2006+ C70 Buyer's Guide?

[theWIFES_S70]

Hi everyone, first time posting on this forum. I'm a P80 guy through and through and usually post there!

My cousin is looking at a black-on-black, hardtop, 2011 C70 and because I'm a Volvo guy, he's asking me to weigh in. I'm telling him that our cars ride like no other. But, if he is indeed considering being a Volvo guy, he needs to budget at least $2K yearly in repairs and maintenance. He doesn't do any work on his own and hasn't indicated that he'd want me to do any work on his car. I'm above average DIY and could really save him a bundle with the usual suspension, brake, tune-up stuff.... So I will help out with that stuff if he asks for it.

Is there anything I should be on the look out for? I have a pretty good Matco OBD reader, if I plug it in will it give me any information at all? I've read that you need Volvo specific software to really talk to these engines.

Thanks for the suggestions and the advice!

[MadeInJapan]

I'm thinking that you'll need more than Matco...Vida (there's a download here in this forum somewhere for it to run in a virtual Windows computer- mine is running in a virtual XP shell)...and DICE hardware. Be aware you have to have a wind up tool to do the rear brakes...no biggie but best to know this or you'll be stuck trying to do them for him.

[theWIFES_S70]

I'm thinking that you'll need more than Matco...Vida (there's a download here in this forum somewhere for it to run in a virtual Windows computer- mine is running in a virtual XP shell)...and DICE hardware. Be aware you have to have a wind up tool to do the rear brakes...no biggie but best to know this or you'll be stuck trying to do them for him.

Thanks MIJ, if my cousin gets one of these cars, I'll definitely get this set up! That way I can start preparing for my new[er] Volvo one day!

I've found that all modern rear-brakes use that wind-up rear brake caliper format, no? I think I read that it winds up because it also operates the parking brake somehow?

I have a kit since I had to do 09 Accord and 09 Mini brakes and they had that, so that's covered. Thanks for the insight!

By the way, for anyone who might be interested (in a 2011) I found the following reviews online:

- http://www.ridelust.com/2011-volvo-c70- ... st-review/
- http://www.motortrend.com/cars/volvo/c7 ... -t5-drive/
- http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/volvo_c70_2011 ("Cockpit quirks that remind you it's a Volvo"???)
- http://www.tflcar.com/2010/08/review-th ... anno-make/ (sexy librarian?? who writes these things...)