selling it if they had the ETM replaced and if the new software update was performed.

Also if your looking for power go with the HPT model and not the LPT model.

In general look over all the cars you look at for everything. Make sure they have a lot or all of the maintainence records etc...

 

thanks so much - generally when should the timing belt have been changed or at what mileage is that typically due.

thanks again.

sincerely

pj

 

75,000 miles I am not sure on that. I believe it is between 75,000 and 100,000 miles.

 

I was going to buy a C70 and did quite a bit of homework and decided against it. I test drove one and it seemed to have every problem that I heard was common on them. It was a coupe and the sunroof rattled like crazy. The windows would not go up on both doors, and it just did not have the power that I have with my 850 Turbo's. The stereo was fantastic though, and I really like the looks.

I actually read somewhere on a Volvo board that the Chrysler convertible, not sure of the model, is a better vehicle than the C70 convertible. Also heard the C70Coupe is better than the convertible. I still turn my head and wonder every time I see a C70 convertible though. Another one that catches my eye is the Mercedes convertible. Not sure of the model, maybe a C30? Pretty sure if I was going topless though it would be a two seater, probably Honda S2000 or go cheaper and get a Miata.

 

Jim, I don't know what you have been smoking lately but the 0 to 60 time for a 1996 850r is: 6.9 seconds. The 1/4 mile is accomplished in 15.3 seconds.
The 0 to 60 time for a 1998 c70 is 6.4 seconds with a 1/4 mile at 14.9.

Now I have a 2002 c70 coupe that I keep for the same reason that you indicated..........the appearance. The Mercedes model you are thinking of is a CLK. I test drove one and then the c70 as they are similar in appearance. The c70 however is larger inside and was quicker than the six cylinder Merc. As to the sun roof...............you bet............it is a pain! My sun shade rattles and the sun roof has a terrific amount of wind noise when at speed. Other than that the auto has been outstanding and wheras it is now five years old, I do not plan on selling it as quite frankly I fell in love with this idiosyncratic vehicle.

REG

 

Maybe the one I drove was just ragged out. I just know my 97 850 R feltquicker than the 98 C70 I test drove. The car was obviously not well taken care of though.

 

Jim, I'll bet you are right on the c70 being beat!! They are a bit of a hot rod and when used I doubt that they have much resale. So...............the 20 somethings snap them up...........put an amp in the trunk and drive the hell out of them. I bought mine down in your neck of the woods back in 2002 and just turned 50,000 miles on it. I have it serviced annually by Volvo other than the maintenance I pull on it. Also...........I got to thinking last night after I sent you the email that you drive a T-5R. I looked up the times for that and the 0 to 60 is 6.6 seconds and the 1/4 mile is 15 seconds flat which is a tad better than the 850r. Still plenty fast for a 90's five cylinder!

REG
p.s. I miss TECH's input in the forum!!

 

I think we are going to line up my Daughter's 99 S80 T6, my Son's 98 V70 R, my T5R and my 850 R and see who wins. Who you betting on? I know I had an S80 T6 beat me one time in the 850 R already, but I do think the T5R feels faster than the 850 R, but not by much. If my Son didn't win though, he would start modding the hell out of it, or buy another one that would win and let his wife keep driving the V70 R, which she does already. The S80 T6 is a different kind of fast, but I'm thinking it's the fastest on the low end for sure.

 

According to Motor Trend, a 2004 v70R does 0 to 60 in 6.06 and the 1/4 mile in 14.43. Take the spare tyre, back seat, and floor mats out of your T-5R and pump up the front tyres and my money is on you! Don't forget you freshened up your engine a short while back. What is so surprising is that these shoe boxes perform so well for technology that is dated to the 90's! By the way you mentioned a Mazda MX-5 as a nice convertible.............my bride drives one (2006) as a summer auto and they are a bargain! Hers has a 6 speed paddle shifter that gives it a bit of a sporty elan. Interestingly they use premium fuel and the mileage is nothing to brag about! On top of they they have a teriffic resale that allows you to trade every couple of years. Let me know who wins the race..........I'll bet your T-5R is first with the V-70 second.????

REG

 

Speaking of 0-60 times, I read in IPD's catalog that the Geartronic-equipped R models (S60R and V70R - not sure of which years, but I think 2004 on?) have a torque limit (something like 250 lb.-ft.) imposed in 1st and 2nd gears, to protect the transmission. This is supposedly why the automatic versions have so much worse of a 0-60 time than the manuals (for these models). When IPD sells their ECU upgrades, they have a note in their catalog saying that their "regular" ECU upgrade maintains the same torque limiting in 1st and 2nd gear (automatic only), so 0-60 isn't really improved (but the extra torque and hp will be felt once you are in 3rd gear). They also sell a version without the torque limiting, but you have to sign a waiver saying that you will not hold them responsible for any damage to the transmission. (I'm trying to relate this from memory, so I might not be right on the details.)

 

I do believe you are correct. This forum is filled with stories of weak transmissions. I believe the latest iterations of Volvos use a G.M. transmission. I change the fluid in mine every two years (flush) in an effort to keep it working. But...........who have you got your money on............Jim's 850 or the V70?

r.

 

I was going to say that if the V70 was an automatic, then the850 would win, but if the V70 was a manual then I wasn't so sure.

But I am betting on Dad's850 - age and guile will beat out youth and energy (or however it goes).

 

I want to thank all of you that decided to hijack my original post and turn it into your own version of who's car is faster which quite frankly I could care less about. The post title says "Looking to buy c70 vert - what should I worry about" I didn't see where is said my car is faster than your.

Thanks anyway but geez....

 

phjohnso,

Yeah, you're right - I guess things did go off on kind of a tangent. In terms of things to look out for, I think that the first couple of responses hit the major things: Problematic ETM in '99 (which may have been corrected via subsequent recall), as well as paying attention to whether the transmission is shifting properly (for automatics). Other than that it is mostly the usual advice that would apply to any car - not least of which is looking for full maintenance records. With turbos you definitely want to verify that oil changes were done at least as often as in the maintenance schedule, and preferably more frequently (although if full synthetic has been used then perhapssticking to the regular maintenance schedule is enough). If someone has their maintenance record book fully filled out, and also has a file of receipts for work done, that's usually a sign of a well-maintained car.

The HPT definitely provides more bragging rights than the LPT, but in automatic form I don't know that it will feel too much different off the line than the LPT - the difference is more noticeable "at speed". (Of course, the HPT with a manual will feel faster.)

I don't know if you were also looking for ideas on alernate choices/brands or not. But there really aren't that many choices in conertibles at around the same price level as a 98-01 C70. The previous body style A4 Cab. is a very nice car, but I think that body style didn't come out until 2003. Still, a 2003 or so A4 Cab. 1.8T would be a nice alternative, if one came along at the right price. Used Mercedes CLK320's are going to cost a fair amount more, or else you have to get an older one. They're also very nice cars, but there is some sort of engine-related problem on some years of these that you'd need to verify as being previously addressed (I don't know if there was a recall on this or not - my recollection is fuzzy, but it might have been something to do with a harmonic balancer on the crankshaft pulley.). For a reliable, but perhaps duller alternative, the previous version Toyota Solara convertible (made up until 2003?) is a pretty nice car, and they can be had for not too much money. The Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder (previous version) is also not bad. It looks sportier than it really is, but it's not a bad handling/performing car. In this case the back seat is pretty much for emergency use only. (I'm assuming that you were looking for a four-passenger convertible. If two seats are enough, then the choices broaden considerably.)

My wife and I started looking at convertibles in 2004, and kept putting it off. There was never one particular car that jumped out at us, and there was always something new that was being announced that seemed better. So we relooked in 2005, and then again in early and late 2006. Finally we made the plunge with the new C70. But in the process of periodically looking, we test drove all sorts of cars, including all of the above-mentioned ones, plus the newer replacement models of each of them, plus lots more: Chrysler Sebring and Crossfire, VW Eos, Mustang GT, M-B SLK350, BMW 3 series, Pontiac G6, etc.

 

[quote]ORIGINAL: phjohnso

I want to thank all of you that decided to hijack my original post and turn it into your own version of who's car is faster which quite frankly I could care less about. The post title says "Looking to buy c70 vert - what should I worry about" I didn't see where is said my car is faster than your.

Thanks anyway but geez....

LIGHTEN UP PAUL. THIS FORUM IS NOT STRUCTURED TO YOUR PARAMETERS. PLEASE JOIN IN WITH YOUR COMMENTS ON ANY TOPIC. THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN MEMBERS FOR SEVERAL YEARS ENJOY A BIT OF BANTER ON OCCASION.

R.

 

I do appologize, it is my fault that we got off topic because I have tendency to tell stories at times. I will be very careful to never post in one of YOUR threads again.