Ok for $1000 I bought a 2003 Volvo xc70 with big tires and a loud exhaust. The front struts were ruined by the genius that cut them with a torch but the Tow company had a 04 Volvo s80 I robbed the struts off it and now need to replace the rear bushings I should have that done tomorrow.
Ok my questionsss are the exhaust was professionally welded most likely by the same guy who cut the suspension and the cat is well not on the car and the sensor is just zip tied up out the way what problems would I look for because of this.
2nd Did I make a bad choice it's an 03 with 156k miles and seems to run fine I got it for mainly getting to and from work. And yes I removed the big tires and now has stock size.
Have it reprogrammed to run without the CAT since it’s removed and will cost a lot to get a new one or get an after market one and place the sensors back they may need changing since they may have all kinds of dirt and water that destroyed them.
if the mufflers are removed to make high noise you may need to place new mufflers to make it quiet again
It would not have been my first choice.
Volvo xc70 was pretty low on the reliability scale.
The plus is that you only have $1000 (hopefully not too much more) into it.
Put aside what you would make in payments for a new car. Drive this hopefully
for awhile. Don't put anymore big money into it. Check out a Toyota or a Honda
when this goes out.
P2 Era Volvo's between 2003 and 2007 are nearly indestructible. Toyota transmissions, a supped up version of the N platform i5 engine, really strong roll protection and very comfortable interior. The only flaws with the P2 S60s are the PCV breather and the radiator. Now for the XC70, the radiator shouldn't be as big of an issue since they don't ride very low, but the PCV breather is still a big issue with this car. I would pull it apart and check the hoses to see if they are clogged. Every 100k miles or so the PCV conks out and you'll have to pay around $200 to get it replaced. They are also really picky about having the battery charged. Electronics in these early 2000's Volvo's are known to have tons of issues when the battery begins to wear out, but is still functional enough to keep the engine running. Stuff like the radio and gauges can act up, and sometimes DTCs get thrown because the ECU isn't able to handle the voltage drops. P2 Volvos are also picky about oil changes and preventative maintenance is key with these cars. Keep the plugs and coils fresh, make sure the timing belts are in good shape every other week. On the turbo models of the I5 engine, it may be a good idea to pull the turbo out and inspect the condition of the compressor bearings and the inside of the turbine housing. If it is in poor condition, you can find them in good condition as cheap as $200, or you can pay $800-1400 to get them replaced. I would also replace the vacum lines as the rubber used in the stock lines isn't the greatest, and after 17 years it'll be cracked pretty bad. As for milage, 156K isn't bad at all. I'm at nearly 300k on my 04 S60 2.5T, and many of the same parts are shared. Although personally I would have gone for a V70 or V70R, the XC70 is not a bad choice as long as you are up to the task of maintaining it before stuff breaks. Out of the Volvos you could have chosen from that chassis, the XC70 would have been my last choice as it had the most quirks of all of the cars, and it was 2nd newest model for the P2 chassis, behind the S60R. Really not a bad car though. Is it worth dumping money into? It depends on how much you like the car. P2 Volvo's fall in that justifiable category of being fixed up, but do know that it will require a lot of work. Maintenance on P2 Volvos, although not impossible, is marginally harder to perform than most other European cars, let alone American and Japanese cars. You'll need a few special tools that arent too expensive, and some patience, but it is worth it if you want to have a car you'll love in the end! I hope this helps! Cheers!
