Has the value calculation changed on rehabbing a P80?

[FireFox31]

I've heard that the chip shortage and supply chain problems affecting new car production will continue through all of 2022. Having new car scarcity and used car price inflation for two full years is surely a long enough time to change the habits of buyers (repair what they have, buy used instead of new) and permanently raise the price floor of used cars. The "rippling chaos" from COVID-19 has caused so many inflationary pressures that these higher prices (and hopefully higher wages) are the new normal.

I value the P80 S/V70 highly because I trust it they have above average reliability. The trick is, how to convince a buyer that a 20 year old 150k-200k mile car at stage 0 will last another 10 years? Solving that might convince me to buy $500 auction cars, make them "needs nothing" stage 0, and sell them for $5000 or more.

A local Volvo specialist near me is selling P2's for at least $7000. He probably got them from auctions and the stickers on their windows list everything he did to make them stage 0. Turn key, needs nothing, from a specialist. And they sell.

Are P80's as reliable as I think they are? Are the trusty NA examples worth rehabbing when they're slow and mediocre on gas compared to newer cars? Is their lack of features virtue or a detriment?

[Eddystone]

I am now living in the Cleveland area where ALL of the cars are rusted. I have a base V70, a 940T wagon, and the 99 S70 T5. The T5 has evolved into the car that always gets garage space since it is the most special of the three and most likely to appreciate. The V70 is one I take good care of but it will have to take its chances on the road. The 940T is just bulletproof, and I just swapped a really nice 960 interior into it (seats, anyway) and it has been our workhorse during the move and for projects. It's no cosmetic cream puff and has one anomalous spot of rot resulting from a drainage problem I will get to in the spring.

There aren't that many P80s in my area compared with the Philadelphia area I came from. Many of them are way overpriced, and I say that because I know what it would cost to make them as roadworthy and reliable as my cars are now, ESPECIALLY if you are paying a dealer or a specialist to do the work. It may be running great the day you buy it, but if there is deferred maintenance on parts that wear, the high price and the cost of repair would make it a real loss. If you're just looking for transportation to and from work, buy an older American car or a Toyota.

[Oro]

It's not a bad idea, but in my experience the P80 is likely to have a lot more things it needs to get to stage 0 than a P2. Things that go wrong with them by this time are:

heater core
radiator
ABS module
brake lines leaking
Replacing nivomat rear shocks is not cheap if equipped and not in good shape.
Interior rattles (just a little hunting down and repair/shim/re-glue work)
Possible dash rattle/s (broken mounts, which is a big job).

Nothing here is deal-breaking, but may take more time than you anticipate. I am not slamming the P80 and indeed that one is not my personal car. But from my experience, what I've read on forums, and another local friend - by this point the p80 will have more must-fix items on it than a P2. a lot of niggling little production and parts quality problems were fixed between the two generations.

I have bought three used P2s and one used P80 in the last few yeas - for myself or family members. two did come relatively cheaply from an auction, and one very cheaply on CL pre-Covid because of existing problems. All ran great after a bit of work. My dad ended up not wanting the one I intended for him (P2 XC7); I got it at an auction otd for about $1,200, but a few hundred into and quite a few hours. I sold it for $5k very easily to the first person who looked at it. So you are idea is not a bad one but I have noticed auction supply has really dried up. Also, it takes a fair amount of labor to go through them carefully and really correct everything, so don't under-rate it.

So just some details from my recent experiences. Nothing to say don't do it, but just some observations to round out your thinking.