When is it not worth fixing?

[FireFox31]

When is a 20 year old Volvo no longer worth fixing? I need an intervention.

A year ago, my 2000 V70 manual was rear ended and totaled. A friend of mine heard about this and told me that his mom had a 2000 V70 (automatic) with 200k miles which needed more work than she wanted to pay for. I recently bought the car from him for $500 knowing very little about it. My goal is to move my good parts to this new car and drive it until I find a P2 V70R manual. This V70 is a second car to my aging 2002 Mercedes E320 wagon, so it's not essential that I have it.

Before I can even get it to my garage for review, it needs $600 of brakes (calipers, pads, and rotors for the rear, and more). I have no idea what engine, transmission, drive line, or electrical problems it may have. I'm not sure I have the skill to detect or repair any sufficiently tricky issues. It doesn't help that there are some ugly dents in the body. And my Benz requires my time and money.

And yet, this new-to-me V70 is intact, can drive, and has no check engine codes or obvious catastrophic problems. I am able to fix it up a bit, even though I'd be putting in more money than it's worth. And I hope to sell it in usable condition in the next year.

But is it really worth it? Could I sell it after fixing it a bit and driving it? Should I scrap it and buy the 1998 V70R which I just found? I love this generation of V70 so much, but I'm having a hard time justifying the purchase and repair of another one. What do you think?

[MoVolvos]

Before I can even get it to my garage for review, it needs $600 of brakes (calipers, pads, and rotors for the rear, and more). I have no idea what engine, transmission, drive line, or electrical problems it may have. I'm not sure I have the skill to detect or repair any sufficiently tricky issues. It doesn't help that there are some ugly dents in the body. And my Benz requires my time and money.

Before investing in any money you just need to give the car a general go over on the majors. You can pull the calipers apart and see if you can just clean it or hone / wet sanded the cylinder walls if it's rusty. Brake rotor and pads can be had very cheaply if it can't be driven without it. Don't have to buy name brands. Rockauto and others can potentially have a brake and rotor set for under $70 dollars.

More leg work first on all those areas you've mentioned.

*

[abscate]

Sent you email. I’m happy to give you the go over on the 2000. Most of your parts from 1999 will come over.

Automatics on these cars are solid. Not to be feared. I also have a spare.

My mantra with Rs is that they tend to be cherry with a premium price or trashed by kids

[volvolugnut]

If the new to you car needs brakes to safely move, get someone to haul or tow to your garage. Then you can review it's condition without spending the $600 for brake parts.
By the way, the 2002 E320 is a great car.
volvolugnut

[Clemens]

If you plan to spend money to fix it up and then sell it in a year w/o any loss, drop the idea. These cars are nit worth it right now from a financial point of view. But then, cars are never a good investment. The value drops from day one, until some day it might eventually rise again. But by then you've spent tons of cash on parts...

[scot850]

Clemens makes a very valid point. These cars are at an age where they will probably need investment to make them useable and reliable. There is no such thing as a cheap Volvo. Just an old Volvo with lots of money needed invested in it. The way I look at these cars is once you get them reliable they generally tend to be fairly cheap to maintain after that. The cost of depreciation on a newer car will probably be greater than the investment in your old Volvos in just a year.

The final part is your knowledge of how to repair old cars and how much you can or want to do it.

The V70 will be easier to maintain and repair than a V70R. If you live in the NE of the US then rust issues will make the V70R expensive to repair. Lots of the AWD rear suspension, Evap and fuel system parts are NLA so again the FWD option may be the better choice.

You could transfer the V70R engine into the FWD V70!

Neil.

[abscate]

I think with a 500 buy in and 1000 in parts you could expect 1500 for a ready to drive , or at least a good chunk of it.

Still on the fence with the 2000, Firefox, but my body guy came by yesterday and basically told me he would pull, not weld

That’s encouraging. Do have a problem with the engine shutting off with a major electrical fault. Have to chase that down.

[scot850]

Abscate. It may be worth checking the roll over valve was not damaged with the rear end hit. I am assuming you bought Firefox's rear ended V70?

If you have bought another car (you are nuts right!!) are you going to start a new thread on it?

Neil.

[FireFox31]

I have decided to invest in the new-to-me green 2000 V70 which I bought for $500. A careful visual review showed two small leaks, worn out shocks/springs, but nothing else major. I installed the new front brake parts which I moved off the V70 I donated and I'm pretty sure the rear brakes are fine, but there's still a major vibration when breaking. Next, to replace faded headlights, I must either take a chance on junkyard jewels or buy new ones. But the transmission seems to shift a little oddly...

Abscate, I'll message you info about the engine shut off.

[abscate]

I have decided to invest in the new-to-me green 2000 V70 which I bought for $500. A careful visual review showed two small leaks, worn out shocks/springs, but nothing else major. I installed the new front brake parts which I moved off the V70 I donated and I'm pretty sure the rear brakes are fine, but there's still a major vibration when breaking. Next, to replace faded headlights, I must either take a chance on junkyard jewels or buy new ones. But the transmission seems to shift a little oddly...

Abscate, I'll message you info about the engine shut off.

Car parts.com has a pair of P80 headlights off brand for +$160