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I am looking at a 98 V70R with 55K miles. Yesterday I test drove two at the dealer and found that I enjoy the car. One had two idiot lights ignited: TRACS & Check Engine and the other was slow as a pig probably due to a popped off vacuum hose (they're looking at it). My father has a 95 850 Turbo with 180K + miles and pretty much no problems except for 2 AC compressors getting struck by road debris. Am I to expect the same reliability out of the V70R? My concerns are few but some things have been brought to my attention through research:
-Does the Check Engine light problem go away once the TSB is done and your gas cap is tightened?
-I heard there are issues with the AWD and having different tread depths. Any comments?
-Any problem with the AWD breaking or needing more attention than FWD?
-Why does Consumer Reports rate the FWD models as a good buy and the AWD models as a risk?
-Is buying a 99 a better bet?
-What else should I know good or bad and what should I look for and ask about (TSB's etc)?
Lastly... what is different about the 99 (besides exhaust) that it's putting out more horsepower?
Thanks in advance for all of your help. Please also include your V70R year and mileage along with any problems you've had repaired or experienced frequently.
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OK how about feedback from an actual owner of a 98 R wagon? I bought it from a lady in South Carolina last January with 43 K miles. Her only problem while she owned it was a vacuum leak. I have had no problems, and have modified the engine with IPD ECU and manual boost controller(and other stuff). I run 15 PSI and the HP is estimated by IPD @ 290-295. I own 3 Volvos, and have had to make a repair once in a while, but the cars are 8 & 10 years old. The AWD gives you handling advantages over FWD. Because the additional drivetrain weight is mostly torward the center & back, your car is better balanced. Also, unlike my 854 T FWD, I can power up earlier in the corner..no understeer or torque steer. I don't know how many times I had to back off throttle in my 854 T to keep the front wheels under controll. Also the R has larger diametor sway bars, lowered chassis, and stiffer suspension. I know it handles better than the FWD, because I own both.
As for all the AWD issues, guess what, most AWD cars have the same issues. Just make sure all tires are the same. Also keep up on maintainace, any exposed couplings will fail.
Have Fun
Wills
--
98 R Wagon IPD ECU, 2.5 Dual Exhaust, Dawes MBC, 94 854 turbo, IPD Goodies, 92 740 Rag Wag
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posted by
someone claiming to be Ray N
on
Tue Aug 13 08:57 CST 2002 [ RELATED]
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Volvo has a TSB that explains the AWD limitations. It is:
4460005 01/01/01 Wheels/Tires - AWD Information & Function Test
Some info from it (can't post it all since it has diagrams, etc. but
the dealer can pull it for you):
Note! To prevent deterioration in the function of the power transmission system on All-wheel drive (AWD) cars, it is important to follow the instructions below.
All Wheel Drive vehicles have special requirements for tires and wheels. It is very important that the tire replacement guidelines below are followed. Failure to do so can result in damage to the AWD components (angle gear, viscous coupling/freewheel unit).
Always drive on tires of identical brand, size, construction (radial), tread pattern, load-, speed-, traction-, temperature-, and treadwear rating.
Never drive on mixed tires, except for brief periods when the temporary spare tire is in use.
Always use properly inflated tires of correct dimensions. Tire size and inflation pressures are shown on the tire pressure label located inside the fuel filler door.
Caution! Failure to always drive on properly inflated, identical tires of correct dimensions may result in a circumference difference between tires on the front and rear axles. This will cause excessive tire wear and may damage the transmission and all wheel drive system.
Replacing the tires
When tire replacement is necessary, Volvo strongly recommends replacing all four tires at the same time with identical tires as explained above. Failure to do so can result in circumference differences that may damage the transmission and all wheel drive system.
If only one or two tires are replaced, the new tire(s) must be identical to the tires with which the car was built, and must be mounted on the FRONT AXLE ONLY! Failure to do this may damage the transmission and all wheel drive system.
Spare wheel Temporary spare
The temporary spare tire is for temporary, low-speed, short-distance use only Do not drive on the temporary spare at speeds above 50 mph (80km/h) or for distances greater than 50 miles (80 km) or transmission and all wheel drive system damage may result.
Snow chains all-wheel drive (AWD)
On all-wheel drive cars, (AWD), snow chains must only be mounted on the front wheels. Only snow chains intended for all-wheel drive (AWD) cars can be used. Never install snow chains on a temporary spare tire.
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u should try and get the last year the r model was available on the v70, which is 2000. it had 261 hp and 258 lb-ft torque...usually the boost is adjusted higher for more hp, i'm sure volvo put in more thought than just boost in the ecu. (even 1999 v70r had more at 247hp and 243lb-ft.) but of course, u could get an ipd chip or similar to obtain even slightly higher numbers. more than likely, the increases are to compensate for the more weight going from 850 to 70 series and additional weight gain and power loss through awd.
http://host12.ipowerweb.com/~carthril/volvo/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=39
as for awd, read this article....
http://www.volvospeed.com/vs_forum/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=2571&hl=521&s=1b4b70fde005d68d6ff5c9271bbedd61
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posted by
someone claiming to be Punxsutawney Phil
on
Tue Aug 13 05:58 CST 2002 [ RELATED]
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Q. TRACS & Check Engine light...
A. Need to look at codes in computer. Could be anything from cheap fix to "you really don't want to ask the price".
Q. Does the Check Engine light problem go away once the TSB is done and your gas cap is tightened?
A. If you're extremely lucky and you've lived a good life and say your prayers at night. For the rest of us, the answer is "probably not".
Q. I heard there are issues with the AWD and having different tread depths. Any comments?
A. Yes. Search out "Bevel Gear" in the brickboard archives if they're working.
Q. Any problem with the AWD breaking or needing more attention than FWD?
A. Yes.
Q. Why does Consumer Reports rate the FWD models as a good buy and the AWD models as a risk?
A. I am unaware that CR currently recommends ANY Volvos as used cars. They recommend only the SV40 new. But don't feel bad, they don't recommend any Audis, either.
Q. Is buying a 99 a better bet?
A. I'd avoid any AWD V70 up to and including the 2002s.
-Punxsutawney Phil
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They trashed my five previous Volvos, all of which were fabulous cars and four of which have been no trouble at all. Two were sold at 275K miles, one at 165K. The two we have now are at 170K and 99K. Basically, we've bought tires, mufflers, an alternator, and OK, an ABS/TRACS controller. (The 240 had sooome minor problems, but that didn't start till the odo hit 250K miles.)
--
(98 S70 T5SE misc mods, mostly lighting) (92 940GLE)
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Phil,
Why do you still have your car? That's just a question, not a flame. In all of your posts you don't have much good to say about it. Anyhoo... since the car would be under warranty for another 45K miles isn't there some sort of assurance in this? Any help or insight you have is appreciated. What's gone wrong with your car and what were the associated costs?
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I meant to ask... is the engine going to last like the 850? It's the same right? Also what about the tranny? I understand it's AWD, has more parts, etc, but what are the problems that have risen? Simply saying yes it has more trouble does not help.
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posted by
someone claiming to be Punxsutawney Phil
on
Tue Aug 13 10:17 CST 2002 [ RELATED]
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First of all, I have accumulated 99,000 miles on my car, relatively high mileage for a '98. So divide the stack of problems I've had by 99,000. Second, I don't have an AWD car. I have a 2WD T5 manual. My motor still uses no oil, the clutch is still original, and it shifts like new. My front brakes lasted about 65,000 miles, which may be the Volvo V70 turbo World's Record, and my rear brakes about 85,000 miles. My problems have been almost exclusively electrical. And suspension, too, come to think of it. And air conditioning. But my bevel gear will never fail because I don't have one. The latest problem is the ignition switch, they're back-ordered about a week, so I'm not the only one with this problem at the moment. That happened on Saturday, on Friday the car was at my dealer to fix the AC system. My dealer will give me an indefinite loaner tomorrow, so a tip of the hat to them.
Third, compared to most of the long term-higher mileage 850-SV70 owners who post here, I THINK MY OWN CAR HAS BEEN **RELATIVELY** TROUBLE FREE! (The key word here is "relatively".)
I've been following this board for 5 years now, and you will not believe the kinds of mechanical problems people have had, and the unwillingness of Volvo NA to cooperate to fix problems. I will give you that 5-cylinder engine failures do not seem very common, surely not as common as failures of the 6-cylinder iteration of the same engine seen in the 960, but 850-70 (they're basically the same car) but automatic transmission failures and suspension failures have been quite common.
Have you seen Kino Velez's Volvo site? He's been a long-time Volvo owner, who occasionally posts here, he has produced a non-Consumer Reports survey of FWD Volvo owners. Try http://kinovolvo.velez.ws/ So the thousands of Volvo owning readers of Consumer Reports, a multitude of Volvo owners, and many, many posters here have had exactly the same exoperience that I've had.
As to the AWD system, it was Volvo's first try at an AWD system. Except for military trucks. if you check the Brickboard archives (they may not be functional, ask Jarrod why) you will see NOT ONLY is the Volvo AWD system troublesome, but it is very, very, very expensive to fix when it breaks. The key search word is "bevel gear". You will find innumerable complaints about the bevel gear replacements, the cost of the replacements ($$$$), and the failure of Volvo to step up tho the plate with respect to repairs. Apparently even small, (ie. on the order of millimeters) differences in tire circumference will fry the bevel gear. There (apparently) was no warning about the dissimilar tire diameters in the early owner's manuals. Later ones have the warning pasted in. (One needs to replace tires as a set of 4, and all of the same brand, again not $$$ but 4x $$$ every time a single tire blows). Apparently even driving a short distance with the donut spare will cause the bevel gear to fail. Again, no warning from Volvo. The S60 has a completely different AWD system which the V70 also gets for 2003 so that's at least a tacit admission from Volvo that there's a problem.
Therefore I would avoid any AWD V70 1998-2002.
Most of the defenders of the AWD-FWD Volvos have had a number of RWD Volvos in the past with good experiences and have had a FWD Volvo for, maybe, a few months or a year. After the "new" has worn off, and after the car has accumulated 50,000-75,000 miles or so, and if the process remains painless, well, I'll be amazed.
Most of the techs at my dealer seem to drive the older RWD "red motor" iron-block Volvos.
FWIW.
In a nutshell, I still have my car because I like DRIVING it (not watching it sit on my dealer's back lot, which is where it was dragged on Saturday) and because BMW will not introduce the twin-turbo E60 5-series until 2004.
I don't dislike Volvos, MIGHT even consider another Volvo if I were convinced that they had their quality control under some control.
Good luck!
-Punxsutawney Phil
http://www.groundhog.org
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posted by
someone claiming to be Punxsutawney Phil
on
Tue Aug 13 13:42 CST 2002 [ RELATED]
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http://kinovolvo.velez.ws/
I've had problems # 1, 5, and 9 on Survey I., and problems #2,3,6,8 and 9 on Survey II.
I have not had any of the automatic transmission problems because I do not have an automatic transmission.
I have not participated in the survey myself.
Kino was doing this before I even bought my own Volvo. I don't know what he's driving now; I suspect it's not Volvos since his site hasn't been updated recently.
Note that he didn't even start on the AWD issues. This all involves the simpler and presumably more reliable FWD Volvos.
-Punxsutawney Phil
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