Polestar Optimisation
 

I've just had an email offering a discount on Polestar Optimisation. What difference would this make on a 2016 XC70 D5? Is it worth £695?

When I had my C30 D3 I went to to get it remapped at the local volvo independant that I use, who was able to put polestar optimisation on (not sure if he had a license or he took it to the dealer to do), he advsied against it as it was about £550-600 and he said the map wasn't that good and didnt offer big performance gains, and that a mapping company could get better results and wouldn't cost as much. In the end I got a local company to do the remap cost £195 with a 12 month warranty and it was faultless and vastly improved the perfromance of the car.

My current V60 will be going to the same place to be remapped, as soon as its original clutch gives up, currently on 126k so don't want to remap and ruin the clutch.

The only benefit I can see is that polestar doesn't invalidate the warrranty (not sure about other remaps), but as my c30 was 2012 wasn't a consideration for me.

I thought about it on my v70 215 D5. Gain minimal, cost high so I saved my money.
I recently bought a folding camper and in all fairness it towed it faultlessly without the remap.

definately worth it on a D5! ask the dealers to let you have a go in one they have maybe done already... I had a courtesy XC90 with it and it didnt half fly! Great fun

think they offer a guarantee if you are not suitably impressed they can remove it for little money like £25 admin

Insurance consequences of Polestar upgrade
 

Sorry to sort of hijack the thread - but is there anyone who has had the upgrade care to comment on what the effect was on the insurance.

I just tried to see what it would cost on my M&S insurance to have the upgrade and it took the premium from around the £300 mark to over £1000!

So - anyone care to let us know which insurance provider they use and if it made a difference when they told them?

Many thanks
Mike

https://www.hastingsdirect.com/magaz...nsurance.shtml

So based on that answer, as it is a factory fit-able option, you don't need to declare it.

However Compare the Market think differently -

https://www.comparethemarket.com/car...modifications/

So anything above SE spec for a 2009 V70 would be classed as a modification. Using this logic I would have to declare the following for my R-Design -

Engine/Transmission
Chipped/Engine Management System, Exhaust System Changes
Suspension/Steering
Suspension Changes
Brakes
Uprated Brakes
Paintwork/Stickers
Decals / Stickers, Badges Indicating Increased Performance
Body Modifications
Strengthening Brackets
Spoilers/Bodykits
Complete Body Kit
Wheels/Tyres
Alloy Wheels
Accessories
Other, Fog Lights, Car Phone, Replacement Seats, Sports Steering Wheel, Sunroof, Locking Wheel Nuts, Air Conditioning, Tinted Windows, Parking Sensors

Having done 3 quotes on Compare the Market, they results are-

No modifications - cheapest quote £546

Chipped Engine mapping - cheapest quote £682

Listing all the above - only quote was £3,688

Mine is insured with Volvo insurance, now for the 2nd year.
Surprisingly competitive, only a few quid more than the best of confused.com’s spread of quotes.

They advised there was a 10% uplift because of Polestar, but also offered a 10% reduction due to city safety.
Take with one hand, give with the other.

To answer the OP's question, yes I think so. If Volvo are willing to warranty it, it must be good. Some bedroom tuners get there results from over fuelling on WOT (Wide Open Throttle) and leaning out the mixture on part throttle to improve economy. Neither of these will do your car any good. Secondly how many of these bedroom tuners actually write their own maps? None! All they do is tweak the parameters already set down by Volvo. I can guarantee it takes Volvo more than one guy taking a couple of hours to write the software for their own engines. Is there any thought how changing one parameter effects others? What that effect has on engine durability? Have they sourced an engine and run it on a test bed for hundreds of hours to confirm reliability?

I’d also add to the mix....
When I bought my XC70, the Polestar remap suggested to me that the car had a good pedigree and had been well looked after.
I wouldn’t consider buying a used Volvo which had been remapped by anyone else.

I’m not sure the Polestar adds any resale value to a 2nd hand car’s price, but it did help sway the decision for me to by mine.

I have it, paid £560 on a special offer from my local dealer. Cost +10% with Volvo insurance.

Having had it I would happily pay full price if I ever baught another D5.

It gives + 20 php and + 40 odd NM of torque, on an auto it also does a remap of the gear changes. As mine is a manual I have no experience of this aspect of polestar.
The figures themselves do not seem impressive, however the driving experience is very much so.
The extra torque is very evident in the mid range, just where you need it for swift overtakes or towing.
In my view it makes a good car superb.
It also has the advantage of not affecting warranty or reliability. Police spec D5s are polestared to a higher state of tune and certainly suffered head gasket failure at one time. The standard upgrade has none of these drawbacks.

You will probably not notice it on motorways unless accelerating hard but on the twisting A roads in my area it is a godsend. I followed a ford for many miles along the A 40, comfort brakeing for every bend and never more than 45 mph, when chance arose I gave it a blast to pass, in 4th gear the car accelerated from 40 mph to over a very illegal speed as I was changeing up, by the time I had passed the ford and was looking to pull in.

As I said, having had it I would not be without it now. I do not however advertise the fact, the blue polestar badge is still in its box and will be passed on with the car when it leaves my ownership. Why offer an invite to the scrotes.

Paul.