Tips & Advice for V70 T6 purchase?

[Waltazhaar]

Hello,

I'm looking into buying an V70 T6, preferably a R-Design, is there anything I should look out for? Are the gearboxes known to fail? Or should I rather get a manual 2003-2007 V70 R? Or are both money pits?

(I'm currently driving an S80 V8).

Thanks

[pgill]

Walt,

What year? How many miles?

I am planning to keep my Volvo until its at least 20 years old with over 200,000 miles

If you are planning to go less than 10 years (from date of manufacturing) or 100,000 miles (total) then you can stop reading this post. The first owner of my Volvo did nothing except change the oil for the first 9 years and 125,000 miles (Ok maybe they changed the battery)

If you are looking to go above 100,000 mile or over 10 years then keep reading.


Volvo's I considered: V70, XC70, XC90, XC60, S80 (for my Son to drive). Ultimately I bought the S80 3.2.

The 3.2 is very similar (from a maintenance perspective) to the 3.0T that you are looking at.

In addition to the S80 I own another vehicle that uses the Volvo platform (engine, transmission, Haldex, etc.)


I just purchased the S80 and it has 125K miles on it

I completed the following items in my first two months of ownership


Note: if the V70 is under 100K miles then you have time, in my case the previous owner didn't fix anything they just drove the car. But they did keep the interior and exterior in nice condition (which is why I bought the car)

2010 S80 3.2 items completed

Maintenance 1,3,5,6,7,10

Typical repairs A, D, I

Less Common Repairs - none so far

Here is the list that I am work from

High Mileage Maintenance items for 3.2
1. Serpentine belt, tensioner, idler - replaced mine at 113,000 miles/10 years
2. Brake fluid flushed (every 3 years) Volvo recommendation?
3. Coolant replaced (failure is oil or ATF heat exchanger internal leaks)
4. AWD Rear differential oil change (every 50,000 miles) – I added a magnetic drain plug (LR2 and S80 V8 seem to be more susceptible to pinion bearing failure due to lack of maintenance)
5. ATF fluid flushed - search for Gibbons method (note: I used the modified Gibbons method)
6. Power steering fluid and reservoir replaced due to noisy heavy steering
7. Spark Plugs - replaced mine twice (every 50,000 miles, Volvo recommends 75,000 miles)
8. AWD BOT Gear oil for power Transfer unit (for mine I drilled a drain hole)
9. Battery – every 4 to 8 years (Low voltage while starting causes electrical gremlins on LR2)
10. O-Rings for Vacuum pump (~10 years or sooner if the leak is large)
11. AWD Haldex fluid and filter - I used genuine Volvo parts for this (it was cheaper than Land Rover)
12. AWD Replace CV joint grease in drive shaft joint near catalytic converter

Typical repairs for high mileage 3.2
A) Thermostat – replaced mine at 10 years (also replaced two coolant hoses)
B) Fuel pressure sending unit
C) PCV valve – replaced mine at 113,000 miles
D) Engine mounts
E) AC Compressor clutch pack
F) Ignition coils (Some evidence that a failed Thermostat leads to overheating and premature Coil failure)
G) Radiator Fan
H) Wheel Bearings
I) Anti-Drain back valve in oil canister housing failure

Less common repairs
I. Starter motor - typically fails at 100,000 miles or 10 years (not common on XC70)
II. Blower Resistor (not common on XC70)
III. Front Brake calipers refurbished (only if your aggressive with the brakes)
IV. Loose bolt on alternator pulley
V. Overdrive clutch pulley Alternator
VI. Overdrive clutch pulley READ drive

Good Luck

Paul

[Rattnalle]

The T6 drivetrain is generally considered quite bomb proof. Apart from that the same as any other P3.

A P2 R is lighter and sleeker looking though imo.

[jimmy57]

I had a V70R that I loved and is still a good car. Age takes its toll and there is little that can be done for that. Seat cushion foam ages, rubber trim hardens and disintegrates, etc. At some point you are spending money that you would not be compensated for even with a court fight for an older car that no classic car appraiser can say is a special interest car worth much more than market value.
Anyway, I replaced my V70R with an R design T6 XC60. It is a great powertrain, Polestar upgrade makes it even better.
I train auto technicians. The ones that work at independent garages and work on older cars do not like P3 models as they have so many less service areas needing attention. No timing belts, suspension pieces are lasting far longer, brakes generally last far longer though some seem to have shorter rear pad life. All makes of vehicles with electric parking brakes built through early mid-2010's have some degree of problem with this so not a problem you will avoid when buying a range of late model cars. They tell me they see many with over 200K miles with no engine issues. The vacuum pump for brake booster leaking oil is the one repair they do a lot but I also have been told that it seems to not come back for that repair a second time when the car gets a few years and similar amount of accumulated miles after the first repair. I know some independent shop owners and they like the 6 cylinder P3 cars as loaners for all these reasons. We didn't get V70T6 models in North America but that sounds like a nice car. The lower chassis would make it handle better than any XC70 or XC60 T6. I would think very similar to S60 T6.

[Rattnalle]

Similar to an XC70 but a bit more planted is probably fair. It's not a huge difference in ride height and they're both, by European standards, road ships designed for relaxed journeys rather than active and precise driving.

There are some bushings in the rear that require replacement since the ride deteriorates otherwise but I'm unsure about after how long. But it's also one of the reoccurring few weak points I've heard of.

I also agree with P2 age being a factor there even though they do age very well compared to many other cars.

[jimmy57]

The items I listed may not occur as soon in climates where 30C is rare like it does in southern row of states in US where 30-35C is present for months and 40C days happen for a dozen or more days in summer. UV level is higher and for more hours. I had a 2004 V70R that spent its first 8 years in a northern US state and it was way better than cars that had been in Texas for their first 8 years.

[Waltazhaar]

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't know the US market didn't get the V70 T6? I was thinking of getting a T6 model year 08-> with about 100 000 miles / 160 000 km on the clock. I'd like an estate with some power under the hood but I don't want to pay a fortune for maintenance ( because then I can might as well get any Mercedes or BMW ). I know how that sounds, but I hope you know what I mean? I do not mean the usual wear and tear parts such as brakes or bushings or oil changes. Those are things that cannot be avoided.

[pgill]

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't know the US market didn't get the V70 T6? I was thinking of getting a T6 model year 08-> with about 100 000 miles / 160 000 km on the clock. I'd like an estate with some power under the hood but I don't want to pay a fortune for maintenance ( because then I can might as well get any Mercedes or BMW ). I know how that sounds, but I hope you know what I mean? I do not mean the usual wear and tear parts such as brakes or bushings or oil changes. Those are things that cannot be avoided.

I do understand your comment about any Mercedes or BMW

My German car history
1981 VW Jetta Diesel
1984 VW Golf
1985 VW Jetta
1989 BMW 535i
2003 Mercedes C230

Cars I still own
2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet
2015 BMW 328i
2015 VW Jetta

I already own the Audi/VW tool that is equivalent to VIDA\DICE so if I though that a VW or Audi would be lower cost to own than the S80 then I would have bought one.

If you read my Thread "$10,000 S80 Challenge" you will see the typical work that needs to be done on a 100K mile Volvo

If you have any question about what I needed to do to my S80 just post or send me a PM and I will add more details.

Good Luck

Don't forget to let us know what you buy. (even if it's not a Volvo)

Paul

PS my 2010 S80 is my first Volvo unless you count my 2008 Land Rover with the Volvo power-train. I did work on an ex-girlfriends 740 Turbo Wagon, but I only did the maintenance I didn't own it. The 740 Turbo was a nice Highway (Autobahn) car as is my S80 3.2