Buying a V70 AWD? Anything to be scared of?

[coodoo99]

Hello All,

It's time for me to start to look at another car. The '98 Sienna is showing too much wear and too pricey to fix. I already have a '96 850 wagon that I am enjoying and finding easy to work on. It's at around 120K and running strong.

I live in Seattle and would like to get up into the mountains periodically to enjoy the snow. Gas mileage is a factor, but not a show-stopper considering purchase price and running costs. Looking at Craigslist I see some nice 99-2000 V70 XC AWD models ranging in price from $4500 - 5200 with roughly ~135K miles.

I have always thought that the AWD drivetrain is problematic, expensive to fix, hard to fix, and drags gas mileage down.

Are my AWD concerns valid? Can a home garage mechanic fix most of the AWD issues? What would you look at if you were going to make an investment like this(outside normal stuff)?

Sharing your experience with the XC AWD models would be appreciated!

Cheers, Peter

[jblackburn]

Are my AWD concerns valid? Can a home garage mechanic fix most of the AWD issues?

Yes, and yes. Expect most fixes for the system to run in the $500-1000 range for parts. Gas mileage is down 3-4 mpg on the AWD models.

However, they can still be driven in FWD mode with the driveshaft removed, so even if the AWD system goes bad, it'll still be good up in the mountains with snow tires. That might be the better option anyway (buy a FWD with a good set of snows to swap on) if you don't want AWD year-round anyway. The XC's are heavy and a bit underpowered for what they are.

I'll avoid most of the regular "if shopping for a Volvo" tidbits, as you already own one, so probably know their quirks. Look for leaking oil, working A/C, a PCV system that needs to be serviced, etc. Take your code scanner with you.

For an AWD, drive in tight circles at full steering lock in both directions around a parking lot and listen for weird noises. Growling, shuddering, etc. Look to see if there's still a driveshaft there. Make sure that all 4 tires are the same, and make sure that they're the same tread depth - if they aren't, walk away from that car right there. Mismatched tires kill the AWD system. Gun it, make sure the AWD kicks in to avoid wheelspin from the front.

If it passes all of those tests, congrats, you've found a good one. Change the bevel gear, transmission, and differential fluid when you get the car, as per the instructions on this site.

[scot850]

I agree with jblackburn on this. I have owned a 98 V70XC for about 3 years and it has approx. 160k miles on it. When I bought this car it nearly drove me mad (only it wouldn't drive)! Did lots of stuff on it, but then again, a lot of the stuff is common to FWD cars in terms of problems.

The specific AWD problems are (and make sure you get under it and ideally on a ramp):

1) Starting from the gearbox, check for oil leaks around it and the angle gear (box) behind it. This is the 'differential' I guess you could call it that turns the engine motion from FWD to feeding motion to the rear. These are very prone as they age to leaks at any of the seals (front drive axles and rear seal). Also try to move the rear shaft flange and check it doesn't move.

2) Next the prop shaft or drive shaft to the rear. Check the front bearing at the angle box for movement by twisting it while holding onto the angle box flange. This is not 100%, but if it is bad it will show. Next check the center bearing and particularly the center support rubber. These fail with age. Finally check the rear bearing as per the front.

3) Viscous coupling. The tests are the sharp turns and tests that jb told you about. Just check there are no leaks. Over time the viscous coupling clutch plates can start to snatch. I've had a minor issue with this for about 20k miles and it still runs fine but occasionally I get a bit of a vibration from it (I have a good used one spare in the garage). You can get a rubbing noise from the front 'nose bearing' behind the flange. Not a major job. Finally, you can get a clunking from the torque bush on the front of the housing if it starts to go. Again, not a big deal to fix.

4) Rear diff. Can get noisy but not spoken to anyone that has had a major problem with it. Again check for oil leaks from seals.

5) Rear axles - Just check as per the front.

If the drive line has problems, up here the dealer jokes that it is a $10,000 repair. They could be correct if it all went, but most of the time there are ways around it and good used parts are out there. vandsautoparts in California (last time I asked) had angle gears, propshafts and viscous coupling units for $3-400US + shipping.
I had a propshaft rebuilt as Volvo wanted $1600 for a propshaft, but including shipping Colorado Driveshafts rebuilt it and returned it to me for $690 which included shipping internationally both ways. If all else fails 2WD is an option.

Note that 98 and 99-2000 are different. I'm not sure about all the parts but the propshaft flanges are different if I recall correctly. A 97 850AWD does fit a 98 XC.

The 99-2000 V/S70s also have a ETM (electronic throttle management) which can be problematic. Good news is that there are several places that repair and upgrade. My 2000 V70R has a contactless Xemodex system in it and other than being like a hair-trigger works very well.

Would I buy another? Inspite of the fact they can be frustrating to work on, we all love our 98. It is the family beater, but when the snow flies, that is the car everyone heads for in my family (it also has remote start). I had doubts about the car when I had so much to do to it when purchased, but now it is running I will keep it until it runs no more. I also helps that I am a sad Volvo enthusiast of over 37 years (and too many Volvos) and currently run 4 cars (3 AWD).

Good luck with your search! Check with JRL as he often finds gems out there.

Neil.

[coodoo99]

Thanks for all the feedback and I'll take all these points into consideration. Here's a good example of what I am looking at locally:

This seems like a fair price
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/3543583367.html

This seems a bit steep
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/3541358864.html


Cheers, PR

[jblackburn]

Check them both out; might be able to talk the $5000 one down a bit.

That said, I like the red with black interior. The tan interior on S/V70's just looks all wrong to me, and cracks easily. Being a 98, the engine part is also a little bit more reliable, but the AWD system is a little more frail.

[scot850]

2 good cars to look at. Prices compared to up here in Canada seem fair, particularly on the 2000. I agree on the tan leather though. It always looks old and cracked. Personally, I prefer the 98, but would try talking the price down a bit. I disagree on the AWD system being weaker. If you talk to Volvo mechanics, they'll tell you they were all weak until 2004 model year. I haven't owned or driven my 2000 V70 R enough yet to say if it is better or not. I know the modified ETM is like a hair trigger, and with an engine that claims to put out over 300 BHP it makes it interesting, especially in the snow with S60R 17" wheels and tires. In the snow, I prefer the 15" wheel and snow tires on the 98 XC. I might even consider going from 195 to 185 tires to cut through the snow better. Remember one guy saying he switched the TRACS OFF in icey conditions as he found it was too slow to react. I haven't tried it myself yet!

Good luck on your purchase! If you know how to inspect the car, do so, but I always like to get a second opinion to prevent the heart over head problem. When you get a good one, it really gets under your skin! Be warned!!

Neil.