Used Volvo C70 Convertible 1997 - 2006 reliability review

What should I look for in a used Volvo C70?

The C70 is pretty reliable, mainly because it uses lots of tried and tested components from the old S70 saloon.

It'll be hard with cars of this age, but try to find one with full service history, which should show that a car has had some TLC. The turbo engines are quite highly stressed, but will perform well if serviced regularly. However, if you get suspicious-looking blue or black smoke when revving a hot engine, the turbo is probably finished, so look for another car.

Also, check the hood for wear and tear and ensure it folds without any problems - replacements and parts are expensive. Check the footwell carpets, too; but, if they're wet, it might not be the roof - the C70 has a real problem with leaking door mirrors, which can very difficult to fix.

Also check how even the tyre wear is. If it's not even or there are signs of kerbing damage on the wheels, there could be a suspension problem - or even worse, driveshaft damage.

Finally, check that recall work on the airbags has been done - a Volvo dealer should be able to do this for you.