V70 advice - planning on buying one.........

[hennabm]

What can the SVM tell me about what to look at when considering a purchase of a V70.

 

The model in question is a 53 plate petrol estate wiv ful leva.

 

TIA

[Lacquer Peel]

Too new, soz.

[Richard]

All I know is that they are quite different from the earlier V70.

[Noel Tidybeard]

arent these based on a mondeo*, focus*, sewing machine*

 

*delete as applicable

[gordonbennet]

Parking brake is the very first job, small shoes inside the top hat design rear disc/drum, the friction material delaminates and jams up the whole caboodle so do not leave this.

If it needs new parking brake shoes, suggest you buy new hold down springs for them, new springs won't come with the shoes.

 

My lads S60 saloon version has been a superb car, nothing gone wrong at all, the gearbox benefitted from an oil change at 100thou , and it's just cracked a front ABS reluctor ring, new £10 ring appears to be a simple hot shrink fit job as you would a starter ring, its on about 130k now and for a 185 hp Diesel goes like shit off a shovel.

[brickwall]

Can't say I had any problems of major note. Can be thirsty, but it's a big car with bags of room. New turbos can cost a wee bit.

Err....Can't think of anything else.

 

Buy.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

My topic perhaps, assuming this is same shape as mine?

 

Parking brake shoes can delaminate, fall to pieces and lock the axle. Not had that happen thankfully! But if they haven't been done I would replace them and the retaining springs - cheap job.

On subject of handbrake when you apply the handbrake and release the foot brake the car sort of rolls back onto the handbrake - odd sensation but seemingly they all do that sir

 

Listen carefully for hissing from brake master cylinder, yours should be ok but some earlier ones had problems with a seal, the whole unit needs replaced and is a ball ache of a job as the engine/subframe needs dropped a couple of inches to get it out

 

Ropey electronics - the dash modules were a victim of early lead free solder and as a result with age they go wonky once they heat up - mine is currently switching itself off after a few miles which is a major pain as the indicators and anything else working off the stalks are part of the DIM circuit so stop working at the same time.

Options here are:

1) replace - volvo only job as the new unit needs coded to the car and volvo won't code a used unit. £800 job

2) fix - send off to electornics repair specialist, average cost seems to be £150 but could take a few days

I *think* facelift cars are less prone as ford dumped most of the (renault sourced?) pre facelift electronics

 

Front tyres, the V70 is very fussy over brand and condition - bridgestones with plenty of tread seem to be the way to go, cheap tyres ruin the car (and I'm far from the only one to notice this) I get part worns!

 

Turning circle of an oil tanker - it's really really bad. Multi-storey car parks are a nightmare

 

Heated seats can develop hot spots, check on test drive they shouldn't burn you!

 

Rear parcel shelves are surprisingly expensive second hand and most owners seem to forget them in the garage so ask if they have it if it's not in the car

 

Just to balance this out, a few good points:

 

They drive beautifully - almost jag like on a long run very relaxing

The seats are the most comfortable I have ever sat in - I have a ropey lower back which has seemingly healed itself since owning the V70

The standard stereo is fantastic

Apart from the above issues they manage to hang onto some of that old school volvo solid feel

Part prices are as cheap (in some cases cheaper) than the mondeo I had previously

[Dead_E23]

Whilst doing the parking brake, consider replacing the metal spacer that goes between the brake shoes (the bit opposite the actuator) with one of the adjustable ones (iirc) for early V70s and 850s.  If you don't, the only adjustment is at the lever and as that just takes up the slack in the cables there's no way of adjusting for wear.  The handbrakes are rubbish at the best of times, so I usually park mine in gear.

 

Also look out for leaking clutch slave cylinders - the clutch shares the reservoir for the brake fluid, so be suspicious if the level is either too low (due to leaks) or too high (due to topping up) or if the owner carries a bottle of brake fluid in the boot.  The slave cylinder lives inside the bell housing, so replacement is a massive and expensive job.  Unfortunately the undertray makes it difficult to spot leaks.

[Captain Slow]

My topic perhaps, assuming this is same shape as mine?

 

Parking brake shoes can delaminate, fall to pieces and lock the axle. Not had that happen thankfully! But if they haven't been done I would replace them and the retaining springs - cheap job.

On subject of handbrake when you apply the handbrake and release the foot brake the car sort of rolls back onto the handbrake - odd sensation but seemingly they all do that sir

 

Listen carefully for hissing from brake master cylinder, yours should be ok but some earlier ones had problems with a seal, the whole unit needs replaced and is a ball ache of a job as the engine/subframe needs dropped a couple of inches to get it out

 

Ropey electronics - the dash modules were a victim of early lead free solder and as a result with age they go wonky once they heat up - mine is currently switching itself off after a few miles which is a major pain as the indicators and anything else working off the stalks are part of the DIM circuit so stop working at the same time.

Options here are:

1) replace - volvo only job as the new unit needs coded to the car and volvo won't code a used unit. £800 job

2) fix - send off to electornics repair specialist, average cost seems to be £150 but could take a few days

I *think* facelift cars are less prone as ford dumped most of the (renault sourced?) pre facelift electronics

 

Front tyres, the V70 is very fussy over brand and condition - bridgestones with plenty of tread seem to be the way to go, cheap tyres ruin the car (and I'm far from the only one to notice this) I get part worns!

 

Turning circle of an oil tanker - it's really really bad. Multi-storey car parks are a nightmare

 

Heated seats can develop hot spots, check on test drive they shouldn't burn you!

 

Rear parcel shelves are surprisingly expensive second hand and most owners seem to forget them in the garage so ask if they have it if it's not in the car

 

Just to balance this out, a few good points:

 

They drive beautifully - almost jag like on a long run very relaxing

The seats are the most comfortable I have ever sat in - I have a ropey lower back which has seemingly healed itself since owning the V70

The standard stereo is fantastic

Apart from the above issues they manage to hang onto some of that old school volvo solid feel

Part prices are as cheap (in some cases cheaper) than the mondeo I had previously

 

I'm 800 miles into the ownership of a T5. I've adjusted the handbrake on the cables because it DID NOT WORK at all. It seems to hold now, though I haven't tested it on a hill. Easy job to do.

 

Apart from that, I've nothing to add here. I'm still in love with it and would at this stage recommend one to anyone.

[Richard]

Whilst doing the parking brake, consider replacing the metal spacer that goes between the brake shoes (the bit opposite the actuator) with one of the adjustable ones (iirc) for early V70s and 850s.

 

Is there still a window in the drum or do you have to take the drum off to adjust them?

[bub2006]

I gave up with the handbrake on my step sisters v70 auto. Could I hell as like loosen it off enough through the little hole to check shoes and I sure has hell couldn't tighten it up. Just told her to leave it in park

[JohnK]

I ran a 51 plate V70 2.4 (140bhp) manual a few years ago as a daily. Did around 20k In 8 months.

 

Fantastic machine and a real motorway cruiser - they drive so well, they really are a nice place to be. Mine used to do around 440 miles to a tank which was really good.

 

Mine was a 1 owner car and had a full history, with evidence of some of the above work having been completed. It had also had a brand new throttle body fitted, which I later found out was a common problem too - worth checking on a petrol model as it wasn't cheap to replace if I remember correctly, from looking through the receipts.

 

I would definitely recommend one.

[Six-cylinder]

Mine is a 2001 2.3 LP turbo petrol 172,000 miles, oil leaks have been a nusance. I have also had to change a number of suspention bushes.

[Tetleysmooth]

I think the electronic throttle bodies have to be coded to the car as well. Another expensive job.

You can't beat a good old fashioned cable throttle.