Comments on: What About A 1998 Volvo S70 4 Dr T-5 Turbo Sedan?

By: Francis P

Francis P — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:38:01 +0000

Might I suggest this site: http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com They have a very comprehensive and guest friendly site to help you decide in purchasing a car with soul and guts or a Japanese manufactured 4cyl. engine that runs and runs but has no soul or charm.

By: Arthur O

Arthur O — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:00:39 +0000

1998 was the first year for the S70, therefore making it somewhat problematic. You should insist on a complete set of service records so you’ll know what’s been done to it. Hopefully all the ‘98 gremlins have been seen to. No records, no deal. Having said all of that, I’d go with a Honda providing you can find a clean, relatively low mileage example. Volvos have just become too complicated since the late ’90s and cost a fortune to repair. This one being a turbo adds to the complexity.

By: Johann Faust

Johann Faust — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:14:46 +0000

The S70 was a cosmetic re-hash of the 850 series, so all the key components (engine, transmission, chassis) were carried over with minor revisions which means there are no “first year gremlins” to worry about. Furthermore, Volvo introduced the S70 in Europe in 1997, a year before it became available in the US, which means that any minor first-year issues in the revised interior would have been addressed.
That said, a $2,300 T5 is bound to have issues as that is nearly $1,500 _below_ the book value for a T5 with 160,000 miles. For that much below book, the car is virtually guaranteed to have issues and repairs are not cheap.
Remember, the T5 models were $40,000+ when new in 1998 and their maintenance and repair costs are commensurate with that price point, regardless of how cheaply you can find a used one.
Wait and find a Honda.