S60 Disc and Pads Cost

[St James]

Originally Posted by XC90Mk1

I bought some Bahco top spec 3t axle stands for about 50 quid.

If you want to pay someone £100 an hour plus so that they can give to to one of their mechanics at 12 an hour then that’s fine.

Me, I bought discs, pads, shoes, top quality professional sockets, spanner’s, hex wrench, axle stands and a proper bleed kit with its own pump that relies on no external air pressure such as tyres all for the same price.

I hear of people paying 800 for the 6 year service. I just bought water pump, aux belt and odler, cam belt tensioner and idler kit, a 1000Nm top of the line dewalt impact driver, cam locking kit and 300Nm torque wrench all for way less than Volvo charge and I will be doing a proper job.

Some people have no idea of money.

Or some people:

1) Don't have the required skill set to do it themselves;
2) Don't have the time to learn the skill set;
3) Don't want to risk their or their family's lives messing with their car, when they can pay for Volvo or a trusted mechanic to take that responsibility for them;
4) Value their own time higher than the cost of getting it done by Volvo, or a trusted mechanic.

For example, on the last point, if someone can charge clients £90 per hour for their work (as a Director of a business, for example); even if they ended up paying Volvo £100 per hour and it takes Volvo 2 hours, they've actually earnt £180, so the net cost to them is £20 and they didn't have to buy the tools, learn the skill set, risk their family's life (if they don't do it properly), or spend the time doing it which would invariably be longer than Volvo/trusted mechanic would take as well...........

Just a counter-argument to muse over.

J

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by St James

Or some people:

1) Don't have the required skill set to do it themselves;
2) Don't have the time to learn the skill set;
3) Don't want to risk their or their family's lives messing with their car, when they can pay for Volvo or a trusted mechanic to take that responsibility for them;
4) Value their own time higher than the cost of getting it done by Volvo, or a trusted mechanic.

For example, on the last point, if someone can charge clients £90 per hour for their work (as a Director of a business, for example); even if they ended up paying Volvo £100 per hour and it takes Volvo 2 hours, they've actually earnt £180, so the net cost to them is £20 and they didn't have to buy the tools, learn the skill set, risk their family's life (if they don't do it properly), or spend the time doing it which would invariably be longer than Volvo/trusted mechanic would take as well...........

Just a counter-argument to muse over.

J

And as we nearly all agree on this forum - when buying a used Volvo the first thing to look for is a fully stamped service history...

[S60D5-185]

Originally Posted by XC90Mk1

I bought some Bahco top spec 3t axle stands for about 50 quid.

If you want to pay someone £100 an hour plus so that they can give to to one of their mechanics at 12 an hour then that’s fine.

Me, I bought discs, pads, shoes, top quality professional sockets, spanner’s, hex wrench, axle stands and a proper bleed kit with its own pump that relies on no external air pressure such as tyres all for the same price.

I hear of people paying 800 for the 6 year service. I just bought water pump, aux belt and odler, cam belt tensioner and idler kit, a 1000Nm top of the line dewalt impact driver, cam locking kit and 300Nm torque wrench all for way less than Volvo charge and I will be doing a proper job.

Some people have no idea of money.

Generally speaking the Volvo water pump is known to be bomb proof and is not considered a routine change item when doing the cambelt.


In addition, if the new water pump is not a Volvo water pump you may well be exchanging a perfectly good unit for a vastly inferior one.


PS, I've done the cambelt on my last 2 D5's and it's not a hard job at all.

With that kit you will be fine. Did you get a crank locking tool as well?

[XC90Mk1]

Originally Posted by S60D5-185

Generally speaking the Volvo water pump is known to be bomb proof and is not considered a routine change item when doing the cambelt.


In addition, if the new water pump is not a Volvo water pump you may well be exchanging a perfectly good unit for a vastly inferior one.


PS, I've done the cambelt on my last 2 D5's and it's not a hard job at all.

With that kit you will be fine. Did you get a crank locking tool as well?

Hi, thanks, I did get a crank locking tool, replacement bolts for the pully (a bit of overkill perhaps). Yes, the water pump is genuine Volvo. I am aware that people say they are pretty bomb proof but I have nearly 80k on the click and don’t intend doing it again to 160-170k. Given the damage if it fails I thought about just changing it.

Even the genuine Volvo pump was pretty reasonably priced to be honest!

[XC90Mk1]

Originally Posted by St James

Or some people:

1) Don't have the required skill set to do it themselves;
2) Don't have the time to learn the skill set;
3) Don't want to risk their or their family's lives messing with their car, when they can pay for Volvo or a trusted mechanic to take that responsibility for them;
4) Value their own time higher than the cost of getting it done by Volvo, or a trusted mechanic.

For example, on the last point, if someone can charge clients £90 per hour for their work (as a Director of a business, for example); even if they ended up paying Volvo £100 per hour and it takes Volvo 2 hours, they've actually earnt £180, so the net cost to them is £20 and they didn't have to buy the tools, learn the skill set, risk their family's life (if they don't do it properly), or spend the time doing it which would invariably be longer than Volvo/trusted mechanic would take as well...........

Just a counter-argument to muse over.

J

To be honest, I think the complete opposite. If I do it I take as long as needed and feel much more confident that it’s been done correctly to be honest.

Taking into account my hourly rate I am not sure I am ‘up’ on the deal but know it’s done proper!

[S60D5-185]

Originally Posted by XC90Mk1

Hi, thanks, I did get a crank locking tool, replacement bolts for the pully (a bit of overkill perhaps). Yes, the water pump is genuine Volvo. I am aware that people say they are pretty bomb proof but I have nearly 80k on the click and don’t intend doing it again to 160-170k. Given the damage if it fails I thought about just changing it.

Even the genuine Volvo pump was pretty reasonably priced to be honest!

Yes the Kit that I bought came with new crank pulley bolts so on they went.

On my last XC70 D5 , I changed the belts and idlers at 162k and believe it or not the pump was still perfect so it stayed on.

Sold it at 183k and running as sweet as a nut including the 5 speed Geartronic which had had regular sump dumps in my ownership and was performing faultlessly.

Regular oil and filters are the best set of spanners that money can buy.

[S60D5-185]

Originally Posted by XC90Mk1

To be honest, I think the complete opposite. If I do it I take as long as needed and feel much more confident that it’s been done correctly to be honest.

Taking into account my hourly rate I am not sure I am ‘up’ on the deal but know it’s done proper!

I would say that if you are properly capable then do it yourself and you know that it has been done with care and attention.

In 2010 I bought an S60 D5 185 with 55k on the clock, one owner and FVSH.

I changed all fluids and filters immediately and the fuel filter had obviously never ever been off during it's visits to Volvo.

With stuff like filters, the only way that you know for CERTAIN that they have been changed is if you've done them yourself.

Having said all that, for many, they are either not confident or simply not capable of doing work on their cars and that can be remedied by finding a trustworthy Independent. Not everyone is mechanically minded.

I'm fortunate to have a superb one on my doorstep near Newcastle and it goes there for jobs that I don't fancy ( prime example being when the clutch slave cylinder went on the S60 ).

[St James]

Originally Posted by XC90Mk1

To be honest, I think the complete opposite. If I do it I take as long as needed and feel much more confident that it’s been done correctly to be honest.

Taking into account my hourly rate I am not sure I am ‘up’ on the deal but know it’s done proper!

I kind of got that impression for your post tbh; which is, of course, absolutely your prerogative and I've got no issue with that.

I just felt labelling everyone else as having no idea about money, over this kind of thing, is verging on being a bit harsh that's all - there's always a reason why someone would be willing to overspend (relative to you)......for me, and I suspect plenty of others here, it's all the reasons I listed.

I am also fortunate that I happen to run my own business, so the net cost to me isn't significant; but appreciate that doesn't apply to everyone (and didn't apply to me for many years, but I still got a garage to do the work, as I didn't have time!).

J

[XC90Mk1]

Originally Posted by St James

I kind of got that impression for your post tbh; which is, of course, absolutely your prerogative and I've got no issue with that.

I just felt labelling everyone else as having no idea about money, over this kind of thing, is verging on being a bit harsh that's all - there's always a reason why someone would be willing to overspend (relative to you)......for me, and I suspect plenty of others here, it's all the reasons I listed.

I am also fortunate that I happen to run my own business, so the net cost to me isn't significant; but appreciate that doesn't apply to everyone (and didn't apply to me for many years, but I still got a garage to do the work, as I didn't have time!).

J

I understand, thanks for the clarification. As it happens I too run my own business so with labour rates (bearing in mind the garage are probably able to do in 45 minutes what I can do in 2 hours) it’s not a key save. However I feel more confident to stop when something is seized, not lubricated properly, not moving as required etc and spend the time to rectify. I believe a lot of mechanics are under undue time constraints ‘make good’ and move on.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by St James

I kind of got that impression for your post tbh; which is, of course, absolutely your prerogative and I've got no issue with that.

I just felt labelling everyone else as having no idea about money, over this kind of thing, is verging on being a bit harsh that's all - there's always a reason why someone would be willing to overspend (relative to you)......for me, and I suspect plenty of others here, it's all the reasons I listed.

I am also fortunate that I happen to run my own business, so the net cost to me isn't significant; but appreciate that doesn't apply to everyone (and didn't apply to me for many years, but I still got a garage to do the work, as I didn't have time!).

J

Your Time becomes more and more valuable to you as you get older ….