03 or 04 decision

[Rich603]

I am looking at two xc70's.. They both seem to have good service records.. They are both high mileage. The 04 has 155k and the 03 135.. Same price for each. Is there a big difference between these cars

[JRL]

Well the newer the better is always a good way to think about these cars
Equal to equal in condition, go for the 04
03s while having the bigger engine and the FIRST year of the Haldex is a MUCH better car than an 02.
However an 04 is better than an 03, (IMO)!

[gary]

I agree with JRL on this. No mechanical differences between the 03 and 04s that I am aware of and only minor cosmetic upgrades on the 04 versus the 03. I have an 03 (with 112K miles) and it's been a rock solid vehicle. The key to these cars is regular and proper maintenance. If both have good service records as you state, go for the 04.

[Rich603]

Thanks for replies.. Going to test drive both again this week. Anything I should listen or watch for specific to these cars.

Thanks

[Xheart]

I am on 2001 V70XC, would reach 150k-mi spring 2014.
I started replacing parts at 136K-mi after reviewing CPO checklist, see Resources section. Each part was original, replaced with OE/OEM.
155k-mi on '04 is likely highway miles.

A maestro said, "a test of frame and body is that you raised the car and place it on 4 jack-stands. Open and close each door, window, trunk, and hood several times. Look for consistent sound and feel. Next, run the engine while on jack-stand and go through the gears/AWD, trust your eyes and ears when looking at and listening to drive-axle and propeller shaft". Road test is your first step.

Good-luck. These cars are class of their own.

[gary]

You don't indicate if these are private party sales or being sold through a dealer. If the latter, is it a Volvo dealer or non-Volvo dealer? If private party, you might want to consider paying a few bucks and having the car checked out by an Indie mechanic familiar with Volvos if you have one in your area and you have experience dealing with them. If it's a dealer and a non-Volvo dealer, maybe you want to find a Volvo dealer and have them look it over. Also, if you have the VINs, consider purchasing a Carfax report (if the sellers aren't offering those.)

I was considering purchasing an 04 XC90 this past summer for my son and I called my Volvo dealership and spoke with the service advisor. He was kind enough to run the VIN for me and he was able to tell me that the car had had the tranny replaced twice and had also had some other work that he assessed indicated it had been wrecked. His advice to me was "walk away" from it. So, if you could find someone who could run the VINs for you, that might be worth doing.

On the road test specifically, I would also listen/feel for how tight the front-end suspension is -- at the mileage you indicate, if none of the suspension has been replaced, then that's probably not good. Pay attention also to how the transmissions shift, and if you can, do the things that Xheart recommends above.

Bottom line -- with used cars it's really a roll of the dice -- you could do real well or you could lose big time. Just do a little bit of homework and perhaps spend a few bucks to have another mechanic check it out. But if you get a good one, I think you'll be pleased with it. My '03 is quite frankly the best car I have ever owned. I even like it better than the '07 XC70 that my wife drives (although I do like that one too!) Also, you don't indicate the price or if you need the car now, but JRL sometimes offer exceptionally good deals on vehicles he sells (check out the classified section). I haven't bought one from him, but my experience from watching him on this forum tells me he does right by the buyer and delivers an exceptional car. Good luck.

[Rich603]

Looking quick at the limited info carfax.. Lower control arm bushings on both cars were done at 100k. Still working on getting more info.. Thanks again for replies