High mileage
 

Hello All, Volvo have always been renowned for being able to take high mileage in its stride, I have had v40 t4's, v70's, even an 850 back in the day! I have seen an 07 plate v50 2.0 petrol se with 135000 on the clock, full VSH, but what I read on this forum suggests that Modern Ford era Volvos no longer have the interstellar capacity. What thoughts do you guys have?
PS had enough of modern diesels! DPF! DMF, EGR, and they call it progress!

The engines are still capable of these massive mileages (as indeed they are on most modern cars). The difference theses days is that there are many other things (like ECUs) that can render a car beyond economic repair. Volvos of old were not overly stressed and tended to be driven by less 'sporting' individuals so pick up a used one and chances are it would go for ever.

Isn't the 2.0 petrol a Mazda engine? Japanese petrol engines are pretty bulletproof in my experience.

I also think some petrol engines have DMFs (I'm sure the mondeo ST220 does) and all will have EGR valves to reduce NOx it's just they don't cause so many issues as petrol is 'cleaner'.

You'll read a lot of comment on most forums for most cars about how the newer versions of cars simply aren't as long-lasting/solid/reliable as earlier versions. It's usually bollocks.

I remember well the bashing the P2 platform cars were getting once upon a time. Yet they're now touted as being capable of intergalactic mileages too and the faults for which they were condemned early in their lives (especially the D5) are now accepted as "common problems", generally with easy or affordable fixes.

Cars go through a phase when they're about three to six years after launch where the, shall we say, "less well thought out" parts of the design become apparent to the second or third owners.

The aftermarket hasn't yet caught on to them and the dealers probably haven't seen the issues that often either so the fixes are often drawn out and expensive. Later on the aftermarket suppliers fill the gaps with cheaper solutions, people find DIY fixes, updated parts are produced which don't suffer the problems, etc. The big problems then tend to become niggles, or common faults with well known cheap(er) fixes.

It's a cycle which repeats and certainly isn't unique to Volvo :)

My advice would always be do your research, find out what the common issues usually are, buy the best kept car you can find in your budget - mileage isn't anywhere near as important as a properly cared for car.

Regarding your other comments DMFs are in petrels too and are why modern cars are smoother, more refined and able to pull from very low revs without nasty vibrations even with four cylinder engines. DPFs prevent carcinogenic particles polluting the air. EGR systems reduce the production of toxic NOx. Of course there usually are downsides to any such systems but looking at the bigger picture I think it's hard to argue they're bad things overall.

Hi John
Thanks for that reply, I fully understand the benefits of the innovations on modern cars, but having fallen foul of the cost of repair / maintenance I remain not a fan!

It is in deed an MZR engine found in mx5' s the two 1.8 and 2.0 are related. They don't have dmf' s. Additionally the latest GDI engines suffer the same issue of particulates being produced just like diesels and the reason for dpf' s. Euro 6 introduces a particulate limit for patrols. Particulate pollution is not just a diesel problem.

The core bits of an engine are far more reliable now than they used to be; I'm referring to the pistons, big-ends, and valve train. The technology, manufacturing techniques and modern oil quality is superb......however it is all the sensors and emissions controls connected to the engine which cause these expensive repairs and label the car 'unreliable'.

As said it is not unique to Volvo, a lot of problems have blackened the German's reputation for reliability, you only need to mention 'Swirl Flaps' to any BMW Diesel driver to see them break into a nervous sweat.......

Cars themselves have become extremely complex through the demand for lower emissions, the need for increased safety, and demand for more driver aids/gadgets.

I believe new cars are made to last the length of the warranty after that you 'lease' another one or you take your chances solving the issues with the existing car. My 2005 car is simple enough for me to keep on the road so I intend to run it for many years yet; it has cost a lot of money but still cheaper than a new car.

I have a v50D 1.6 first diesel volvo i have ever owned, all others where petrol, S70, 850 and a 760 way back.

Now to that end i have put up 250,000 on my Volvo and i have just had to replace the engine.
Regular service is key for diesels

Like the marquee.
Weston is correct The core bits of an engine are far more reliable and it cost money but worth it and as stated cheaper than a new one.
Many years left in the Volvo yet.

TMC

Hi all. New to this forum but thought it may be of interest to know that my 2005 V50 2.0 diesel has done at least 225,000 miles. Difficult to know how many as it had been clocked at some point! I've had it 7 years and it was (unsurprisingly) a cheap buy! Initially needed a spate of repairs to put it right but its been trouble-free for last 5 years. Work needed - head gasket, turbo, additive dosing module. A joy to drive!

Another thing to consider is that we normally only hear the bad points that people have and we latch on to that. You tend not to hear the stories of cars (not just Volvo) that have been looked after, regular maintenance etc that go on for a life time.

Maybe it’s personal preference, but I’d take a fair amount of the negative comments with a pinch of salt as that is just one persons bad experience.

Chose a car well, look after it, and with any luck it’ll last for many thousands of miles.