1999 Volvo V70 or 2004 Toyota RAV4?

Which should I keep? My Volvo wagon has 140,000 miles on it & the RAV4 has 77,000. I have to get rid of one. The upkeep on the Volvo is pricey, but I do feel like it is a really safe car. The upkeep on the Toyota is minimal - but will it stay that way? Will the RAV4 make it to 250,000 miles? It isn’t as safe, either. Please give me your opinion!!!

Also, I am a dog walker/pet sitter & the V’s leather seats are much easier to keep clean and stink-free than the fabric. But is it worth the difference in cost of maintenance?

Thanks everybody!

Safety is in the hands of the driver.
Keep the Toyota.

( personally I wouldn’t have a Volvo anyway, especially an old one…$ cha-ching $ )

I’d go with the Rav4, too. As for the fabric seats, get some pet covers to protect them. If you don’t like the Rav4, you could sell them both and get something a bit new you do like.

This is a no-brainer. Keep the Toyota. With proper maintenance it can easily go 250K miles. My guess is the Volvo would cost roughly twice as much to keep over time.

You’re misinformed about the safety issue. A 2004 ANYTHING is safer than a '99 Volvo.

Dump the old Volvo and get some seat covers.

From a financial perspective, there’s no doubt that you should keep the Toyota.

What sort of test results are you comparing to decide about the safety? I find it hard to believe that the Volvo is measurably safer.

An '04 Rav4 is at least as safe as the Volvo, and more likely even safer. The Rav4 has less miles, and it will be MUCH cheaper to maintain and repair than your Volvo.

If you love the Volvo so much you have to keep it, then sell the Rav4 and put all the money you get in the bank for repairs on the Volvo. I owned an '98 V70XC and $2,000+ repair bills were too common and too frequent and I sold it.

lion9scar:
Am not actually comparing test results. The Volvo feels so much more sturdy than the RAV when I am driving it. Does that count as a scientific experiment? Haha

Well, it is important - any thought to getting rid of both of them for something newer/more substantial?

Your senses are easily fooled, as any magician knows. The 2004 Toyota is actually safer than the old Volvo.

Having said that, if you’re still driving on the original struts and alignment in the RAV4, it might be a good idea to get them bothe checked. A vehicle with good suspension, good tire, and good alignment feels much sturdier and more stable than one that’s overdue.

texases: Good idea to let them both go, perhaps, but I hadn’t thought about it, really. That’s a whole new can of worms. What do you mean by ‘more substantial’? Suggestions?

mtnbike: I’ve been attentive to the upkeep on the RAV and can only assume a mechanic would have told me if these things needed to be looked at. Is that asking too much?

I agree that given a choice, the Rav makes better sense for economic and safety reasons, But, for many, the 04 Ravs seem to ride like crap and lack the " look at me factor " perceived by Volvo owners. IMO, if you have the money keep an older, unreliable Volvo on the road and want something with a better ride, sell both and look for a used Lexus or Infinity in a model that might serve your needs as well.

old Volvo versus new car crash test

Volvo’s safety spiel went out the window YEARS ago, just like the Korean cars(Hyundai/Kia) are horrible little crapboxes. All cars of today are just as safe, if not safer, than a Volvo of the same year.

If you like the leather of the Volvo and like how cheap it it to keep the Toyota running, I’ll add my vote to selling both and getting a newer car. One thing to keep in mind if you’re debating on brand new vs a few years old; lots of used cars are now selling for the same price, if not MORE, than their brand new counterparts, especially if you’re looking at fuel efficient ones.

One perk to getting new is that you can special order a car exactly how you want it, if you don’t mind waiting for a couple months. If you like a certain color or option, and no other dealers have it, order it. A good salesman/dealership will work with you and not try to force you into buying one on the lot that day.
A Mazda 3 5-door can be had with leather seats, navigation, push button start and HIDs for about 27 grand(25 if you don’t want the HIDs, nav or push button start), and will net you 22/29mpg

The video is impressive. Good find Bscar.

I’ve kept that one, and the SUV ramming a small car, around just for this reason. Someone comes on here saying they want to buy/keep an old Volvo because they are the safest things on 4 wheels, I just hope this video helps them(other posters besides Cyd, too) make the right choice.
Also see my post “They don’t make 'em like they used to” here in the general discussions forum, and go through the PopMech link to see what they’re talking about.