Starbucks,s Awesome 2004 XC70 buy!

[oragex]

Black interior in the south could be a deal breaker, but I guess you could try heat-rejecting window film. Note: I have only read about this stuff. Never used it. Would be interesting to hear from those who may have actually used it

I put 50% on my front and rear side windows. Volvo has already a tint on glasses. Even in Canada we have very warm summer days and especially the sun is really burning, I didn't like my left hand and neck getting toasted. With 50% is perfect I think, it may not look really dark but it cuts the sun just enough to no longer feel discomfort on my skin. I'm sure with 35% it would cut completely the heat sensation, but then it gets too dark especially during raining nights when some pedestrian is crossing the street at a stop: it would get too hard to see the person easily, even with 50% it gets a bit tricky at night when the street is wet (wet asphalte gets pretty dark which reduces somehow visibility). I think newer cars have better tint from the factory, not sure why car makers took a while to get the idea

[E Showell]

I also believe there is heat rejecting film that has little or no tint from some cursory research.

[oragex]

The thing with the transmission is needs to be tested at hot, that's at least 15-20 min drive, the fluid takes more time to warm up than the engine oil. So if you go see it and the car was parked overnight, not much way to really test the transmission properly, I guess the seller wouldn't be willing for a ride to get some tasty burgers. If they are still driving the car daily, I'd try visiting in the afternoon when they they get back home

[E Showell]

Tell the owner you'll need a half hour test drive.

[GlennG2759]

IMHO, With a little more $$ you can get a little newer and less miles. Good luck in your search

Glenn

[Starbuck]

Thank you for your replies as always, gents. All food for thought.

I have my eye (and an availability inquiry pending) on another 07 V70 but with the 2.4L motor. This one has 142k so here's hoping he hasn't performed the water pump/timing belt R&R at 120k and I can use that to get it to where I want to be. Is there any way I can tell if this has been done without taking the covers off in front of him? Sellers generally frown on that.

Update to the above. The guy with the '07 is a flipper (never trust a salesman) and doesn't know the maintenance history. I started asking specific questions about the timing belt and he said another Volvo person checked it and said it didn't look old. I'm glad so far he doesn't know I'm a girl as I feel some patronization in my future. . Sorry, that was sexist of me. Anywho, 'someone else said it's fine' is about as worthwhile to me as a BMW coolant system so I asked if I could check it myself and he said yes. Woo to that. Naturally the T-30 is missing on my rack so that's a bummer but I have another at my garage.

I've emailed the '01 owner and asked some pointed questions using your advice in earlier comments. We shall see.

I'll join your ranks soon, I can feel it!

Chris (below), that's exactly the car! Great detective work!

[chrism]

Here’s the 2007 that the OP is probably also eyeing:

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/ ... 97819.html

I saw it a couple days ago and started dreaming up reasons why I need to upgrade from my 2003 V70 2.4 NA and see if I could go grab the 2007. If that car is what the Craigslist ad makes it appear to be, and if you are in need of a car, I think that thing deserves some serious consideration. It’s been on CL for a while. Maybe nab it for $3000-3200??? Good luck.

[GlennG2759]

That's a pretty sweet looking V70. Well
worth looking into.

[abscate]

We will get you into the cult yet, Starbuck. Volvo is much nicer parts price wise than BMW plus the Fora aren’t populated by the toxicity of “ that brand”

Rule on timing belts..,if they don’t have receipts it didn’t happen. There is a sticker that gets put on the ECU box or timing cover with the kits in plain sight with the hood up. (reminder to me to move my sticker from the owners manual and stick it on the box!)

Leverage the price $500 if it isn’t there but you can wrench this yourself for $100 with some Forum help.

You are at the two ends of the model year with your choices but don’t let the years count too much. “Newer “ on a 15-20 year old car is not years but who drive it and how they drove it. A 2001 driven by sensible Mom is decades better than the 2007 R Driven by Hormone Harry for three months.

If the owner is a woman named June, though, and she says she recently rolled the odometer over, check the top for scratches.

[oragex]

You can easily look at the timing belt for any tiny cracks - it's not a perfect test because mine at 100k miles did look almost perfect. Plus it doesn't say if a new belt is a quality brand - cheap brands may not last 20K miles (cheap water pump is even worst). That's why having the papers with the parts brands is always better www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS3bawaBMMk