Overview & Reviews
Volvo's 850 wagon gets a new name, new nose, body-color trim, stronger side-impact protection, more powerful turbo engines, redesigned interior and revised suspension. All-wheel-drive versions arrive to battle luxury SUVs.
- Front and side airbags. Excellent side-impact protection. Superb seats. Solid construction. More cargo volume than many sport-utilities. Available all-wheel drive.
- Oddly placed controls. No all-speed traction control system available.
User Reviews:
Showing 21 through 30 of 111.00-
Mixed Bag - 1998 Volvo V70
By Captclam - April 21 - 2:00 amThis car is an engineering marvel as far as the fit, finish and drive are concerned. Before buying ensure there are no oil leaks a the oil return line is often trouble. The part online is $90 ($120 at dealer), and an easy do it yourself. The traction control module is notorously flaky. Test by slamming on breaks and then gas on gravel or sand before buying. If the TRACS or ABS lights come on, run. Part alone is $800, though you can trade your old one in online and get a rebuilt one for about $150 (see www.swedespeed.com forum). Check out Internet Volvo forums before heading in for repair as many high $ repairs are actually a $40 sensor gone bad.
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sweet ride, but expensive to maintain - 1998 Volvo V70
By MarkyD - February 4 - 7:50 pmBought 4-yrs old and have owned for 4 years. The good: great performance, very comfortable, safe. Holds a lot of cargo, but is really a 4-seater, not 5. With two car seats in the back, only a child can squeeze between them. The bad: parts are very expensive and it is prone to electrical problems. Weve replaced the stereo and power window switches, but both problems recurred within 6 months. Also had to replace ABS computer which cost $440 just for the part, plus labor. Now the power locks are on the fritz. Never had a breakdown or failed to start, just annoying/expensive repairs. Overall, a good car, but we are trading in on a Honda Odessey soon, which is a better bang for the buck.
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Fix it! No probs... - 1998 Volvo V70
By neuftimes67 - December 31 - 11:20 amThis year car is easy to fix yourself, Ebay has tons of parts for every issue you may have. Makes me scratch my head when I see people say too much to maintain. well find another person or do yourself. Had this tank over 8 years and 2 kids learn to drive on it. they did not break it maybe a parking lot slam but replace fender and there ya go. Best car for my kids to learn to drive around and I feel they are safe, always starts, never failed ever. all I do is replace the rubber parts and electric stuff, shocks, break pads, took 3 day to replace timing belt but oh well. This car is a Tank. when my car breaks down I take out old reliable. so this Volvo v70x/c is a good buy.
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A/C Problems - 1998 Volvo V70
By GailSusan - November 23 - 9:06 pmThis is my third Volvo. Like so many on here, I thought I would be a Volvo owner for life. This was my first new car. I saved up my money and paid almost $40,000 to buy it brand new. Volvo dealer "forgot" to send out the extended warranty, so I missed out on buying it. I wasnt too worried because I maintained my car perfectly. I planned for this car to last for at least the next ten years. Well, two years ago the air conditioning condenser broke and I was told it would cost $200 for the part, but $2,300 for the labor. It seems the entire dashboard has to be removed to reach the condenser. Im deeply disappointed in the poor quality of this vehicle and am about to unload it.
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Great Looks, But thats all folks - 1998 Volvo V70
By Not Pleased - November 5 - 2:00 amI have loved Volvos all my life. I have an 83 DL that is still kicking with 240000 miles. My 98 V70 R AWD is another story. It rides like a logging truck, yet all is fine.It has a jerk in the trans that will drive you insane. It has been in the shop a total of 32 days since Feb of this year. I love the color, the engine performance (lots of power), the comforts and safety - but this is not a car I will keep. I drive the 83 more and enjoy it a hell of alot more!
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Love it, with quips - 1998 Volvo V70
By Caffery - September 2 - 1:13 amPurchased with 98k on it, now up to 187k, with about 30k just this past year. Like others, a Love/Hate relationship, but leaning more towards "love." General comfort is fantastic - supportive seats that you can sit in for hours, and the ride is smooth but never floaty. The engine is not a tire- shredder, but when you stomp on the pedal (esp. at low speeds), it can boogie, for sure. It always starts, and I average around 23 mpg, too. Interior ergonomics and control layout are also excellent, although some flimsiness (see below). AWD system is great - recently drove 5+ hours through a record-breaking blizzard and never lost an ounce of control. Lots of room for both people and cargo.
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Love it! - 1998 Volvo V70
By charming - February 5 - 10:00 amI have always wanted one and finally I got one. I absolutely love it! There are a few things that I dont care for. The cup holders suck and the rattling I could do without. It also drives a little bumpy but other than that heaven. A buddy of mine even took it off roading out in the sticks and it did surprising fabulous.
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Money Pit - 1998 Volvo V70
By Chery Pie - January 2 - 3:13 pmI have had a V70 for about 5 years. It has been one thing or another. The last straw was the transmission that had to be replaced. I cant wait to unload it and get what...another damn Volvo? Think twice about a Volvo.
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unreliable - 1998 Volvo V70
By wolfpack770 - January 2 - 10:00 amMy parents actually own this car. After owning 4 acuras, went to the volvo wagon because acura/honda didnt make a wagon. Big mistake -so many problems passin TN emissions (multiple times) mechanic said the best fix for this car was to find someone to drive it off a cliff. Car is in the shop about once every 1-2 months, this should not happen on a car that costs 33K new. We have even talked to Volvo rep for our area, they were unsympathetic. On the plus side, car is great on the highway and very safe, decent gas mileage, but on the whole we will never buy a volvo again.
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Practical good looks - 1998 Volvo V70
By Michigan Fats - September 24 - 10:00 amI really like this car. It is solid and practical. Great cargo room, long and lower than SUVs. With my Thule roof rack I can carry kayaks, bicycles, or lumber on top without help getting it on the load bars. However, since 100K miles Im putting quite a bit of money into repairs. Maybe thats normal, but my wifes 1994 Accura Legend with 164K miles has needed fewer repairs (per her). Wonderful winter car too.
