A long time since my last post, but I have a major update to share.
After almost 2 years and 45,000 miles (and more than $7k of restorative maintenance) with my beloved P3 S60, and with no plans to sell, I stumbled across my dream XC70.
My friend’s dad / mechanic wanted to see it, so we drove 90 minutes to test it out. I told him, “if it’s a rat, I’m not buying it.” Dealership was asking $7300 + fees. 131k miles, 2 owners.
Walked away that day feeling very conflicted. I knew it needed $2k or more of work to pass NH inspection … it ran great, and it was the car I wanted, but did I really want to restart the process of bringing a neglected P3 Volvo back to top condition? After all, I didn’t want to buy a rat… and this car was close.
Called the dealership and told them I was passing on the car, but that I would still be interested if the price came down. They told me a “couple from Maine” was coming the next day to see it – this after it had been on their lot for 3+ months. (Some of you may even remember my posting it in a non-affiliated thread earlier this year.)
The “couple from Maine” trick was almost certainly a ruse, but it got me thinking: would anybody appreciate this wagon as much as I would? Because this was no ordinary T6 wagon.
If you’re curious, $52k in 2012 would be $75k now. And eagle-eyed viewers will note the provenance of the original selling dealership.
And yes, “HP Performance Enhance”, after much research, is the original name of the factory Polestar tune! (There’s a little blue sticker inside the fuel door which “recommends” premium fuel.)
To make a long story short: I put down a deposit the next day and paid $6500 out the door.
I hit 132k on the way home, with a long list of “to-do” items already forming in my head.
This car needs a lot. The previous owner purchased at 81,000 miles, and, from what I can tell, did almost nothing other than oil changes. It doesn’t seem to be burning oil, though. The car was sold with dirty oil still showing slightly above full on the original 2012 dipstick (which is a little optimistic, I think). We did Liqui Moly’s engine flush, 8qt oil change, and CeraTec treatment as a baseline service.
Right now, to be ready for “prime time”, it needs:
- all new tires (the horrible Pirelli Verdes are from 2019, and dry-rotted)
- flex pipe
- trailing arm bushings
- LF CV axle
- wheels refurbished or replaced
- passenger seat unstuck (it’ll go up and down, but not forwards or backwards)
…. and, most troubling of all, these codes resolved:
Mechanic and I foresee the exhaust issues being somewhat alleviated by the replacement of flex pipe / sealing of any other holes. Cam and crank correlation code is the only one that really bothers me, but fingers crossed a dirty VVT hub screen is the worst possible culprit. I had something similar on my T5 in the early days, and some high-quality oil / engine flushes permanently eliminated it.
I’m making this post not just for the “oohs” and “aahs” of a $6500 Polestar’d wagon, but for any input or advice that others can provide. Sure, I probably still overpaid, and this thing will definitely keep me busy for a while…. but this is the car I’ve been looking for, and once it’s up to snuff, I can’t see myself wanting to swap it out anytime soon. The goal is to add at least 100k miles, which should take me about 5 years.
Regardless of issues, I am just so smitten with this thing…. it pulls like a freight train (Swedish cruise missile?), rides like a waterbed, smells good (shockingly), looks good, and has all my desired features. It definitely deserves to be saved. Once the big items are sorted and my S60 is sold, we will change every fluid, every filter, and every preventative maintenance item you can name. It will also need a belt service in the not-too-distant future, I’m sure.
The “Hearse” moniker hearkens back to the days (well before my time) when my grandmother owned a black 850 wagon in the 90s. That was her first Volvo. “I thought I died and went to heaven when I got that car!” she says. We have similar tastes in many ways … black coffee, Birkenstocks, antiques, and Swedish cars!
In the meantime, the blue P3 S60 is being readied for sale, pending a thorough de-stickering and a proper wash. It will be a few weeks / a month or two before I am comfortable giving up the “sorted” vehicle for the screwy wagon, but keep it in mind as a good option for a savvy teenager / someone who will take care of it. A few friends at school are also interested. Send a PM if it tickles your fancy.