I am leaning heavily toward buying a V70 and I wanted to get the lowdown from Volvo enthusiasts. I am hoping to combine two fairly old but trusty vehicles: a 91 4Runner and a 97 Accord, both with lots of miles. (The third car, soon to be second car, is a 91 BMW M5 in near-cherry condition.) I put about 20k miles/year on my Accord for work, so the economic case might be tenuous. Regardless, I think it is the perfect combination for my wife and I. Fairly fast (Turbo of some sort is a must) with good mileage and lots of storage space for a labrador mix for $30k or less when new. Not much else out there that fits that description.

We checked out the new cars at a dealership last weekend. Mostly XC70s and V70Rs, but we were able to get the picture. The 2001+ cars seem to be a must because of the much nicer interior.

I had been considering a used car mostly to avoid massive depreciation because of all the miles that I drive. But they had a good deal right on the lot. A 06 V 70 2.5T with leather, in our favorite color combo: titanium metallic with graphite interior. $39500 MSRP for $31500. Looks to have convienence package, but I have to check for sure. 17" wheels of some sort.

The used 2001+ cars seem to all be in the $20-30k range. More for Rs, less for non-turbos. 30-40k miles in the right color combo for $20 or less would be ideal.

So I have a few questions that I would greatly appreciate being answered. Please be as candid as possible, but please don't start any flames!

1. Are there any reports for the replacement of the current V70? It's a nice car, but it has been around, more or less, since 2001. So it must be due for a redesign soon, right? Any photos or links?

2. What are the major used car problems to look for?

3. How reliable, in general, have the 2001+ V70s been?

4. What's with the 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 engine designations. Were there significant engine block changes?

5. How well does the iPod kit work?

6. What is the best way to get an iPod to work with a V70 that doesn't have the official Volvo kit?

7. Is the third row retrofit-able for a capable DIYer?

8. How many miles are people really getting in the 95+ volvos before they start to have serious problems?

9. Am I nuts to buy a Ford?


Thank you all in advance. Please cc your response to elee @ davisenergy.com.

Regards,

Eric Lee
Monterey, CA