Hi folks
It has always taken me time to adapt to a change from an old reliable. - I.e. B18 (they were tough) to the B20s (loved that motor) and from the B23 to the transverse 5 (that I still haven’t fully warmed up to…. maybe because I still own a darling 940)…..and the old B30 straight inline six had everything over that generation of V6 nightmares.

The wife and I are now considering a move from our 99 XC70 to a 2008 XC70 with the six cylinder w/80k- @ $19,900 that we will offer $18k for. From what I pick up this is the first year of this 6 cylinder motor being used… at least in the XC70. I’m very unfamiliar with this engine. So can anyone here convey a pat on my shoulder and confidently tell me not to worry, this is a great motor?...and car? … Negative feedback along with tips and pointers will be just as muchly appreciated….

PS there’s also a 2007 w/ 76k for $19,200 that i also have my eye on…..

Thanx, Glenn

Thanks again for the feedback folks….i totally agree with you Klaus regarding CARFAX, but it does give more info than what we were able to obtain not so many years ago…. on our latest test drive (the 08 XC70 w/ 46K @$21,995 with all the bells and whistles) the Volvo dealer here in mid-state NY wouldn’t much budge on the price. The line was; if I drop the price I have to remove the 100K Volvo warranty b/c that cost me $1100. Then the second line was; with the internet the days of dealing to lower prices are pretty much gone because now most prices are all comparable…we walked….it drives me crazy when dealers play the game like they’re doing you a huge favor while they’re trying to get as much money out of you as possible….i don’t enjoy dealing with car salespeople but we’ll trudge on

To stickbuilder; we already own a 95 940 and she’s a sweetie. It’s a case of needing the AWD in this area between Dec and March. owning a vintage 140 or 160 again might be a fun project though…. your political statement here (good idea?) it reminds me of an old quote by a past musician – “politics is the entertainment branch of industry”……. thanks again to all glenn

If winter driving is the real issue, just get yourself a set of 4 mounted winter tires instead of a new car. I'm a New England native living in upstate NY and I don't consider AWD to be remotely necessary for all but the most extreme conditions. My old 740 was downright fun with dedicated snows. Our Prius...rightly considered to be a terrible winter vehicle thanks to a truly awful spin control program...is completely transformed by winter rubber. Even if you do get an XC, get a set of snows anyway to ensure that you can stop and turn as well as you can accelerate.
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2009 V70 3.2, new to me at 75k

My wife’s job entails travel into some of the most remote areas of Chenango County NY that can be found, and once she reaches most of these many daily destinations, the driveways may have never seen a plow throughout the winter. Although we mostly use the 95 940 in the non-snow months, we run summer tread and have an extra set(4) of Hakkapplettas on extra wheels for the snow months on our 99 XC70. During the winters we used to run 4 Haks on our 240s and 740s when we resided in southeastern NY.

Unfortunately the old reliable B block is no long being produced and once the car is worn beyond use (another ten years or more I hope) there are no more. Non winter only driving of the 95 940 has awarded us the opportunity to keep her rust fee.

Thanx again

Yeah, I can see how the job would make a difference. If she makes habit out of driving on unplowed driveways/offroad then AWD doesn't sound like a crazy feature to want, especially if the terrain can get hilly. Nice that your 940 has been kept in such nice shape.
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2009 V70 3.2, new to me at 75k

If you go for the I6, first shine a flashlight down on top of the transmission between the engine and the airbox/battery box. Look for oil. If you see some, it's coming from the brake booster vacuum pump which is that thing bolted to the cylinder head with a vacuum line heading back to the firewall. Apparently it's a common fault, and one I found on my '09 (luckly fixed under the used car warranty). Easy fix, but a $400 part if you have to pay. On an '08, you should also make sure that the camshaft seal recall work was done. (I'm not sure if that one was all '08s or just early cars.) On the bright side, the B63324s has a timing chain instead of a belt.

I set out to buy an older V or XC with the 5-cylinder but I'm happy enough with this car and its I6. It managed 30mpg on a 400mi round trip, and I'm getting 24-ish mpg on my mixed-driving commute. I mostly keep to the speed limits and have a pretty light foot.
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2009 V70 3.2, new to me at 75k

Don't do it. Go down South and find a pristine 245. I wish I still had mine and that someone else had my V70.
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Obama, One and Done!

based on exposure to both engines, I concur with Klaus and would get the 2007
5 cyl. engine. Not sure where you are in the Northeast, but in NE Conn. The prices look like the asking prices we see locally. There is a web-site for a local indie that provides a good idea of Volvo model year, miles and price.
Good luck

I really like the 5 cyl. Easy on gas and has been around long enough to prove that it can last forever. So the 2007 would be my choice.

The 3L 6 cyl does need more gasoline but has that much more torque. They are reasonably reliable, so far.

Sounds like a lot of money for either car...

EDIT:
http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/volvo/1540563/V70-XC70/mpg_32l_na_engine.html

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My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

Thanks for the feedback Klaus….we drove both cars yesterday. The larger size of both of them compared to our 99 XC70 was certainly noticeable once behind the wheel. Maybe it’s just the newer body style that makes them seem that much bigger….they are a nice ride though.

We will be test driving another 08 with 46K (asking $22,495) this evening. The Carfax shows that it had the engine/powertrain computer/module reprogrammed and the body computer/module replaced along with CD changer replaced @ 42K….I’m completely ignorant to these computer problem repairs and what they entail or why they needed to be repaired…especially at such low mileage….flood vehicle maybe???..

We’re going to ask $5200 for our 99 XC70 with 131K for private sale

As far as the prices of of them… it’s the northeast US.

I’d love to see lower prices asked, but, so it goes
Thanks again

Reprogramming the engine computer is rare, usually an electrical fault elsewhere that caused the initial problem. Beware of CARFAX, not all problems are reported, like fender benders. If the car was 'auctioned', I always wonder why the dealer who auctioned the car off refused to sell it.

If you are looking at Certified cars with coverage to 100K miles, then the dealer should be offering something good. The trade ins at just under 50K indicate that the scheduled free maintenance has/is about to end.

Looking is the fun part, so look as much as you can.
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My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic