The missus texted me this morning saying she knows of a late 90's V70 wagon that will be for sale soon and she's interested in it as a winter beater. Says it looks clean but other than that has no details.
What should I look for if I go check this thing out? Can I fit a sheet of plywood in the back?
I wouldnt think a 4x8 sheet of ply wood would fit in the back due to the 4 part of it.
I've got a '96 850GLT wagon, kissing cousin to the V70. No, it won't fit a sheet of plywood, but it's still got a ton of room inside. It took some Tetris like moves, but I was able to fit an entire twin size bedroom set (except mattress) inside the car... We're talking dresser, night stand, bed frame, headboard, footboard, flat boxspring. If the V70 uses the same a/c system, the evaporator is near the firewall, supposedly it's a b!tch to change. So if the a/c is out, either expect to just live with it, spend a ton of time trying to replace it, or a hefty bill to have someone do it. My motor is interference, I'd assume the V70 is the same, so check timing belt. I know they're very sensitive to the type of spark plug and wires used, they seem to only like certain kinds.
That said, I really like my car. Mines a non-turbo with an autotragic, so it's slow as hell. But it runs like a top, is very comfortable, has tons of room and drives real nice. They'll run forever with proper maintenance. Gas mileage is so-so. I'm averaging about 21mpg.
I've since added a set of Turbo rims, but this is mine.
V/S70 is an 850 with updated interior, and slghtly rounded edges. A LOT of parts are interchangable.
Some reading:
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/learn-me-volvo-850s/38356/page1/
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/newer-volvos-for-daily-driver-s40s70s80/38676/page1/
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/learn-me-volvo-850/39356/page1/
Heater cores go, check for wetness and the sweet smell of coolant. Easy fix though, really.
PCV system is an amazingly big job to fix. If it hasn't had this done, it will need it soon. You'll know by the way the engine starts spraying oil.
Interior door panels all pull away from the backing, expect to see that.
99 or 00 has a lousy throttle position sensor. Read up on it.
ABS fails due to some electrical contacts in the controller. $100 fix these days.
Persnickity alignment game between the shifter, the transmission and the switch that lives between them. Get it wrong and weirdness happens, usually you can't get it out of park. Which is why Volvo put a manual override button beside the shifter, just to let you override it and get it into gear. Fiddly job.
Dashboards creak. Big plastic thing hanging from the firewall with just a few tabs. Foam jammed in between the dash and the windshield really helps shut it up.
foxtrapper wrote: PCV system is an amazingly big job to fix. If it hasn't had this done, it will need it soon. You'll know by the way the engine starts spraying oil.
Another trick to seeing if the PCV systems needs to be replaced is to pull the spark plug cover off and see if there is oil pooled up on the valve cover.
I had an 95 850 turbo wagon and loved the car. I used to fold all the seats down and sleep in the back of it when I would go work NASA events. Screw tent camping when you could sleep in that beast. 
Another problem I had was the contacts for the horn in the steering wheel broke and I had to pull over and unplug the horns themselves. lol
Odometer gear breaks teeth on the 850s and can be replaced by performing a little surgery on the cluster.
Supposedly some of these problems were fixed with the "updated" V70.
Avoid the AWD ones. The angle drives break and they are +$2K to get fixed.
The cargo opening is something like 46 inches, so a sheet of plywood will only go in at an angle, and will keep the hatch from closing. Roof bars are just easier.
On the other hand, with the seats down it will eat 2x4s and will swallow as long as a 10' board while still allowing all the doors and windows to be shut.
bludroptop wrote: On the other hand, with the seats down it will eat 2x4s and will swallow as long as a 10' board while still allowing all the doors and windows to be shut.
Yup, did this just a few weeks ago. Had a 10' 2x6 in the car. Able to close the hatch and all windows.
It's a wagon, true. So it will hold quite a bit. But it's not cavernous. My old 740 Volvo would hold more than the current V70.
I've heard '98 was the year to get. Last year of throttle cable and the only year for the fwd t5 to get a manual trans. NA cars were available with stick but v70r werent.
Google matthew's volvo site and join. They have more volvo info that you can shake a stick at.
the quickest way to check the pvc is to pull the dipstick tube out while running,if it plumes white smoke guess what your fixing.
DaveEstey wrote: The missus texted me this morning saying she knows of a late 90's V70 wagon that will be for sale soon and she's interested in it as a winter beater. Says it looks clean but other than that has no details. What should I look for if I go check this thing out? Can I fit a sheet of plywood in the back?
The two things I would use as a gross filter are:
Dose the AC blow cold? If not, I personally would pass. The previously mentioned A/C evaporator is a nightmare. I was just quoted $750 for it and the heater core. I am gladly forking over the money (tomorrow in fact). This job often quotes at $1500 or so. If you do not need AC...
There is a weep hole where the block and transmission join. It is right in the middle and is easy to see. If it is wet, the rear main seal has seen abuse (see PVC mentioned) or is blown. It is a drop the whole drive train to instal a $30 part ordeal. I paid $1200 for that one.
I found the PVC system rebuild pretty easy once I decided to remove the intake manifold. On Volvospeed (kinda like honda-tech in that 2/3 of the information is wrong) the hot ticket is to try and do it with the intake manifold in place. Not.
I have 95K on a car I bought with 95K and it is nowhere near ready to quit.
And I have carried 4X8 sheets of plywood on the roof rack reasonable distances on surface streets.
I want to love these cars, but after years of frustration my love grew cold. The AC systems as mentioned before, are an absolute mess. My 96 turbo, as well as my parents 95 non turbo, struggled with cooling in 90+ degree days. 70 degree days the AC would blow fine, but when you really needed it, the mistress would always let you down.
The electronics on them are a mess. Both our cars would do odd things when the turn signals were used, and the fan relay would control the entire car. Car wouldnt start? check the fan relay. I'd suggest to stay far away.
I could go on about the heater core failures, every sensor there is failure, the hell cleaning the pcv, garbage axles, wheel bearing failures...it was not an easy 20k i went through owning that car.
In reply to Shaun:
The Evaporators aren't near the issues on the S/V70 that they were on the 850, the 850's pollen filter was an option. So unless your car came with one all kinds of junk (pine needles) would find their way to the evaporator core.
I'll spare you my soapbox about VS, it's useful for areas like Bay 13, and some of the turbo build recipies, but as a whole, it's pretty worthless. To think of anyone attempting a PCV replacement without removing the intake manifold, makes my head hurt.
In reply to lnlogauge:
I'm not sure what your issues stemed from, but if you're not using OEM Volvo on your replacement parts or Bosch on your electrics, stupid stuff happens.
bigdaddylee82 wrote: In reply to Shaun: The Evaporators aren't near the issues on the S/V70 that they were on the 850, the 850's pollen filter was an option. So unless your car came with one all kinds of junk (pine needles) would find their way to the evaporator core. I'll spare you my soapbox about VS, it's useful for areas like Bay 13, and some of the turbo build recipies, but as a whole, it's pretty worthless. To think of anyone attempting a PCV replacement without removing the intake manifold, makes my head hurt. In reply to lnlogauge: I'm not sure what your issues stemed from, but if you're not using OEM Volvo on your replacement parts or Bosch on your electrics, stupid stuff happens. - Lee
Spot on- my car did not have the cabin filter. It has for 6 years but the previous 10 years of gunk did it's work.
I have not read or heard much in the way of electrical gremlins in the 93-2000 fwd cars and have not had issues myself. I like Bosch stuff.
I've only had my '94 turbo wagon for a few months buts it's been dead reliable burning no oil,coolant etc etc since doing the pcv,timing belt,brakes.The only electrical thing that doesn't work is the drivers heated seat and the automatic climate control(I'm more than capable of setting my own temp). It hits full boost several times every single time I'm in it.
My parents are trying to sell a V70 wagon, 1999 if I remember correctly.
In reply to Shaun:
I thought it but forgot to post it earlier. On the main seal replacement, you don't have to drop the entire drivetrain. The Haynes manual actually describes the procedure for only removing the transmission with the engine still attached to the sub-frame and in the car.
Admittedly though, were I doing it, I'd do it just like I did the engine swap on mine, drop everything on the sub-frame out the bottom.
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