V70r what do I need to know?

[Drive it fix it repeat]

I'm getting strangely drawn to one of these, what do I need to know? Pros and cons, any notorious weak spots perhaps?

I tend to end up modifying my cars a little, nothing to mad so maybe an exhaust and some light tuning, how do they handle a bit more power?

Think it's just a whim at the moment but who knows. Thanks for your help

[Drive it fix it repeat]

From some pretty rudimentary research I'm reading that the 4wd system, gearbox and shocks are some of the better known issues, any experiences of this? I do any maintenance myself so how are these to work on?

[S100HP]

I had one, as did Davie on here. We both had threads. Worth a read.

[850R]

Phase 1 or 2 would be handy to know

[Davie]

850R said:

Phase 1 or 2 would be handy to know

Given the OP references AWD, gearbox and shocks being a weak point... I'd stick my neck out and say P2.

[850R]

Davie said:

850R said:

Phase 1 or 2 would be handy to know

Given the OP references AWD, gearbox and shocks being a weak point... I'd stick my neck out and say P2.

Yeah that’s a fair point, in which case, my advice, stay clear, total money pit, unless you are already buying a well sorted one with everything all done.

[Davie]

850R said:

Yeah that’s a fair point, in which case, my advice, stay clear, total money pit, unless you are already buying a well sorted one with everything all done.

Agreed.

Though there's a couple of trains of thought... either pay top dollar for a known good car and I mean, a properly good one with evidence that all the known issue areas (there are many!) have been addressed recently and that genuinely wants for nothing and then pray it serves you well. Or, spend the least possible to get an ok car but in the knowledge that you'll be spending a few grand ASAP on getting it up to scratch and sadly, a few grand doesn't go far if you haven't the means to do a lot of the diagnosing / repairing yourself.

I went for option B and bought a fairly honest car, it was the right colour combo and had been maintained reasonably well but only as an old Volvo estate... not as the somewhat specialist machine the R is. However, I also bought it knowing it had issues from the word go and knowing that it'd take a fair chunk of time and money to put right but that's what I did and over the course of a couple of years it had the rear DEM, the angle gear sleeve, discs and pads all round, rear bushes, four new shocks, a few sensors and general repairs but luckily I dodged any engine (cracked liner) turbo, gearbox, clutch or rear diff related failures but even then, it was still a dear day out.

I sold it as it was simply too nice and too seldom used for my changing needs and to be honest, as great a thing as it was on the right road, for day in, day out use I just found it to compromised and the suspension was ste even with new dampers and various software updates. It was really a high day and holiday car and it was great but I couldn't have used it daily. I did debate buying a really cheap one, ie £2k territory and just drive it till it broke and spend very little but I was doing 2000 miles a month on crappy roads and that sort of life just does not suit a V70R at all. I don't dispute they'd cope, but it'd be a dear and uncomfortable experience!

I sold mine for strong money but I would say it was one of the better ones at the time with extensive amounts of works done during my tenure, however it always felt like a time bomb and I was always awaiting the next big bill thanks to another significant failure and that made me very nervous. I managed to do most the work myself bar the angle gear sleeve but if I couldn't have rolled my sleeves up, the thing would have bankrupted me within weeks!

People say that a T5 is the better car for every day use... and to be honest, if its for driving daily and using I think in hindsight, I'd agree. The R comes with the kudos and the big wheels and swanky bumper but the 4C suspension is pretty tiresome, very firm even in Comfort mode and the AWD whilst a nice addition in the wet etc, really is pretty fragile and most seem to have or will soon have issues there too. A V70 T5, manual, remapped with some chassis tweaks would probably be 90% there and much more reliable and usable in the real world. I always refuted that sort of talk but having lived with an R for a couple of years, I miss not having it in the garage to polish and take out for a run occasionally but beyond that, I don't miss it and I wouldn't have another.

[Drive it fix it repeat]

Thank you everyone for your responses. My circumstances have shifted a little so money in the bank is a higher priority now. If I do go down the volvo route it will most likely be a v70 t5. Still a nice car and a little more subtle. Still got the nice engine and some potential for improvements.

[850R]

Davie said:

850R said:

Yeah that’s a fair point, in which case, my advice, stay clear, total money pit, unless you are already buying a well sorted one with everything all done.

Agreed.

Though there's a couple of trains of thought... either pay top dollar for a known good car and I mean, a properly good one with evidence that all the known issue areas (there are many!) have been addressed recently and that genuinely wants for nothing and then pray it serves you well. Or, spend the least possible to get an ok car but in the knowledge that you'll be spending a few grand ASAP on getting it up to scratch and sadly, a few grand doesn't go far if you haven't the means to do a lot of the diagnosing / repairing yourself.

I went for option B and bought a fairly honest car, it was the right colour combo and had been maintained reasonably well but only as an old Volvo estate... not as the somewhat specialist machine the R is. However, I also bought it knowing it had issues from the word go and knowing that it'd take a fair chunk of time and money to put right but that's what I did and over the course of a couple of years it had the rear DEM, the angle gear sleeve, discs and pads all round, rear bushes, four new shocks, a few sensors and general repairs but luckily I dodged any engine (cracked liner) turbo, gearbox, clutch or rear diff related failures but even then, it was still a dear day out.

I sold it as it was simply too nice and too seldom used for my changing needs and to be honest, as great a thing as it was on the right road, for day in, day out use I just found it to compromised and the suspension was ste even with new dampers and various software updates. It was really a high day and holiday car and it was great but I couldn't have used it daily. I did debate buying a really cheap one, ie £2k territory and just drive it till it broke and spend very little but I was doing 2000 miles a month on crappy roads and that sort of life just does not suit a V70R at all. I don't dispute they'd cope, but it'd be a dear and uncomfortable experience!

I sold mine for strong money but I would say it was one of the better ones at the time with extensive amounts of works done during my tenure, however it always felt like a time bomb and I was always awaiting the next big bill thanks to another significant failure and that made me very nervous. I managed to do most the work myself bar the angle gear sleeve but if I couldn't have rolled my sleeves up, the thing would have bankrupted me within weeks!

People say that a T5 is the better car for every day use... and to be honest, if its for driving daily and using I think in hindsight, I'd agree. The R comes with the kudos and the big wheels and swanky bumper but the 4C suspension is pretty tiresome, very firm even in Comfort mode and the AWD whilst a nice addition in the wet etc, really is pretty fragile and most seem to have or will soon have issues there too. A V70 T5, manual, remapped with some chassis tweaks would probably be 90% there and much more reliable and usable in the real world. I always refuted that sort of talk but having lived with an R for a couple of years, I miss not having it in the garage to polish and take out for a run occasionally but beyond that, I don't miss it and I wouldn't have another.

I dont think i could argue with any of this, my best mate runs an independent Volvo specialist, i have previously asked him about the P2R, hes said the same thing, i already have a money pit, in a 96 850R, and did i really want another!!

[redandwhite]

Prices look to have firmed up recently, maybe its lack of choice but the auction site has a few at 7-8k which never sell

[Davie]

redandwhite said:

Prices look to have firmed up recently, maybe its lack of choice but the auction site has a few at 7-8k which never sell

That was pretty much the sort of region mine sold for last year and I'd say it was 90% there as far as a good example goes. Couple of scuffs on the bumpers, tyres weren't 'as new' and it wasn't full Volvo history, which the anoraks seems to get most upset about. It was a manual and black on beige which was what I specifically set out to buy and it was a UK car. I was never swayed by an import for various reasons.