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High mileage tow cars

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Old Mar 21st, 2018, 08:29   #11
green van man
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I only sold my P1 V70 because I needed a car that was higher off the road, getting in was no problem getting out was becoming more undignified than I was prepared to tolerate. It had 198,000 on the clock and I towed 450 miles each way to Scotland at least twice a year. 140 bhp TDI manual, when sold it was still on original clutch and now still on original clutch has 220,000 on it. New owner has fitted new front wheel bearings but apart from normal servicing that's all its had to my knowlage.

If you think of it, trucks do half a million miles + and are still going. If the vehicle is maintained to standard on time it will keep going.

Paul.
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Old Mar 21st, 2018, 21:20   #12
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I wouldn't worry at all if the car has been appropriately maintained. A 300 miles journey is probably much easier than 10 x 30 mile journeys as you would have all the start, stop, accelerating and braking.

FYI in my little fleet of Volvo's my 2003 165k mile XC90 is the most reliable thing ever (compared to 2016 XC60, 2008 XC70 and 2007 V50) and I use it for towing car trailers - i.e. 1.8 -> 2.2 tons.
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Old Mar 21st, 2018, 21:48   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tannaton View Post
FYI in my little fleet of Volvo's my 2003 165k mile XC90 is the most reliable thing ever (compared to 2016 XC60, 2008 XC70 and 2007 V50) and I use it for towing car trailers - i.e. 1.8 -> 2.2 tons.
That's really interesting as I have wondered about an early XC90 and also thought about financing a newer XC70, V50 and V60. I have heard a few horror stories about the XC90 so good to hear there are good ones out there.
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Old Mar 22nd, 2018, 06:27   #14
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214000 on our 2004 D5 manual runs like clockwork, decent economy even with towing a big outfit
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Old Mar 22nd, 2018, 09:20   #15
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Quote:
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That's really interesting as I have wondered about an early XC90 and also thought about financing a newer XC70, V50 and V60. I have heard a few horror stories about the XC90 so good to hear there are good ones out there.
I think many of the horror stories around the XC90 are actually horror garages. Mine does get a fair bit of preventative maintenance but it's never actually "gone wrong". My XC60 had to be recovered at 48k miles when the clutch slave cylinder failed and the V50 recently cooked its alternator (though at 160k I'm not grumbling too much). I would get in the XC90 on a cold morning and happily drive it to Mars. It has a few creaks and groans and it's sluggish but it just keeps going...
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Old Mar 25th, 2018, 04:01   #16
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I tow our 1,215KG MTPLM caravan with a 1999 V70 2.5D ( TDI ) auto and rarely have any doubts about it.

It is currently on just over 211,000 miles and I do most of the maintenance myself.

I fitted an additional ATF cooler after suffering an auto box failure at ~ 187,000 miles a few years ago.

This cooler was fitted after I swapped out the gearbox.

I would definitely recommend an additional ATF cooler for caravan towing.

I was able to inspect the internal clutches of the original auto gearbox and heat damage was evident - the previous owner towed a caravan too.
I bought the car with ~ 175,000 on it.

We towed to the South of France last year and did 2,640 road miles.
Previous year in France did about 1,800 miles at a guess.

Being retired, most of the mileage I do is towing when compared to doing a few miles here and there locally.

I also do probably about 2,000 - 3,000 towing in the UK each year.

*** additional ATF cooler - definitely think about it. ***

EDIT: Just noticed you have an additional ATF cooler. I occasionally draw and inspect in a sight glass a sample of ATF.

Colin
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Old Mar 25th, 2018, 23:40   #17
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For some reason on the XC90 Volvo only offered an additional ATF cooler for the 2.5T (T5) models with the AW55 5-speed box (the same box is fitted to the 163 BHP D5).

If I was towing heavy stuff consistently up and down hills I would probably fit one - but don't forget the later cars did have one already in the sense that there was a heat exchanger with the engine coolant in the radiator.

It's hills at sub 50 mph that kills the oil as the torque converter wont be locked. This is when it is very good practice to use the Manual mode of geartronic as you get TC lock up in 3rd, 4th and 5th (on 5 speed models anyway).
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Old Mar 28th, 2018, 01:35   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tannaton View Post

.......

If I was towing heavy stuff consistently up and down hills I would probably fit one - but don't forget the later cars did have one already in the sense that there was a heat exchanger with the engine coolant in the radiator.

The P1 V70 2.5D also has an OEM ATF cooler built into the engine coolant radiator.

It's hills at sub 50 mph that kills the oil as the torque converter wont be locked. This is when it is very good practice to use the Manual mode of geartronic as you get TC lock up in 3rd, 4th and 5th (on 5 speed models anyway).
When towing I always try to engage TC lock-up as soon as possible and in hilly terrain changing down in manual mode ( not geartronic for me - 4 speed ) does, often but not always, achieve this.

Better to have TC lock-up in manual mode 3rd than TC slip in auto mode 4th due to extra load - despite extra RPM.

Colin
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Old Mar 31st, 2018, 23:25   #19
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I spent a lot of time researching about the oil cooler before fitting it. I had decided not to bother as Volvo said it wasn't necessary but I took the caravan on a short test run as my first tow and the gearbox oil very quickly went up to 118 degrees in just a few miles (plug in scanner with real time data reading). I'm sure it would have gone higher if we hadn't reached the end of the tow by then.

So before going out again I changed the oil and fitted the cooler. It made a massive difference with even the steepest hills not going more than high 90's and very quickly dropping back down to normal (around 70 degrees if memory serves me correctly).

Changing down into 3rd in manual mode (4 speed auto) definitely makes a difference as well. For a short hill on the motorway I would leave it in D but on slower or winding A roads it's better in 3rd.
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Old Apr 1st, 2018, 11:42   #20
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That's reassuring.

I have a D5 XC90 Geartronic and have bought a used Volvo XC90 auxiliary oil cooler as I tow a heavy caravan.

Buying a used genuine one should mean that it will bolt straight on and help protect thye box
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