V70 vs. V70R

[HonestTodd]

I have two volvos now. An'08 S80T6 with 94,000 miles and an extremely basic '98 V70 with 120,000 miles.

I've found a '98 V70R with about 150,000 miles. Runs but has an ABS light, TRAC light and check engine light on. Body seems pretty good for a 23 year old car.

If I purchase the V70R, one of the other cars has to go just to maintain marital harmony.

Couple questions.

Am I opening myself to a significant amount of maintenance and repair issues with the R that I don't have now? I'm not worried about electric seats vs. manual seats or automatic climate control vs. maual climate control. I'm worried about the R requiring parts that are exceddingly expense compared to my plain Jane V70. Are suspension, brake and other parts more costly for the R?

If I decide to go for the R, what is a reasonable price for one that may require $1,000 or so of work to sort out?

If I decide to buy the R, what are thoughts on getting rid of the S80 vs. V70? My S80 is a rocket and fun to drive but I can foresee it becoming a maintenance hog. On the other hand, I don't really need two 23 year old wagons.

Welcome your input.

HT

[scot850]

I would think very long and hard if you want all that pain. I have a 2000 V70R which has differences to the 98 in terms of some of the electrics but otherwise much is the same.

Engine and front end are no worse than any other turbo Volvo P80. Same issues with tired rubber hoses and the like. Service history is important to know where you are starting from. No history and you really need to do a lot of checking. When was timing belt last done and the like.

In your part of the world I believe road salt may be less of and issue. A good resource in your area might be our friend bmdubya1198. He has converted his 'R' to FWD from AWD.

The drive-line is the bigger issue and makes working on the car more challenging. The most challenging of all is many of the AWD parts are now NLA.

So as long as you are going into this with your pockets and eyes wide open then go for it. Just remember that a regular P80 FWD can cost $2-3000 to bring back from a neglected state to a good running vehicle. An AWD will likely be a whole lot more.

As for your current cars, a non-turbo FWD can be a sweet car. An S80 T6 is if I recall a 3.2 i6 with twin turbos and AWD. If this car is in good maintained condition they can be a lovely place to be, but I suspect in years to come they will be similarly hard to find parts for.

I wish you luck in whichever direction you end up going!

Neil.

[erikv11]

I consider the 98 V70 as the "best year" by a longshot among the P80 cars and among the easiest to own among all P80-P2 for a DIYer. But I wouldn't touch a 98 with AWD anymore.

A 98 turbo wagon in FWD is slightly more hassle to work on than your 98 base. A few more things to upkeep in the engine bay, and a more crowded engine bay. The rest of the car is the same.

[foggydogg]

The learning curve for the P80 AWD platform can be pretty steep, as @scot850 mentioned - he should write a book on his saga. Aside from the issues already mentioned, if the rear Nivomats need replaced by the dealer, it can approach $1k, and the driveshaft isn't serviceable by Mere Mortals, so that can be pricey too. Roll in the routine things Neil mentioned and you could be in for an 'E' ticket ride, especially if you don't wrench on it yourself.

[rguzz]

It will cost considerably more than a grand to sort out remaining issues on the R unless there are up to date docs, and lot's of them, indicating great maintenance. Looks like a consensus opinion so far. Giving up the V70 is giving up a car you know, and the most reliable of the lot, basically. BTW, pm me and let me know where in VA you are. Maybe I'll buy the R...kidding of course. Happy enough with the VA born and raised and now pretty much fully sorted 855t. Though not nuts about red, though.

[HonestTodd]

Thank you for your comments.

You confirmed my decision to stop bidding on the car when it hit $3,000. I figured tax, auction fee, sorting out and registration fees could easily add up to more than the car is worth. The Carfax report was sparse so I assume that the car was taken to a shop that doesn’t report to Carfax

Appreciate your assistance.

HonestTodd
Falls Church, VA

[scot850]

If a car was owned by a enthusiastic owner and regularly used and service kept up to date then it would be worth considering. If it is an unknown quantity and spotty ownership and maintenance then wise to walk, no run away!

I made the mistake in thinking my car had been maintained as the previous owner worked in a repair shop and had the repairs done there. Problem was it was a VW repair shop and they knew nothing about Volvos and not using non-OE or OEM parts....! All the work they did I had to re-do at close to $5000 in parts and labor. Included all engine mail oil seals, trans seals and angle gear.

Neil.