The Volvo XC70. A Car That No One Should Own. 

What's the point of this review anyway- PCV system gets clogged because people don't change their oil on time and Throttle body issue was for the first few years until they switched from the yellow label "Magneti Marelli" to the Bosch unit "grey label", same goes for the gear box very few problems after 2004 MY. The truth is these cars are very good, practical, and reliable (if you change your oil on time)

Hi! Greetings from Sweden. Here in the homeland of Volvo, where as many as 50% of all cars drive this domestic car, I can say that even though that percentage is high, you can almost never see this type of Volvo standing by the road waiting for towing service. In Sweden, we salt the road as much as 7 months a year and I've never seen a Volvo with rust, not even a 30-year-old. Unfortunately I personally have no experience with petrol engines 2.4f,2.5T and 3.2 because we drive a lot of diesels, but I can tell you that the diesel variant V70, S60, S80, XC70 and XC90 with 2.4 D5 185hp 5-cylinder diesel motor is probably the best diesel turbo engine of modern times, after Mercedes diesel in series 123 and 124, which had half the power, so we can't compare them whit this new generation c-rail tehnology. My XC70 2005 model now have an incredible 670,000 kilometers and I was just on a technical inspection without a single mistake and thay give me White paper. The car has been driven only in our family for 10 years since it had 290,000km without a single mistake. Since this series of cars whit D5 has served as a taxi vehicle in Sweden for over 15 years, the experience is amazing. Many of them covered over 1 million kilometers and the clocks started ticking again from 0. Today I own this old beuty and a new one V90 CC. This old xc70 will always be a better car and I'm sad that cars of this quality are not made any more.

Why is this guy ragging on the XC70 so hard. These are extremely resilient. The in-line 5 is probably one of the best engines ever made. Sound great, awesome power delivery and reliable and proven since 93. I’ve had this exact mode with 250,000k and it drove amazing. I own a 05 right now. He bought the wrong year. Buy 03 and after.

Best car I've ever had

Most of these criticisms seem overstated. I know you say you worked on em but you don’t seem to have general knowledge on this specific model. 05-07 have the updated trans and remove the biggest issue these cars were plagued with. You actually can get them with the cloth interior it’s just very uncommon. The rearview mirror costs about $10 at a scrap yard to replace if you swap the glass. The timing belt and cam seal issues are also overstated. If you neglected oil changes maybe the cam seals become an issue due to the pcv clogging (you didn’t even mention the pcv issue?) and the timing belt is regular maintenance. Most of the other issues are relatively cheap to get replaced. You can do front struts for under $500 easily. You also didn’t mention the awd system at all? It seems to me you just have this idea in your head that these cars are bad because you saw them every day in a broken state. Imagine if you worked at a Japanese car dealership oh how bad all the cars that come through there must be. This is not to say that they are perfect cheap cars, but they are a safe mode of transportation and with proper general maintenance you can easily get them to 200k miles

Not recognizable at all. I have currently 3 XC70 D5 on my lawn and the 'newest' has 'only' 330.000 km's on the clock. Running fine as they are and not at all so bad interior wise as yours. Man that car looks like it had an T-Rex as an owner, eating the seats....

I crashed this car :( and it was one of the best cars ever. I drove it without oil once, and black stuff came out. The mechanic was surprised and said that it was a DAMN GOOD car because any other car would have melted. Whatever rubbish you’re saying about this not being a fabulous car is shit. I lived at the island in this car, never got stuck, never got rust. Best car ever, any Volvo is I am sure.

I’m a Toyota guy myself but my college age son has a xc70 2006 with 265k miles and going strong. I’ve done some small work on it but nothing unexpected considering the may miles and years it has on it. A well built and well engineered car in my opinion.

I just took my 2008 XC70 up a 9000 ft set of serious mountain trails (large rocks 6" ledges),. It has a set of Falken Wildpeak Trail A/Ts, which are absolutely the best tires for this car. It's got 140k miles, one owner, impeccably maintained always garaged, no turbo. Haven't had any issues other than normal wear & tear, but I also have my own shop and keep up with the maintenance. Around here you can't find one of these for less than $5k and Subarus are even more expensive. IMHO, most of the issues with European luxury cars come down to deferred maintenance and people not understanding that luxury cars are expensive to maintain. If you buy what (in my case) was a $65k car when in was new, don't be surprised that the maintenance is proportionally high....

I own 2001 Volvo for a years and I absolutely love it. One of the best reliable and cheep to maintain cars I ever had, Bzw I'm a heavy duty mechanic too.

Bought a used 05 XC70, with the Haldex AWD. Love it - comfortable, practical and vast cargo space. Does everything from interstate trips cruising all day at 110kph, to hauling half a tonne of concrete to the tip. 👍 Never seen a dealer service, just my local mechanic for an oil change. Only broken a tail light, replaced with an eBay spare myself for $70.

I don't know what this guy is talking about. I have 2 V70 an 04 with 350 k still running and 07 that drive like a dream. So far, hadn't experience any of this issues mentioned in this video

Got two of these rolling with 300,000kms and counting. Main issue have been suspension related. These are very reliable and proven vehicles, not your daddy's Land Rover.

well the fact that you bought it for 500$ might have something to say about it’s quality, i got one for 2,500 and with 200,000 miles and it’s still going strong

have a Volvo xc70 D5 2007. It is among the best cars I have owned. Holds damn well, would not get rid of the car.

I've owned one for 5 years and have had zero problems with it! Very safe very reliable!

I have a 280K mile e61 M5 and an 05 V70 D5 (180k miles) in my collection, the Volvo puts the BMW to shame, big time and is arguably more enjoyable to drive! - I love the M5's V10 but I worry every time I floor it (have done since it was brand new) the D5 is just bombproof and arguably the more enjoyable to drive because I don't worry about the Volvo breaking, which it hasn't. I could buy a house in what the M5 has cost me in maintenance over the years, the V70, a large shed at best. Says it all. You underestimate these fine machines sir.

I watched your video before I bought my 2001 v70xc a year ago. exact same color like yours. And overall its exactly as you describe. But, its not the cars fault, All of these issues are lack of maintenance. Yes, it requires more of it than maybe other cars. Mine had 316k km on it when I bought it now has 328k km. It was maintained really badly. But it did have few big things done. Like new timing kit, and a new angle box. But since Im a mechanic myself I thought why not. Since I bought it it has, all new sachs shocks all around, all brakes, drive shaft cv joint, vvt actuator, TCV valve, o2 sensor, PCV done. Replaced the original nasty seats for heated memory leather seats with matching door trims. And lots of different bits. If had to do all of this at a shop I would have never afford this. But I see it this way. I bought the car cheap. Even If I bought a more expensive xc, the chances are I would have still done half of these jobs. The interior was 40$. So yeah, this is a great car for those who will fix it themselves. But other than that the car is superb. I love the ride and the seats, engine delivers good power for everyday needs. Quite good fuel economy, Acceleration. Good ground clearance, spacious and practial cargo area. Im actually stunned by the offroad performance. I mean, you wouldnt do mudding in a swamp, but for everyday use in the winter, on muddy forest roads, just perfect. And winter brings me to the biggest plus. It doesnt rust, I mean, its a 23 year old car, sure it has some small surface rust here and there, but its nothing compared to a subaru, toyota, ford or mercedes from the same year. Practical, powerful awd wagon that doesnt rust and can be fixed in your driveway if you know what youre doing. Sounds good to me.

its a fair warning, they're not for average owners but those of us aren't afraid to do the work its a great choice, parts aren't expensive if you know where to buy, never ever take it to a dealership. I have a 2004 v70, the awd is much better than the older versions. Getting a copy of the dealer software is a must , vida software $100, plus $100 for the dice interface from china on a $160 laptop. Mine has 245k miles, original tranny, 28.5 mpg hiway 23 around town, I think a lot of drivers like to get into the turbo because its fun to feel that burst or power. First week i owned it (paid $2k with 170K m) the turbo shaft snapped, dealer price was over $2000, I swapped the internals with a balanced cartridge for $185. That was 6 years ago. Volvo's have strong following on the internet, you can get lots of help solving problems if you're inclined to have a go.

I have a 2004 Volvo XC70 and I love it it does everything I need it to do. I tow with it and I take it off-roading I just hit 280,000 and still running strong and I never broke the bank or wallet.

My mum owned one of these for years. She had a 2003 model in Navy Blue with a 5-cylinder diesel engine, black leather interior, sat-nav, phone, sunroof, and a rear seat picnic table. She got it in 2006 for her birthday, and she sold it in February 2015 with nearly 190,000 miles on the clock. It was like a tank, but I guess it isn't for everyone.

The 5 cyl esp the diesel most often do like 500 - 600 000km as taxis in Sweden if serviced and taken cared of. Some blocks crack but thats pretty rare..

Probably it's the way the owner uses it. I have a 2004 Volvo XC70 AWD turbo and right now it has 250,000 miles. I never had major issues and drove it from California to Massachusetts twice already passing to the mountains of Colorado. We went camping with it when the kids were still small pulling a small camper and the transmission is solid. What's wrong with this guy? Even if that's the case based on his experience, he should be thankful, these cars made him so called "wealthy".

Laughed watching this. I am on my third xc70 and love them. Wish they still made them. The electrics can be a bit quirky but they are generally solid dependable cars. All brands have the odd badly made, error laden examples and this must have been one of them

Remember Pal, Volvo is for smart people. Volvo4Life!

Volvo's are built tough I've had 3 of them and the oldest model i had was 16 years old no rust high kilometers. I live in cold salt belt reagion not uncommon to see 16 to 20 year old models s60, s80, etc.

2006 Volvo XC70. 252,000 miles and runs like a top. Best car I've ever owned.

I bought a very nice 06 with 125K on it in 2016. I just got rid of it with a little shy of 200,000 miles. I never once took it to a mechanic. I did everything, it did have problems such as the PCV system and an oil leak at what I thought was the exhaust cam seal. I was able to do the PCV with FCP supplied factory parts for a few hundred, the oil leak turned out to be play in the exhaust VVT pulley, that was a few hundred as well. Other than that it was mostly routine maintenance. I did two trans pump out flushes and added a large trans oil cooler that solved the hot downshift issue that these are known for. I absolutely loved mine, I replaced it with a 2013 XC70 that has also been great so far.

Best car ever built.. my xc has almost 500k and looks better than most newer cars i see in my shop ...

This guy is a first class jerk. I have had a 2001 wagon like this with 167k miles. It still runs very well. I have always maintained it with Volvo parts and regular oil changes etc. Every make has it's quirks and yes Swedish cars are quirky but any car can last well if you maintain them and don't drive like a maniac. Mine has done well in 21 NY winter's, I don't expect miracles.

This DB is so full of contradictions. I’d be shocked if he’s a legit Volvo mechanic. Let’s not forget this car he’s bashing is 20 years old. Most of his gripes were remedied in 02 or 03 models. I’ve driven several P2 chassis cars to 250k without a major repair. But also had one save my life, so that’ll build some loyalty.

This criticism is outraged. I have one myself with the 2,5 engine for now 14 years. Got her maintained by my local Volvo dealer what Volvo requires, 175.000 km and still drives and looks as new. Why I never have problems with my cars? Because I maintain them properly as it should be. That's a lack of many car owners whatever brand you own.

Bloke is talking out of his posterior. Had Volvos for 40 years, and have a V70 for the last 9. Regular services and consumables, with very few problems. One clutch on a 740 at almost 250,000 miles. V70 has had only a sticky door lock assembly. Bombproof.

I owned a Xc70 05 d5 awd automatic. It was a tank in the snow. 300000km but no rust and the interior looked great. Loved those seats! I had the car for a couple of years and had no problem. If you buy one get the haldex awd and then you are good to go

I drive a 2005 2.5LT xc70 in Ontario and there is not a spot of (visible) rust on it. Absolutely love it. My muffler did fall off once, and now I'm hoping that day comes again because it was the nicest sounding thing ever. Love this car.

My 2002 V70 was the last car my father owned, and I intend to drive it daily for the rest of my life. So I have an unusual perspective i.e. extremely long-term ownership. I buy the special tools, I learn the model more and more each passing year. The FWD V70 is a very economical, practical wagon. Sunroof, heated seats, and a few mods -- a very livable daily driver. Still only have 100k miles. While I'd admit it's a relatively high-maintenance vehicle, for me it doesn't matter; I do ALL the work myself, and the knowledge just accumulates. No serious issues.

VOLVO is nice, and I agree on some of the points you make, yes the cam seals start at 120,000 to prevent any future issues you have keep up the maintenance I own one for years and no problems, the moment I neglected the problem with my old one the issues came

I love my headlight wipers in snowy, sludgy weather. Outstanding.

Also I never had to do a engine because I caught the cam seal early. 450000 kilometer on mine and still running good.

Bought a used one for my girlfriend. Was a great car. Only had one issue. But was in a rollover accident and she survived with a few bruises and scratches. Very safe car!

Surprised by the rag on s70's. I'm on my second one of those and if this one dies or needs an expensive repair I'll get another for well under $3k. Best cars I've ever owned. Once the stereo is upgraded of course.

So some truths and some exaggerations here. Full disclosure, I owned a 1993 Volvo 940 and now have a XC90, S80, and V70R. Yes, if you dealer service these cars you will pay $1000+ per year to own them-there are cheaper ways to fix them. They are not Hondas or Toyotas which may (or may not) be 100% reliable and inexpensive to keep on the road. They will have common problems that need attention-this is no different than any other car. But, buyer beware. For the 2001-2002 model years, XC70s had many problems that could be avoided by buying a 2003-2007. For 2003-2007 the AWD system went from a viscous couple (more common than you think-look at the original Jeep Grand Cherokees 93-98) to a Haldex (which was better), and the transmission got slightly better. If you are looking to buy one, you really need to be good at knowing what problems could exist and be mindful of them for each model year. Are they great cars? Probably not, but they have endearing qualities (safety, rust free bodies, comfort, performance, engine longevity) and they can be bought for relatively little money and repaired. I do agree that I would not suggest one for anyone who does not have any degree of mechanical aptitude-it's just not that type of car.

I think they are great cars. I'd rather the XC70 over any of its competitors. I have been towing an 18ft boat with it no problems. If you stage 0 it, it will last a long time. 01 and 02 were the worst models but still probably better than an Audi, BMW, Subaru, VW

Kind of interesting I just saw this video I have that exact car and basically have done all the things you talked about I never had any electrical issues I'm a mechanic that spent a lot of time working on these cars as well that's why I bought one because there's not really anything surprising going on

I have the 2004 V70 and it’s a decent car. This is my 3rd Volvo. I think if you purchase any car for $500, your going to have to fix issues. The XC model obviously has many more options that can break. If you buy a well maintained or even a dealer maintained Volvo, you can’t go wrong. My 2nd Volvo was in a major accident and I walked away without a scratch.

I love my 2004 Volvo xc90 and it has 217k on it. Volvo are great cars.

I bought an 06 d5 xc70 with 200k mi last month for £700 / $940. It had an awful thump going from 3rd to 4th, until I changed the transmission fluid. Functions flawlessly now. I'm happy to turn some wrenches. With proper maintenance I expect 400k easily.

If you actually know how to fix Volvo's, and you don't have to pay someone else to, they rock. Also, in the rust belt, that generation of Volvo is still rust free, and looking good, 01 Subaru's have almost all been rusted in half. The transmissions can be saved by servicing the SLS, SLU and SLT linear solenoids in the V/B, easy fix, transmission replacement is rarely needed. The were not cheap new, and not the cheapest to maintain, but if you do, 400,000 miles is possible. You can't beat them for safety, in their price range either.

Longest lasting and best sounding car I've owned , and its great for having a baby also. Mine averages 33mpg at 58 mph.

Couldn't agree much less than I do. It's true that if you want to keep the car long term- as in over 200K miles- that you will put money into it, but not because of crazy prices or weird faults.Some things just wear out, like struts and drive axles, and you replace them and the car keeps going. I love my '05 XC70 and my goal is to see it to 300K. I am over half way there.

My 2006 Volvo XC70 has 321,000 Michigan miles and still going strong. Done most of the servicing and maintenance myself, and have never neglected or skipped oil changes. My goal is 400k. This is our family’s 4th Volvo

Thanks so much for this video. My wife and I each had Saab 93s and they were great cars. The first one got to 12 years and the ecu conked out. Tried putting in three separate ecus with no success. Nothing else wrong with that car. But anyway it got traded on an couple of years old bare bones 2wd crv. The second one is still going strong but I suspect a few more years and it will be done too. I really appreciate your reviews of the mitsubishi because our next cars will most certainly not be boutique. I enjoyed having the slabs but I'm not interested in wrenching on cars and spending too much money. Been there done that!

I had the S70. It was my first car. I bought it used and never had any problems. I drove it for 10 years before someone totaled it.

The automatic transmission AW55-50SN from Aisin is among the best money can buy. Of course if you’re never changing the ATF they’ll be toast after 150 k miles. Which is ironically what all OEMs told you to do twenty years ago. Changing the fluid every 60000 miles and the ATM will run 250000 miles without problems.

I have an 03 xc-70, bought in 2019 with 80k kms which is about 45,000 miles I believe. Haven't had any major issues with mine yet but I'm pretty mechanically inclined, done alot of preventative maintence since I've owned it, swapped the timing belt and water pump, Evap. Did a whole service on the Haldex rear changed seals and pump because I was paranoid it was going to give out. Other than that. Struts and control arms. Drives beautifully. Love the inline 5. Reminds me of a v10 grumble lower RPM's.

I ended up with one as trade for work I did. The brake lights didn't work right off and I had to hot wire them and the key won't turn most of the time. When I get it to turn I just leave it in but I only have one key so that's risky. It does go great in the snow and in northern NH with a long driveway that helps.

Volvo is ultimately the best car I've ever had, and I had 16 different cars. Incomparable.

We have a 2007 XC70 with 275K miles. We bought with 50K on it. We've had a couple issues, but nothing too crazy expensive. With a good indy Volvo mechanic, these are great cars, Also, the body, interior, and paintwork have held up phenomenally. I drove ours from Charlotte, NC to Oklahoma City, OK (>1,000 miles) at 250K miles without a worry.

I put 120k miles on mine, Been in the shop once in 8 years. Basic maintenance and i even drove it to work this morning with 220k miles. Never left me stranded.

great info from an experienced point of view. thank you.

I am driving my third Volvo, 850 T5, S60 T5, now a S60 T6. Very low on maintenance. Definitely the best cars I had drivin n 40 years. Next one will be a Volvo

Very honest and truthful! Own one myself with 280k. Was well cared for by two previous owners, driven mostly on the highway, solid as a tank, but some of these issues have shown their head on previous owners service records and during my ownership. On 2nd transmission, replaced front struts with heavier duty aftermarket mounts, 3 of 4 wheel bearings replaced, AC issue he spoke of is present, needs radiator very soon, gonna do PCV box soon, and the list goes on... Had a customer with an s60 from the same era and he had all kinds of issues with his due to poor service history from previous owners. Since I'm a mechanic, I can fix the stuff myself. However, unless you have relatively deep pockets or can do the work yourself, don't recommend buying it. P2 chassis is the sweet spot though. Nice tech, but not too technologically advanced like the newer ones which would make your head spin, and not so old that part sourcing is difficult.

I actually plan on working at a Volvo dealer in the future. Probably wouldn't go with an AWD model like this but the normal S60's and V70's seem tempting for under $2k used. Thanks for your video!

I have a 2004 it was my mom's the last car she had before she died. She loved it and I plan on keeping it as long as possible as I actually love it as well.

I bought an 02 few months ago, I drove it 4300 miles from WA to TN. One of the best cars I’ve owned so far got 27mpg on the highway. I like euro cars but they are stupid if you can’t do the long list of repairs yourself.

Buy a 20yo car for $500 and then complain about it when things go wrong

I have the same xc70 as you do only difference is mine is a 2000 model but with the xc70n chassis. Have the 2.4l turbo with a manual gearbox. Odometer is now reading 26k just shy of hitting 27k. I have like you said done some repairs new shocks springs bushings controlarms new ECM as the old one was fried. That was expensive auch! Other then that the engine had a oil leak when new had to top off the oil fairly regularly. Strange thing Is I started driving the thing like I stole it and put a quite decent tune on the thing changed exhaust and intake. Removed the turbo regulator solinoid. And the car runs great. It drives really good. The only slight problem is that I have a creek in the suspension at the rear I think it's the springs making that sound so it's just what it is. Very happy about mine :)

We had a V70 Mk1 for 17 years and das car. It was sold with 360,000 km on the odometer. 10-valve free-breathing, not a rocket, but powerful. Now there is Bifuel Mk2 and Bifuel M3 with a slight difference in quality. In the Mk2 Volvo, the driver's door latch broke and the fabric on the door pillars is coming off, etc. but these are minor. The MK3V70 is also a Volvo, but it has atypical problems for a Volvo, such as in a 12-year-old car, the pee boy's pump had to be replaced and one of the seams on the seat is a little loose. you never see this in older Volvos. However, the base car is strong and really good cars to drive and use anyway. Made into a family car. The Mk1 was a person for fuel, but this latest model year 2011 2.5 Bifuel takes reasonably longer because of the turbo.

Omg I'm so frustrated right now I could scream. I have been shopping for a used car now for months, and had narrowed it down to my favorite...Volvo V70 (2nd choice XC70) because I love wagons, I love quirky, I love different...then I watched this video! I'm on a tight budget of $3500 or less but have had to weed out so many brands/ models because of there known unreliability or exuberant repair costs. I'm getting older and am wanting a little bit of luxury/creature comforts but you have to stay away from Cadillac's Northstar, or any BMW/Mercedes/Audi because of unreliability and repair costs, Nissan/Infinit's for bad CVT's...and the list goes on. What am I left with? Toyota Camry? Reliable...yes, but it's not a car you park, and then catch yourself turning around to have another look, then smile. Anyway, sorry I'm rambling but I'm just frustrated with my 1st World problems. Lol. P.s. I know my budget doesn't really allow for luxury but a guy can always hope.

Great cars. 350,000km and still going strong, hardly been any issues and cheap to fix

Love my 2002 V70 XC! 190K miles and still rolling!

I love them! Yes i've had to work on the driver side window(and the PVC box can be a problem). But that gets used the most! My Volvo has 250,000 miles on it and it runs beautifully! They are truly great cars! Tough as nails...and versatile as a Swiss army knife!

sounds like the most expensive $500 car

I own a 2005 Volvo S80, and I love the car. The only thing that has gone wrong is fuel system Failures. It has 119,000. And by the way , the wood is real.

I do have a S60 2.4 non turbo 170 bhp from 2001. 5 speed manual. 259.000 k.m on the clock. Drives and runs great. Very very nice car to drive

@farpointfarms mind if I ask you a question related to the awd system? I replaced my angle/ bevel gear and it was a resealed used from my Volvo wrecker...it was very clean and far as I could tell was a nice unit.after I put it in and reconnected driveshaft , it has been driving quiet smooth and great .so after a while I noticed at slow speeds it would make a " clank." Seems like it's coming from the angle gear ,only because it sounds like the same noise as when the original exploded.. But it was obviously broken internally and was a non-stop clanking clacking ,but the material and pitch of the sound is very similar.but again it only does it once like the inside gear I s slipping? It's only at slow speeds and maybe once when I was bottomed out parallel parking....so the other noise is a clunk coming from rear somewhere.....it's a single clunk not very loud and sometimes I can feel it at high speeds but I hear no noise ....and it drives ultra smooth before and after this clunk .it's barely audible fyi and at high speeds you can't hear it but you can slightly feel it......any thoughts? Thank you for your time.Chris

What a breath of fresh air, a mechanics perspective, on the pros and cons of a vehicle. The ad men, and influencers, can go take a running jump. This could almost go under the heading, as a Public Service.

Funny how pretty much all the comments here disagree with the video. I myself no different. We have a 97 V70 2.4 20v. Great engine, great sounding, and after 24 years, its obviously not worth taking the car back to Volvo for servicing, but if you can service it yourself, its not actually too difficult. Granted, after 20 odd years, there will be a couple of rust spots, but only the size of your finger, and all the things that need replacing are inexpensive and small, such as trim clips, light bulbs, maybe a window switch. ABS module solder joints can come apart, but again, easily rectified for free if you know how, replacing all perishables such as suspension, bushings, brakes, oil and coolant change, new sparks, cost about 3k usd not bad for 24 years (previously only a timing belt change), and the car just had its major road worthiness check and had no issues. We have a V90 and cannot bring ourselves to ditch the V70. Its part of the family.

Have a 2006 XC70 with 89k on it and over the last 10 years have spent about $2,000 total on the car, it has been very reliable. Lately spent money on it just replacing stuff that was due, all in all, mine has been good so far.

Idk about this older one, but I have a 2015 xc60, and it has 135k miles, and it really hasn’t had any issues beyond a few minor things. It’s also AWD, and it has the 3.0L turbo straight 6 cylinder with a 6 speed dual clutch

This guy doesn't know what he's talking about. I've owned 3 P2 xc70's and ALL of them lasted to 250,000 miles with MINIMUM maintenance. or more and my current 2007 XC70 has 430,000 miles that I drive everyday. Just because this guy got the first year that wasn't taken care of well doesn't mean its a bad car.

if you are mechanically inclined they are really good cars, I have BMWs, Mercedes, Volvo and Cadillac that I bought really cheap because of high mileage.. buy parts online.. I think a thousand dollar repair is more of an exaggeration :)

I used my mom's 2015 Volvo XC70 back and forth to school during my Junior and Senior years. It never broke on me and it started all the time. All you really need to make sure is you maintain it well and get things replaced when they need to be.

Not to be disagreeable, but I've had 2 2004 Volvo XC70s and have found them to be very reliable. My daughter took the first one as a college school car and is still using it in the winter. It has 200,000 miles and doesn't burn oil. I'm still driving mine with over 150,000 miles. It's reliable, starts well in winter, has no rust yet and doesn't burn oil. To me the configuration of the 5 cylinder and 5 speed tranny is pretty sound. The car wizard guy on youtube has a video with an ex-Volvo dude and he says the same thing. One key is to do back maintenance when you get one, change the timing belt and flush the tranny. I took mine to the Volvo shop and it needed a front end realignment and a rebuilt power steering pump. Not expensive. Put new viking continental snow tires on it and it goes fine in the snow.

$ 500 car, all you need to know. I’m going through an 850 turbo wagon now. Stage 0 here I come!

Other than the 4-wheel drive system being something to avoid, based on my own experience, I have to strongly disagree. I have owned several makes, including Ford, GM, Nissan and Volvo. My experience has been that my Volvos were considerably more reliable and certainly more durable than the other brands. Here in the UK, where rust is a problem, most older cars are either Land Rovers, Toyotas, or Volvos. I would like to say that regular maintenance, as specified by the manufacturer is very important. I mostly undertake my own maintenance. I have owned three Volvos from new / nearly new, as follows: A 1981 244DL - until 2005 and well over 300K miles. Two that I still use most days - a 1994 850SE, now on 210k miles and a 2002 V70, now on 170k miles. Other than normal service items, the only things I have replaced are clutches on all three and the ETM and DIM on the V70. I do agree that the PVC system is a weak point and difficult to replace but so far both are OK. By the way, my average UK MPGs are: 244 - 27MPG; 850 - 34MPG; V70 = 33MPG (these never seem to change much)

I own 3 of these! Love them 2002, 2005 and 2006

I have a 04 V70, its flawless, its almost at a 100k miles and going like it is new, and the only time its been to the mechanic was when a wheel nut was Loose after we had changed tires, so i can safely say that everething he said was total bs

I have an R model with 248k miles on it. I only had to replace the pcv because the rubber finally began to deteriorate. Fun fact, if you use good oil and do your oil changes on time, the pcv WILL last

That's pretty crazy to hear because I had a 98 V70 that went 250k miles no major issues currently have a 2004 V70 have had it for 6 years no PCV problems only problems I've had were the thermostat and radiator, simple repairs the car drives like a dream.

I have an XC70 D5 (in-line 5 diesel engine) with 325 000 km and no problem... But to see the appearance of this XC70, it is not very surprising ... if the mechanics are as well maintained as its interior ... A car must be maintained ...

How is your back doing?

Wow, that's a lot of problems. 2005-2007 were the best years for these p2 xc70's. Rolling with 165k miles in my '05 xc90 2.5T AWD :~)

My friend has a 04, no problems at all engine is the 2,5L has 300 000km on it ac works fine, shifts good and starts as it should

I had one 6 years currently on 160k,not spent nothing on it apart from ware n tare, awesome car

Don't be a stupid, turn back and look how many years it was build, and how good still is. Little love and Volvo will drive you as much as new.

Let me analyze your video based on the facts you have provided: 1) You paid only $500 for the 2001 Volvo XC70 which your friend was about to donate and had 135,000 miles 2) You had previously worked on the Volvo's for 15+ year at the dealership 3) in the 9:01 you do claim that Volvo's are some of the safest cars and in couple of accidents your car was barely damaged and the ones that hit you had major damage 4) You list major issues with Volvos and how you manage to buy your nice ranch based on how well you were compensated fixing these Volvo's My rebuttal to you would be: 1) Did you know maintenance history of this car before you paid $500? Was it well kept and serviced at the dealership? I highly doubt it 2) As a Volvo mechanic of over 15+ years, you obviously should have known what you are getting into with a $500 car. What was your purpose of buying this car then? just because it had new tires and a nice paint, a prudent mechanic would have checked for other signs of issues that could potentially drain your pocket? 3) Was the purpose of this purchase was to just rant about how bad your experience with Volvo is vs. a Japanese car? Couldn't you sell your story based on your 15+ years as a Volvo mechanic? I personally see many holes in your story however I don't deny the issues you have had with your $500 purchase. You can't even upgrade to leather seat on any Japanese car without going to the next model (i.e. Limited on Toyota or EXL on Honda), which would be an upgrade of at least $2K or more. I once purchased a 2004 Honda CRV LX for my nephew and they are notorious with having issues with AC compressor. That alone cost us $900 to fix. You can RU-vid that if you don't believe it. I own a 2014 Volvo XC 60 FWD 3.2 Liter Engine with 85,000 Miles. I have only changed my oil every 8K even though the dealer recommends to change the oil every 10K and it costs me about $170 each time. Beside changing my tires and regular maintenance, I have not spent a penny on this car. I have been driving Toyotas and Hondas since1974 (my first Cressida) to 2012 Avalon limited and wife had Honda Pilot. The reason I don't drive Japanese cars anymore is safety. How much is your life worth vs. reliable car. I can Fix a damaged Volvo but I can't bring someone back from dead. I lost two family members in a Toyota Highlander (2011). A Ford 150 hit them from the back and the SUV rolled over a hill and they died on spot. Back in 2004, my uncles Volvo 940 GLE fell of the cliff (not far from the same location) and rolled at least 10 times before it landed upside down. Guess what, my uncle walked away from the car a bit dazed but fine. When Paramedics showed up, they were amazed the car was still okay and my uncle was alive. They had seen others die at the same spot (Japanese cars). Just like anything else, specially German or Swedish cars, you have to make sure you keep up with the maintenance. Again, I am not sure what is your priority in life, reliability or safety? You have nice ranch, so I suppose you probably have enough money to think about safety and afford a more expensive car. Accidents only happens once and you can't turn back the clock or as my sister in law who works in ER would say, you either pay now or you pay with your life later. If you live in cold and snow, these Volvo's don't rust like Japanese or American cars and those wipers on your headlights are designed to remove the snow. You will appreciate your Volvo if you ever get involved in an accident. One last thing about Volvo's, no car in the world has as comfortable seat as Volvos at even twice the cost? Toyotas have the worst seat in my opinion and I only drove the limited (high end models), Hondas probably have the best seat among Japanese but nothing close to the comfort of Volvo. By the way, good luck getting the same adjustments on the passenger side for any Japanese car until you shell out for high end trims like Limited in Toyotas or EXL or higher on Hondas. On Volvo's, even the low end trip has great seat adjustments for both driver and passenger.

I have exactly that. XC70. 2001. it has weird warning messages for ABS, and engine light is on. Very sturdy and good in snow. very thirsty. very heavy but has 200hp and turbo.

I own a 2005, it's an amazing car. I love it very much, suspension wears a little fast, I think that's because its heavy.

was the 04 model the same way because i havent ran into any of these issues