98 V70XC Should I take the plunge?

[obayha]

Here is the link http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/4688787065.html
I am going to look at it after work and check it out. Mine at 322,000 is getting tired as you have seen in other threads. I have just ordered a radiator for it this week, before I saw this ad. Lady is only saying a bad radiator and ABS light on. Her Indy is telling her $1,400.00 to fix it. We all know what a shade tree can do it for. She is second owner of 5 years and purchased it from her friend. I am selling myself on it, but always like feed back. One note, Just in a phone conversation last night she dropped price to $600.00, just wants enough to purchase a lap top. I will try and find out about timing belt and hope she will let me do a compression check.
As always thanks for any thoughts
Shane
She also said it was a turbo. Would it be a T5 or GLT?

[erikv11]

That's an LPT turbo, like in the GLTs. But you could swap over the turbo from your existing car.

It does look like a good buy for a limping vehicle, check the usual stuff but it should be 150k newer than yours ... remember, AWD goes out on these too.

[rmmagow]

$600.00 !! Jump on it, how bad can it be. XC is roughly a glt, lpt setup like my AWD. Better hurry or I'll drive to Charlotte

[850 LPT]

Definitely buy it. AWD is probably shot but who cares at this price.

[JRL]

As long as the engine and trans are OK... buy it!
That's the price for a stripper

[obayha]

Unless something weird shows up on inspection today, I'll probably buy it. Would love to do a compression test, but who knows what she will let me do to her car. The seats I have for sale in classified may come off the market.
JRL??? $600.00 "That's the price for a stripper"??? A table dance is like $10.00 on ladies night!
I'll post any pics later.
Any advantage to swap turbo's?
Thanks for the feed back.

[JRL]

A car you buy to strip, wake up!
$600 and you want to do a compression test, unreal!

[erikv11]

Swapping turbos is only useful if you also swap ECU's. And you have T5 ECU in your present car, if you are not keeping it on the road, so that would be an option to you. The advantage is the car performs like (actually slightly better than) a HPT as opposed to an LPT. Faster on the highway and the on-ramps, not quite as peppy in town.

Maybe drive them both, decide which boost response you like better, then decide what to do.

[rspi]

Any coolant issue (bad radiator) usually scares me. It has likely overheated and needs a head job or motor. The last car I purchased needed a head job that turned into a motor swap. At any rate, $600 is not a bad price but again, I'd be more concerned about a blown head gasket (won't show up on a compression test) than low compression on a car with those low miles.

Hope it works out.

[obayha]

A car you buy to strip, wake up!

Lighten up! Just a little fun on a boring day around here.
Our city does not allow you to have unregistered cars in your yard for very long.
Did go by yesterday: Black interior, not happy about that.
Would my interior swap over with out any problems? (98V70T5 into 98V70XC) Just a lot of work. Mine's in better shape and I like the color better. The dash would be the biggest problem.
RSPI: Ran it up to temp yesterday and it leaked out water, but didn't go above the 3 o'clock on the temp. Did not notice any water/oil mix either place. She said never overheated, but she's also selling the car. Smoke from the dip stick, maybe only PCV, so that's typical. Looks like it had a TB around 65,000, sticker on car. Adding that to the list. Had a $400.00 brake job with new rotors last month.
Erikv11: Turbo swap was just a thought. I probably would not mess with something if it's doing good , in the engine area.
I'll do an offer and see what happens.