'04 XC90 Advice regarding purchase of this vehicle

[dosbricks]

Greetings,
The P80 forum is my hangout, but I'm posting here seeking guidance from those experienced with these SUVs because my wife and I are starting to peruse them as we consider something newer.

This one has very low miles, but accordingly is a bit pricy for an '04. It is 2.5T but doesn't say if it is AWD--something we neither want or need in our climate, so FWD is the first criteria. We plan to look at it tomorrow morning just to see if the entrance/egress is good for our senior selves.

As a side note, I still do the upkeep and repair on our 850 and S70--both of which we've owned for 16 years, so the 2.4 is very familiar to me. I do realize the newer 2.5T is a more complicated engine than our NAs.

So what should I be concerned about as failure points on an '04 XC90? I read that these SUVs are hard on wheel bearings. This one at 68k probably needs TB, brakes, struts, tie-rod ends, fluids flushed. What other expenses might be in the offing? Anything to steer me off an '04?

Thanks in advance for any replies. Here is the link.
http://corpuschristi.craigslist.org/ctd/4849457337.html

[cn90]

I was in the same boat driving 1998 S70 and bought an XC90.

Great car with 2.5T engine. BTW, you can use the VIN number to figure out FWD vs AWD, 5-seat vs 7-seat etc.

Back in June 2014, we bought the 2005 XC90 AWD 2.5T with 82K miles for about $10K.

If you like the low-mileage 2004 2.5T XC90, then buy it, but bring it to a local dealer for an inspection.
The FWD version is bullet-proof b/c you don't have to deal with AWD issues.

The only thing that may need attention is the vent hose from the oil trap to the valve cover (The XC90 came with plastic hose! Then Volvo switched back to rubber hose, same as in Volvo 850!).

I helped a fellow with that issue in this thread:
http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread ... -2005-2-5T


More below:
https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=55413

PS: Timing Belt and pulleys to be done at 90K or so.

[dosbricks]

cn90, thanks for your reply. We looked at the vehicle this morning. It is FWD and exterior is near perfect. No oil leaks in evidence except a seep below the intake cam rear seal. Pads and rotors appear nearly new, as do tires. Entrance and egress was excellent.

On the downside, it had the ubiquitous sunroof leak and the front carpets were damp and overhead shade panel was very water stained. The A-pillars showed evidence of it having been worked on before. The lower dash cover was off and some electronics (daylight running lamps relay and sunroof control) were awaiting repair. I am wondering if they were damaged by dampness. cn90, did your '05 have any evidence of the sunroof drains clogging? There is no dealer within two hours of this city, so a dealer inspection is not possible.

Being the first time we looked at one, it was evident this is heavy solid built SUV. At this point we are going to pause a bit and think whether at our age we need this much vehicle.

Regards, - dos

[huzzsaba]

At that price, with that low mileage, I would still consider it. The dealership should be able to lower the price another grand. Timing belt, pulleys, and cam seals (since they are leaking) along with water pump would be my first repairs. This is what I do with any Volvo I buy, so its normal.

I would also check the PCV.

Since it is FWD, and you are in texas, you will definitely get good gas mileage, somewhere close to what a turbocharged Wagon or sedan gets depending on how you drive the vehicle. Definitely gas mileage will be on par with any minivan out there. I know because my friend has a xc90 and a Pontiac Montana, and the difference between the two in gas mileage is negligible.

I bought a 2004 xc90 2.5t AWD 3 years ago, and I can easily say its the best vehicle I have owned.