I have a deposit down on a very nice 2006 V70 with about 80k miles. It has the 2.5T engine and front wheel drive transmission. I'm taking it for a pre-purchase inspection soon, but wanted to get some ideas on what the common pain points for these cars are in the 80k mile range? Carfax shows regular maintenance performed at the dealer.

The research I've done seems to say the engines are reliable and the FWD transmission isn't as troublesome as the AWD versions. Are axles/CV joints an issue?

I'm having a hard time with the idea of letting my 240 go, but I think it might be time for a modern car :)

2006 V70's might be the best year for the second generation (P2 platform) V70's. They have a generally good reputation on the Brickboard. I have given serious consideration to buying a 2006 or 2007. Those are the last 2 years of that model run and probably have most of the bugs worked out...:)

CV joints (axles) are usually good for at least 100k, especially on the FWD cars.

Compared to a 240 and my 850, they are fairly complicated electronically. So, if it were my candidate I'd make sure all the electronics are in good working order. The electronics are almost all chip based and therefore expensive to repair.

The engine and tranny are pretty bulletproof. I suggest using only synthetic motor oil. That will help protect the turbo and also keep the PCV system clean. The tranny requires a special ATF (don't remember name) and I think, although I'm not sure, that is a sealed transmission making ATF changes difficult for the DIYer.

Good luck if you decide to pull the trigger!

I did end up pulling the trigger and am getting comfortable with the new to me V70! It is a night and day driving experience difference from the 240. I'm going through a maintenance baselining right now (synthetic oil, filters, brakes, brake fluid, etc.).

Overall she drives great! I've put about 200 miles on it since the purchase, so still in that nervous stage wondering what problem that triggered the PO to trade it in will come up and bite me. The only thing that has happened a few times that has me concerned is that on 3 or 4 occasions she had a rough start. On one of those times, she didn't start until I stopped turning over the starter and then repeated, at which point she started right up. It feels to me like a fuel pressure issue perhaps, as whenever this happens, on the second attempt to start she starts right up. I will start doing some testing like letting the fuel pump pressurize for a while before attempting to start it. Any ideas would be appreciated.

This weekend I am going to replace all of the brake rotors and discs. I also have a timing belt job on the horizon for another weekend.

Find a fuel pressure gauge and attach it to the end of the fuel rail when the engine has cooled for a while - no pressure. Turn the key to 'on', wait 5 seconds, and turn it off again. The pressure should be above 30psi at that point. Check the pressure again with the engine running, should be 42+ psi.

Turn the engine off and watch the pressure drop. It should drop to 30psi reasonably quick, then slowly drop to 10 or 15 in that many minutes.

The 240 had a return shut off valve on the fuel line, the newer cars have that builtin to the pump - much to our dismay. The pumps are expensive, the shut off valve is cheap.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

Is using a ScanTool OBD scanner to read fuel rail pressure a good alternative to the mechanical gauge? I was running some tests today with it and it appears I can read fuel pressure through the scanner with the ignition ON but the car not started. Is 30 psi the expected pressure with the pump engaged before the car is running?

I'm thinking I just keep doing this until I see another no-start scenario and see if I see a corresponding drop in fuel pressure. Since the problem is random, I'd really love to not have to pop my hood and connect a gauge every time I start the car.

After watching a few videos on fuel pump replacement I'm really hoping this isn't my problem. A tad bit more involved than the 240 :\

The V70 is not as hard as the XC70. Or is it? I don't like seat back removal, it is not fun.

In your case, it sounds like the fuel is flowing back to the tank after shut off. The 240/740 had a preventer valve on the fuel line. These new cars have them as part of the pump.

You could 'cheat' and turn the key to pos II, the pump runs for 2-3 seconds, back to pos 0, then back to pos II and pos III, start.

Your scanner is just fine for monitoring the pressure. 30 psi should be enough to start the car, but it should be around 40-44 with the engine running.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

Who is doing the pre purchase inspection?

My dealer does a certification inspection for one hour's labor and gives me a two page report.

I think that they can tell you if an ant farted in the spare tire well.

At my dealer, the service department is separate from the sales department - when I had a '95 854 checked, they would not tell sales what was wrong with the car! The salesman paid for half of the labor to get a look at my report!

This can also give you a bit of leverage if something goes wrong with the car.

i went from a 1985 245 to a 2003 V70T ,, GREAT have fun
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2003, V70:2.4T,110.350 k,mi. ,, 1985, 245:Ti, 275k mi.sold@250.00k... 1974, 145, 230k mi..sold @260K

Going from the 240 to the 5 cyl awd cars is a time warping leap forward, the difference is stunning but do get a decent code reader, its difficult to do anything on newer volvo's without a scan tool.
Parts cost a bit more and the work s a bit more complicated.
But if you plan to pay a mechanic to do everything it can get wearisome fast.

Your comming up on some mainteance needed about 100K.
For what it is worth:

I have a 2004 V70, that now has 180,00 miles on it. Bought it used with about 60,000 miles.... Beyond nomal mainteance, I had to have the steering wheel lock replaced.

Wife has an `04 XC70 which we bought from a friend with 180K on it. Needed some front end work which was reflected in the price. Been driving it for 18 months now with no problems. Also have an `03 XC70 which was an excellent car but became afflicted with tranny flare. My understanding is post `03`s are transmission issue free.
Last Spring we bought a 2012 XC60 with minimal mileage on it. In my 45 years of driving Volvo`s, this is, arguably,the best Volvo I`ve ever owned.
You won`t regret moving up to a "modern" Volvo!
Rich