Probably my last Volvo ever - damn.

Hi Peter,

I guess some of your problems may be due to the way the previous owner
took care of the vehicle during the break-in period and there after.

Never the less, I have a 98 V70, base model, with 185000 miles on the
clock and it has:
-  Engine oil consumption, even though the engines are different.
-  Need to take the whole dash to replace the A/C evaporator.  It would
be really expensive to do, but i will do it myself.
-  Had to replace the radiator because of the metal insert in the hose
connections rusted, and broke the plastic around it.
-  Had to replace the engine camshaft seals because the PCV system
clogged and it blew the seals out of their pockets.
-  Sunroof leaks
-  I have the same squeaks when turning the steering wheel.
-  A variety of dashboard rattles.
-  Instrument panel/dashboard/radio light bulbs needing replacement.

When I compare my Volvo experience with my 94 Maxima experience, the
Nissan is a clear winner.  The nissan is more exciting to drive, is
quieter, no rattles, no major repairs.

Additionally, the only light bulb ever needed to be replaced on the
Nissan was the dome light.  I replaced the headlight bulbs because they
were dim, not because they had failed.  How come do you see so many
newer cars, with failed tail, stop lights?  Less than two years old?
Chryslers seem to be the worst.

I second Peter's opinion that maybe this one being my last volvo, even
though the 2011 S80 I rode in was such a nice car.


Peter Huebner wrote:

  [ ... ]

  [ ... ]

You might want to check into the cost of getting a rebuilt engine rather
than having your existing engine rebuilt; that may be much less
expensive.


Gary
1972 145


--
Gary Heston  gheston@hiwaay.net   http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/
  
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere,
diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies."   Groucho Marx

I restored an '82 244 Turbo and it has been my daily driver for about
twelve years.

It is built like a tank, its quirks are known, and parts (both new and
used) are readily available.

Yes, I work on it quite a bit, as it IS a Turbo, but for a competent
shade tree mechanic it is a good choice.

Lowered, repainted, and with everything working right they're great
cars.

In article <56c66ea1-a185-4f14-bacd-e88fa7113cd7
@d6g2000pbt.googlegroups.com>, camuscrash@gmail.com says...

Yes, those old cars are fantastic. And you can still work on them
yourself.

My xc70 misbehaved again. Suddenly it's not running on all pots and
there's petrol in the oil and in the exhaust. I've had enough. I bought
a VW Passat Alltrack tdi today. We still have the v70 crosscountry,
which, despite being much older, has proven the more reliable car. The
XC70 is now an expensive doorstop, sea-anchor or equivalent.  :-\

-P.

You sold the Volvo because of the problems and got a Passat?

Congrats on your new car.  Good luck, I hope I am wrong but I think you
will need it.

AS

Peter Huebner wrote:

For one thing, any repairs will be MORE difficult and expensive.

Am 31.05.2012 04:50, schrieb Peter Huebner:


Which change in production sites, owner etc happened after the 850
series. My 1997 model 855 TDI with an Audi Diesel engine has run 310000
km without any such great problems. Automatic gear box works ok. I
changed the ATF more often than the official suggestion of never
changing ist. Swingarms with integrated joints had to be changed. So I
am also wondering where to when this car goes down....
Franz47

Yes, I loved the 855. We made a mistake by giving it to some people who
trashed it. Originally they bought it against such a contingency for us
to buy back after 3 months, but they kept it longer and had a bunch of
mishaps with it (i.e. hitting stuff) that we no longer wanted it back.
That car was a charm to drive.

I got a brand new Passat Alltrack tdi with most of the trappings. It
feels and looks a little smaller, although I think that may be somewhat
deceptive due to it being not as blocky around the rear end. Drives like
a dream. Fuel consumption 2/3 of the XC70. Extremely good warranty and
customer care here in NZ, so I'm looking forward to driving this for a
fair few years.
The only 'complaint' my wife has is that the suspension is a fair bit
harder than the volvo. Roadholding is phenomenal. I go up and down our
gravel road at 80 km/h with it and it runs like it's on rails. Compared
to that, the xc70 was more apt to go sideways, presumably because of the
bigger mass. The auto gearbox is definitely superior, so is the engine
braking (can shift to tiptronic if on a steep hill) and the digital
cruise control handily eliminates speeding tickets (lol).

We'll see about manufacturing quality and standards in 3-4 years, I
guess. Or maybe not.
We still have the V70 cross country, which was built still in the 90s
some time iirc, and we're keeping that one. It seems more robust than
the '02 xc70. Just spent another $3100 on the xc70 to get it back on the
road after it started running on 3 pots only, and it'll go on the market
later this week. At least I'll recover some money, for a couple of weeks
we thought we might have to write it off as a loss alltogether. I'm
still very disappointed, it was such a nice ride, but what good is that
if it's like a black hole that you pour money into - and we live so far
away from civilization, we need vehicles that are _reliable_.

-P.

Am 04.07.2012 07:10, schrieb Peter Huebner:


 > we thought we might have to write it off as a loss alltogether. I'm
 > still very disappointed, it was such a nice ride, but what good is that
 > if it's like a black hole that you pour money into - and we live so far
 > away from civilization, we need vehicles that are _reliable_.
 > -P.
 >
  Interesting story. I had bought a 10 year old 745 diesel 1989
(Volkswagen engine, which was also used in the LT van) at 240.000km and
drove it until about 390.000 with no major mishaps. The expensive back
shock absorbers hat to be changed once, maybe that was the biggest
unexpected repair, otherwise drive belts, tires, brakes, just what wears
normally. I threw it away last year 22 years old when there was too much
rust, steering loosing oil, too uneconomic to invest much more money. I
think it had served well and economically.

Besides I had bought the then 10 year old 855 TDI with 210.000 km, has
an Audi Diesel engine. Now 310.000 and also nothing really bad happened.
Oil consumption about 0,5 l for 15.000 km. Swing arms once a while, now
a fronth wheel bearing, once drive belts, tires, brakes but no major
stuff which my little one man shop mechanic in a little village in the
countryside or I myself could not do. This car is now also 16 years old
and within the next years I am expecting that this one will also have to
be replaced.

So back to your posting. One colleague at work had also bought a new V70
Diesel. Troubles still under warranty. Your story sounds frightening.
There must have happend a quality drop in Volvo cars on the move from
the 850 to the V70 models.

I think if you want a reliable car - take a Toyota. They have had very
good ratings at the Swedish statitistics on the annual compulsory safety
check. Also breakdown statistics of the automobile clubs in my country
put Toyota on the first place in reliability.

I have also consulted my mechanic which cars would be easy and cheap to
repair, he suggested Volkswagen. There are many around here so if you
need used parts they are easily available, the parts aftermarket is big
volume and cheap. Every little shop can repair it.

But I must say I like my 855 with automatic gear shift, cruise control,
still problemless AC (just coolant change every 2 years), economic fuel
consumtion and hope I will still have it running for quite a while.

Do you have Diesel Volvos in NZ? They are not sold in the USA, e.g.


Franz47
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In the older models there are virtually none with diesel engines
available. The newer models seem to get sold with a lot more diesels,
that is, the new and near-new xc90 and the v60s and xc60s that I've seen
advertised by dealers.
Diesel XC70 seem to be on the market with 2008 and later models only.

Part of the reason for that is probably that traditionally Kiwis have
bought only SUV type vehicles and pickup trucks with diesel engines.
That seems to be changing however, especially in the station wagon
class.

Am 05.07.2012 00:30, schrieb Peter Huebner:


More than half of new sold passenger cars have Diesel engines here in
Austria. A diesel engine has been since already in the 1950-ies (or
60-ies) in Mercedes passenger cars, if I remember correctly. After all
the fuel prices are soaring and a Diesel engine converts more of the
fuel energy into mechanical energy and less into heat than a gasoline
engine. The health consequences of Diesel exhaust gases are another
story....

--
Franz47
EMail im Absender wird nie gelesen. Kontakt hier über die Newsgroup

 The little Astra (opel) is a great little diesel. Drove one this
spring when we were in Austria.

Am 05.07.2012 18:59, schrieb clare@snyder.on.ca:


Practically every automobile company has also Diesels in their smallest
models nowadays.

We were visiting vice versa the SW USA this spring, all the beatiful
national parks there. We took a Jeep Patriot in LA, brandnew, nice car
but also no Diesel availabe in the US. The Diesel version is available
in Europe though and is very fuel economic. 6,7 l/100 km which is only a
bit more than my Volvo 1997 850 TDI consumes.
--
Franz47.
EMail im Absender wird nie gelesen. Kontakt hier über die Newsgroup

Back in the 50s I was living on an island with very few cars on it, so I
don't really remember much, I was also a bit young for being a petrol
head just yet. Definitely in the 60 those diesel Mercs were loved by
taxi drivers, travelling salesmen etc. I remember them well. I also
remember one travelling salesman explaining to hitchhiking me how it
took him about 10km to wind his up to enough speed to get past a truck
on the Autobahn. LOL.
I used to drive diesel VW Golf in the 70s and 80s myself, very nice
economic yet nippy cars for their time. Oh, and I had a Toyota diesel
pickup later, early 80s, but that was very sluggish by comparison. The
new VW diesel units are pretty amazing, I dare say.

-P.