Despite looking like it deserves a place in Volvo’s Gothenburg Museum, today’s Nice Price or No Dice V70 XC hides a heart-wrenching secret: it has a rebuilt title. Would that impact your interest in its price despite its otherwise phenomenal presentation?
Introduced in 1933, the BMW 303 represented two milestones for the Bavarian automaker. Notably, the 303 was BMW’s first six-cylinder production car, offering an inline engine layout that would become one of the brand’s hallmarks decades later. The model also introduced another hallmark that has graced nearly every single model since, the iconic twin-kidney grille.
The 2005 BMW 320i we looked at on Monday was missing its twin kidneys. No, it didn’t likely awaken in the bathtub full of ice water in a cheap motel with two gaping stitches on its back. Instead, it looked to have hit something, knocking the grilles out in the process. At just $2,900, that egregious insult to the car’s heritage might very well be overlooked. It being a Canadian model simply added to its intrigue, resulting in a solid 88% ‘Nice Price’ win despite some high miles and that punch in the face.
Cross Country
When most of us think about old Volvo wagons, I’ll bet that what pops first to mind is the 200 Series of the 1980s. Most likely in turbo form. Boxy, stout, and timeless in design, the 200 Series became a beloved icon of the Volvo ethos. Man, that must have been a tough car for the company to replace. But it was replaced by an equally boxy yet thoroughly modern model called the 850. That car begat the S70 (saloon) and V70 (estate), which also received styling and equipment updates.
At the same time that Volvo was putting the finishing touches on the S and V, a strange new phenomenon began to overtake the world, starting in the U.S. This was a penchant among car buyers to gravitate toward more aggressive-looking 4WD wagons and SUVs. Volvo, like many of its European rivals, was caught with its corporate pants at its ankles and, with little money available for a quick entry into the category, took a stopgap measure in the form of the V70 XC.
Available only with full-time AWD, the XC featured a 1.3-inch rise in ride height, a chunkier grille and deeper front valance, and a glossy black panel below the glass on the rear hatch that read CROSS COUNTRY. The letters XC then became Volvo’s nomenclature for its SUVs and crossovers, a tradition that continues to this day. This 2000 Volvo V70 XC is where that all started.
Old, but like new
And should you want to get a taste of what that first XC felt like, you could do far worse than this Mystic Silver Metallic over charcoal edition. While age and lackadaisical ownership typically result in these cars suffering dings, dents, and almost inevitable scrapes on each bumper corner, this car exhibits none of those flaws. Not only is the bodywork straight, but the headlamp lenses are clear, and the handsome gunmetal gray alloys are free of any curb rash.
The interior is even more of a time capsule, appearing to have never had a butt in any seat, nor any grubby mitts touch a single button or switch. Heck, even the red seatbelt release buttons are unfaded. That’s some voodoo magic.
According to the ad, things are just as on the up and up under the hood. In the U.S., this edition of the XC was offered with a single drivetrain, consisting of a 190-horsepower 2.4-liter B5244T turbocharged inline five-cylinder and a four-speed automatic. This car only has 120,000 miles under its belt and, as an added benefit, comes with a recent timing belt and water pump service, performed at a local Volvo dealer.
Thick as thieves
Per the ad, everything on the car works as it should. The A/C is cold, the heated seats heat, and the sunroof… well, does its thing. Not only does the car look almost as-new, but, as boasted in the ad, it drives like new too. And it comes with a rebuilt title.
I know, whomp-whomp.
Here’s the thing, though: the car is claimed to be accident-free. So why did it get totaled and then saddled with a rebuilt title? The seller says that it was due to a theft recovery. Thieves are why we can’t have nice things. Or, at least, not for all that long.
The unfortunate result is a car tainted by the scarlet letter of a rebuilt title, which could impact the ability to insure it, and it suffers the ignominy of being looked down upon by judgey types who simply think rebuilt means it’s some sort of Franken-car.
Worth the risk?
And that brings us to a major conundrum. This V70 XC is in amazing shape, something super rare these days, making it a great opportunity for the Volvo aficionado or just someone looking for a cool old wagon. You know who you are. The only hurdle is that black mark title, and we now need to decide whether or not the car’s $4,700 asking price makes up for that besmirchment.
What do you say? Is $4,700 a fair price for this excellent-looking XC, despite the disappointment with the title? Or is there just no way a rebuilt or salvage title car could ever find its way into your heart of hearts?
You decide!
Portland, Oregon, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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