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This is a cut/paste of a post that I put in the 700 forum. Those of you who own 850 wagons and earlier V70 FWD wagons are very well qualified to help me with this choice, and your thoughts are very welcome:
We have, and will keep, our beloved 1991 745 Turbo wagon. But, we need a second car. The second car will be, primarily, our 25 year-old daughter's. She and her mother will use it for a daily driver, and the two cars will be back-up for each other in times of maintenance (scheduled and otherwise).
While I love the looks of the 745 and 945 (exactly the same sheet metal as far as I can tell), I thought that my daughter and wife might like to drive something that looks a bit "newer."
I've begun to be mesmerized by the numbers of 850 wagons and earlier V70 wagons available at reasonable prices. In many cases these cars are equal to or less expensive to purchase than a good, but older and higher mileage, 745 or 945. Hmmm, maybe that should tell me something.
I have read the FAQ about the problems that the 850 and its heirs (V70, etc) have.
What are your opinions? Should I really stay away from the FWD wagons, and stick with the good, very reliable, 700/900 series cars? Are the 850/V70 as bad as I fear? Would YOU buy one for your wife and daughter? Or, should I stick to finding a nice 745 (my preference) or 945 wagon?
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The other guys covered it pretty well, but as a 240 and 850 owner I have a few things to add.
First, the information in the 700/900 FAQ is an extreme overstatment. Makes the cars sound like junk. Not every car has every problem mentioned. Some cars might have some of these problems. Some have none. I think the info is most applicable to the early cars like the 1993, maybe 94.
The best 850's are the 95-97's. The best V70 is the 1998. The 1999's and up are more complex with electronic throttle (problematic) and multiple coils.
Bought my 1995 in November and it has none of those problems. In fact, neither did my 1993. The key (as Klaus mentioned) is to buy a well-maintained car and be willing to spend more for it! It's worth it.
Planning on driving as many 850/V70's as you can. You will quickly be able to tell a good one from the rest. A good one is a joy to drive. Don't be steered wrong, these are excellent cars but they do require more regular maintenance than the RWD cars. With good maintenance, they will last as long as the RWD cars. My 95 wagon has 165K on it and drives and looks like it has 65K! I expect it to last a long time just like my 240!
I do understand that the 700/900 wagons are excellent cars but give the FWD cars a chance. I'm glad I did.
Good luck with with whatever you decide..:)
--
95 855 GLT Sportwagon, 93 854 GLT (for sale), 90 244 DL 300k :)
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FWDs are not that hard to DIY, besides, the timing belt is every 70K miles and the water pump should easily last till 180K+ miles. The headliner doesn't fall down, the climate control works pretty good, there is a lot of bhp in the light turbo version, the turbo usually lasts as long as the block, and they have side airbags for the front seats.
I prefer the V70 because the window controls are in the door instead of on the center console.
Don't buy from a dealer if you can help it. You want service records which he will not have.
The 850 wagons have a problem of fading rear turn signals if parked in the sun a lot, the V70 doesn't seem to have that problem.
There is a 2004 C70 rag top for sale in Orlando for $7K!!! Might be more fun than a station wagon!!! :)
Klaus
--
Praying for Cynthia Amendt, heaven bound
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someone claiming to be xmpqefcbv
on
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Great advice KlausC.
As someone who recently moved from RWD Volvos to FWD/AWD I can honestly say they are not that hard to DIY at all. There was a bit of a learning curve to be sure, but once I realized that you have to be prepared to take things out (like the airbox, battery, intake ducting, etc) to get to the stuff underneath everything made a lot more sense. There's no room to jimmy your hands/arms around things like in the RWDs.
Also, it seems like preventative maintenance is vital for these cars. Flush fluids on a schedule, and get them done before problems show up. Keep the car washed to keep grit out from under the moulding/etc to keep the body rust away.
The craftsmanship and material quality of the floor and unibody is pretty unbelievable - you'll never worry about holes in the floor again. If you get any rust it will be very manageable surface rust on the body cladding only.
I agree with Klaus on the C70 for sale as well - if you can grab a 2004 for 7k you're getting into really good price territory. There's one nice thing about the C70s - they're not as flashy as Mustangs or Miatas etc so they don't get as much attention and sometimes go for a good price because it's bugging the lot owner to see it sitting there week after week.
FWIW I think the Miatas are known as a real sportscar in the traditional sense. They're consistently reviewed well and win the slot in C&D 10 best every year it seems. I've never been in one, but it seems hard to beat in terms of quality and driving experience vs price.
--
1998 V70 AWD->FWD Turbo 200k+
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Thanks for the info. Are the 850 and V70 difficult or cramped to work on? My 745 is the easiest car I've ever owned to work on. Great access to everything, and all very intelligently designed. Are the FWD cars also so well laid out and easy to work on?
How is the learning curve for the 850/V70? And, will I need any or many different tools? One of the big advantages of another 745 or a 945 is that it will be identical to Brunhilde, the 745T. No learning curve, same tools and equipment works, etc.
Important point: my familiarity with the 745/945 makes it very easy for me to evaluate one prior to purchase. I'd be lost checking out an 850/V70. And there is not a full article in the FAQ about pre-purchase of them, although I can glean some ideas of what to look for from the section that lists their problems and discourages buying them.
Klaus wrote:
"There is a 2004 C70 rag top for sale in Orlando for $7K!!! Might be more fun than a station wagon!!! :)"
My daughter, is by her own description, "prematurely middle-aged." She would like a nice car, but probably not "fun" involving a car. On the other hand, my wife, the constant 20 year old (and the reason our daughter feels she has to be the responsible female in the family) would love a convertible, and I've tried to convince her to buy a C70. But she does not like the C70 - too big. She would rather an itsy-bitsy Miata.
What my daughter would love very much is a C30. With the flower print applique on the outside, the matching applique on the console, the flower-petal shaped wheels, and in a pretty color. But, we can't afford $25,000 and up for a second car.
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FWD cars are inherrantly more difficult to work on then RWD, just because of the space in the engine bay. The engine is in sideways, the Tbelt replacement requires removal of the right front wheel to get access, the flame trap/oil separator box is under the intake manifold, and the front suspension does all of the work.
The only extra tool needed are Torx drivers. Most screws have Torx heads.
Avoid the AWD cars, like the XC. You don't have a need for the extra complexity and weight.
By all means, find a really nice 945 or 965T that has been well maintained and you are familiar with.
Klaus
--
Praying for Cynthia Amendt, heaven bound
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Oh, yes, also about a convertible vs. a wagon: we have the wagon because we have three Great Danes, 410 lbs of dog. We need the wagon to haul them around with us, to their Veterinarian, etc. The second car needs to be a wagon to serve fully as back up to the first.
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