xc90 2004 87k miles - Camshaft Failure, HELP!!!

[catbert]

would post that on honest john or something. Raise a stink. The bit about the car only meant to do a 100k is barmy. Though i do wonder about mine. Its not put together that well. Maybe get shot in a few years. Go back to BMW.

[RoyMacDonald]

Tell Customer Services to check the service handbook they send out with every Volvo. It goes up to 20 years and 200,000 miles.

The Chief Executive of Volvo is on the record as saying Volvo's are designed with a 20 year life span.

[reggie59]

Originally Posted by bugsterbuns

Just had Volvo UK on the phone again to plead my case. Mentioned that we were looking to purchase an XC60 (for school runs) and C30 (for me to nip back and forth to train station)

result? sir please pay the £4000 bill and on every purchase we will give you 50% of your repair bill but you will have to run all three cars, seriously. Volvos are for Life!!!!!!

mentioned if i has to service all three at 6,000 and not 12,000 ---------SILENCE!

i simply said that does 12,000 mile routine service mean it is the maximum mileage to get it maintained. He simple answered at 87,000 miles, sir your volvo is at 90% of its life!!! what? Volvos only expect their cars to do 100,000

had a ford mondeo that did 35,000 a year and handed it back after 5 years and apart fron the DPF filter because i was not driving it hard enough it was good as gold and i was the third owner who owned it at 60,000 miles

87K and 90% of life , YIKES!!!! might have been wise to stick to audis esp Q7 as my neighbours Q7 has done 168,000 and has a longlife service circa 18,000 to 20,000 miles and they Audi Uk paid 40% of the cost for replacing the gearbox as it followed its service regime to the dot!!! fact the oil grade is exactly the same if not higher that that recommended by Audi Uk

Oh Volvo!!!!!
:-(without the customers forking out their hard earned cash in maintenance your business model will fail

time to bite the bullet and see what the main dealer comes up with! But this is one expensive lesson

oh and listen will keep you all updated with lack of progress made or not in my case

regards
Bugster

Have you mentioned that you are discussing it the case on the volvo forum? Maybe every propective buyer reading this should ask the salesman about the 100k mi lifespan?

Maybe you should start a new group on facebook? Are volvo for life or for 100k miles?

Sadly, once again an horror story on this forum. Will sale mine as soon as out of warranty. Very sad. I wonder if volvo PR people read this forum? Volvo PR people, an answer please.

[chb]

Stuff like this is bad news for volvo. Volvos hold their value better than fords partly because you see a lot of 15 year old volvos with stellar mileages. Thats because owners like me buy them and keep them running. If volvo drop the quality then home mechanics and those looking for a quality product will move to audi or bmw. If volvo dont live up to their bombproof image at dealer level they are letting down the engineers in sweden who (i still believe) take pride in designing a quality product. If they loose this then...well look at SAAB.

[bugsterbuns]

Roy
Thanks for comment below. I feel my case has definately fallen to deaf ears, only option was that if i bought two volvos which was my initial plan they will refund me the cost of the repair. Sfter this ordeal i am giving it some serious thought to get rid of the car when i get it back and look at another safe 7 seater SUV

Volvo Uk could definately do with some lessons in customer care 87K on a volvo should be nothing!

Originally Posted by RoyMacDonald

Tell Customer Services to check the service handbook they send out with every Volvo. It goes up to 20 years and 200,000 miles.

The Chief Executive of Volvo is on the record as saying Volvo's are designed with a 20 year life span.

[bugsterbuns]

Spoke to Volvo Garage that was there a possibility getting a goodwill gesture from Volvo UK....... reply not a chance sir, not a chance nothing sticks with them.

After a call and a lengthy chat got 10% after mentioned that was in the process of buying two more volvos....... in two minds at the minute

Volvo Uk then said to try and get more out of the dealer :-( which in my mind leads me to believe that they are taking no responsibility for the premature failure even though i stuchk to the service schedule. In the end evert 12,00 miles is only recommended you can service it earlier!!!!!!

Originally Posted by reggie59

Have you mentioned that you are discussing it the case on the volvo forum? Maybe every propective buyer reading this should ask the salesman about the 100k mi lifespan?

Maybe you should start a new group on facebook? Are volvo for life or for 100k miles?

Sadly, once again an horror story on this forum. Will sale mine as soon as out of warranty. Very sad. I wonder if volvo PR people read this forum? Volvo PR people, an answer please.

[bugsterbuns]

maybe volvos of old, my aunt had a volvo 240 in africa that she owned from new and only ever changed the oil never the filter as availability of parts were hard. 5 years ago got her a service kit from GSF and believe it or not the car had done 450,000 miles and surprisingly the air con, power steering still worked

only fault was due to laterite soil which had a high iron content the floor was rusty to high heaven and she merrily got a new purpose made galvanised floor installed

she was so overjoyed when i bought the mark stating that is is the last car i will buy as they keep going!!!! how wrong she was. it will be interesting to her otyher similar stories

not sayign that Audi are angels buy biy the audi dealer a45 coventry sure looked after me when i has my former marques even though i had not bought them from him. they always aimed to get my repair bills down letting me on where i could purpose aftermarket components and have them installed by them

Originally Posted by chb

Stuff like this is bad news for volvo. Volvos hold their value better than fords partly because you see a lot of 15 year old volvos with stellar mileages. Thats because owners like me buy them and keep them running. If volvo drop the quality then home mechanics and those looking for a quality product will move to audi or bmw. If volvo dont live up to their bombproof image at dealer level they are letting down the engineers in sweden who (i still believe) take pride in designing a quality product. If they loose this then...well look at SAAB.

[moncman]

Have you PM'd Clan for an angle on this. He appears very up on camshaft failures but may not read the XC90 threads all that often.

Re the 90% life....was that not perhaps refering to the cambelt? Surely Volvo don't expect an XC90 to only last 100,000 miles. Bearing in mind the 18,000 mile or annual service interval they obviously expect the cars to cover more than the average 10,000 miles per annum. That would put a brand new XC90 lifespan at a shade under 6 years!!!! At that point a Kia Sorrento is still under warranty.

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by bugsterbuns

I am yet to get an update from the dealer as to the cause but at the minute his stance is the belt just snapped

i was parking at the time and drive it very gently as i average about 43mpg on a daily commute mainly motorway at 60mph

apparently top half of engine needs replacing as valves etc have been destroyed

Belts never just snap. They are good for over 200,000 miles. It's the tensioners that fail and cause belt failure, and they get noisy before they fail.

I'd advise anyone who has a failure to get the car independently assessed without letting the servicing garage anywhere near it beforehand.

[bugsterbuns]

Volvo garage has quote £4300 to rebuild top half
said initially was £4000 but with additional parts extra £300
Warranty company have paid out £2000 as their maximum claim figure
Volvo UK gave me 10% of balance
Leaving me a repair bill of £1800

my days!!!!!