2006 XC70 - looking to purchase

[heneseyb]

Dealer has a 2006 XC70 70k on it. What should I look for when I visit them? What issues does this model year have? My mother has a 2002 XC70, love it. Looking to get one of my own for driving up skiing and just putzing around town. Appreciate your help! :)

[cwise73]

Service history is pretty important to see. Are you buying it from a Volvo Dealer? If so are you getting a warranty? 2006 are considered to be a pretty good year.

[brenglxc70]

I'm a Volvo newbie, but one thing I learned in my recent search for an XC70 was that almost none of the used cars out there have the timing belt service done, not if they are under 120k miles or so. People have a habit of trading these cars in right before they are due. Unless there is definitive proof that it was done, go ahead and plan on the expense for getting that done in the not-so-distant future.

The other things I found out about during my buying experience:
1) Strut tower mounts (if you look close from the top you can see if the rubber is torn/cracked bad)
2) front lower control arm bushings (if they are bad you can tell by driving it, but if there are no symptoms a visual inspection can tell what condition they are in)
3) Check the tire wear on the front, are they evenly worn? uneven wearing could be a sign of something going on with suspension or alignment.
4) interior condition was a biggie for me, I believe you can tell alot about how a car has been maintained based on how they treat the inside of it. If it's trashed then that is a red flag to me. People that bought these as a kiddie hauler and trashed the interior probably also did not have time or energy to maintain it properly. I am sure there are exceptions, but that is just my observation.
5) The dealer should provide a carfax, and hopefully it shows some maintenance from a shop that reports said service so it shows up on a carfax. If it shows a history at a particular dealer or shop, give them a call and ask about it. Can't hurt! they might be able/willing to tell you more than what a carfax shows, or they may have nothing to add.

Then there are just the basics that would apply to any car of course. Check that the fluid levels are where they should be (another sign of maintenance). Pull the dipstick and check the oil level and color/smell. If it is low, looks like tar, and smells burnt, another red flag. Again, there are always exceptions, but these are just basic things to look at.

[JRL]

Read above
Almost always the spring seats are cracked to some degree
Motor mounts. Upper mount usually needs replacing plus the lower front (right side of car) on an AWD fails at about 100K
Control arm bushings.
Get it on a lift and CAREFULLY look at the lower corners of the radiator for coolant and seepage, they can go bad as early as 60K (eventually almost all need replacing)
CHECK TRANNY FLUID
Drive it for at least 40 minutes. If it always shifts perfectly after this time the tranny is good but plan on a fluid change immediately.
T Belt will need to be done soon for time (10 years)
MAKE SURE THE AWD IS WORKING!
By these miles it's a 50/50 chance that it's not
Listen to the blower motor at all speeds. for some reason these were not made too great and start to make squeaky noises, usually at low and the second position before it becomes worse. At first it's hardly noticeable but listen with everything turned off

[Xheart]

Don't be too eager - here is your checklist http://www.volvoxc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/V70XC_VolvoChecklist.pdf