Volvo C70 4x4 Country 1998

[Hightower]

Any good for launching/recovering with?

[ADS]

The C70 is the coupe so I imagine your referring to the V70 estate, I shouldn't think it will be too bad but I wouldn't think theres low range and its only as good as its standard road tyres.

[Searider]

I'd be interested to hear of anyone's experiences with these.

I'm considering getting rid of my elderly Discovery which is used purely for towing the boat and replacing it with an XC70 as a daily car.
Having it parked on the drive takes up space and always seems to cost a grand a year for MOT, service, Tax and insurance and being 12 years old it doesn't get any less rusty!

Have done some research and the diesel (163hp version) XC70 is rated to tow 1800kg. (The new one can do 2100kg but i'm somewhat short of the £40k odd required!)

No low range box but perhaps would be OK with an automatic gearbox?

As another oddball the Passat can also be had in 1.9tdi 4motion form, but only with a manual gearbox as far as I can tell. Not sure of the towing weight.

Any thoughts?

[BumbleAbout]

We have had a V70 D5 manual (the 5 cylinder diesel) for the last four years and they are fantastic cars which handle very well indeed and still return 60mpg on a longer run. The cross country variant simply has higher suspension and some add on plastic bits to attempt to reduce the stone chips. They are also much quieter than a D2, but we don't use it for towing (the 110 copes with all that).

[Nasher]

Andy

I may be wrong, but I seam to remember hearing that the early 4x4 V70s, which may well have still been badged as 850s, had a reputation for 'winding up' centre diffs which then let go.
Something to do with the electronic control of the viscious couplings or something.

The 2WD cars are excellent apparently, and I'd imagine that the 4WD estates would tow very well, but as mentioned already would not have a low ratio box. But hey, how often do we use it?

Nasher.

[Searider]

They have the Haldex system as used on some transverse engine Audis with Quattro. 1.9tdi A4s, S3s etc.

Electrically operated clutch pack in the rear diff engages the rear wheels when slip of the fronts detected. No centre diff.

I have a friend with an early 1996/P 850 AWD 2.5T manual and still going strong but not really used for towing. Used it to pull his Victory up the slip at the Camber once and the clutch was a bit unimpressed! Very heavy boat and steep slip!

Never owned an automatic so not sure how it all behaves at low speed - on a slip.

Just wondering if anyone has experience of pulling a boat up a slip with one - is first gear low enough to do the job?

[Hightower]

Well I decided not to go for it because the insurance costs would be too high, I also wasn't going to gamble on it towing the Vipermax better than the Kia.

Here's the link: Click

Sold for not a lot of money....

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Searider

I'd be interested to hear of anyone's experiences with these.

I'm considering getting rid of my elderly Discovery which is used purely for towing the boat and replacing it with an XC70 as a daily car.
Having it parked on the drive takes up space and always seems to cost a grand a year for MOT, service, Tax and insurance and being 12 years old it doesn't get any less rusty!

Have done some research and the diesel (163hp version) XC70 is rated to tow 1800kg. (The new one can do 2100kg but i'm somewhat short of the £40k odd required!)

No low range box but perhaps would be OK with an automatic gearbox?

As another oddball the Passat can also be had in 1.9tdi 4motion form, but only with a manual gearbox as far as I can tell. Not sure of the towing weight.

Any thoughts?

Do NOT get a Passat with an electric handbrake unless it's an auto - you have been warned!!! Also the 1.9tdi is very sluggish - the 140bhp versions are much better.

[Tim M]

For reference, I have a friend who tows a 7.5m Ribeye - launches and recovers it at the Camber slip with a knackered looking old V70 and he doesn't seem to have any trouble with it.

[Searider]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Do NOT get a Passat with an electric handbrake unless it's an auto - you have been warned!!! Also the 1.9tdi is very sluggish - the 140bhp versions are much better.

Can't afford the £25k plus for a new passat. - so no problems with electric handbrakes.

About £7k for the few 1.9tdi 4motions i've seen advertised. All manual as far as I can tell with the 130hp engine.

Have driven an A4 1.9tdi 130 and it was anything but sluggish. Depends what you're used to I guess. As it will be replacing a Disco 300tdi and a 1.0l Peugeot 106, in comparison it will be like a sports car!

Tim, thanks for the info on the V70. Sounds like it could be worth investigating.

Duncan