I have a 1994 850 and would like to get a 2000 S70, but it looks like Volvo hasn't done anything to fix their poor evaporators. Reading the messages for S70 look like the same leaking problems. I have been through this all ready with the 1994 850 and don't need it again. What's the story with Volvo engineers and why they can't get this right. I guess AC is not a big priority in Sweden and they put the dummies on this part of the car. Should I buy again or not?

Well, after reading through the messages to your post, I have seriously considered getting rid of my S70 AWD due to just numerous little things that have plauged this car. I did just not expect that with a Volvo. I bought a 1989 240, it says it has AC, but in reality it does not, just not effective. Wife likes the car though. I bought a 91 740 with 80K miles in 1996 or so. Nice car, about a year afterwards, the ac evaporator died in it, $600-700. So I got rid of that car, due to the poor winter performance. I bought my 99 S70 AWD. Nice car and everything, but now just little things that make me really consider getting something different. As one person has said, anytime you buy a car, be ready for it!
I wish you well.

I wouldn't... I don't have the some loyalty as most people on this board as my 00 S70 is the first volvo I've owned. I've never experienced a non-Ford owned volvo NA. It's just poor engineering and workmanship when a company can not fix the same problem for almost a 10 year period. Honda and even some american companies manage to fix major issues such as this within a model year or two, but apparetnly not Volvo. I wouldn't mind trading this annoyance for saftey if Volvo NA would fess up to all their problems. However, they will not admit they have a faulty A/C system even when you complain about it under warranty (mine was rigged to work for 2 months until my warranty ran out... now they won't cover it saying I had two 'seperate' issues despite the problem being the exact same.), on my volvo I've already developed piston slaping thanks to leaky piston o-rings (its a 3 year old car!!), and the best is the thousands of ABS modules that fail every year.. yet Volvo NA refuses to recall them. They have no problem with refurbishing the module and selling it again, but no recall.

Volvo is going to loose market share in a hurry if they don't solve this. I'm looking more and more at getting a subaru, they are proving to be just as safe and they have bullet-proof reliability. Also, no premium gas, no high labor costs, and a more responsive NA headquarters. (I already own a 99 Forster too.)

I bought this car with an open mind. At first I thought it was just my bad luck with just my car. After reading multiple people's problems, it's the same issues Volvo has failed to fix. I'm just tired of the touble.

JH

" Honda and even some american companies manage to fix major issues such as this within a model year or two, but apparetnly not Volvo."

Couldn't let this go by w/o a 2 center since I found it funnily ironic. I have a 2000 Honda Odyssey and it's by far the biggest piece of crap I've ever owned (and yes, I've always had Volvos). But your comment made me laugh esp. since there are SEVERAL complaints about Odyssey's that still plague the 2004 models that have not been fixed since inception. Quite serious ones too, not just an A/C evap, but pulling left/right, sticking slider doors, trannies bellying up, etc. I'm not saying this in a defensive way (silly to get that way about a car) but I've noticed this extreme Honda loyalty thing that really drives me nuts.

Going to dealer during warranty for these things was like being confronting Jedi knights... "There's nothing wrong with your Honda, move along..."

Volvo on the other hand - nothing but bending over backwards efforts to straighten things out. Period. Volvo's may not be the most RELIABLE brand, but they are certainly the most DURABLE.

I disagree about the Honda dealers being like uncooperative, I have both a honda and a volvo, and the honda dealer has never done anything but be completely friendly and helpful. However, the volvo dealer's excuse is always "this is normal" or "we don't see anything wrong". Sorry, but as I customer if I complain about sloppy brakes the dealer should look at it, not tell me that it's what volvo meant it to be. Half the time I want to tell the service manager to shove the car up his AS* the other half I swear I will never get another volvo again. The honda btw, in the last six years went to the dealer less times than the volvo in the first 12 months, what's wrong with that picture?

Owned a Subaru GL before the 850 wagon. I'd say labor costs are about the same.
Subaru is good, but many major components failed on mine during 100K (idle control valve (twice), water pump (twice), alternator, power steering, canister purge valve, shocks, drive shafts (twice), all engine oil seals, brakes (3 times). No, the car was not abused and only Subaru-serviced. Others may differ, as is the case with most cars.
Compared to the 850, the Subaru was very low in power and gave about same mpg.

I thought that, too, but spending some time visiting the Subaru Board I was struck by the number of problems people relate on the board regarding the cars. Serious problems, too, like the head gaskets on the 2.5 liter motors, clutches on all the cars and the occasional head crashes. Interesting the problems don't seem to happen often enough to make a dent on the Consumer Reports surveys, I don't understand why. Subaru also seems about as customer-responsive as Volvo. I'm also unimpressed that they've equipped the Forester with a 210hp turbo mtor but don't seem to have beefed up the suspension, tires or brakes.

Anyway, while I've crossed Volvo off my list, (in pencil) I've also crossed the Forester XT off. I'm left with Honda-Acura-Toyota-Lexus as rational alternatives, if there are any others I'd love to hear about them. The Volvo is at 121k and it's not getting more reliable.

-d groundhog

I wasn't going for complete a Volvo bashing. I had just paid major bucks for my A/C compressor b/c Volvo refused to pay for it despite my bringing it in with the exact same problem at 40,000. That got me thinking as to why they hadn't redesigned or at least outsourced their A/C systems. There's no excuse to not fixing something this common. The only explanation I come up with is some companies get too focused on short term profits and neglect making their product the best possible. This is the case in most all auto companies. I do believe however, the Japanese companies focus on long term profits more that any other. It's shown in their credos and history. IMO of course.

Now I'm not sure about labor costs up north or out west, but my Indy Volvo shop is about $70/hr however they routinely do extra things, and that's what makes Indy shops attractive. The Subaru dealer here in GA charges $50 an hour. My Volvo dealer tops the scales at $91 per/hr.

I'm very active on the Subaru boards also. I researched the hell out of the forester before I purchased and I've never read about it's 2.5L blowing a gasket or any significant engine problem. Now, I've read about people loosing their rear differential which can be costly, but much like the Volvo AWD system you have to use the same tires or things get screwy. Nothing on those boards seems to have the regularity of issues with the S70 model which I'm familiar with. As for other Subaru models such as the WRX, Legacy, ect. I’m not too familiar with them, but they all share the same power plant. I would guess any clutch issue that comes out of the WRX would be driver abuse. However, I will agree their clutch is very temperamental as I will not buy a manual Baja due to it’s “whiplash” effect when letting off the gas at low RPMs.

I was making the point that Subaru and others are making great strides towards Volvo’s core image of safety. If you had a choice between two cars that you believe to be the safest on the road, but one outshines the other in reliability and value you would buy that car. Volvo has to watch its step here.

As for the Honda mini van. I'm not familiar with their problems. I try to comment only on the cars that I know. Between my family and I we've owned 3 Honda accords, and still to this day we own all three. A 97, 98, and a 99 V-6. The only part replaced between all three has been an alternator on the 97. I've replaced over 10 parts on my Volvo in 1 year of ownership, and now add an A/C to that mix. You have to ask is it worth it? I wanted to be a Volvo loyalist but it’s proving to be too costly.

JH