OK guys, I'm looking at a used 2006 S60 with 43,559 miles on it. The place is asking $14,449 for it. Thoughts? Anything I should look for?

 

Just take it for a nice thorough test drive before purchase. If it feels good, you will know.

 

According to a "leading consumer magazine" the later model years (including the 06) are rated good for reliability. The price seems reasonable for the mileage. I suggest a CarFax report on this particular one to look for ownership history (you don't want a 3 year old car owned by 4 people), maintenance records (hit and miss but better than nothing) and accident history.

Are service/repair records available? Just be aware that starting at 60K, the maintenance schedule gets much busier.

Based on our V70, expect good highway mileage, but so-so urban mileage.

 

Nevermind. They sold the sumbitch. That's OK though, I have a backup....an '06 S60 AWD with only about 7,000 miles on it!

When you say 'busier', the only thing I can think of is the timing belt. What am I missing?

 

By "busier", I mean a whole lot more inspections start appearing. Oddly, and for reasons nobody seems able to explain, Volvo does not mandate any trans fluid replacement. Don't get suckered into that omission. Look around this forum and see the "sticky" posts on trans fluid, for one.

My wife recently bought an '06 V70 that had only 14K on it with a clean carfax and Volvo Certified Preowned Warranty (CPO) good until June 2012 or 100K miles. I've read the service schedule and note that factory recommended services become more numerous at about 60K miles. Suspension parts, AWD "bevel" gear lube, and others I don't recall off the top of my head. Hers is FWD only.
Oddly, a door sticker talks about replacing the airbags after 12 years, I think, or at least testing them somehow. Sure I'll do that with a 12 year old car on the odd chance they won't fire in a crash. (No other car to my current knowledge makes such a recommendation. About 10 years ago, GM test fired its 1973 -74 airbags and they worked just fine.

Check my post on "touch up paint" to get an idea of what's involved in Volvo ownership maintenance costs -- high compared to the Hondas and Toyotas I've driven for years.

 

According to the owner's manual, there is a stipulation for the timing belt for cars bought in the Northeast. It says the timing belt would not need to be replaced until the 150,000 mile mark. That doesn't sound right. Thoughts?

 

Did you ever see the movie about that great San Francisco philosopher, Harry Calahan?

His philosophy lets you answer your question yourself, RPM. "You've got to ask yourself a question ---- 'Do I feel lucky?' --- Well, do you, punk?"

Unless you plan on using your current valves as objects of abstract art, I would never
let a timing belt go over 100K miles without being changed; along with the idler/tensionser and probably the water pump, too. You can go to the Gates Belt website and see that Volvo engines are "interference" engines -- meaning that if the belt snaps, the valves and pistons have a very short, but meaningful and ultimately destructive relationship. (That's how I explained it to my wife so she understood completely).

Some years ago, I had a Corolla (5 speed) with a 90K recommendation. Damned if it didn't snap at about 91K -- not an interference model, fortunately. But it taught me be safe rather than sorry. All 4 of the Hondas I've since owned were changed at 90 K even though the owners manual interval was 105K.

My guess is that this Northeast interval has more to do with mandatory emission control warranty than with automotive longevity. But that's a guess.