2002 Volvo V70 FWD wagon

[Germanicus]

Originally Posted by dopey

This reminds me - I really think this is a beautiful design. I hope they don't screw with it much when they do the inevitable refresh.
??? This is the refreshed model. Theres a new model out since 2 years.

 

[dopey]

Originally Posted by Germanicus

???

This is the refreshed model. Theres a new model out since 2 years.

Not happy. They muscled it up on the hood and messed with the clean flow from the sides to the back. Oh well. The 2005 model doesn't look terribly different from the 2001, which is what I have. In fact, not at all different. The new version does look different, and I don't like it as much.

 

[Nataku]

Speaking of Volvo design, here's the upcomming XC100. I like everything but the headlights.

 

[inq89]

^Not bad, but very modern for my taste.

So the deal with the Volvo described in my original post fell through, but I have found 2 other good prospects within my limited price range: a 2003 Volvo V70 (which has a good consensus as discussed) and a 2003 Saab 9-5 wagon. The Volvo is about $2000 more than the Saab, but has less mileage. Both are private owned and appear to look good.

So I know now that the V70 is reliable, but how about the Saab? They have always had a bad reputation for breaking down and expensive maintenance, but my light research from Edmunds and Cars.com shows that the 2003 9-5 wagon is dependable. Thoughts?

 

[Concordia]

...

 

[Concordia]

Originally Posted by inq89

^Not bad, but very modern for my taste.

So the deal with the Volvo described in my original post fell through, but I have found 2 other good prospects within my limited price range: a 2003 Volvo V70 (which has a good consensus as discussed) and a 2003 Saab 9-5 wagon. The Volvo is about $2000 more than the Saab, but has less mileage. Both are private owned and appear to look good.

So I know now that the V70 is reliable, but how about the Saab? They have always had a bad reputation for breaking down and expensive maintenance, but my light research from Edmunds and Cars.com shows that the 2003 9-5 wagon is dependable. Thoughts?

I have an 04 sedan and love it. My dad had a slightly earlier model wagon, and is still sort of kicking himself for trading it when he had a slow afternoon. The main thing is to avoid the V-6 engine, which is a disaster in all sorts of ways.

There is an owners' forum that can field questions in more detail. Saabnet, I think.

 

[Nataku]

Originally Posted by inq89

but how about the Saab? They have always had a bad reputation for breaking down and expensive maintenance, but my light research from Edmunds and Cars.com shows that the 2003 9-5 wagon is dependable. Thoughts?
I've owned 3 Saabs: a 1999 9-3, a 1999 9-5 wagon and a 2002 9-5 sedan. All have been great cars, but like Volvo you need to find a good indie mechanic as the dealer is a huge rip-off for both parts and service. Saabs, like any other 5+ y/o luxury cars have their little issues. The main things on these is to check for the PVC update (chances are if the PVC hoses in the engine bay have the GM logo, the update has been done) and to see if synthetic oil has been used/changed regularly and to see if the oil pan has been dropped to check for sludge lately. The '99-02 cars had issues with engine sludge, but I'd check on the '03 just to be safe. Drop the oil pan and check the oil filter. It's about a 2 hr job when you're doing it yourself for the first time, or about $200 in labor at a shop. It's basically just for peace of mind. If synthetic oil has been used, your chances of oil sludge as slimmer than if regular oil has been used. Other than that, just look for normal used car stuff (rust, maintenance records, tires/brakes/struts, etc).