Why exactly wouldn't a Volvo V70R be the perfect car for me? Talk me down...

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I've sort of been down this hypothetical road before when I was thinking about an S60R. I've heard some horror stories but please refresh my memory. I need one more vehicle in my fleet. It needs to haul a medium to large size dog that still needs to be crated or contained for a while longer, while also having room for a kid in a car seat. My Accord sedan and my four door Tacoma are currently failing at this mission. It needs to have an automatic transmission, so that other members of the family can operate it on occasion. Clutch pedal lessons are not an option. Aftermarket support would be a huge bonus. It would see a couple of track days per year. 300 horsepower is a number that I like. AWD would also be nice, so that I could still enjoy track days in the rain. It needs to have an aversion to rust, which eliminates turbo Subarus. I have too many projects, so building something is not an option. I don't mind maintenance, but I need an off the shelf solution. Go...

if I had found one of these vs the Subaru, id still have it. my needs were similar (except rust. I love the south). Subaru showed up first.

I see no reason not to do this.

This one is a rust free example being sold by a GRM board member in Jacksonville, FL

https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/ctd/5501477169.html

Notice the track Nissan SE-R in the background.

Overall reliable. The angle gear and coupling in the AWD system can be prone to failure and the shocks are a bit spendy. Other than that the rest of the car is stout. Volvo interiors and exteriors seem to wear much better than most.

Some people say the ride is too rough, but I have no first hand experience.

In reply to JohnRW1621:

That's a pretty nice car! A T5 is probably a smarter choice, but the R is so tempting.

I must admit, the R is just sexier. the T5 is probably easier on the wallet though.

I don't know the differences any more. My Volvo was an 850 wagon 5 speed manual NA.

Mine is having a low oil pressure issue at the moment. I am trying to figure out a solution. Thanks for the free advert though John. The T5 is FWD as well unlike the R.

As stated the awd arent the most durable, shocks are spendy if you go back to stock nivomats or whatever suspension they use on the R but its easy/maybe cheaper to convert to normal shocks instead like koni or whatever. But id suggest a normal t5 and just add whatever R or better than R bits as you see fit. The in interior of the R's are nice. Other than that the motors are pretty good but its like a bmw you got to keep up with their particular maintainance for them to stay good motors (pcv comes to mind)

JohnRW1621 wrote: I don't know the differences any more. My Volvo was an 850 wagon 5 speed manual NA.

I'd take one of those in a heartbeat.

That car in the OP is pretty much my ideal vehicle... I need a moment.

I gave my 850 wagon to my nephew in Columbus, Oh about 6 years ago. He still has it on the road as a workhorse and winter car. He too got the bug and his better car is a Volvo V50 awd w/ manual trans. Pretty rare.

IIRC some years of the automatic transmission are exponentially more robust than others, but I don't know which off hand. The P2R never interested me much because the T5 is 80% of the car with 20% of the issues, and is actually a faster car with the right mods.

Duke wrote: That car in the OP is pretty much my ideal vehicle... I need a moment.

Yup +1 - that blue is incredible!

Personally I love the V70R....but were I to own one, I'd rather find a mid-2000s Subaru Legacy GT wagon. Not quite 300hp but only a downpipe and tune away from 300, really. More aftermarket support by a mile. Otherwise checks all your boxes.

My biggest fear is the automatic transmission. Having gone down that path with a '96 850 T5 (FWD), I will NEVER willingly own another Volvo with an automatic. NEVER. I'd buy an automatic Audi first. Or more likely a BMW E34 or E39 540iT.

Nothing to add except that I saw Randy Pobst pull into the paddock at Road Atlanta driving one of these, towing a Volvo Chumpcar. That's a pretty good endorsement in my book.

The AWD is every bit as reliable as almost anybody else's. The automatic transmissions had some valve body issues in 2001. The R is too low, and most of them have 4C suspension, which somehow makes every setting just a bit worse than the standard shocks. The bits and pieces are more spendy, because they are betterish. I prefer a T5.

They are the perfect car. Maintenance can be spendyour (Four-C struts are ~$450 each, big brakes).

AWD issues are there. Angle gear and coupler as mentioned previously, as well as the DEM pump and module. Either of these can be $1,000 repairs. They can be driven around as a FWD, too.

Overall reliable, though.

Absolutely loved mine, but was not in a position where I could afford the running costs. WILL have another.

The r comes with serious suspension and brake improvements along with more bhp compared to the stock v70

irish44j wrote: Personally I love the V70R....but were I to own one, I'd rather find a mid-2000s Subaru Legacy GT wagon. Not quite 300hp but only a downpipe and tune away from 300, really. More aftermarket support by a mile. Otherwise checks all your boxes.

I've had four Subarus. I absolutely loved my WRX, but the other three berked me in the ass. Two of them were 2005 Legacys.

I might own another Subaru some day, but unless they get the corrosion situation under control, I'll be avoiding used ones. And I don't think there are any wagons or hatches with a turbo in the current lineup.

My parents just sold a 2011 legacy with 80k that was starting to rust

My 80,000 mile Legacy was rust free, but that's right around the time that I had to pull the engine out.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/fct/cto/5480170991.html

The R is the only one i'd consider. I know people are saying the regular T5 has less issues but it also has a lot less special. The interior on the R is the majority of the price difference in my book. You're paying some for AWD, brakes, wheels, the power bump, etc, but the interior is the biggest thing to me personally.