What Do You Think Of A Used Volvo, Quality

[bustednutz]

I've always loved volvos. A great site to visit for info and parts is IPDUSA.com they have everything and great customer service. There are a million Volvo specific websites as well that give excellent info. They are quirky, but sturdy and if you are mechanically inclined, you can do alot of stuff yourself.

 

[TedT]

I had a 93 940 wagon. It was so slow that pulling out into traffic with the wife and two small kids and the A/C on was very dangerous. I think the converter stall speed was too low. It ran very well once it was rolling. The slowness was why I got rid of it. I was afraid it would cause an accident. At about 100k it needed a radiator. The window fuse would blow for no apparent reason at random times. The exhaust manifold, and head pipe refused to stay tight. The water pump failed. The compressor and alternator rubber bushings failed, and the fuel pump under the car was very noisy. This was all with only around 100k on the car. The only thing good about the car was that it was easy to work on, and if crashed I thing the outcome would have been good. I've had American, German, and Japanese cars and trucks. The Volvo and the GMC Safari I currently own are the least reliable cars I've owned. On the good side if you like to tinker the rwd cars might be a good choice because the bodies last a long time.

 

[meep]

I had an S60... 2002 IIRC. It was a sweet car. The steering was too heavy for my wrists and I got rid of it. I didn't have it long.

Pro's:

solid frame. no creaks. seats were *amazing*. sound system was great. headlights were crisp. dash was beautiful. engine was solid. handled better than anything else I'd owned.

Con's:
i bought it well used. drove several. all had 1-2 flare in upshift. rear window vis was awful, but you get used to it. AT programming was weird. got better mpg in D4 than D5. electronics were wonky. the common dealership answer was, bring it in for a computer reset so the windows will function again.

in 1997, the chevy lumina and subaru legacy/outback followed the volvo in crash test scores. if safety is a big concern, I'd consider either of those as well.

I have seen RWD volvos go forever if maintained well. Even the 4 cyl turbos can last if the owner knew to service the turbo. buy an older RWD turbo wagon, adopt the interior and paint as a project, could be a sweet ride!