A Great drive in the S80

I had a great drive on Sunday from Edinburgh to Thurso and back on Monday.

600 miles of Scottish Highland driving in a superb car - I'll have to buy one (my own car is a V40 which I thought was pretty good anyway - but the S80 2.4 was stunning).
Reply to
Geoff Pearson
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after owning one foe a few years...i enjoy borowing one , now every once and a while...they are a great car to rent or borow...for spirited drives...ownership is another story...

Reply to
~^ beancounter ~^

is that advice against ownership?

Reply to
Geoff Pearson

i would be careful w/any s80 prior to 2002...lets put it that way...i guess it would also depend on how you drive...i drive my volvos hard and expect a lot from them...the older 85's - 99's seem to hold up better in my opinion.....it seems the newer s80's are a bit better and more reliable....or, at least i hear less complaints about them...

Reply to
~^ beancounter ~^

hi

i own a 97 850 20v volvo, just been out in a 2002 s80 d5, realy nice to drive, handles well, and certainly goes as well as mine.and better fuel economy than my 850, mind you my 850 takes some beating, just about got everything fitted to mine, so who needs tracs?

thing is cannot afford one yet, and the d5 has only been out for a couple of years i was told.

ps: in the uk

col

Reply to
simmo

Beancounter, you have many Usenet posts about how reliable your S80 was right up until the day you sold it. Then you bad-mouthed S80's every chance you got. Your last post before you sold the car you bragged about how reliable it had been. If I recall you replaced it with a much older Volvo which probably left you with $10,000 extra in your pockets.

BTW, with the exception of a couple of ball joints that were replaced under warrantee and a couple of software updates, the early S80's are virtually identical to the newer S80's. And it's relatively inexpensive to have the latest software loaded in the earlier models (if the previous owner didn't already have it done). So it makes no sense to say be careful with pre-2002 S80's, that just shows you don't have a good grasp of the cars we are discussing here. I drive my 2000 S80 T-6 really hard under pretty adverse conditions, most would accuse me of "thrashing" it, and yet it's the most reliable car I've ever owned. Bar none.

Spanky

Reply to
Spanky

no extra $ if you factor in the economic loss of owning a s80...paid around $38k...put 50k miles on it...got aprox $20 selling as a used car...$18k loss... replaced it w/a 1993 940t off of ebay @ $1.8k...put in $3k of upgrades...have driven aprox 30k miles so far...worth aprox $3k on the used card market...do the math on how much $ per mile driven...its a no brainer...

they are? on engineering improvements?..

when i asked my local dealer about software updates...i got the dear in the headlights look...they were clueless..

really....maybe some others will chime in about the track records on the early s80's...

good for you...i am glad you got a "good one"...how many total miles do you have on it?

how much in ttl $ put out on maint so far? what is the price paid...and used book value now?

Reply to
~^ beancounter ~^

---------------snip--------------------------------- am very encouraged by the news that a transmission control software upgrade is now available and I am very thankful for the efforts made by Trygve and others who have diligently worked behind the scenes to get Volvo management to behave in a responsible manner.

This experience has pointed to the importance of Volvospy, as I have been made aware that many Volvo employees from the assembly line to senior management read our posts. I am hopeful that some of the misguided and irresponsible supervisory management of PAG and its Parent Company - The Ford Motor Company also read it. My message to those members of FMC management, who have imposed cost and other management controls in Goteborg is to wake up an allow Volvo to maintain the high standards that we expect from Volvo Personvagnar AB. We are the owners of Volvo cars built on Volvo premium car platforms.

The problem to which this thread refers commenced in September 2001 and I know that it is those cost and management controls imposed that are at the core of this drawn out saga.

Not all Volvo owners will continue to support the Brand at the premium end of the production spectrum if this cost induced behavour continues.

I received contact today from the owner of a 2003 S80T6 in my market of Sydney Australia. A third party had directed him to this Volvospy Forum. He has owned his car for less than a year and had an intention to sell it, given what he considered to be an unsafe hesitation pattern in the transmission when in a power demand situation and for the fact that nobody has been able to help him resolve it. After purchasing it from the Alto organisation in Sydney his various complaints have continued to be dismissed by his Dealer and Volvo Australia. His experience with the Volvo Australia organisation has been the same as mine. I am totally appalled by the organisation and the performance of its new CEO who I understand comes from a finance industry background. I note good people are commencing to leave that organisation and sales have continued to decline in real terms. I was pleased to be able to tell the owner that contacted me that new software had been released today.

I will comment further on the transmission when I receive the upgrade and have sufficient time to test it. It is my recommendation that we should place, on record concerns with our dealers, that the harsh transmission shifts from 1st to 2nd may have caused damage. I also recommend that the engine output power and torque is tested for post September 2001 produced cars with new block, VVT, turbos and throttle body etc. I have owned both pre and post September 2001 produced cars and I know there is a noticeable difference despite what is published and I am not just refering to full torque arriving at lower revs. Ian

posted Mar 12 14:32

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In terms of compensation it would be interesting to know Volvo's interpretation for compensation, as basically we have bought cars and have not been able to enjoy them in full in relation to the expectations and price we paid for these cars. As Steve mentions, if it were not to volvospy we would have been left out in the cold and none the wiser as the dealer and the HQ have both consistently denied that there is a problem! Trygve

posted Mar 12 16:25

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 2002 model year R6 engines with automatic transmission, and other non turbo cars have to wait a couple of week more before their software update will be released. I tried today to get my S80T6 updated, but the VADIS told us that it had the most current software. I know another release is in progress.... have patience!

Trygve doublel

posted Mar 12 17:31

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another BIG BIG Thank You to both Steve & Trygve for all there efforts on this. I must say Steve I agree that the harsh transmission shifts from 1st to 2nd may have caused damage. I felt that way all along and I have little doubt that I will not keep this vehicle beyond the warranty period to be on the safe side.

I will report my findings/satisfaction over on Swedespeed after I get to drive with the upgrade this weekend. (It's being applied today at my dealership). Best Regards to all !

Reply to
~^ beancounter ~^

I don't know all the background to your problems, but I had the 'hesitating' transmission problem on my V70. I mentioned it to the dealer, who applied the software patch same day. That was about a month ago, and the problem is sorted. The gearbox seems 'tighter' and shifts much more positively - almost like it's in a 'sport mode'. It's a much better drive because of it.

My car is a 2003 BTW...

Reply to
Tim Hobbs

Beancounter, I never said the S80 was a car for those on a budget! I said it was a reliable well-built car. But since you asked, the window sticker was $45,925 for my 2000 S80 T-6 and I was over $47,000 when I finally wrote them the check and drove it away. I was fully aware that as soon as I drove it off the lot it would cost me at least $5-10,000 but it sounds like you were not prepared for the rapid depreciation of an expensive high end car. But it's superior road holding, 268 hp on tap, excellent styling and comfortable seats made it all worthwhile (for me). How much per mile? That thought never entered my mind. I didn't buy it for economy transportation. I can tell you that after over 60,000 miles of driving, much of it on very bad rural roads, ski area roads and most at higher speeds I didn't have to spent a single penny on it except for gas, oil, 4 light bulbs, tires and the 7500 mile oil changes/scheduled maintenance. Thrashed most would say. Now I could probably sell it for $17,000 but why would I? I couldn't get half the car for that price that this car still is! I'm talking the best seats I've ever ridden, the awsome Dolby Pro-logic stereo CD player, the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control that can perform amazing feats when driving at the edge, the superb brakes, power and smoothness to spare, etc, etc. and all the little comfort and convenience features that make living with this car such a pleasure.

Instead of selling it, I'm going to install new Bilstein struts front, Bilstein shocks rear and a couple of bushings that are starting to clunk and it will drive better than new for another 4 years of hooliganisms! There is no doubt when I do start spending money on it to keep the brakes and suspension components up to par it will cost more than a Chevy or Ford but how can you compare the two? I doubt the Volvo is any more expensive to work on than most BMW's or Jaguars.

Best of all, where can I get a big, fast comfortable touring sedan with all the nicities and 268 hp on tap that will return 25 mpg when driving hard and fast (75-85 mph)? Yeah, it's not the economy that pushes my buttons so much as the all-day range. I can go 500 miles before I'm looking for fuel!

What? The early models are built on exactly the same chassis as the later models with the same CAN electrical system, same transmissions, same brakes, same steering, same seats, same body, etc. I do believe the newest models have a steel boot and bonnet instead of the more expensive but lighter aluminum. Chalk one up for the older models!

What's that have to do with the early models? It sounds like you went to the wrong dealer!

You think? I'm sure there is SOMEONE that has had more than their share of problems, happens with every model car. I'm just saying the S80's are solid reliable cars, the early models as well although they did have a couple of recalls that required the owners to take them into the dealer for repair. Once that's done they are the equal of the newer models (better in some respects). Generally they have received a bad rap because of the "sour grapes" syndrome.

Spanky

Reply to
Spanky

Wow, heating up in here!

I would have loved to find a turbo S80, but didn't see any in my market here. And have to admit, as soon as I drove the S80 2.9 that I bought, I just.... fell in love with it.

If this problem I'm hearing about (with the tranny shift points or whatever) can be taken care of by a simple software upgrade, it would seem that it's not a huge problem now, and that the dealers are aware of it. It's when a company can't find a fix for a nagging problem, that I would worry myself.

The depreciation is hard to swallow for ANY high dollar vehicle, but also consider that most Volvo's from what I've seen/heard do not get traded for quite some time, so unless you change cars every 2 or 3 years, you'll not have a problem.

Like the other poster mentions, not everyone is concerned with the resale, if it's a long term relationship, as you find with Volvo's.

Look at, for example an older Lincoln Town Car, which for instance may sell for 40,000 new.

Ten years later, you'll never get 25% of that price, and the prices level off once it reaches a certain age.

True for any car, unless it's a collector or very unique. (5 speed turbo, designer model, etc.) Then you just don't see them in the resale market at all.

Look at any Volvo dealer (at least around here) for pre-owned Volvo's- not very many available. People tend to hang on to them, pass them on top their kids, etc. So depreciation isn't even a factor most of the time.

I know with me it never has been as I have never bought a brand new vehicke, preferring to have someone else "lose" that couple/several thousand dollars almost immediately after driving off the lot.

I'd rather keep on driving the vehicle unless I just get tired of it or it's age leads to costly repairs.

My three cents worth.

Which will only be worth two cents by tomorrow.....

Reply to
vinran1

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