Greetings,

I need your advise, please. My new job is 60 miles from where I live. I need a safe and reliable car to commute to work every day. I am considering a 99’ V70 or S70 with plain 5 cyl engine, auto-trans, and keep it for many years. Safety, reliability, cost and comfort are my primary requirements.

Questions:

1. Are those models reliable and can last for many years without major trouble?
Someone told me that transmission in his 850 wagon went at around 120k miles. Does that make sense? I heard of 240 models making 400k and more…
2. Can the basic engine run on a regular or premium only? Costs might be an issue for me.
3. What hwy mileage can I expect from that engine?
4. In your opinion, are there any specific options that I should look to get, e.g., a specific package, model, version, etc.?
5. If you were to define a single most common problem with those models, what would that be and how much does it cost to correct it by a dealer?
6. Is Volvo like BMW where you have plenty of sensors that only specialized dealers can diagnose and maintain for a hefty price?


Thank you for your help.

Peter