[Ian HT]

I have now make the hard decision to sell my S70 – a 1998 2.5 10 valve automatic.

I bought this from my parents in 2003. It was our family car until a couple of V70s then an XC90 came along, then our second car until my wife bought an S60, and for the last 7 years or so it has been the spare “modern classic” car.

Brief details – just over 77,000 miles, MOT until 01.07.2023 and within the last couple of hundred miles or so it has had new rear brake discs, pads, handbrake shoes and fitting kits plus four new Toyo Proxes CF2 tyres. It has got a new battery. The driver’s door lock had suffered the usual microswitch problem, so I fitted a second-hand replacement a couple of months ago, which has cured that. It has the full original 25 year old exhaust. Our Volvo specialist garage said not long ago that it is one of the best S70s that they see. It is a good, honest, original car that has not been messed about with – save that my parents had a towbar and Grayston auxiliary springs fitted sometime around 2000.

A fairly rare modern classic in very good, cared for condition and very relaxing to drive. Sounds good too!

Bad points – the aircon has not worked since summer 2003 when my parents took it to a garage on France who said that the evaporator was leaking. I always took the view that the windows still work! The alarm used to go off occasionally at night and drained the battery – it has been unplugged which has resolved these issues. I have noticed that the headlining in the rear has started to come unglued a little.

What is it worth?! There are higher mileage 15 year old Ford Mondeos on the market for £2,500 – this may be 25 years old but it is easily a good, longer-lasting everyday car that still looks great at Volvo club meetings.

Offers based on £2,000 invited – my main concern is to let it go to a good home so if anyone is genuinely interested, PM me!