Considering a V70R, but this site is scaring me...

[Bigfieroman]

I have always liked these cars, and I am ready to jump to something more luxurious and quicker than my 2008 Scion xB daily driver. I like wagons, and I insist on a manual. That criteria REALLY limits what is out there...pretty much a V70R, Legacy 2.5GT wagon (2005 only), or some kind of BMW or Audi.

I really like the V70R, and it is the most affordable (except the Legacy, which is NOT very luxurious). However, it seems like there are a lot of members here with problems, especially with the AWD/clutch of their cars. I am a pretty accomplished mechanic, I have done everything imaginable on the suspension/brakes of cars, and I have swapped trannys and replaced clutches before on simpler FWD cars, but the complexity of the V70R, as well as the huge cost of non-warranty repairs of items like the bevel gear or even clutch replacement has me worried.

I have an opportunity to get a 75k mile 2006 V70R with the stick. It was owned by a 60 year old guy and it really is mostly highway miles. Assuming this is true, will I be making several-thousand-dollar repairs to this car every year? I need this car to be my DD, and I am really not planning on building up the motor or anything, maybe just chipping and an intake or something, just the low hanging fruit. I will probably throw some bigger swaybars on it too. I am not going to make this a hot rod, I have a 400 hp Fiero (it is just as terrifying to drive as it sounds) for that. Is this car a poor choice to buy out of warranty, as a DD? Is there any way to get a Volvo extended warranty as a 2nd owner short of buying a certified pre-owned model? Thanks in advance guys.

[badd]

usually what you read on here is the worst case senarios.

just make sure you give the car a proper inspection and contact volvo for the service history there, and get a copy of all the service on the car the person you are buying from has.

if the car was well maintained it will reflect what work/maintenance you will have to put into it.

i have a 04v70R GT and i have only had minor problems. my father used to tell me when ever you buy a used car always budget atleast 1000 to put into it. so far all i have done is change a lightbulb and solve a loose bolt!

if you do go with the VR you will not be disapointed. great car, awesome for winter driving.

[raeste]

Been on the forum since 2005 when I first became seriously interested in acquiring an 'R', and I agree with badd -- after years of reading about people's experiences, looks to me that they are mainly worst case scenarios. It took me a while, but I made the jump to a 2004 V70R manual a short while ago, first time ownership of an 'R'. I was motivated for the same reasons as you and and had some of the same trepidations that you do. But when I found the 'R' that I now use as my DD, it came in as being in such good condition and well-maintained that I knew it was unlikely I'd ever find another of that level of quality. So I went for it. I don't have the mechanical expertise that you do, but I do have a long multi-vehicle ownership experience and mainly in very bad conditions, so am very sensitized to regular maintenance questions and the prospect of serious problems -- and getting them fixed when they rarely occur -- and I admit to still being a little nervous about the angle gear blowing up, or the clutch going South. Sure, there's always a risk, but like badd suggests, what is on the forum is mainly seems to be reports on the relatively rare major problems and then a host of irritating things. That doesn't sound too different from ownership of just about every other brand I can think of. I would want to know why the previous owner is selling his 'R' ... you know the drill -- the indie inspection by a reputable shop who knows what to look for (sounds like you do, too, which is a total bonus). Bottom line: the forum is an extremely valuable record of problems, big and small, that many owners have experienced. Also a lot of really good things. Speaking personally, although I know my new "old" 'R' will need to have things fixed and brought back to spec, and although I also know it's quite possible I'll have to fork out some $$ for one or two major things over the next couple of years, I am increasingly happy with the 'R' experience in all dimensions, and am very glad to have made the decision to acquire. I can honestly say I've never had such a rewarding driving experience -- and that's saying something after 40+ years behind the wheel. Cheers / Blueleezard

[flyfishing31568908306]

the VR was the last wagon i looked at.

i used my car for work and my samples were rather large.

the B, A, S, MB weren't large enough. the volvo won be default.

I had a few of the bug a boo's that most had, but overall i loved the car. I loved it so much, i went and bought a 98 VR also.

comfort, style, appointments, the VR has it all.

If i was to buy one today, i'd either buy an 04 dirt cheap and work the heck out of it, or go 06+ CPO.

Check out the car well at a neutral dealership before purchase

[pm2000541568908310]

Very few people get on the board to yell "Holy smoke my car is running great!". Other than one bad tech that installed a hose upside-down, and getting a wiring harnes from Fussilgartberg I love the car. Yesterday I jumped from the R to my SKY, and relized the SKY is a very uncivilized car. I plan on keeping my '06 R at least another 4 or 5 years. I have not kept a car more than 3 years in the last 20. -mk

[Geordie Bob]

My 04 R Manual is the best car I have owned,even though I have had all the major problems mentioned above - angle gear ; clutch and fly wheel ; two front struts, and currently back in the garage for more repairs. Why am I still smiling? I have a first class warranty which has protected me from the pain of paying to maintain this car.

I would not consider buying this type of car without a good warranty, either bought from Volvo or purchased from a reputable provider.

You might be lucky and have few problems. I also run a 02 plate T5 manual which has 196K miles and apart from a set of drop links, front arms, trackrod ends and brake discs has never missed a beat, but it lacks the grunt of the "R"

oh almost forgot I stuffed the exhaust into the prop shaft via the "bracket of doom"- that was a £800 touch for parts. If you do buy an R - make sure the bracket is removed.........

As other have said here, when they are running well they are great cars.

Bob.

[wmontgomery]

Fiero - I have an 83 911SC - I shudder to think of 400 HP with that tail-happy sucker.

This site is not here to scare - we are here to inform and support. My '04 auto has 105K on it. It has not been the cheapest care I've owned, but you are fooling yourself if you think an Audi is going to be more affordable (I had 2, probably put 200K miles combined on them). If you are concerned about cost, you might look again at the Subie, but it is not in the same league as the R...you are talking apples and oranges.

The V70R has a performance envelope that comes extremely close to that of cars twice the price (BMW M and Audi S series vehicles). Yes, there are problems, but the beauty of this site is that it provides DATA that you can use to make informed decisions that will keep your ownership experience positive. I have lost count of the number of times I was able to go to my dealer and say, "what about this rain squeal bracket? what about the shock tower mount? what about the fix to remove the bracket so I don't push my exhaust into my driveshaft?"

I was just running the numbers this AM, and even INCLUDING the bevel gear, which I just had to replace, my service and parts costs that I have had to absorb (I bought paid-for maintenance up through 60K and VIP warranty to 100K) work out to $0.145/mile. That includes an extra set of Pegs and snow tires. That is not bad for a car of this quality and size.

Notwithstanding my inability to properly recognize the symptoms of my bevel gear going south (probably my bad, although I did alert the dealer to the site info prior to failure), this has been a great car, and this site has really enhanced my ownership experience. These guys, especially Trent in Australia, were all helping me out on a big road trip out west a couple summers ago, and a highlight of every day was getting connected to the Net to see what advice they were giving me. Terrific support.

These V70R owners are car afficionados, but they are not full of themselves nor are they particularly judgmental, unless you catch Jim (JRL) on a bad day. Look at the information here and use it as "bargaining chips" in your quest. If the R you have found right now is not the one, Blue has demonstrated that careful, informed shopping can result in a very positive outcome.

Good luck!

bill in NJ

PS - My caveat to you is that is you live in a pothole-ridden state, be prepared to buy wheels to replace the bent ones. That is my biggest ongoing gripe and problem.

PS - My caveat to you is that is you live in a pothole-ridden state, be prepared to buy wheels to replace the bent ones. That is my biggest ongoing gripe and problem.

[JRL]

400HP?[/b]

400 HP?

*********

400HP?[/b]

*********

[SL8R]

My best recommendation to you is: be prepared to spend $5000 dollars repairing/fixing/maintaining the car after you purchase it, and you'll be happy for a decade. You may need to put $0 dollars into maintenance in that time, beyond usual oil/filter/brakes, but if you plan on it, you wont' be disappointed.

This is a highly tuned euro sport wagon. If you expect to get away with the cost of ownership asssoiated with a NA jetta wagon or a subie wagon, you will be sorely disappointed.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Bigfieroman]

Thanks for the discussion guys. I am going tomorrow to look at the car. I will take along a jack and stands to observe the angle gear, the prop shaft, brakes, suspension, etc. Here are a few photos of the Fiero. Pretty much everything is custom...brakes, suspension, stereo, wheels/tires, supercharged v6...

[flyfishing31568908306]

Not sure if you've seen it, it's fairly new

In the marketplace area is a whole forum on tips for buying a R

I'd link but I'm on my mobile and being lazy

[raeste]

Hey bigfireroman: the posts from GeordieBob, SoupsAndSpoons, BillinNJ, pm20054, and flyfishing3 really do sum it up -- they are right on. Other members, in many other threads in the forum, have contributed in major ways to building a solid base for learning of "the 'R' experience", too. As a very small example, I've written many times now on this forum about "falling in love" with the 'R', and IMHO there are very good reasons for doing so -- being "one with 'R'" is a great experience, especially when it can become a part of your life (I am still learning!), and in particular if you can share that with your significant other / family. Good stuff -- in fact, very good stuff. Let's face it -- we don't often find a complex platform of technology and motoring that really works, works well, and is pretty well at the top end of being "a highly tuned sport wagon" as S&S said. The 'R' is definitely one of those, and fortunately, now they are becoming increasingly affordable, too. I do tend to think that pm20054 is right -- not too many people get on board to say how wonderful their experiences are -- it's usually to report a problem. But the 'R' is a wonderful vehicle in so many dimensions -- I acknowledge this is my personal viewpoint, but from what I can see, I think it's the viewpoint of many others in the forum, too.

Common sense tells us that acquiring an 'R' must be a well-informed decision -- just like anything else, whether you are buying a new washer / dryer combo, a digital camera, or new shingles for your roof. The 'R' happens to be a lot more enjoyable and provide a lot more pleasure than any of those kinds of things, even if it costs some $$ on the care and feeding side of the equation. I am not cringing about the upcoming $$ costs of "program maintenance" or even the angle gear that will probably need replacement in the next few years of ownership -- these things are worth every penny!

So, it has turned out that the forum is a fantastic resource to become well-informed. It takes time and effort to read the many threads in the forum and get a solid sense of what to watch out for, what to expect, what you can do yourself, what information to bring to the guys who'll do specialized maintenance, what to contemplate in terms of mods (if any) -- and especially, what to enjoy. I actually think that all of us in the forum, all around the world regardless of where we are, are damned lucky to be a part of this community. It's great to know there are people out there who are reliable and who you can trust for good judgment, good information, good recommendations, good viewpoints, good opinions, and fun besides. I increasingly think we are quite a sensible bunch -- very good to know that.

So -- good luck as you continue to digest the "wisdom of the forum", and as BillinNJ has said, "the site is not here to scare".

Best wishes,

Blueleezard

PS -- the Fiero looks great! It must be a total adrenalin rush ...

[lucien2]

I guess I'll add my two cents here, even though I'm new to Volvos.

I love this here '98 so much I ditched my long-standing manual transmission criterion...the car just had too much else going for it. I am still a big fan of Subaru; I parted company with my 1999 Legacy wagon at the 140k mark and it was still going, and didn't cost me a cent until it hit the 110k mark. Pretty remarkable. I would still be very interested in an '05 LGT wagon with a 5 speed.

The cars are apples and oranges, though. The Volvo, particularly a P2 R, is a gigantic step up in comfort and sophistication. Its weight will never allow it to be as tossable as the Legacy, but it is a much more sophisticated piece of kit. If I had the bones, I'd own one. My finances only allowed for a $5k car shopping budget, so compromises had to be made, and so I now drive an automatic. Some day maybe I'll have the resources to pursue an '06. I have enough faith in these cars, and am attracted by their rarity enough that I'm at peace with the car and feeding costs.

[Bigfieroman]

Does anyone have a link to what the admin was talking about with the "what to look for in an R" section? I looked at the marketplace, and I didn't see anything like that.

[flyfishing31568908306]

http://v70r.com/forums/forum/63-buying-and-selling-tips-and-questions/