Hi,
I am beginning my search for a convertible to be my daily driver. I will probably end up purchasing a vehicle in the February - March 2019 time frame as that will give me a chance to do research between now & then and ensure I get the right vehicle. However, if the right vehicle pops up earlier and I have done enough research I could make a decision earlier. I see many C70s have lower miles which makes me think they are not often used daily. What are your thoughts on a C70 being used for a daily driver? Do any of you have experience with the 1996 - 2006 Jaguar XK8, and can compare the XK8 with the C70? Are they even comparable??

I saw a white 1998 Jaguar XK8 convertible for sale in the Dallas area a few years back for $5,995 and fell in love with the design. I cannot get that car out of my mind. However, I just came across a white 2009 C70 for $5,995 in Santa Rita, CA just now and it is a nice looking car also. I also like the fact the Volvo has a back seat as compared to the Jag only being a 2-seater. I also am partial to the 2004 - 2008 Chevy Corvette. There are also the Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Ford Mustang convertibles to choose from. I would also consider a nice, older resto-mod convertible from the 60's or early 70's but my price range will probably preclude this option. My goal is to be in the $6k - $16k price range, and, as you can read, my options are pretty wide as long as I get a convertible. So far, the Jag and now the C70 are at the top of my list.

The convertible will eventually share daily driving duties with my 2000 Chevy K3500 crew cab long bed pick-up, which will be off the road for a few months for a partial - complete rebuild. My daily commute is about 35 - 40 miles, depending on errands and my 15 yr old daughter's (new driver) after-school schedule, with a monthly 1,200 mile highway road trip. I used to use my 1998 Ford Expedition for the daily driving needs & road trips but one of the heads finally gave up completely at 322,000 miles on a road trip when I was 5.5 hours away from home, and that was when my Chevy truck was forced into daily service, even though it needed a complete rebuild. So, 18 months later of driving the Chevy truck daily, I really need to put attention on it but I need a replacement car in the interim. I take care of my cars, and keeping my Expedition on the road for 322k miles and keeping this Chevy truck running is proof of that. So, why not get a beautiful, fun, "exotic" car that has most of the depreciation already done?

I have done more research on the Jaguar XK8 (issues with Nicasil, plastic impeller water pumps, throttle body actuate motors, timing chain tensioners, and sealed transmissions. Those items will be reviewed before I purchase any XK8).

However, I have not done any research on the C70 yet but will start soon. In the meantime, do they have any issues that have become apparent over the years??

Thanks for your thoughts, on the C70, and my other vehicle choices if you are aware of them. I am really interested in the C70 as a daily driver and if any of you have experience with the XK8 and give a fair comparison.

 

C70s come in two models - the first edition had a soft top and shared drive train parts with the S70s. The second generation had the folding hard top which as you'd expect has a lot of sensors, motors, micro switches etc. Convertibles by their nature lose structural rigidity due to the lack of the roof braces so they are prone to squeaks/rattles etc (this is not just Volvo - my brother's M3 is very noisy that way) So when shopping across brands you need to consider soft top vs folding hard top - soft is less complicated/less costly to repair (until you replace the fabric), hard tops are quieter and better insulated for the winter but can have issues with the sensors, switches and hydraulics. Outside of the roof, the Volvo should be easy enough to maintain and I think the Gen2 C70s are stunning with the most comfortable seats in the biz. The rear seat is condensed due to the roof bolsters so only two can fit and best if they are kids since its a two door.

 

I've never handled any Volvo coupe or convertible. The only two door model that we ever sold was the 780 Bertone, the 4-cylinder turbo model with the buttery soft leather.

Like mentioned above, convertibles have their issues. The largest two are the life of the convertible top and the mechanisms that work the top. I don't know if Volvo uses hydraulics or electric motors, but all of the hydraulic cylinders leak over about a 10 year period, or less.

A convertible that is close to ten years of age will need a new top and hydraulics rebuilt.