Thinking of purchasing '99-'00 C70 Convertible...need advice

xjflexer · Post by **xjflexer** » 09 Jul 2010, 07:38

Hello all. I have been lurking on here for a short period of time (only a couple of months), and it appears as though you have quite a nice group here. I have owned two Volvos previously (a '95 850 wagon and a '96 850 R sedan) and currently have a MINT '96 850 R wagon that I picked up cheap with a blown headgasket. Quick easy fix over the course of a week (lost time due to machine shop), and she is flying once again!

Anywho, I am thinking of getting a '99-'00 C70 convertible for my wife. She deserves it. Is there anything abnormal with this model car that I need to keep my eyes peeled for so I know which cars to stay away from? Should I expect a lot of the "normal" issues like an 850 would have (i.e. PCV, heater core, A/C evaporator, strut tops, etc., etc.) Do these cars have top issues of any kind?

Thank you in advance!
Tim

Post by **phils94850** » 09 Jul 2010, 07:53

I dont know much about the convertible models, but, since youve been a preivous volvo owner im sure you know the basics. Make sure the timing belt and related parts have been serviced and up to date. I would try and get records on the car and do a VIN check.
Just like all convertibles it seems like they all have issues with the tops. Is the top still in good shape ? im sure its not cheap to replace.

oh yeah, and WELCOME to the site !!!!!!

xjflexer · Post by **xjflexer** » 09 Jul 2010, 14:00

First off, thank you for the warm welcome to this site.

I am quite familiar with Volvos. They are VERY simple to work on, and easy to diagnose. I come from a world of Volkswagens, where everything is a PIA. A Volvo is a welcome change and a breath of fresh air. I had fun doing the headgasket replacement on my '96 850-R wagon. Very straight forward.

My main concern with the C70 is that I just wanted to make sure it was very similar in teh overall workings of things like my 850-R. Replacing the convertible top if need be, would not be a big deal as I have a good friend who replaces convertible tops for a living (working in the automotive industry has quite a few perks). If basically everything else is "the same" as my car, I feel the C70 convertible will be a wonderful anniversary/birthday present for her!!

Thank you.

Post by **jblackburn** » 09 Jul 2010, 15:57

Everything else is pretty much identical to the S70/850. The interior parts are slightly different, and a bit hard to find used, but other than that it's more or less what you're used to.

Take a look at the sticker on the ETM module on these cars as well. You'll want to see a yellow one on it; if it's still got the original (white) sticker, it's prone to go soon.

Post by **writer100** » 09 Jul 2010, 17:06

As a 2008 convertible Mustang owner, I have to take exception to the comment in the last post regarding Mustang tops. Far from being a "cheap tent" it is a high-quality cloth three layer top made by the German company Karmann in their Michigan plant. And rather than the cheap plastic soon-to-be-opaque windows I have seen on other convertibles tops from BMW and Porsche, it has a glass window with a defroster. There is no wind noise even in excess of 100 mph.

As to convertibles generally, be advised that they will never be as rigid as a hard top. If you garage it, keep the frame greased and the seals in good shape, it should give you quiet, long-lasting pleasure.

donoscituate · Post by **donoscituate** » 10 Jul 2010, 10:39

I did the same, my wife has a 2000 C70, everything is pretty much the same with the body being a bit different, IE doors, and windows. One thing you may want to make sure is the front power window, they have a tendency to have the cheap rollers that the cables ride on break. I had to replace the driver side, not a really big deal, as I got lucky and found a whole door and guts for cheap, so I got to take it apart off the car and see the magic of it all. Again once you see how it works it's not a big deal. The top has a bunch of micro switches, which if you have access to code readers, they can tell you which switch is bad. Otherwise the only real complaint is the turning radius, which in comparison to my V70 is a not quite the car you want to do a 3 pt turn in

xjflexer · Post by **xjflexer** » 12 Jul 2010, 07:26

To all of you who replied to my request for advice, I just want to say a sincere THANK YOU! I am going to move forward in my quest for a C70 convertible for my wife. I'm hoping to find something by Sept.1, which is our anniversary. Wish me luck!

Post by **matthew1** » 12 Jul 2010, 09:44

Welcome, Tim. That C70 will probably share 50%+ of the non-body, non-cosmetic parts with your R. I wouldn't worry that a C70 would feel foreign.

Here's the underbody/frame brace Volvo used for that era's C70 cars. I don't know if it's still used or not on modern C70s, but here's a pic of it for what it's worth. Any C70 from that era should have this.

: C70 frame brace; c70-frame-brace.jpg (160.08 KiB) Viewed 2134 times

For you modders out there, this goes a long way to strengthening the 850/S70/V70 flexible chassis, according to the guys at Volvo Specialists here in Denver. I held it, and it's surprisingly light, maybe 40 pounds. Good bolt-on mod.

xjflexer · Post by **xjflexer** » 12 Jul 2010, 13:35

Matt,

Thank you for the responce about the C70 & frame brace. That frame brace looks like something I would like to add to my R. May I ask where it attaches to the frame? Would I need to do any drilling on the 850-R to make it work?

Thanks!
Tim

MaxIcon · Post by **MaxIcon** » 13 Jul 2010, 13:44

I've got a 99 C70 LPT hard top (I needed the trunk space!), and it's been a great car, with a few typical Volvo problems. Here's what's been a bother on mine:

- Electrical switches for the windows have failed several times.
- 3 out of 5 of the ignition coils have failed within the last year or two.
- The leather seats haven't held up well. Even the passenger seat, which has had fairly low use, has split at the seams and underneath the front.
- The switches for the seats have been a big problem, and are expensive to fix. The seats automatically move forward and backward when you let someone in the back, and mine have failed on both sides several times.
- The throttle module (ETM), as mentioned above, is prone to wearing out. A 2000 will be right on the edge of the 10 year extended warranty. They're expensive to replace.
- The plastic interior trim is not very sturdy over the years, but this seems to be a problem on all Volvos of that era.
- My SC-901 Dynaudio stereo has most excellent sound, but quit reading burned CDs 6-7 years ago. I put an iPod adapter on it, and that's worked well, but it's not perfect. If it were a lesser stereo, I'd replace it with a modern one.
- There were recalls for bad light sockets, so check with the dealer if that's been done.
- The remote has to be programmed by the dealer, and the plastic on them cracks and chips with age. I bought a spare remote cheap and swapped the case a few years ago, and it's ready to be done again.

That's all that comes to mind. I'm still enjoying mine, especially because of the great stereo.