I have a 98 V70 which has been a great car. 260k mi on it and only inconvenient repairs have been cam position sensor and MAF sensor.

But as the car ages I am contemplating upgrading to next gen. 2001-2004 vintage.

I have heard some things about these cars not being quite as good as the first gen V70 and 850. From possible transmission issues to general components not being as good as early gen cars.

Can anybody weigh in on whether there is some validity to those rumors?


Do the 2001-2004 cars have anything to look out for?

You might find the info on the following thread helpful:

http://volvoforums.com/forum/2001-2013-model-year-v70-55/what-expect-v70-fwd-awd-after-100k-miles-68027/#post340023

Naimnut
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'85 240 DL with 37K miles, '94 940 with 191K, 40 linear feet of vintage jazz, r'&'b, funk and soul

Avoid 2001-2002 like the plague.

If I were you, I would keep the 98 a few more years and look for a 2007 with the 5 cyl engine. The newer style cars have slightly smaller rear storage and less rearward visibility.

The XC70 is a bit better for us older folks, getting in and out while 6 inches off the ground is tough! Do not get an XC until at least 2004, but expect the computers to drive you nuts - along with CVVT.

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My back feels better when I sit in a Volvo seat

Just curious if you know particular issues with 2001-2001?

What is better about the 2007?

The 2001-2002 had first year intorduction problems. The 5 speed trannies were terrible. The computer to computer communication, there are 4-5 of them, tended to fail easily, Ford made Volvo cut costs and the suppliers were not the best. This is why the cars are cheap today.

I like the 2007 only because it is the last year of the 5 cyl and most of the problems are resolved. The 2004 XC70 seems to be quite reliable, but Volvo dealers still didn't know that the Haldex AWD oil and filter needs to be changed every 40-50K miles.

The cam seals on the front of the engine tend to blow out, like the rear cam seals on the 1998 except harder to replace due to the VVTs. Synthetic oil is mandatory, not optional, for any car with VVT.
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My back feels better when I sit in a Volvo seat

Can`t comment on general issues to be aware of but our experience has been mostly positive. My wife went from a `95 855T(excellent car!!) to an `03 XC70. She has owned it for 7 years .......a daily commuter so it`s high mileage now, 350K?. Issues we`ve had: DIM: a Xemodex fix; front whl brg`s at approx 150K and in the past 8 months the tranny has begun to "slip". The tranny slip is very sporadic & she has been advised to just keep driving it until it "quits", the car, that is!
This has been an excellent vehicle overall.......motor runs strong, it`s very comfortable & for an 11 yr old car, still looks great!
YMMV
Rich