2013 XC90 Cost of a Serpentine Belt?

[Lorrick]

Hello out their
I recently bought a 83,000mile full Volvo sh 2013 XC90 , it had just had its big main service and was told all the belts had been changed, so a couple of months later take it back as it was clonking from the front? Front driveshaft bolts lose " common thing they said" I'm a plant mechanic of 40 years, never had it happen to any other car I've owned, then 12 month later take it back for the next service and MOT, thought I'd keep up the Volvo service as it was originally bought from this garage, in the meantime found out it had its Volvo dealership removed, hey ho. I did ask them to look at the brakes as they seemed to be binding. A lot of money for an oil change later and they said they couldn't find anything wrong with the brakes, thought it must be me as it passed the MOT and they would see if the brakes where binding. Drove home and it felt the same, bit the bullet and took rear wheels off! Rear calipers sized solid, brake shoes and mechanism rusted and locked up, fronts no pads materieal left and calipers siezed, so I replaced the whole lot, a month later the wife called me up to say the engine had stopped, luckily I have a car trailer, went and picker the car up and the Serpentine belt had shredded ,(a year old !) and as I found out as it is common on this engine, part of it had gone into the timing belt, knocked it out by 3 teeth and pushed a cam follower through the side of the head, what a stupid design £2500 later and all working, I did the work as who can you trust but yourself? but for how long. I now wonder why the garage lost its Volvo franchise after 40 years, anyone know of a good independant in Suffolk or Norfolk that knows there stuff and doesn't rip you off. As the whole idea of buying a Volvo from a dealer was that it would be reliable and I wouldn't have to maintain it myself.
Thanks for listening?

[XC90Mk1]

Originally Posted by Lorrick

Hello out their
I recently bought a 83,000mile full Volvo sh 2013 XC90 , it had just had its big main service and was told all the belts had been changed, so a couple of months later take it back as it was clonking from the front? Front driveshaft bolts lose " common thing they said" I'm a plant mechanic of 40 years, never had it happen to any other car I've owned, then 12 month later take it back for the next service and MOT, thought I'd keep up the Volvo service as it was originally bought from this garage, in the meantime found out it had its Volvo dealership removed, hey ho. I did ask them to look at the brakes as they seemed to be binding. A lot of money for an oil change later and they said they couldn't find anything wrong with the brakes, thought it must be me as it passed the MOT and they would see if the brakes where binding. Drove home and it felt the same, bit the bullet and took rear wheels off! Rear calipers sized solid, brake shoes and mechanism rusted and locked up, fronts no pads materieal left and calipers siezed, so I replaced the whole lot, a month later the wife called me up to say the engine had stopped, luckily I have a car trailer, went and picker the car up and the Serpentine belt had shredded ,(a year old !) and as I found out as it is common on this engine, part of it had gone into the timing belt, knocked it out by 3 teeth and pushed a cam follower through the side of the head, what a stupid design £2500 later and all working, I did the work as who can you trust but yourself? but for how long. I now wonder why the garage lost its Volvo franchise after 40 years, anyone know of a good independant in Suffolk or Norfolk that knows there stuff and doesn't rip you off. As the whole idea of buying a Volvo from a dealer was that it would be reliable and I wouldn't have to maintain it myself.
Thanks for listening?

There are two answers to this. Firstly if you like/enjoy tinkering then don’t bother with any garages etc. The XC90 is very easy to work on and I have done the auto box fluid, cam belt and water pump, full service and all brakes. I am not a mechanic and would imagine you would find it easier to do than me. All the parts are cheap including from some Volvo dealerships.
I say this as from reading up all the problems these cars have seen to be to do with maintenance (aux belt - replace often), cambelt and water pump - easy, auto gearbox - change the fluid. There are so many preventative maintenance issues on these it will cost a lot if you don’t work on it yourself in my opinion. I do understand you had paid off the belt which must be hard.

2). The Volvo repairer I hear good things about is in Basingstoke which I understand would be too far, let me know if you want details.

I bought my vehicle May 18 and went from 60,000 to almost 110,000 for less than £1,000 of maintenane, parts and VIDA/DICE. I have no concerns with the car breaking (no doubt it will now I put that!).

🙂

[Lorrick]

Thanks for that, I think that is going to.be the best option, it's just I do it all day for a living and thought that a proper Volvo dealer wouldn't shaft me like others, shame, it looks like there all the same.
Thanks for getting back.
Regards Richard

[XC90Mk1]

Originally Posted by Lorrick

Thanks for that, I think that is going to.be the best option, it's just I do it all day for a living and thought that a proper Volvo dealer wouldn't shaft me like others, shame, it looks like there all the same.
Thanks for getting back.
Regards Richard

I go to a large Volvo dealership near me (or did before Covid). They make fantastic coffee and they also have drawing and crayons etc which my daughter loves.

After a few visits they gave up on the ‘personal’ service and now allow me to wonder in and make my own coffee for free 🙂. That’s where a dealer is good. I would t allow them to touch my XC however 🤪.

The 90 is a joy to work on, very logical and I use Eastbourne Volvo (Chris or Ashley on parts department). You will save literally hundreds and hundreds working on it yourself.

From memory new rear disks, pads, shoes and brake fluid were around £150.00 when I did them with Volvo invoices etc. It took me about 2 hours to replace and I think I probably saved 300 or 400 quid....

I would get rid of the dealers, to be honest i doubt they work on cars our age any more...

[Lorrick]

Thanks for that, its a shame that it seems Volvo dealerships on the whole have gone the way of most, it is very hard to find an independant. But as you've pointed out they appear to be straight forward to work on, for me its time thats the problem. As work tends to get in the way! as I type I'm waiting for a power steering pump to arrive as the original is not working correctly and I've noticed a small bit of side wall missing from the pully that I didn't notice beforehand. We have decided to keep it for a year and then look around again, maybe Volvo may not, depends if it starts behaving itself. Its a shame we sold a 2005 Hyundai Sante Fe' for it, never went wrong in all the time we had it, but thought 15 years is just waiting for something to happen? Should have left it a year. Hey Ho.
Any list of preventative maintainable out there?
Thanks
Richard