Recap below since I am 1.5 years into ownership
The car was bought through Cars & Bid in January of 2023 after it got on my radar in 2022 through a marketplace listing. This would be my first vehicle that was fully owned by myself, a college student at the time.
Foolishly I did very little for pre-purchase inspection and was definitely blinded by my emotional joy to want such a special car and the immense service records from prior owner. (Still no regrets)
About the car (as bought):
2007 V70R
M66
Electric Silver / Nordkap
173K miles
Navigation
Subwoofer
Elevate front sway bar
“Shimmed block” allegedly, still haven’t pulled the head
IPD 3” Oval cat back
IPD strut bar hardware
IPD boost gauge
New 4C struts all around
New PCV system
New Pirelli P-zero all season plus
18” OEM Pegasus Satin black
12mm spacers front
15mm spacers rear
Lots of other extra service records from prior owner
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First month of ownership:
After registering the car, I drove it back to college (150mi~). I noticed slight blipping in throttle response when on highways every few minutes. This eventually threw some CELs, but intermittently and I didn’t suspect anything major. After a month of having, it I came back down from college and brought it into a shop for a fuel pump and exhaust fix. That was a mistake. Shop was a trusted shop my father has used for his two Mercedes over nearly the last decade. This didn’t translate to Volvos. After getting my car back the issue persisted, if not worse. After some more research I decided it was PEM or FPS related. I changed the FPS, as-well as the fuel filter, and brought the car to another shop (a Volvo one this time recommended by a friend) for a new PEM + better diagnostic support. This seemed to fix the car for a while, and everything seemed fine. Wrong. But, while my car was at the shop the windshield was cracked during a test drive with a fuel pressure gauge on it, so I got a new windshield out of it, hassle free.
May:
So, the 3rd to last day I was going to spend at college in my junior year, I drive the car with some buddies to get food. On the way back the car starts running horribly. On the on ramp the car will not accelerate and starts dropping RPMs slowly while sputtering. Pull over, turn it off, turn it back on. I’m only 4mi from my apt and figure I can make it back. Start driving again, same issue about 2mi later. At this point I’m pretty upset, but I just need to get it back. I’m able to only have one more time where it dies on me before I get back and park it. Now I’m pretty anxious as I have to move out and drive back home in the next couple days. With more research I decide I’ll have it flat bedded back (shout out AAA premium for the free tow) and get it to a real Volvo shop.
Summer:
I bring the cars to one of the best R shops around, Rolling Motors LLC. Met Ben and we take it for a test drive. Off the bat he finds turbo issues as pressure was peaking up to 25psi. I had been a wimp and babied the car since owning it so I never even got to 15psi or above 5.5K RPM. After a full diagnosis the sputtering is found to be two things.
1. IPD TCV (the equivalent of strapping a block of C4 to the engine from my research)
2. Fuel pump duty cycle, which I expected since the pump would hum at idle.
Since the car was in good hands, I figured why not just have Ben go through it fully. This included: Delrin subframe bushings, engine mounts, rear suspension bushings, parking brake rebuild and lots of other small things. A hefty bill later, the car feels like a new creature. Handling and general comfort have been transformed on it, day and night difference.
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To celebrate, new wheels were bought as the black pegs didn’t quite satisfy the look of the car to me. My option was Fast FC04s (generic I know). With 5mm spacers front and 15mm spacers rear. I think, for the money, this is a very simple and clean look for a 477 wagon
Summers over:
Back to college. Car is running like a champ. I’m getting over my throttle PTSD and learning to really drive the thing. It impresses me how well a wagon can move and handle with the factory suspension. Very little was done in the time in terms of modification and maintenance. Purely enjoying daily driving the car around my college town.
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Between Fall 2023 and summer 2024 I begin to notice two reoccurring issues which to this day (August 2024) I have yet to solve as they are negligible and rare.
1. P2407. An evap related code. I did need a new leak detection pump which was done in April 2024
2. Water leaking into passenger footwell from behind the glove box. This one deserves an entire post for itself which I will do at some time. And no, it’s not the sunroof vents.
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Summer 2024:
I graduated! Yippie. Now having a civil engineering degree and a full-time job, I can now spend more money on my 17-year-old Volvo station wagon!
Having had some dash warnings stating, “chassis settings temporarily unavailable” and “chassis settings service required” pop up every now and then. I had the car scanned with VIDA at the Volvo shop I had been using near my college and found my SAS was wonky. Earlier in the winter I had bought a T5 sport steering wheel as well and kind of figured this was what I’d have to replace a
nyway so now was the time to put in both. Thanks to Mark (@V50_M66) those two items were installed and calibrated. T5 sport wheel is definitely an upgrade for any R car over the stock wheel, looks and feel.
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I had to address my shifter. Either over time or just my paranoia started to notice more and more play. To resolve this, I opted to put in a snaab short throw w/ Delrin base plate bushings with all new OEM shifter bushing. This made a big difference, and I recommend anyone with the M66 does it. A bit lower of a shifting position but, in my opinion, it looks a lot better having the knob lower.
Next was new side mirrors. Minor item but wow what a revelation to be able to see around my car with fresh glass.
That brings us up to date on my car and currently it resides at 183700mi. Shortly there will be a slew of upgrades and maintenance that @V50_M66, a Volvo god send, will be helping me with on this awesome vehicle. Stay tuned.