1998 Volvo S70 SE review from North America
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Frequent changing of light bulbs
Various minor electrical problems.
Minor leak in a/c at 115,000 km.
Small leak in exhaust manifold at 170,000km.
General comments?
Have had car since new and has been generally reliable. One exception is light bulbs. There is always at least one out, and every service visit involves bulb replacement. Sockets were replaced by a recall in 1999, but problem persists. Last visit, a new bulb burned out before arriving home. Very annoying, and ironically enough, very unsafe.
Brakes are great, but pads require replacement each 50k.
Other than that, its built like a tank, and generally drives like one too. 5 cylinder (non-turbo) engine is too small for size of car. Seats are very comfortable and the car is solidly built. Car is nearing eight years old and body, paint and leather interior are still in great shape.
After eight years this is a car I feel comfortable investing in until it hits 300km. Wouldn't describe as fun to drive, but if your looking for pure practicality and utility, it's a good choice. As with any car, regular maintenance and repairs pay off.
Recommended reviews
| Great vehicle, but potentially costly |
|
| Regardless of the great handling and comfort, terrible engineering makes this my last Volvo ever |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | % cylinder. Automatic |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 176000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Ford Mustang |
| Date of Entry | 2nd September, 2005 |