April issue of Consumer Report - Cars 2001. Reports that the S70 2000 scored high. The results as follows, using their "key to trouble spots" of percent of reported problems from their survey: red dot 2.05% or less, half red dot 2.0% to 5.0%, white dot 5.0% to 9.3%, half black dot 9.3% to 14.8%, and black dot - more than 14.8%. The key is rated from better to worse.

Engine 2.0% of less, Cooling 2.0% or less, Fuel 2.0% or less, Ignition 2.0% or less, Transmission 2.0% or less, Electrical 5.0% to 9.3%, Air conditioning 2.0% or less, Suspension 2.0% or less, Brakes 2.0% or less, Exhaust 2.0% or less, Body rust 2.0% or less, Paint/trim 2.0% or less, Integrity 2.0% or less, Hardware 2.0% to 5.0% or less. Product reliability "black checked" (average).

In my case I would have to agree with them. My electrical issues resulted around the turn signal bulbs and emergency flasher switch. As far as the "black check" for reliability, I would think, I will just have to see how it goes.

Vic

S70 2000

CR is hardly an objective or scientific source of data for any car. Granted, they are probably ballpark correct, but anyone who relies on them to make car buying decisions is misinformed or gullible. They have blasted cars and have been sued many times for their practices. Overall they are ok, but dont let them be the final word...

KC

I agree with that. Also there are contradictions in their reporting. They give the Nissan Maxima a very good crash protection rating, but look at the Insurance Institute's offset results and its another story, especially if you like to walk on your feet.

I posted the CR survey results to be just that, the survey results!

Vic

S70 SE 2000

CR isn't doing their own crash testing, at least not deliberately. They're either reporting gov't crash testing or IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) crash testing. Neither testing necessarily agrees with the HLDI (Highway Loss Data Institute) on insurance claims, which reflects the infinite number of ways one can crash a car, but is also skewed by the characteristics of the drivers.

The "frequency of repair" charts reflect answers to "more than 500,000" questionaires mailed to subscribers. Clearly this isn't the best way to perform a survey, but I don't know of any better one available to us, the potential customer. I'm sure VCNA has better data, but they sure aren't telling us about it! If there are 2000 850-70 owners who answer the CR survey, and 400 have had evaporator problems or electrical problems, I'd conclude that there is a problem with 850-70 evaporators or electrical parts.

Admittedly, often CR doesn't "get it". When they tested the Porsche 912 in the late 1960s and I remember reading that they panned it because of the trunk size. I'll think that of all the 911s and 912s produced from 1964 to 1989, NOT ONE sale was ever lost because of it's lack of luggage capacity! OTOH, I know that CR actually recommended the Porsche 944 when it was new, and have more recently called the Boxster "promising". So there may be hope yet.

-Uncle Olaf

(CR issues take a few more days to get out here to us clamdiggers.)

Anyway, that would be interesting, since CR didn't recommend it when it was new.

-Uncle Olaf

'98 V70T5M 61.5k, IPD stabilizer bars, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, Vredestein Snowstar studded winter tires, still on my original brake pads.

"THAT is your Uncle Olaf's Volvo"

Uncle Olaf,

No they actually did not recommend it, they gave it an average reliability rating (black check). On page 74 the "reliability risks" are listed, the S70/V70 AWD is listed there. The S70 for 2000 is not listed as a CR Good Bets or as a Reliability Risk.

Again the high scores for the S70 2000 FWD (2WD) received from their survey:

The results as follows, using their "key to trouble spots" of percent of reported problems from their survey: red dot 2.05% or less, half red dot 2.0% to 5.0%, white dot 5.0% to 9.3%, half black dot 9.3% to 14.8%, and black dot - more than 14.8%. From better to worse.

Engine 2.0% of less, Cooling 2.0% or less, Fuel 2.0% or less, Ignition 2.0% or less, Transmission 2.0% or less, Electrical 5.0% to 9.3%, Air conditioning 2.0% or less, Suspension 2.0% or less, Brakes 2.0% or less, Exhaust 2.0% or less, Body rust 2.0% or less, Paint/trim 2.0% or less, Integrity 2.0% or less, Hardware 2.0% to 5.0% or less. Product reliability "black checked".

Vic

S70 SE 2000

But they don't say to avoid it, either. Good. That's progress.

They've had a love-hate relationship with Volvos for years. It's the sort of car they'd LIKE to recommend all the time, but when they receive the results of their surveys, they just can't justify it.

I expect they recommend the SV40 "new" at the moment (I think they did in one of their intermediate publications between April of 2000 and now).

I'll wait by the mailbox for my own April issue, but with the "storm of the century" arriving, it may be a while.

-Uncle Olaf