Drawn to a C70 convertible
Discussion
Advice please, I've just sold my 94 SL R129 but still looking for some convertible fun.
Lower end of the market £5k ish although could go up to 10k. It'll be kept on the drive in the open, not adverse to doing some jobs myself. And because dogs, daily, crappy roads and tracks, i don't want or need an immaculate example. Probably less than 5k p.a,
I've never driven one so important things to.me.
Rear seat width for 2 dogs, one medium one small.
Wafty refinement
Solid feeling.
Quiet (I'm a dab hand at chasing sqeaks and rattles)
Ground clearance
Lack of bork potential
I'd rather have petrol auto but not essential.
Reasonable RFL cost.
Which model earlier cloth roof or later tintop? Any other advice or should i just stay clear?
Lower end of the market £5k ish although could go up to 10k. It'll be kept on the drive in the open, not adverse to doing some jobs myself. And because dogs, daily, crappy roads and tracks, i don't want or need an immaculate example. Probably less than 5k p.a,
I've never driven one so important things to.me.
Rear seat width for 2 dogs, one medium one small.
Wafty refinement
Solid feeling.
Quiet (I'm a dab hand at chasing sqeaks and rattles)
Ground clearance
Lack of bork potential
I'd rather have petrol auto but not essential.
Reasonable RFL cost.
Which model earlier cloth roof or later tintop? Any other advice or should i just stay clear?
Edited by PositronicRay on Thursday 26th May 14:54
Hi. I have a C70 mk2 and so far all good. It's a 2011 with 50k miles poverty spec D3 manual.
If you have access to Facebook there's a really helpful bunch there under C70 owners.
From what I can glean few problems encountered with the roof mechanism but in the main due to lack of maintenance.
All in all its a cracking cheap to run car
If you have access to Facebook there's a really helpful bunch there under C70 owners.
From what I can glean few problems encountered with the roof mechanism but in the main due to lack of maintenance.
All in all its a cracking cheap to run car
hi, hadn't realised the SL500 had gone.
Understand your being drawn to the C70, is that the older soft top variety or the later folding hard top? I looked at one some years ago, seemed well built but at the time didn't feel like it was "me". (That's me that had TVRs, Caterham and old Volvo 940 Estates).
From recollection they are pretty well built, maybe a bit of scuttle shake and the turning circle of the Ark Royal. Been looking at ads for the earlier model (prices seem to be (£1500 - £3000).
Worth looking at Volvo Forum: https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/ Been very helpful to me over the years - huge following of Volvos old & new
Understand your being drawn to the C70, is that the older soft top variety or the later folding hard top? I looked at one some years ago, seemed well built but at the time didn't feel like it was "me". (That's me that had TVRs, Caterham and old Volvo 940 Estates).
From recollection they are pretty well built, maybe a bit of scuttle shake and the turning circle of the Ark Royal. Been looking at ads for the earlier model (prices seem to be (£1500 - £3000).
Worth looking at Volvo Forum: https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/ Been very helpful to me over the years - huge following of Volvos old & new
C70 MK2 here (T5 auto). Of its kind it's very good. Cruiser, rides reasonably, not too crashy on 18s. Catastrophic fuel consumption but the T5 is much more characterful than expected. Keep the roof and the drains in good nick (use the proper seal lube annually) and you're in good shape.
My 2003 2.4LPT GT manual does 30-33mpg on mixed driving with some spirited moments thrown in. I have owned many Volvos over the years and the P80 chassis is in my experience the finest that Volvo have produced. The Mk1 C70 was based on the P80 with chassis tweeks by Tom Walkinshaw Racing. The convertible is quite floppy, but a strut brace transforms it from alarming to 'having character' 
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