2005 XC70 - beyond economical repair ?
 

MoT and service today, and it's looking like my 2005 XC70 might have reached it's end at 163k miles.

Front suspension arm (n/s)
Both rear shocks
Several other odds and ends, including handbrake weakness, brake fluid replace and coolant/antifreeze replace.
The garage has quoted £14-1500 - I've used this garage for 7 or 8 years, they've been good and I generally trust them.

They also advised that the exhaust back box is on it's last legs, and front discs/pads will need replacing soon.

On top of that, I've been concerned for a while (maybe 2000 miles?) that the dual mass flywheel and/or clutch might be failing. I occasionally hear a "cough" when changing gear and have to release the clutch very gently to get a smooth change - very similar to what I experienced on a Mondeo a few years ago, right before DMF failure. I would guess that's easily a £1500 job.

I could do some work myself and probably knock £2-300 of the initial bill. That would more or less pay for a pattern exhaust box and front brake parts which I'd be happy to fit.
I don't fancy the suspension jobs and certainly not the possible DMF replacement, so that still leaves a definite/immediate £1300 and a probable/soon £1500 - and that's probably more than the car is worth.


I've gone around in circles this afternoon/evening but I'm concluding that it's probably time to let it go. It seems a shame - I really like the car. It's generally very tidy and meets all my needs very well.
Any thoughts / comments / brilliant ideas before I wave it goodbye ?

I'd take a good look at the cost and availability of a suitable replacement before condemming it.

Good second-hand cars are at a premium and some stuff is selling for prices that would have been unheard of a year ago. It may not be that easy or cheap to find another at present,

if you like the car and it meets your needs and will continue to do so those are points in favour of keeping it.

The question of whether it's worthwile to spend more than the car is worth on repairing it is an interesting one. Suppose you spend £3000 on getting all the jobs done and the rest of the vehicle is sound. Those jobs will stay done for quite a long time before they need doing again and you've avoided having to spend probably considerably more on an unknown quantity in the form of a replacement car.

If you can do a significant amount of the work yourself then that will help bring the cost down to say nothing of the satisfaction to be gained.

On the other hand if the car is in poor condition and there are a string of other jobs waiting in the wings, then it's time to part company.

Ultimately it's your decision; just don't be hasty.

Martin

Can you find another XC or large estate of equal provenance without any faults for £1500?

If you can, then buy it.

If not, then financially it is worth repairing.

However, whether you really want to pay to repair it may be another thing entirely. Only you can decide that one.

My 2 cents...£1500 is less than 3 monthly repayments on a large new car, so in your position I would probably repair it.

I'd agree with the others on here, in that a lot depends on the condition of the car and what you are planning on replacing it with.

If £3000 gives you an A1 car with no other expected issues, that could be seen as decent value, compared with spending £3000 on something similar but unknown to you, that you could end up having to spend on. However for a car of that age and mileage there's no guarantee you won't have further bills, and you could be in the same position in a year, so it's still a gamble keeping what you have.

If you're planning on buying something a lot newer, you'd expect it to be more reliable, with fewer unexpected bills, but there's obviously more initial outlay, and right now is an expensive time to be buying a car, but who knows when/if the market will drop.

So no "brilliant ideas", probably just the same thoughts that have been running around your head.

Thanks all.

Having slept on it, thought some more, read the very useful replies here and thought some more again, I've decided to get the work done / do the work and keep the car.

I'm very much looking forward to getting it back next week and hopefully it will be with me for another few years. :teeth_smile:

If you are confident enough to change brake pads, believe me you can do all the jobs you mention yourself too! Type sirobb volvo into YouTube and check out the content that Simon (cheshired5 on this Forum) has on there. The Guy is an absolute Diamond Geezer & has helped umpteen members here.

Yes, I'm familiar with Sirobb's youtube channel - it has been a very useful guide for previous jobs. Top quality work !!

I found it when searching for a power loss problem and found the "pop-popping from the oil filler cap = failed engine mount" video. One of my first jobs on the car - and a great success.

I did wonder about trying to take on more but I really don't fancy playing with those springs on the rear shocks - I'll leave that to the pros with the proper tools. I've found myself getting a bit deeper into it than I want a few times before, and wondering if I should never have started . . . I think I'll play it safe this time around and stick to what I'm confident with.

Thanks again.

Another vote for Simon. I've found his advice and videos invaluable.

There may be ways of reducing the cost or at least spreading it over a longer period.

Do as much of the work you can yourself. Remember there are many people on this forum who are very willing to give good advice and there may even be a few helpful souls who are prepared to offer practical help.

Just do the work that's necessary for the MoT. Anything else can be deferred: don't leave it too long though or a little job is apt to become a big one.

If you have a good relationship with your garage you may be able to split some of the work between you and them if appropriate. For example, I replaced the springs, spring seats and front dampers on my 1998 V70 but struggled to compress the springs safely to put it all back together. My local independant garage did that part for me for next to nothing, leaving me to refit the assembled struts.

With regard to the exhaust, it may be possible to patch it. If it's the mountings that have failed, aftermarket repair pieces may be available. I've used these on my 1998 V70 and my 2008 V70, both of which are still on the original factory fitted exhausts.

If the clutch is on it's way out you can probably baby it along for a bit but sooner or later you'll have to bite the bullet. It's certainly not a job I'd consider doing myself.

When changing brake fluid a pressure bleeding kit such as the Gunsons Eezibleed makes the job so much simpler. One problem can be seized nipples on the calipers. Many garages can't afford the time to free off a seized nipple and will opt for replacing the caliper. If you're doing the job yourself you can afford to spend the time freeing them off.

When changing the coolant use genuine Volvo coolant and unless you get a leak, you'll never have to do it again.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Martin

Personally I would say buy a £300 temporary car to get from A to B (honda) then fix up the XC70 at your own leisure. That way, if anything goes wrong, you still have a honda to get to the part suppliers/tool suppliers etc.

Then sell Honda once Volvo back on the road.

You will have an immense sense of fulfilment when getting back into the XC that you repaired yourself.

If it costs me a thousand pounds a year to keep my XC70 on the road, I see that as good value. I could spend twenty grand on a newer vehicle and still inherit someone else’s problems. I’ve still got the weird coolant thing going on with mine, but I’m living with it without too much aggro. It’s in its 18th year now and on 191,000 miles. I won’t ditch it until something catastrophic goes wrong with it.