I've got my first kid on the way so its time to move to a family car. I was wondering about reliability, repair costs, and things I should watch for when shopping for a v70 xc. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

 

Hello, This is the hardest question the do a search on as there is no standard way to ask it. I swear to you the answer to your question (which is very complicated) will be found when you search the words "bevel gear" or "transfer case", "ETM", "Center Drive Shaft", "B4 Servo cover", "Stop Neutral Feature", "ABS" and "PCV" or "breather system". You have a bit of reading to do but the issues people have had with these few things will cover most of what you need to know. Remember that each of these items is not a kiss of death. Each does require knowledge. Some require maintenance so they don't go bad. If you're on a budget, as I suspect given the year range and your impending fatherhood, you might reconsider your desire for AWD. Remember when mere FWD was God's gift to motorists? It's still PLENTY good enough for 99% of driving. Every Volvo AWD is turbo-charged. Are you sure you want a 9-10 year old turbo-charged car? When you read about these items you'll see in what years improvements were made. Maintenance records are a must; as with any car. Sorry if this answer seems cryptic and broad but there are "easy-to-deal-with" subtleties you must read about. Kira

 

The turbo part doesn't worry me as I have had 20 year old turbocharged cars. I do know that many awd systems can have issues (dealt with them before too). I will look into the things you mentioned. The awd is not really a must for me, but I prefer the more rugged look of the xc compared to a t5.

 

Like you, wanted AWD. What you might not have thought about but was a big deal to me was third row seating. If you have or will have three kids while you have the next car, its pretty darn handy.

Regarding Xc, research the alleged cost/reliability differences between 98's and 99-02s. Many have argued that 98 was the best year in that regard.

True? Don't know.

 

I you're looking for AWD, the newer the better. The older the car, the more likely it is that you'll be spending money on repairs. With AWD there are more components that can fail.