Looking at a 1998 T5.

It has 200,000 miles on it and has been serviced at a Volvo dealership all it's life with all recommended maintence.1 owner car. Price is $6,500. Also, Timing belt and bunch of other tune up has been done by the Volvo dealership

Looking for a car to last me 5 years. Is this worth a buy?

 

6500 for a 15 y/o car with 200k on it seems high to me.

You can get an 05 Mazda 3 for 6k.

When you say recommended maintenance what are you referring to? Routine service or whatever the dealer said was done?


I like my S70 GLT. It's got 170k on it. It had 156 when I bought it for 3200 and the interior was in great condition and all service was up to date.

 

Summer of 2012 I bought my 1998 V70 with 100K Looked and smelled new for $3100.00 out the door from the dealer. It was a garage kept adult woman owned one owner trade-in and had the t-belt done at 99K. The car looks and drives like new and I have 128K on it now. I drive a lot. So That price sounds high to me. BTW the dealer wanted $4995 for mine, cash talked. Good luck!

 

That's a good question. I don't know what recommended maintence means too. That's what it says on the Carfax. Don't know if it's maintence ever 20k, 50k, 80k, 100k miles or something else.

Also, the Carfax shows 12 dealer visits within the span of 2 years (2001 - 2002). The car had 27 Service records total threw out it's life.

This car was also owned by one person. It was a lady. leather interior is very clean for it's age.

When the you say the dealer wanted $4995, did you negotiate down? I also have cash for the car.

 

What are the chances of the car making it to 250,000 miles?

 

Who knows?

Who's selling the car (volvo dealer, user car dealer, private party, etc.)?

Where are you located in the world? These things might have some influence on the price.

They are definitely asking a premium; with that mileage the car it's worth maybe half that. At the end of the day it all comes down to what the traffic will bear.

 

Yes the window sticker price was $4995.00 +tax +tag +title +dealer fee. I offered the dealer $3000.00 out the door cash right now. He came back with many offers. After about 30 min we agreed on $3100.00 out the door which made the car about $2850.00 +tax +tag +title + dealer fee waved = $3100.00. My car had been maintained at the dealer and is as close to a new car as if it was no more than a year old. Look at my pics in my album to see condition. Under the hood it looks new too, no leaks, dirt, or sludge in motor. The brake fluid is still pink, trans fluid looked and smelled fresh too. So the condition was cleaner than several 2010 volvos I looked at. So don't be shy about lo-balling the offer to the dealer when spending cash on a older car, most creditors won't lend on a car that old and the dealer knows it.

 

The dude said he paid $3,100 for a clean car with 1/2 the mileage, that aint hard to understand. Check www.NADAGuides.com for values in your area.

The motors in these cars are made to last 500,000 miles so it will last whether you pay $3,000 or $8,000.

Remember that a 15 year old car that is in great condition can blow an old water hose tomorrow and destroy the motor in less than 60 seconds.

 

Sorry. This is my first time on this forum and first time posting and looking at Volvo's. I've had a 91 Wrangler, 94 Cherokee, 2001 Passat. Always have loved the boxy S70.

It's from a Volvo dealer and has been maintained there it's whole life. That's why I'm considering it because it was maintained by Volvo trained Technicians.

They have done $2,500 worth of maintence when the car was traded in.

1. 27 car point check
2. A/C Service (Evacuate, Leak-Test)
3. State Inspection
4. Oil and Filter change
5. Engine Timing Belt / Replace
6. Cam Seals Replace
7. Engine Breather Box replace
8. Engine mount - torque replace
9. oil cooler hose replace
10. headlight wiper stops replace
11. bulb turn signal replace
12. Window switch electonic replace
13. replace tow hook cover
14. Brake pads rear replace
15. Brake roters rear replace
16. replace air dam
17. hood latch replace

That makes me feel good too that you say these engines last 500,000 miles. And your right, a car could go anytime. I totaled my car last week from an accident which was not my fault.

 

It's good to know that those things were replaced but that is not your problem. If the car had been keep up properly, all of those things were not have needed to be serviced/repaired to get it in enough shape to sell.

So, Maybe $4,500 would be a decent price if the rest of the car is in GOOD condition. How are the strut towers and mounts? What shape are the control arms in? You can check the DIY 850 section and look at the 850 buyer's guide to see what you should be looking for.

As for the age and type of car, I really do not recommend these cars to anyone that is not a DIYer when it comes to upkeep. They will cost you around $150 per month to keep up.

 

I see timing belt and cam seals, but at 200k you must ask when the water pump, Timint idle wheels and tentioner should have been done too if not then then at the 140k maintence and if non-synthetic oil was used with 5k or later changes were done, when was the flame trap replaced? These items fail on white blocks and if you blow the belt or blow the oil out due to clogged pcv, your engine is done dealing. I think the white blocks are built to last a lifetime with good maintaince but can fail easily by either 1. a timing belt, or 2. clogged pcv flame trap, or 3. overheating. If flame trap is original, check it out carefully! With my 98 I got lucky in she did 3k oil changes with synthetic oil.

 

For what it's worth, we have about 175,000 on the clock. Not 100% sure because the odo was changed to lower the miles before purchased it. Our compression is fair and I'm currently running full synthetic. I had to replace the head gasket back in July of '12.

I believe the list he showed indicated that the PCV was replaced recently. That's what they call the breather box.

 

Good point. All these things would not have been done twice. Maybe it's the second time the timing belt has been replaced? I will ask them about the other points.

I appreciate your input.

 

Good points to look at. Thank you.

 

Thank you for giving me a price range to narrow in on.

 

I have had good luck with my 850 and V70 cars. They have been a little higher maitnence than the others I have owned, but have their own charm. Just don't listen when you are told the car does not need regular service. Keep the oil changed I do 3k OCI, change the coolent every second year with thermostat I use FL 22 coolent in my whiteblocks, if it is automatic drain and fill the tranny every 15k which in my car is 3.5 quarts and watch the wear items any you are good. I have yet to wear a Volvo engine or transmisson out.

 

At 200,000 it should be the 3rd belt change. If the service history is sketchy they will likely not share it with you. Not that it would matter. Just focus on what needs to be done.

 

picked mine up last night!

1998 S70 T5
187k miles

drove it 200 miles home and loving it.

 

Awesome!!! Glad you like it.

 

This was from a Volvo dealer and has been serviced there it's whole life.