Last Friday my very well preserved and prized 2003 V70T developed what first appeared to be a simple miss but was eventually shown to be a major malfunction in cylinder #3 - probably broken rings or failing piston. Since what used to be straightforward machine work is either simply not done or prohibitively expensive, engine replacement seemed to be the only option. With estimates ranging from $4-6000, the investment of that in a car that is 14 years old with 150,000 miles on the clock did not seem prudent.

I spent the weekend on my computer both looking for a replacement and doing "background" checks on alternatives to the V70. Lessons learned: Later model year V70 turbos are very rare, XC90s seem to be poster children for transmission issues (besides, I really don't like SUVs), other station wagons (Benz, Audi,VW did not have inspiring repair records (I know about MB, had a '94 320 wagon that I traded at just over 100K because it needed a transmission and that was after 6 years of electrical and A/C miseries) The 2008-2010 V70 3.2 looked promising and I found 4 within 100 miles. There had been only 2 significant recalls and did not appear to be any pattern of frequent failures.

So I bought one yesterday, a one owner 2009, clean Carfax, with 10900 on the clock. I gave it a thorough visual inspection and found no evidence of damage or abuse - yes, it has a few scratches and minor dings (but their presence assures me that no one had given it a quicky paint job to conceal damage) but all the panels were straight and matching (silver metallics are hard to match). I took a short drive and bought it.

I have only driven it the 75 miles to home but here are my first reactions: It is a bigger car than the '03 in both looks and feel. The handling and throttle response are good but lack the 'edge" of the older car. On the other hand, the highway ride and noise level over rough pavement is much better. The exterior styling is a matter of taste - it is certainly a good looking car. To my eye, the more rounded shape lacks the elegance of the 03's tightly drawn uncompromising rectangular appearance. On to the interior - let's start with the good: Certainly a more luxurious look and feel and the built in bluetooth connection to my phone is very nice. I don't like the instruments - no temperature gauge and an lcd bar graph for fuel. The power outlet (AKA cigarette lighter) has moved from the dash to the center armrest/storage bin so the power cord for my GPS (no, it is not fitted with the built-in one) drapes itself uncomfortably close to the gearshift lever. Storage is another issue, or rather a series of small issues. The convenient pen holder at the bottom of the dash is gone as is the nice dash cubby for my sunglasses and the useful transparent clip on the left A pillar for parking passes etc. The glove box is smaller, harder to reach and lacks the built-in slip holder for the owners manual. The center console storage is larger but less conveniently divided. Second seat folding is easier and the fold-down front passenger seat is good as is the second seat center pass through. An amusing aside - both cars use the same (short lived) rubber flaps in the cup holders and in both cases about half are broken off.

Bottom line: It's a very nice car but I wish the '03 hadn't broken or I could have found an '07 turbo (the normally aspirated 5 cyl is a bit of a slug)

If my view changes I'll repost.