I have been looking at a 200 s70 it has 177K and seem sto have been taken care of very well. Are there any suggestions as to what to look for when I go looking?

+1 for service records.

Does the AC work? Could be an expensive fix if not.

Take the car to a independent mechanic and pay them to inspect the car, figger $50 - $100 for the time spent, a very good investment.

Service records! The car has an ETM that may/may not have been upgraded. Unless I see a copy of the receipts, dealer serviced means nothing to me.

You will need to have the PCV system replaced if it hasn't already. It is due for it's 4th tranny flush.

Check when the timing belt was last changed, and if the water pump was also changed out.

Klaus
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Praying for Cynthia Amendt, heaven bound

Could you please elaborate on this statement?

"You will need to have the PCV system replaced if it hasn't already."

It sounds like you are referring to more than just a PCV valve.

Thanks,
Rich
Apex, NC

There are 2 parts to the PCV system, a valve and an oil separator. On Turbo engines you will find a PTC nipple close to the turbo air intake wich can clog, similar to the PCV valve on NA cars. Both easy fixes.

The other place where the crankcase gasses can get solidified is at the oil seperator box located under the intake manifold. A good 5 hour DIY job to replace the box, vacuum lines, and clean out the hole in the block.

On high mileage cars that haven't been using synthetic oil, this is mandatory before reaching 200K miles and I reccomend it at 175K or a little earlier if there are potential leaks in the vacuum hoses.

Klaus
--
Praying for Cynthia Amendt, heaven bound

The PCV system is a whole complicated series of tube to vent the crankcase pressure. There is an oil seperator on all non-turbo cars under the intake manifold that gets clogged over years of use and will probably need to be replaced. The easy test is to warm the engine up & pull out the oil dipstick while the car is idling. If a trail of smoke puffs out of the opening, the PCV system will need to be cleaned/replaced. It's not a bad DIY job, especially on a non-turbo car, but it is time-consuming and a bit annoying.

http://www.lakesidedp.com/uploadpics/pcv/index.html

http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/index.php/topic/101431-pcv-diy-tips-for-non-turbo-model-98-v70/

A little bit more information for you ^^^

I echo what Mr. Norm had to say about a check by a mechanic. My local Volvo dlr will do it for $100. At that time they'll tell you if the ETM has been taken care of. They'll check for all the recalls to make sure they've been done. Give your local dlr a call and see how much he wants for a used car check up.

I don't trust any of the local dealers available to me, which is why I suggest an IM. Each of these dealers has individually earned my distrust.

You are going to need an IM anyway with a used Volvo, might as well find one before buying the car.

Good luck.