Considering a 2013 Volvo XC70 - Any Personal Experience?

[BHopkins]

My son sent me a link to an ad for a '13 Volvo XC70 3.2 that he is considering, and asked me to help him check it out. With 85k miles on it, it has been a low mileage car. Interestingly, the car has been owned and driven in Hawaii it's entire life, only coming to Utah in the last few months. While Carfax service records for the first few years are sparse, afterwards it shows a steady record of 8k mile oil changes and service.

I read a few reviews, including Edmunds, Motor Trend and CR. In many ways they like the XC70, but generally agreed that steering, handling and acceleration is pretty average.

I have no experience with Volvo cars, so I was hoping that some here with experience can give me any advice on this model, to pass on to my son. Any experience here? @Astro14, I don't see an XC70 included in your profile, but do you have any experience to share on this model?

 

[fantastic]

I have that engine in my XC90. Since they put all the accessories over the Transmission & used a "READ" system it's not something that's exactly straightforward if you don't know what your dealing with. Find a mechanic that has some experience with these to give you some piece of mind. I've put a bit over 30k on mine & enjoy it daily. I will point out that I think they went with low tension rings on the 10+ & there are complaints about oil consumption. My 2008 uses around 1 qt in 6,400 miles to give you an idea. I like them so far & would buy another one.

 

[Chris142]

While that car is of better quality than MB,bmw,Audi etc and definitely worlds better than junk like Maserati and Alfa Romeo there's no way on earth I would recommend buying a 12+ year old Volvo.

Also many shops will not work on it. You may have to search out a Volvo specialized shop and pay their shop rate with no other options.

 

[meep]

It was either 13 or 14 when the low tension oil ring issue was resolved for Volvos, and IIRC it affected certain models for than others. Having owned three P2 S60s, I’m a fan. The 13 XC70 is a later generation than those, different engine, digital dash… came close to buying an XC70 twice. I found them to be extremely well screwed together, well built and terrific drivers.

If it’s AWD, unless it’s been dealer serviced, the AWD unit likely needs to be serviced. I’d evaluate the vehicle entirely on apparent condition and records/appearance of good maintenance. If it’s it good shape and runs out well, I would recommend one.

@Chris142 has a point - I DIY’d mine and theres active forum support for these, but a Volvo dealer, while pricier than say Honda, can diagnose faster when something bad is wrong. The electronics in these are very specific.

 

[GSCJR]

Any experience here? @Astro14

+1

 

[GR_CoB]

I had a 2010 Volvo XC70 with that 3.2L. Sold it at 270k+ miles, still zero oil consumption and able to achieve up to 31MPG on highway fully loaded. Very smooth car. Has the (Toyota related) Aisin transmission. Mine also came with bigger Brembo brakes. DIY friendly.
The only issues that may be annoying to deal with is HVAC. The blower motor requires quite a disassembly to get to. So if ever have to replace it - go with a quality unit so that you never have to deal with it again. Otherwise the serpentine belt is also a bit buried.
We took it all over the SouthEast of US. Overall it was still more reliable than some of my Honda, Toyota, and Lexus cars. (I'm always on the lookout for a reasonably priced 2011+ XC70 T6.) But parts are a little bit more expensive than the Japanese competitors. Here are some pics of it:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/wagon-superiority-thread.330650/post-6125235

P.S. My Volvo dealer is useless and has been proven to lie quite a lot to their customers. So I DIY nearly everything. For the few instances for our other Volvo vehicles (2006 XC90 2.5T) I took it to Swedish Connection in Charlotte. Very reputable, honest, extremely capable, and waaay cheaper than the useless dealer.

 

[VolvoZ]

Got a 2008 XC70 3.2 here that I acquired from my daughter a bit over a year ago. Daughter bought it used with ~180K miles on it. She then put put about 60K miles on it over the course of about 4 years. We put the usual repairs into a vehicle with 200K+ miles including new brakes, two front wheel bearings, rear trailing arm bushings, new spark plugs, refreshed some fluids, etc. This vehicle had spent considerable time plying dirt roads in Maine(by the previous owner), so lots of road salt and dirt hasn’t helped this car at all.

Given that the subject matter is a 2013, many improvements have been made over the years, so it should be better built and more reliable than my 2008.

My thoughts on the vehicle:
1) Pretty solid vehicle overall. Very heavy feeling when driving (in a good way) and very well built structurally. Doors are very solid and heavy. The unibody structure is very solid and very rust resistant. On the other hand, the front and rear subframes are stamped steel and are rusting, but are far from failing. Also, some exhaust hangers are rusting badly, particularly those that are up front, while others are still shiny and solid. Summary: well built, solid and secure feeling, good rust resistance on most parts.

2) 3.2 Liter maintainence and repairs: My 2008 has 244K on it and does not use much, if any, oil and does not have any READ (Rear Engine Accessory Drive) issues despite those being reported common issues. I did do a recent overhaul of all coolant hoses, drive belt, tensioner, drive belt pulley (it’s a one-way clutch pulley), water pump, and pre-emptive alternator replacement which was a new experience given that all the accessories are driven off the “wrong side” of this transversely mounted inline 6. Was a bit funky, but like anything else, it’s doable by a DIY’er with the right tools. Oil changes are pretty easy and straightforward, but be prepared to pour lots of oil in the 8 qt crankcase! Summary: good engine, reasonably easy to service, but is a bit quirky.

3) Driving dynamics: The 3.2 L engine is adequate. It will not win any races. Handling is adequate given that it’s a heavy and somewhat tall vehicle. Brakes are good (good sized brake disks and calipers).

4) Interior: Comfortable front seats (like most Volvos). Fairly roomy back seat. Straightforward dash controls and design. Good amount of cargo volume in the hatch.

5) Transmission: Aisin 6 speed Auto. Generally known to be reliable.

6) Electronics: Volvos are sensitive to low or unsteady voltage from the battery and/or alternator. Have had some really odd electronics behavior occur, but was fixed with a new battery. Overall, have had good service from the electronics in this P3 XC70.

7) Gas mileage: getting a solid 20+ mpg. Fair, but not terrible fuel economy (IMO).

Verdict: Nice, safe vehicle with good utility. It’s not a Toyota or Honda in the reliability department, but if fixes are needed, pretty much any competent mechanic can handle issues as they come up. OP mentioned that car spent some time in Hawaii. Would recommend checking the subframes and exhaust system thoroughly for rust, in case it spent appreciable time exposed to salt spray.

 

[BHopkins]

@VolvoZ, thanks for the detailed info. This is helpful.

 

[Oillover]

While that car is of better quality than MB,bmw,Audi etc and definitely worlds better than junk like Maserati and Alfa Romeo there's no way on earth I would recommend buying a 12+ year old Volvo.

Also many shops will not work on it. You may have to search out a Volvo specialized shop and pay their shop rate with no other options.

Very true.

My father's experience was similar.
When he needed service, he struggled to find a mechanic or shop to service/repair it.
Most suggested he go to the next city (2.5 hours away) for repairs at the dealership.

 

[BHopkins]

Very true.

My father's experience was similar.
When he needed service, he struggled to find a mechanic or shop to service/repair it.
Most suggested he go to the next city (2.5 hours away) for repairs at the dealership.

This does concern me. My son lives in Wyoming, and the nearest Volvo dealership is in SLC, about a 3 hour drive. I suspect the nearest Euro indy shop is also going to be in SLC.

 

[Oillover]

This does concern me. My son lives in Wyoming, and the nearest Volvo dealership is in SLC, about a 3 hour drive. I suspect the nearest Euro indy shop is also going to be in SLC.

If your son isn't mechanically inclined to do repairs himself OR has a trusted mechanic to work on it (who's agreed they are willing to work on it), I'd suggest skipping it. At this age, regardless of mileage, there's a fair amount of servicing required to bring it up to snuff.

 

[Escape08]

My 2012 Land Rover LR2 have the 3.2 engine made by Volvo/ It's top notch

 

[andrew_j]

It’s a 13 year old car despite low mileage. Your son either has to DIY or find a trusty independent who works on it reasonably. Expect it tag have time related wear issues and small things of an older durable euro car.

 

[GR_CoB]

This does concern me. My son lives in Wyoming, and the nearest Volvo dealership is in SLC, about a 3 hour drive. I suspect the nearest Euro indy shop is also going to be in SLC.

I am a lifelong (M32) automotive enthusiast, who absolutely hates European cars. But!... In my experience the 2010 Volvo XC70 is more DIY friendly and more reliable than our 2006 Volvo XC90 was. I don't think you have much to worry about honestly.
The remark above about Land Rover LR2 is also great, I've heard nothing but good things about those, when equipped with 3.2L. The 2.0T equipped LR2 were unreliable though, don't touch those.

Full disclosure: I am currently daily driving a 34 year old Honda wagon. Would never touch a similar age Euro anything, except for a Swedish Volvo brick wagon.

 

[97prizm]

My son sent me a link to an ad for a '13 Volvo XC70 3.2 that he is considering, and asked me to help him check it out. With 85k miles on it, it has been a low mileage car. Interestingly, the car has been owned and driven in Hawaii it's entire life, only coming to Utah in the last few months. While Carfax service records for the first few years are sparse, afterwards it shows a steady record of 8k mile oil changes and service.

I read a few reviews, including Edmunds, Motor Trend and CR. In many ways they like the XC70, but generally agreed that steering, handling and acceleration is pretty average.

I have no experience with Volvo cars, so I was hoping that some here with experience can give me any advice on this model, to pass on to my son. Any experience here? @Astro14, I don't see an XC70 included in your profile, but do you have any experience to share on this model?

I'm curious why it's being sold so quickly after coming to Utah? Did the owners no longer need it or does it need a major service item?

 

[Astro14]

*checks signature* - Yeah, Volvo fan, obviously. Volvos have their own vernacular when it comes to construction and servicing. But they use very high quality components, including galvanized steel in the body, making them very durable, and, of course, safer in a crash than their contemporaries.

In the case of the XC-90 - there has never been a vehicle on vehicle crash fatality with that car, in North American or Europe, with over 20 years of it being on the road - which is genuinely remarkable. That’s why my kids were given a Volvo.

No particular experience with this model, but as with all used cars - maintenance records and condition matters.

A well-cared for Volvo will give you years of reliable enjoyable, and safe, service.

A neglected example can be real money pit.

 

[Patman]

My father has an XC70 that he bought new, I think it’s a 2014. It has been a fairly reliable car although something went wrong with the all wheel drive system a few years ago so now it’s just rear wheel drive as he refuses to spend the money to fix it.

 

[mcrn]

*checks signature* - Yeah, Volvo fan, obviously. Volvos have their own vernacular when it comes to construction and servicing. But they use very high quality components, including galvanized steel in the body, making them very durable, and, of course, safer in a crash than their contemporaries.

In the case of the XC-90 - there has never been a vehicle on vehicle crash fatality with that car, in North American or Europe, with over 20 years of it being on the road - which is genuinely remarkable. That’s why my kids were given a Volvo.

No particular experience with this model, but as with all used cars - maintenance records and condition matters.

A well-cared for Volvo will give you years of reliable enjoyable, and safe, service.

A neglected example can be real money pit.

That is a real statistic? Nobody in NA or Europe has ever died in one? That is an incredible statistic!

 

[fantastic]

My 2012 Land Rover LR2 have the 3.2 engine made by Volvo/ It's top notch

The engine was built in Whales U.K. by Ford to be clear.

 

[fantastic]

That is a real statistic? Nobody in NA or Europe has ever died in one? That is an incredible statistic!

Not exactly correct. It has shown very low death rates however.