Your opinion on the quality of XC70

[volvoxcfans]

I am planning to purchase an XC70 later this year.

Tonight I came across the following URLs which suggests there are a lot of minor issues.

e.g. rattle, continuous bulb failures, etc

http://images.autobytel.com/web....C70.pdf (http://images.autobytel.com/web/PDF/NewCarPDF/19947/ABTL/2004VolvoXC70.pdf)

http://www.carsurvey.org/model_Volvo_V70.html

I would like your advices on this.  Are these problems fixed in the latest model ?

Thanks

[budrichard]

2003 XC70, two minor problems in the first week, both have not repeated. no problems at all since. Now at 18K miles.
Problems with vehicles get reported usually vociferously, vehicles that don't have problems just keep geting driven. -Dick

[hrd_rok]

mine , 03, 24k km no issues, a few minor rattles, which i now have to redefine as very minor rattles, easily fixed with music.

took a 04 chevy suburban out of work for 140 km the other day, talk about rattle, like a wild baby. made me re think what is tolerable and what isn't.

sometimes i think we get a little to picky, or maybe our expectations of volvo are too great sometimes.

edit->>
ok i forgot about the broken console cover and ps fluid leak...
but those are kind of minor. i remember years ago when  i got my 1st "new" vehicle, 85 toy 4x4, dented rear quarter and door 2nd day playing, never fixed it, & subsequently never fixated on the vehicle remaining "perfect", got enough other things to be concerned about, rather than a piece of metal.

[gibbons]

I think when you pay a healthy amount for a car, you are inclined to be much more picky.  I am.  But I haven't had any issues with the car.  Even when I bought Accords, I could always find something wrong.  Oh....wait....I did adjust my Bi-xenon headlights upwards.  But that was to suit my tastes within the bounds of safety.

When I look at the JD Powers initial quality survey results, I really question their accuracy and practical implications.  Lexus is always at the top.  I stereotype Lexus buyers as people with too much money who by one just cuz it says Lexus.  With that buying motive, you aren't going to admit that there are little things that bug you about the quality.  Saturn buyers, on the other hand, are most likely moving up from a Chrysler K-car or Chevrolet Cavalier.  Anything is just about perfect compared to them, so a Saturn is would be artificially high up in the rankings in the rankings.  Those are biased broad generalizations, as I see it (probably incorrect).

We also have a Subaru wagon.  It sounds like driving a cement mixer. It rides rough. It burns oil.  But when I drive it, I turn off all of my automotive sensors cuz I just don't expect that much from it.  So I find the car OK.  But I also hang out in a Subaru bulletin forumt.  Yowza, you ought to hear their problems.  We complain about hatch doors touching a moulding and the stereo not having enough high frequency.  Those guys talk about blown head gaskets, fried viscous differentials, and rust through.  Now those are quality issues!

This Volvo is our first.  We bought it because it is loveably quirky.  Our next one we will buy because as we have discovered, it is a fine, fine automobile.

[littlewaywelt]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (volvoxcfans @ Jan. 16 2004,10:16)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I am planning to purchase an XC70 later this year.

Tonight I came across the following URLs which suggests there are a lot of minor issues.

e.g. rattle, continuous bulb failures, etc

http://images.autobytel.com/web....C70.pdf (http://images.autobytel.com/web/PDF/NewCarPDF/19947/ABTL/2004VolvoXC70.pdf)

http://www.carsurvey.org/model_Volvo_V70.html

I would like your advices on this. Are these problems fixed in the latest model ?

Thanks[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
My 01 has absolutely deplorable build quality. &nbsp;In three years I have probably had the car in the shop for about 30 days. &nbsp;I guesstimate that we have probably had more than 40 individual problems with the car. Some have been minor nuisances others have been serious, imo (oil, electical &amp; trani). &nbsp;VCNA, in my experience doesn&#39;t stand behind their product when it really counts. &nbsp;

I do however believe that my car is an anomaly as it was relatively early in the 01 run.
It&#39;s also my understanding that the quality has gotten substantially better each year.

I live with the car only because of its depreciation and because I learned to divorce myself from the irritations &amp; stress that the car caused. &nbsp;A forum member here gave me some advice, that I now live with. &nbsp;Even a pos car isn&#39;t worth stressing over, or something to that nature. &nbsp;All things considered, our next wagon will be a Saab. &nbsp;Hopefully they&#39;ll have an awd system by then.

I would recommend a Volvo, but after the way they&#39;ve treated me, they won&#39;t get my business again.

[Chipshot]

I am very pleased with the quality of my 2003 XC70. &nbsp;So pleased, in fact, that I have a 2004 V70 AWD on order.

My car has had two problems. &nbsp;The first was a blown fuse that prevented the rear washer from working (the rear wiper still worked properly). &nbsp;The second was the seemingly ubiquitous power steering fluid leak.

I have had no bulb failures and blame any rattles more on the deplorable condition of Michigan roads than on the car (the recent cold hasn&#39;t helped much either). &nbsp;I would have to say the XC70 is in better shape af 13 months than most of my recent cars have been at 6 months.

For what it&#39;s worth, my last Saab was a total basket-case, and I was extremely dissatisfied with the local dealers (I had purchased the car in Virginia before moving to Michigan).

[gary]

I have an &#39;03 with about 12,5K miles, and with almost one year of ownership under my belt, the vehicle has been practically trouble-free. I&#39;ve had a broken center console lid (snapped off completely one chilly morning last March; dealer replaced it under warranty); power steering fluid leak (seems to be a common occurrence on the XC70; there is a thread on it here in the Forums; dealer is taking care of that under warranty); and finally a very infrequent problem with a hesitation/engine rev between 2nd and 3rd gear (again, there is a thread on this too; dealer is consulting with Volvo as apparently the software update doesn&#39;t apply to my VIN; should have an answer next week).

All of these are issues that do not have me overly worried about the build quality of this vehicle, although the latter of these issues is probably the most troublesome and if I don&#39;t get the update/resolution, I will not be pleased and will pursue directly with Volvo.

Overall though, I am extremely pleased with the performance and quality of the vehicle.

[AutoMonkey]

I am very happy after 10,000 miles. The only problem was an intermittent squeaking sound (search the forum for &quot;Squeak Squeak&quot;...) that was quickly fixed by the dealer. The only rattles come from things that I have put in various storage compartments, and I can&#39;t blame the car for that...

AM

[mrb]

5,000 miles--no rattles--have 1 gurgling type sound when ac on at 20mph accelerating or decelerating---dealer will check car out next week--sound is very minor--car if FANTASTIC in my book---a real joy to drive.

[volvoxcfans]

Hi Gary

Your 2003 XC70 has 12,500 or 125,000 miles ?

It seems you have travelled a lot if it is the later.

Cheers &nbsp;http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[gary]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (volvoxcfans @ Jan. 16 2004,21:09)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Hi Gary

Your 2003 XC70 has 12,500 or 125,000 miles ?

It seems you have travelled a lot if it is the later.

Cheers http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

volvoxcfans,

Sorry for the confusion. It should read 12,500 miles.
Cheers, Gary