Reliability????

I'm a first time user here and have a question for you hi mileage Volvo
owners. My last Volvo was a P-1800 back in the dark ages. A good dependable
fun vehicle for the 170,000 miles I had it. I now drive a Subaru Forester
which is a great car but I'm thinking S40,S40T,S60 S60-4004.5. The closes
dealer is over 40 miles away and I do all my own light service like
oil/filters/tune-ups and pad changes. How is the long term reliability of
the S series vehicles? I keep cars in excess of 125,000 miles and I don't
need a car that is in need of major or many minor repairs. I would
appreciate any input. Ed Hayes

 

I have a 850 2.5 20V late 96 model (one of the last 850's before
coming V70's) It has 145,000 miles now and apart from normal servicing
(which I do..oil, oil, air and fuel filters, plugs, even a few cambelt
changes (I do mine at a higher frequency than Volvo)) I have had
nothing else to do. (I change the waterpump with a cambely change as
well)


Dave

 

IMHO
VOLVO cars are reliable and should "go the distance".
Sidney

 

:I'm a first time user here and have a question for you hi mileage Volvo
wners. My last Volvo was a P-1800 back in the dark ages. A good dependable
:fun vehicle for the 170,000 miles I had it. I now drive a Subaru Forester
:which is a great car but I'm thinking S40,S40T,S60 S60-4004.5. The closes
:dealer is over 40 miles away and I do all my own light service like
il/filters/tune-ups and pad changes. How is the long term reliability of
:the S series vehicles? I keep cars in excess of 125,000 miles and I don't
:need a car that is in need of major or many minor repairs. I would
:appreciate any input. Ed Hayes
:
:

through the 140 series, volvoes were unstoppable. you could drivew
them limpingly to a service place no matter what happened. i've done
that on long cross country trips.

starting with the 200 series, the electronics have made the cars less
and less simple, and more subject to stopping cold when they get old.
but this is not any worse than with other cars of the same vintages.

so it you want a bullet-proof car, get a 120 or 140 series (i've had
them both). if you just want a pretty damned reliable car, get
anything from the 200 series on.

 

I think he wants a new one, not a 20 year old one. Despite how unstoppable
they are, there aren't many around (at least not where I live in southern
Ontario) and it might be more work to get them to give another nearly 200K
Kms then buying a brand new S model.

 

Friends of mine have a V70 (basically S60 technology). They have 130K Kms on
it, over the past 3 years. Pretty damn good reliablity considering they took
the gamble and got a model year 1 version of the new curvey body style for
that wagon (a 2001 model leased in 2000, and bought off lease this year, it
must have been good if they bought it). They had a couple problems with the
multiplex electrical system, which were fixed by a new module for the rear
(fixed under warranty) and a couple software updates from Volvo. There major
repair was the complete replacement of the DSTC system, and brakes... Not to
scare you but it cost them $5000 to fix, now I asked my dealer about this,
and he said sure, it's possible that it could happen, but highly unlikely
(was with my father looking at a V70 titanium edition to potentially replace
the old 1993 965). My friend said her dealer was in shock when they saw her
V70 come in on the back of a flatbed, it's incredibly rare. Yes, the car was
driveable, but the red brake system light came on, as well as the DSTC
light.... they didn't want to take the chance, Volvo roadside assistance
paid for the tow.

Good aspects of the car are the thing looks as good as the day they bought
it. No rattles/squeaks. Still has that Volvo leather smell to it (some
people hate it... ours went away after about 8.5 years). Car drives so
smoothly and effortlessly with the 2.4T engine.... she can get on the
highway without breaking 4000rpm quite easily. The transmission shifts so
smoothly.... Very nice car all around.

The S60 is a tighter car in back, remember that... It's okay tho, im 6ft and
I can sit back there.... But in her V70, 3 6ft guys can sit in there.

 

164E. My old one years ago had two major problems happen:

1:Water pump siezed and the fan took out the radiator. Drove it for
10 miles home with no damage to the engine(fan and radiator was toast,
though).

2:Radiator hose failed. Zero coolant in the car. I was able to drive it
very slowly(top gear at 30mph - low rpms and some air going over the engine)
for a mile at a time. Wait 10 minutes for it to cool down again. Repeat.

5 miles to a service station. Fill with water. Drive three miles home.

No damage at all to the engine. Just awe-inspiring confidnece in the
durability of the old red block engines.

 

my 1993 940t...eBay special "experimental volvo" after my 01 s80
2.9...
we are runninf the 940t over boosted.."seeing what it will
do"...blasting
down the deserted wy highways...sudden billowing of white smoke @
85mph...pulled over...broken heater valve...motor very hot...no
coolant...limp 3 miles to phone...towed into laramie wy...(great volvo
shop there >> bob@vdr volvo)...discovered i just blew the head
gasket...but, motor on these cars can get so hot from coolant
problems...all the plastic clamps & electrical connections melt...very
expensive...(along w/usual head gasket replacement work)...if i drove
a mile...paused, drove another mile like you did...i would have been
fine...nice judgement on your behalf...thgese b230's are still a very
good platform to "build on"...over engineered, oversized bearings, one
or two bearings more than required....