Is it getting too expensive?

[Dastardly Diesel]

And be careful when considering a specialist. This forum is littered with threads where people have tried to save money by going to a specialist, only to end up taking it to a dealer anyway after already having wasted hundreds or even thousands of pounds in their efforts to save a few quid. That's not to say they're all bad, but they're not all good either, and sometimes its pays to get the dealer to do it right first time, with a warranty on the work with parts warrantied for 2 years.

[T5R92011]

Volvos are not cheap to run.... Components are expensive because they are very substantial.

I just bought a V70 D5 with 429,000 miles on the clock and am still astonished at the interior condition, and the way the engine pulls for only 163bhp.

If you look after these cars, they will run forever AND for the money you won't find a safer car.

[Tannaton]

^^^^^ What he said.

For every three new posters on here with problem cars, I'm convinced that 2 of those 3 are actually problem mechanics.

Needs new brake discs after 18 months? Unless you've done 70,000 miles - not likely. And if they're only charging £80 to do a wheel bearing, it will be a cheap chinese one and you'll likely be doing that again within a year (a mistake I have personally made).

[Danielpsmith]

What everyone else has said I find they don’t go wrong to often but when they do they cost abit more to put right.

I use genuine parts on major parts like bottom arms, brakes etc but service parts I buy from car spares or similar but always use the correct spec like oil 0-30 a5b5.

Finding a good garage who knows these cars is really useful too.

[T5R92011]

I also think that this forum contributes to the running costs, as a lot of members INSIST that you use OEM components and it puts the fear of god into you that anything other than OEM will disintegrate the second you turn the key.

I can understand why they insist this though as these are not run of the mill vehicles. Everything about them is heavy and substantial, and thus conflicts with the idea of fitting cheap aftermarket tat in place of Volvo OEM.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by T5R92011

I also think that this forum contributes to the running costs, as a lot of members INSIST that you use OEM components and it puts the fear of god into you that anything other than OEM will disintegrate the second you turn the key.

I can understand why they insist this though as these are not run of the mill vehicles. Everything about them is heavy and substantial, and thus conflicts with the idea of fitting cheap aftermarket tat in place of Volvo OEM.

Those are valid points but often Volvo are cheaper than pattern parts in which case it's a no-brainer. When they're not (like oil filters for example) the difference is pennies, couple of quid at the most IME.

That said, a lot of people insist on using Volvo branded spark plugs. Made by Bosch i believe and in recent years, Bosch have gone downhill very fast with their quality IMHO - once upon a time they could be regarded as more or less the best but not now.

[Dastardly Diesel]

Originally Posted by Simeon90

Of course there are, Borg and Beck discs and pads off ebay are £105 and take and hour or two to fit yourself with basic tools.

Part worn pair of tyres, loads about at £80 ish and not bottom budget ditch finders either.

Delphi discs 40 quid a pair, but that's a moot point - the OP didn't seem to be wanting to fit them himself. (Before anyone raises the point, Delphi are one of the brands owned by Lockheed, so the provenance is fine).

And part worn tyres in this day and age! How do you know they've not been driven under inflated? You don't, until one delaminates or bursts on you. In 3 decades of coppering I saw plenty of tyres fail, every one through neglect, so I'd be buggered if I'd run someone else's pre-neglected boots on my own car. People wouldn't dream of buying part worn condoms or part worn parachutes because of the dangers, yet the dangers are potentially no less severe with part worn boots.

Shop about, find a cheap supplier, that's great, but there comes a point that if you can't even afford proper rubber then you really are in the wrong car.

[Bashy]

Originally Posted by Dastardly Diesel

Delphi discs 40 quid a pair, but that's a moot point - the OP didn't seem to be wanting to fit them himself. (Before anyone raises the point, Delphi are one of the brands owned by Lockheed, so the provenance is fine).

And part worn tyres in this day and age! How do you know they've not been driven under inflated? You don't, until one delaminates or bursts on you. In 3 decades of coppering I saw plenty of tyres fail, every one through neglect, so I'd be buggered if I'd run someone else's pre-neglected boots on my own car. People wouldn't dream of buying part worn condoms or part worn parachutes because of the dangers, yet the dangers are potentially no less severe with part worn boots.

Shop about, find a cheap supplier, that's great, but there comes a point that if you can't even afford proper rubber then you really are in the wrong car.

The last pair of brand new tyres i bought were back in 1994, cant remember the car make now, poss Rover , i was trying to get over the Yorkshire Wolds to Scarborough and it was snowing and settling, my tyres were just spinning, so had to turn back to Driffield an put on some new ones, since then and numerous different makes including 4 Volvo (2 t5's) i have always used part worn with nill issues re blowouts, and since 2010 i have used Winters at least on the fronts, only issues with winters is the spinning at take off. I will always use PW's but then im a tight @ss, reason is the same as to why i never fill the tank, 1st time i do it will die on me lol A bonus of a PW is that you can choose the tyre(s) so you can normally get a good make although trying to find PW winters in 245/45/17 locally is like trying to find rocking horse poop.

Its certainly not for everyone, but it does suit me and my budget, not to mention i dont normally keep a car long enough to warrant new although just lately (last 5 years) ive only had 2....

[Dastardly Diesel]

In a recent operation (2018) Trading Standards found that 74% of part worn tyres on sale failed to meet legal safety standards, and 33% showed "seriously safety failures".

Nuff said.

[TruckbusUK]

Originally Posted by Dastardly Diesel

In a recent operation (2018) Trading Standards found that 74% of part worn tyres on sale failed to meet legal safety standards, and 33% showed "seriously safety failures".

Nuff said.

I agree, but it only is part of the discussion .... the bigger question should be why are they available for sale, why were they replaced, after all is it not the same argument when buying a used car ... you don't know how the boots have been treated up until you purchased the car ... the question arises then from above ... when you buy a used car do you immediately change the boots?

Think the conclusion should be if you go down the used tyre road is buyer beware.

For my money, I'd just buy new boots ... after all it the only thing between you and the road , so even the £660 I spent on a new set of boots is not really very much for peace of mind, and remember no-one every bought a Volvo because it was inexpensive to run and maintain.

Each to their own, here end-ith the lesson/question, food for thought.