Hi all.

As a new member, I just thought I'd start off here in the new member area and say hi. I'm currently not a Volvo owner, but it's time for a new car, and I'm seriously looking at buying an XC90. I've driven an SUV for the last 10 years or so, and as of late the XC90s have really struck me as being one of the most visually appealing SUVs on the market today, so it's very much in the running for my next vehicle purchase.

With a budget of around $20K - $22K, I realize that if I decide to go the XC90 route, I'll need to settle for a pre-owned model (probably a 2004 or 2005), and likely one with with relatively high mileage. Obviously, those are the two big drawbacks, and I'm still weighing my options.

That said, I was wondering if anyone might be able to recommend a source for good information on buying older model XC90s. In particular, is there anything in the '04 and '05 models that I should really be aware of or avoid altogether?

Also, buying an '04 or '05 means that I'd likely be buying a vehicle with no manufacturer's warranty, which is a little scary. As such, I'm curious for opinions on whether buying an XC90 without a warranty is just a minor risk, or if it's a recipe for disaster. Having never owned a true foreign car, I realize that parts and repairs can be costly, so that is going to figure into my decision as well.

Anyway, happy to have joined the forum, and any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

whatever you choose, make sure you carfax it. correct maintainance is key to lengevity on these cars. make sure that any and all service recalls and the like were taken care of. you will hear horror stories and you will hear praises being sung about the xc90. the call is yours. if you can swing it, get a warranty, either dealer or third party. let them cover any problems. good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks for the info. As I want to know as much about a pre-owned vehicle as possible before purchasing it, I'm definitely going to CARFAX any vehicle that I'd consider purchasing.

I've been reading through the forum and have found some conflicting information about the reliability of various transmissions for '04 and '05 models. Could someone please give a brief summary of the transmissions available on these models, as well as the general consensus on which is currently considered the better option?

Also, I live in an area where we get a fair amount of snow in the winter, so I definitely want an AWD vehicle. This may be a silly question, but on XC90s that offer AWD, is AWD always on, or can it be turned on/off manually?

on the first models, you could turn them on and off. i think on the newer ones, they had an AWD option. don't go for that one, it's a gas killer. i think all the trannies are the same. just a different program running it. if poss, go for the biggest engine that you can afford and find. my brother in law has the twin turbo'ed 2001 model and loves it. no complaints. and he drives the crap out of it. your call.

Welcome :) . Hope you enjoy your stay here.

Welcome, welcome.
:)