help/advise for V70 1999

help/advise for V70 1999

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watchnut

Original Poster:

1,166 posts

129 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2016
quotequote all
hi all Volvo boys (and girls)

I have a 1999 V70 (Classic shape)

I had it serviced at a main dealer in Southampton yesterday.

They did one of their "Vehicle health checks" on it.........well looked over it in old money

They have informed me that my "Lower Control arm Bushes" on the rear of the car are at an "Amber" condition and will need replacing. They told me that it is not an MOT failure.....but will require doing.

They want some £616.68 for the work claiming 2.5 hours of work.....£231 labour, and the two bushes at £282.90

After i had picked myself up off the floor at being what i considered "Mugged" I thought i had better ask you all who know so much.....what this work might cost me elsewhere, and where within a reasonable drive from the New Forest side of Southampton you might suggest I try getting a quote from?

I don't know what the value of my car is but I suspect it may be below the price quoted above. But, I have had the car from new, it has only 189,000 miles on it, it is in great condition for it's age, and I am prepared to pay a bit of money on it every year as it is cheaper to repair a car than buy a new one, but, I don't want to get ripped off.

I did have a local guy look after it for a few years, but he started to get more expensive than the main dealer.....so I don't use him any more.

If any of you know what sort of price would be reasonable please advise

Many thanks in advance .....broke from The New forest....or will be soon!

mcgandalf

657 posts

155 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2016
quotequote all
Forget it, chap. You're being robbed.

Control arm/wishbone bushes wearing on these Volvos is a common issue. It sounds as if you don't need your bushes replacing immediately. They may be an advisory at your next MOT, they may not. I wouldn't stress about it unduly for the time being, and I certainly wouldn't shell out over £600 at a Volvo main dealer.

I recently had one front wishbone bush replaced on my S60 (yes, I know you should probably do them in pairs, but one was worn, one wasn't and there is a limit to how much money I wanted to cough up). There are plenty of recommendations online to use polyutherane (Powerflex) bushes - I supplied my own Powerflex bushes and the independent garage physically couldn't get them into my wishbone with their press.

One new (aftermarket) replacement front wishbone with integrated rubber bush cost me £97 plus VAT. In terms of labour, the car was on a lift with wheels off for brake work anyway and the garage managed to fit the wishbone replacement, brakes and a full service into 1.5 hours.

Quoting you 2.5 hours labour to replace the rear bushes in your V70 is just ludicrous. I am always baffled by how main dealers can claim to quote so much labour time for certain jobs when surely they work on these specific vehicles day in day out and know them back to front.

I would strongly suggest you visit South Hants Garage Services - independent Volvo specialists in Southampton, SO14 0SQ.

Not a specialist, but Copythorne Garage at the edge of the Forest, just off J1 of the M27 (SO40 2PB) are also good.

Hope this helps.

George111

6,930 posts

251 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2016
quotequote all
watchnut said:
They told me that it is not an MOT failure.....but will require doing.
As above. Wait until the MoT tester says you need it doing and then find a good independent garage. Bushes can hold on for years.

watchnut

Original Poster:

1,166 posts

129 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2016
quotequote all
many thanks for the replies.....I have never used Copythorne garage....but seeing that i am about 1 mile from there i will pop in and ask

cheers again smile

mcgandalf

657 posts

155 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2016
quotequote all
watchnut said:
many thanks for the replies.....I have never used Copythorne garage....but seeing that i am about 1 mile from there i will pop in and ask

cheers again smile
A mate's dad has sworn by Copythorne Garage over the years for anything he's needed doing to his 3-series.

As previously said, Volvo bushes are something to watch for but you're unlikely to need to do them yet.

watchnut

Original Poster:

1,166 posts

129 months

Friday 15th April 2016
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies.....

At the moment I am in a state of shock, as the car went back to Volvo so they could investigate an oil leak that they thought might be coming from the crank case seal they repaired in August last year.

They say it is not from the crank case seal, but my oil pump, and if i would like to part with some £1045 they would repair it!

I said i would call them back, went into a local garage who said they could get the part from Volvo cheaper then volvo could sell me the part, and as their labour charges were less than half do the job for about £650

funny thing was Volvo garage then called me back, and said they had had an enquiry regarding said oil pump, and would do the job for £800. i said I would still prefer them to put it back together, and I would get it done elsewhere, they asked at what price and I told them about £650, he said he would call me back.......and did about an hour later that they could do it for £700.

They have had my car for some 3 days now.....my wife is enjoying the V40 with 460 miles on the clock that they gave her, they said they would order the parts from Sweden, keep the car until it is done......so maybe worth it that the wife is on the road until my beloved Ovlov is back on the road

Parting with £700 is a shed load of money for a car that maybe worth about £200 less than that.....but it is cheaper than buying a new car!.....and if it keeps it on the road for another year worth it

I am going to put it through it's MOT in May, and see if the rear axil bushes even merit a mention before selling my other kidney to have them replaced

My car is in great nick on the whole, only 196,000 on the clock but how much money should I spend on it?....a great work horse ideal for longer journeys/going to dump/going out family/safe/fuel economy at 45-50 mpg/ and so comfotable......

morgrp

4,128 posts

198 months

Sunday 17th April 2016
quotequote all
watchnut said:
Thanks for the replies.....

At the moment I am in a state of shock, as the car went back to Volvo so they could investigate an oil leak that they thought might be coming from the crank case seal they repaired in August last year.

They say it is not from the crank case seal, but my oil pump, and if i would like to part with some £1045 they would repair it!

I said i would call them back, went into a local garage who said they could get the part from Volvo cheaper then volvo could sell me the part, and as their labour charges were less than half do the job for about £650

funny thing was Volvo garage then called me back, and said they had had an enquiry regarding said oil pump, and would do the job for £800. i said I would still prefer them to put it back together, and I would get it done elsewhere, they asked at what price and I told them about £650, he said he would call me back.......and did about an hour later that they could do it for £700.

They have had my car for some 3 days now.....my wife is enjoying the V40 with 460 miles on the clock that they gave her, they said they would order the parts from Sweden, keep the car until it is done......so maybe worth it that the wife is on the road until my beloved Ovlov is back on the road

Parting with £700 is a shed load of money for a car that maybe worth about £200 less than that.....but it is cheaper than buying a new car!.....and if it keeps it on the road for another year worth it

I am going to put it through it's MOT in May, and see if the rear axil bushes even merit a mention before selling my other kidney to have them replaced

My car is in great nick on the whole, only 196,000 on the clock but how much money should I spend on it?....a great work horse ideal for longer journeys/going to dump/going out family/safe/fuel economy at 45-50 mpg/ and so comfotable......
Is it a turbo?

watchnut

Original Poster:

1,166 posts

129 months

Monday 18th April 2016
quotequote all
yep a 2.5 litre turbo diesel (1999) classic shape why?

They have now had it since Wednesday last week, said parts had to come from Sweden....didn't realise they still came by longship!!

Wife is happy as she is driving around in a nice V40!

Not heard anything from them yet....so maybe some news tomorrow......maybe they don't know how to fix it?

Edited by watchnut on Monday 18th April 19:42

morgrp

4,128 posts

198 months

Wednesday 20th April 2016
quotequote all
The Turbo oil feed o-ring are a known failure on the petrol models - didn't realise it was a diesel - should have read the post in more depth!

watchnut

Original Poster:

1,166 posts

129 months

Thursday 21st April 2016
quotequote all
Still heard nothing....wife thinks they have done a swap for a V40 with 460 miles on it ....she has now pushed that up to 960......thinks she should keep it now.....it feels really big when you are in it!....leather seats are nice....it has loads of toys....which being a typical blonde she has not played with.......still if they don't return our car tomorrow she is using it to go to Manchester and Sheffield, so get to do a mega test drive, so far her only complaints are that the rear window is really small, and not easy to see out of....but then the V70 has a large one

I dare not call in case I speak to a crying parts/service desk man who will not like to admit they (main dealer) don't know how to fix our car!!!!!

Does anyone else have this "issue" where it has so far taken 8 days to repair an Oil Pump!

mcgandalf

657 posts

155 months

Thursday 21st April 2016
quotequote all
Is this what's required?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/322064292078

£50 - it is 'used' but I'm sure it would be just the ticket for your venerable bus.

£19 for delivery, or you could always take your lovely new V40 to Germany to pick it up and 'save' on the delivery costs?

watchnut

Original Poster:

1,166 posts

129 months

Friday 22nd April 2016
quotequote all
laugh

As i type....I kid you not i am waiting to see if it will be ready tonight as i had a call about 1300ish saying they had to await another part (some clamp thing) in order to put it back together this afternoon ......and should be ready "about 1600.....ish"......

just had the call...can they keep it until Monday when they hope to finish it!.....wife is delighted....she will now throw on about 500-600 miles this weekend on a trip oop nooorth.....

It had better be done right when we get it back..........

watchnut

Original Poster:

1,166 posts

129 months

Monday 25th April 2016
quotequote all
Fast becoming a joke now.......still not repaired....wife had yet another call claiming that a nut they required for the crank case was the wrong one....and now maybe be fixed for tomorrow...had the car now since the 13th April

My wife is not bothered having a brand new V40 to run around in.....she has now put just over a 1000 miles on it!

I think Volvo must be pulling their hair out as I doubt they can be making much money out of it seeing as we have had a car of theirs now for near on 2 weeks.....well I suppose that's what going to a main dealer does for you.

To be fair to them they can't apologise enough, having said that.....it is a 1999 car...so should be easy to fix....what are the new ones going to be like..?.hope they fix it properly....

S10GTA

12,670 posts

167 months

Friday 29th April 2016
quotequote all
You are totally being mugged.

Where are you based? I'm in Hythe and use Aaron at AMC car repairs who is from Holbury. He is mobile, and can collect your car and take it away. He used to work for Volvo before setting up himself.

Otherwise, there is a good Volvo garage at Nomansland (not used myself)

watchnut

Original Poster:

1,166 posts

129 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
quotequote all
Thanks for that.

I have previously tried tried the garage at Nomans land, they quoted me work that was more expensive than "Snows" in Soton. It didn't look like they wanted the work!

Thanks for the details on your man.

We have now got the car back! 14 days later....they had supply of "parts" issues. on reflection the use of a car for 2 weeks to keep my wife on the road (she put over 1100 miles on their car!) was useful, they reduced the bill to £700, and couldn't have been more apologetic, at the end of the day means we can't complain at the customer service. We will never know what truly was the problem with the repair, or if another outfit would have struggled to complete it with the agreed price. I doubt under their prices if they made much money out of it considering we had a car of theirs for so long.

Rick101

6,964 posts

150 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
quotequote all
Sounds like you did alight with the V40.

I have a similar car, 98 2.4 Petrol. Paid touch over £600 little over a year ago.
I've spent very little on it and always planned if it ever threw up a bill of more than a few hundred, I'd just sell/scrap it and buy another £600 car.
I suppose you've had yours a long time so have more of an attachment to it.

Hoofy

76,323 posts

282 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
quotequote all
You might as well buy a replacement for £1k and bin the old car!

watchnut

Original Poster:

1,166 posts

129 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
quotequote all
trouble with buying another "old un" is that you might have to spend a load on it....at least I know this one is in really great nick for it's age, has a full indi/dealer history, so if it's on the road now for another year.....with no more bills then it stays....I always wanted 20 years at least from it.....and only 3 to go now!.....and for an OVLOV with only 196k.....still running "in".

Trouble is, like you say....heart starts to take over, at one point head will have to rule, but she will not stand for an old banger....and want another comfortable, safe one to drive about in....I can't afford her to get hurt....she earns more than me smile

Hoofy

76,323 posts

282 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
quotequote all
I get it, but when the bills start moving towards £1k, you will be better off just getting a car with a full MOT and binning it after a year.

My gearbox is dodgy and there are a few other things that need doing. I'll just keep going until the S60 costs too much to fix then bin it.

watchnut

Original Poster:

1,166 posts

129 months

Friday 20th May 2016
quotequote all
update...car just MOT'd.....the only advisories were that the indicator bulbs were not that "orange" on the sides of the car and the rear.....they are the originals!!!! so only 17 years old...they can stay in! It also required a set of new front tyres as they were getting to low...tracking was out a bit....so had that fixed with two new boots.....good for another year

The rear bushes were not even mentioned!

Car rewarded with a decent polish....looks great (unlike me...)

hopefully no more oil leaks and no more bills!