[distance]

Hello,

...I'm driving for 3 years troubleless Alfa 146 from year 1998.

Now I'm thinking of buying Volvo C70 2.3 T5 176kW coupe version.
Manufactured in the year 2000, it has 72.000km (45.000 miles).
Leasing company took the car from the owner in the year 2002 and since then it has been in their garage. (4 years)

price is around $10.000 USD

car looks and sounds nice...

Now the question:
What do you think, is this a good deal ?

What should I pay attention on ?
What are the most common problems with that car/engine, turbo ?

If the car is without problems, can it work for 10-20.000 miles more without bigger problems ?

Thank you very much for fast reply...

Filip
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[jkvolvo]

Re: C70 2.3 T5 Coupe - Y2000, Yes Or No ? (distance)

I just paid 17k (U.S.) for my 02 with 34,000 miles on it.

 

[BenES]

Re: C70 2.3 T5 Coupe - Y2000, Yes Or No ? (jkvolvo)

For Europe, it's a real bargain, normally no Issue's, you can check the brakes and the airco after 4 years parking...

 

[distance]

Re: C70 2.3 T5 Coupe - Y2000, Yes Or No ? (BenES)

Brakes for sure.

How do I check if A/C is working right ?
(some special procedure or just turn it on?)

thx

 

[Prospero]

Re: C70 2.3 T5 Coupe - Y2000, Yes Or No ? (distance)

Yep, just turn it on and make sure it's blowing cold at idle. Air should be about 48degrees F right out of the vents on max cooling. Listen for the compressor and make sure it is not louder than what you would expect to hear. Be sure it is not going on and off in less than 40-second intervals...less than that between runs could mean that you have low R134a. (Not a big deal really, just something that you will have to toy with down the road.)

Let the car run with the AC on for a while and check to be sure that there is a puddle or at least drips of water on the ground under the car.

Also, I suggest making sure that the oil, filter, trans oil, brake fluid, and air filter have all been replaced since the car was sitting. On these items...it's a factor of time vs. miles that kill it. The brake fluid is particularry subject to this because it is afterall a hydroscopic (sp?) liquid.

Another suggestion will be to inspect the tires for dry-rot cracking and damage. When tires sit on the car for a long time, they can be flattened and then damage the sidewalls with the weight of the car resting on them when they are out of air. So check for this, it's expensive to replace all 4 tires.

Ask the dealer to do a tune-up and replace the sparkplugs and fuel filter before you take the car. Reason being that the plugs can get stuck in the head after sitting for a long time. If they happen to break a plug while getting it out...well it is in their hands and not yours. The fuel filter is just a precaution. It does have paper in it and it too can degrade after sitting stagnent for a while.

Oh, just so you know...I'm not pulling this out of my arse. My C70 was also a car that sat for almost 2-years prior to me buying it. The car had no motor for almost 18 months...so it wasn't a big deal for me since I was expecting to do work on the car as a long-term project. Your case is different. It sounds like a great buy...just be sure to work the dealer into doing the right thing...or at least get them to give you an extended warranty for cost.

Cheers,
Prospero

 

[distance]

Re: C70 2.3 T5 Coupe - Y2000, Yes Or No ? (Prospero)

@Prospero

Thank you very much!
Nice and informative post. http://********************/smile/emthup.gif

Please how much (+/-) I can expect to pay those checks and replacements?

Tyres look very good, it has 16" wheels and winter tyres on it.
But for sure I would buy new 17" aloy wheels and new sport tyres.
What tyre dimensions should I go for ? (225-45-17") ?

or 18" wheels are better ?

One more thing

What could be wrong with the engine ? (most common problems)

Thank you very much.

Modified by distance at 4:52 PM 4-14-2006