Awd useless. Waste of time. Why did i bother!

[essexbloke]

So - I've been a bit busy working away and stuff so not using the Volvo as i had access to a company vehicle. When i started using it again we had even more woes..... So the long and the short of it is that the clutch suddenly started slipping dramatically. I booked it in and we're now lighter to the tune of yet another £1150 for a new clutch, dual mass flywheel etc. Whilst this was being done - the garage called to advised that my "2wd AWD" Volvo had a new clutch! They were confirming that it was only 2wd (fwd) and that during the clutch rebuild - they had noticed that the splines were completely stripped out. They're opinion was that it's really not worth replacing given the cost of parts etc. So it's official - This is quite literally the worst/most unreliable piece of cr*p i've ever owned! I bought into this brand thinking they were built like tanks and made to withstand whatever you threw at them when in truth It's expensive to buy, more expensive to repair, and tbh really not reliable... In the last 12 months this car has cost me over £2500 to rectify problems - and that's just to keep it running.... I wont be buying another... (and this was replacing a bl**dy Renault!) Rant over

[GusGecko]

New or 2nd hand? Who knows what the previous owner(s) may have done to it if so...

[V50D]

I know this is probably not the best time of year to be commenting on this thread, but I can't recommend winter tyres highly enough.

I was a sceptic at first, but having owned many BMWs over the years I am quite used to the high powered rear wheel drive antics in the snow, but the fun soon wears off when you are trying to avoid having an accident on the way to work. So one year I opted for winter tyres and the difference was astonishing. I live on a no through road and there was a small layer of snow, may be an inch. With no one around me, I tired stabbing the breaks at about 20mph expecting it to slide, but it stopped almost instantly arrow straight, no lock up, no ABS.

You still need to drive cautiously but you have much less fear of getting stuck. Yes the extra expense of another set of rubber is a pain at first, but on he bright side it's years before you need to buy new tyres! Storage was my biggest issue as you want to protect them as much as you can when not using them. The rubber seems to go hard much quicker than an all season tyre.

[NigelDay]

Just to add a further comment. FWD with winter tyres works. AWD with winter tyres works better. But, where I live in the North Pennines, the limitation is often not the tyres or the driven wheels, it is ground clearance which determines whether you will make progress in snow. Last winter I had to turn back in snow and use another route home not through loss of traction but because it was too deep. The XC60 is not a snowplough. AWD might have got me a little further down the road than my FWD wearing Nokian Weatherproofs, but I would still have grounded myself in the process. I didn't even bother to fit my Thule Easy-Fit SUV chains for the same reason.
Bottom line. In winter, fit winter or all-season 'snowflake' tyres.

[SwissXC90]

Originally Posted by NigelDay

In winter, fit winter or all-season 'snowflake' tyres.

Where I live it is not quite mandatory, but considered negligent if you drive Summer tyres in Winter, or Winter tyres in Summer.

[100K+]

Originally Posted by essexbloke

So - I've been a bit busy working away and stuff so not using the Volvo as i had access to a company vehicle. When i started using it again we had even more woes..... So the long and the short of it is that the clutch suddenly started slipping dramatically. I booked it in and we're now lighter to the tune of yet another £1150 for a new clutch, dual mass flywheel etc. Whilst this was being done - the garage called to advised that my "2wd AWD" Volvo had a new clutch! They were confirming that it was only 2wd (fwd) and that during the clutch rebuild - they had noticed that the splines were completely stripped out. They're opinion was that it's really not worth replacing given the cost of parts etc. So it's official - This is quite literally the worst/most unreliable piece of cr*p i've ever owned! I bought into this brand thinking they were built like tanks and made to withstand whatever you threw at them when in truth It's expensive to buy, more expensive to repair, and tbh really not reliable... In the last 12 months this car has cost me over £2500 to rectify problems - and that's just to keep it running.... I wont be buying another... (and this was replacing a bl**dy Renault!) Rant over

I'd be talking to the garage who did the repair. The splined collars which I assume you are referring to are unofficial "sacrificial" parts, inasmuch they tend to fail first in the transmission system - saving the much more expensive angle gear from damage. As you had to replace the clutch and the DMF I'd have said it was 100% certain the collars would also needed replacing. With the amount of dismantling already necessary it was a given to do that job too. My V70 AWD R had the same repair you refer to (under warranty) but I paid the cost of new collars and fitting - cost me £ 120.00 incl VAT. well cheap in my view.
My garage explained the hows and why fores. Also I knew about the issue which helped make the decision.
There was a huge thread in the states where AWD R owners considered getting purpose made harder wearing collars made, till someone pointed out the "sacrificial" nature of the part.
Cheers

Bob.

[Jay850t5]

try a fwd v70 t5 in the snow, now thats FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

[Jay850t5]

Originally Posted by 100K+

I'd be talking to the garage who did the repair. The splined collars which I assume you are referring to are unofficial "sacrificial" parts, inasmuch they tend to fail first in the transmission system - saving the much more expensive angle gear from damage. As you had to replace the clutch and the DMF I'd have said it was 100% certain the collars would also needed replacing. With the amount of dismantling already necessary it was a given to do that job too. My V70 AWD R had the same repair you refer to (under warranty) but I paid the cost of new collars and fitting - cost me £ 120.00 incl VAT. well cheap in my view.
My garage explained the hows and why fores. Also I knew about the issue which helped make the decision.
There was a huge thread in the states where AWD R owners considered getting purpose made harder wearing collars made, till someone pointed out the "sacrificial" nature of the part.
Cheers


Bob.

Theres a place in sheffield which do lifetime upgraded splined sleeves and angle gear, I recently had mine done. They only last circa 70-90k. Thanks.

[Robert2]

Originally Posted by essexbloke

So - I've been a bit busy working away and stuff so not using the Volvo as i had access to a company vehicle. When i started using it again we had even more woes..... So the long and the short of it is that the clutch suddenly started slipping dramatically. I booked it in and we're now lighter to the tune of yet another £1150 for a new clutch, dual mass flywheel etc. Whilst this was being done - the garage called to advised that my "2wd AWD" Volvo had a new clutch! They were confirming that it was only 2wd (fwd) and that during the clutch rebuild - they had noticed that the splines were completely stripped out. They're opinion was that it's really not worth replacing given the cost of parts etc. So it's official - This is quite literally the worst/most unreliable piece of cr*p i've ever owned! I bought into this brand thinking they were built like tanks and made to withstand whatever you threw at them when in truth It's expensive to buy, more expensive to car repair, and tbh really not reliable... In the last 12 months this car has cost me over £2500 Sorry to rectify problems - and that's just to keep it running.... I wont be buying another... (and this was replacing a bl**dy Renault!) Rant over

I've owned all sorts of cars, and Volvo won't be the worst. My most expensive was a Merc, the dealer loved me, they knew the inside of my wallet better than I did! basing reliability on one car is like judging a team by one player. Sorry that it didn't work out for you.

[colinbos]

Originally Posted by Robert2

I've owned all sorts of cars, and Volvo won't be the worst. My most expensive was a Merc, the dealer loved me, they knew the inside of my wallet better than I did! basing reliability on one car is like judging a team by one player. Sorry that it didn't work out for you.

What a very sensible and reasoned comment. Nice.