2008 Volvo V70 T6
Discussion
PomBstard said:
Well, the windscreen change didn't happen. Apparently I've got a rain-sensing jobbie and the guy bought out a non rain-sensing jobbie and the two are not interchangeable. My fault for not getting the spec right, but I didn't know it had this feature. Anyway, tried it - doesn't work, just like the time I had it on a Bora years ago. IMO, one of those pointless uses of technology. Will try again to get the screen changed sometime soon.
Probably a daft question, but have you checked the auto wipers are switched on? Having just picked up a V60, I've found that the auto wipers need to be switched on using a button on the wiper stalk. When you start the car they are automatically off.
IanCress said:
Probably a daft question, but have you checked the auto wipers are switched on? Having just picked up a V60, I've found that the auto wipers need to be switched on using a button on the wiper stalk. When you start the car they are automatically off.
Not really a daft question, seeing as I didn't know the car had this feature. Yes, have switched them on and they do 'work' but only when the sensor can be arsed to work. Same as the Bora. Pointless use of tech, along with auto-on lights. Really, if you can't see to operate features such as lights and wipers, then really shouldn't be driving. Other comfort tech I do like are the heated seats, which helped keep my legs and glutes warm after a five-hour bashing on the bike, and the self-dipping mirror which kept the country road dazzle to a minimum.
Have also been exploring the grip/oomph on my regular commute - couple of roundabouts that have good second gear exits. It is possible to feel the back of the car dig in and shoot you through with admirable pace, but you do have to hold on to the wheel and brace against the centre console. Bolsters, Volvo, bolsters!
And car now much cleaner...
Edited by PomBstard on Friday 14th August 11:54
Well, that didn't take long, the first sign of wear and tear has cropped up. Seems like the droning/rumbling noise I thought was simply a wheel bearing is in fact the rear diff. Not even eight years old, and only 130,000km on the clock. Now need to track down a spare somehow - mechanic reckons I've got about 10,000km or so before it gives up.
My plan to keep the car until early-2017 is looking a bit optimistic...
My plan to keep the car until early-2017 is looking a bit optimistic...
I am sure wouldn't take a few hours to disconnect it, to give you some time to sort it out. After an oil change. i am sure you sohuld be able to rent some ramps to do oil change and prop out, or pay a garage.
I bet there are compnaies that do refurbishmnet for a few hundered if worst case.
I bet there are compnaies that do refurbishmnet for a few hundered if worst case.
Well, bit of an update. The noise hasn't got any worse - in fact to these ears its quietened, and that's when I'm really listening for it. I got a couple of other opinions, and they weren't as decisive as the first, so nothing doing for the moment.
Over the past few months I've settled into a bit more of a rhythm with the car, we've done 8,000km in just over 5 months, and whilst its downsides still overwhelm its upsides for me, I've come to appreciate the engine more. Its not particularly powerful for a 3.0T I6 - 285bhp - but it is torquey, smooth and willing to hit the 6600rpm cut-out in lower gears with surprising gusto.
Around town, left to its own devices, the gearbox and engine conspire to pootle along at <2000rpm most of the time, and the engine seems happy to pull 1200rpm. Peak torque is spread from 1500-4000rpm (I think), so that's probably no surprise, but it does make for lazy progress. Where the gearbox shows itself to be problem is when you want to make progress - lazy kickdowns, or slow reactions with the manual shift. But once going, the engine is very good. Does anyone know if it found its way into any other cars?
I think I said previously that the car should've been offered with the V8 for wafters, and that's still true. What Volvo should then have done is sourced a better gearbox and made more of the I6. Bit of a hidden gem, like the Yamaha-designed V8 in the S80 and XC90.
The rest of the car seems fine, standing up to the usual crap of carting a family of five around. I've even gotten used to the seats, though they'll never be my first choice, and the lack of storage space in the front.
Its still a car of immense frustration - it could so easily have been great - and I still don't understand the devotion towards them. Its a car for people with no interest in driving - a bit like a Camry. I think the ability is there, but its under too many layers and the reward for finding it is just not worth the effort. I really do want to like it more.
A friend is looking to sell his Outback 3.0 and doesn't know what to replace it with. I think the V70 is the bigger, faster version of the Sube. It lacks the Subaru's agility, ergonomics and proper AWD, but it is a cruiser with plenty of space. What the V70 lacks is the Liberty/Legacy sporty twin. Some might suggest the XC70 is the Outback's bigger equivalent, but I'd say that's even further from the Japanese car being more wobbly and waft'ish than the V70. No, a sporty version of the V70 would be great, in the same mould as the old T5R/V70R - I think I'd buy one of those.
Over the past few months I've settled into a bit more of a rhythm with the car, we've done 8,000km in just over 5 months, and whilst its downsides still overwhelm its upsides for me, I've come to appreciate the engine more. Its not particularly powerful for a 3.0T I6 - 285bhp - but it is torquey, smooth and willing to hit the 6600rpm cut-out in lower gears with surprising gusto.
Around town, left to its own devices, the gearbox and engine conspire to pootle along at <2000rpm most of the time, and the engine seems happy to pull 1200rpm. Peak torque is spread from 1500-4000rpm (I think), so that's probably no surprise, but it does make for lazy progress. Where the gearbox shows itself to be problem is when you want to make progress - lazy kickdowns, or slow reactions with the manual shift. But once going, the engine is very good. Does anyone know if it found its way into any other cars?
I think I said previously that the car should've been offered with the V8 for wafters, and that's still true. What Volvo should then have done is sourced a better gearbox and made more of the I6. Bit of a hidden gem, like the Yamaha-designed V8 in the S80 and XC90.
The rest of the car seems fine, standing up to the usual crap of carting a family of five around. I've even gotten used to the seats, though they'll never be my first choice, and the lack of storage space in the front.
Its still a car of immense frustration - it could so easily have been great - and I still don't understand the devotion towards them. Its a car for people with no interest in driving - a bit like a Camry. I think the ability is there, but its under too many layers and the reward for finding it is just not worth the effort. I really do want to like it more.
A friend is looking to sell his Outback 3.0 and doesn't know what to replace it with. I think the V70 is the bigger, faster version of the Sube. It lacks the Subaru's agility, ergonomics and proper AWD, but it is a cruiser with plenty of space. What the V70 lacks is the Liberty/Legacy sporty twin. Some might suggest the XC70 is the Outback's bigger equivalent, but I'd say that's even further from the Japanese car being more wobbly and waft'ish than the V70. No, a sporty version of the V70 would be great, in the same mould as the old T5R/V70R - I think I'd buy one of those.
Another NSW Pistonheader! 
I contemplated a V70 for the other half when we were in the market for a wagon. The running costs of the V70 turned me off - especially fuel economy when it will be run stop start on the Eastern Distributor on the daily commute!
Ended up with an Octavia instead. Fast, no. Cheap yes. Cool as a Volvo T6 - hell no!
I contemplated a V70 for the other half when we were in the market for a wagon. The running costs of the V70 turned me off - especially fuel economy when it will be run stop start on the Eastern Distributor on the daily commute!
Ended up with an Octavia instead. Fast, no. Cheap yes. Cool as a Volvo T6 - hell no!
Rensko said:
Another NSW Pistonheader!
I contemplated a V70 for the other half when we were in the market for a wagon. The running costs of the V70 turned me off - especially fuel economy when it will be run stop start on the Eastern Distributor on the daily commute!
Ended up with an Octavia instead. Fast, no. Cheap yes. Cool as a Volvo T6 - hell no!
G'day, and welcome to either PH, NSW or both!I contemplated a V70 for the other half when we were in the market for a wagon. The running costs of the V70 turned me off - especially fuel economy when it will be run stop start on the Eastern Distributor on the daily commute!
Ended up with an Octavia instead. Fast, no. Cheap yes. Cool as a Volvo T6 - hell no!
There's a thread as to how I ended up with the V70 in Aus forum, but an Octavia would be too small. I've given up even monitoring the fuel economy - it gets a lot of urban use and is, ahem, exercised whenever the opportunity allows, which the kids also love! In any case, its about the same as a CX9 or XC90 3.2 or Commodore V8 and not massively worse than the Lib that came before it.
As for a Volvo T6 being cool, hmm, not sure about that, but thanks anyway!
B'stard thing left me stranded last week. Loaded up the kids on a stinking hot day to get out of the house, and when I pushed the start button the dash told me "Turn the wheel and try again". So I did. And the same message came back. Again, and again, and again. The kids learned some of Daddy's Naughty Words and promised not to tell their friends...
Roadside Assistance dude was helpful, having seen a few he prescribed cooling the electric steering lock, which seemed to do the trick. Apparently these aren't as woeful as the XC90... Seems that the steering lock hadn't engaged properly last time I used the car, and when the computer looked to unlock the steering this time, and discovered it couldn't because it was already unlocked, it went into safety mode, which means not letting the car start. The internet tells me of tales of Volvo owners in the US (where else...) crashing because their steering locks failed 'On' whilst driving.
Whatever. I now make sure the lock is on before leaving the car, but that doesn't happen until I open the door, so its a bit of deep-breath moment every journey.
Its also been pissing down here for about 3 days. Early on Day 1, the rear wiper released itself from the car, preferring instead the comfort of the road outside our house. No probs, thinks I, a new blade and we'll be right. Nope. Can't find just the blade anywhere and it seems to be a wiper arm removal job. Which is not going to be the work of a moment, I can just feel it. Will get round to it when it finally stops raining hard for long enough to take a proper look.
The trim on the edge of the centre console has started to peel its lacquer - looks a bit shoddy, have used a razor blade to slice it in line with its edges to try to hide it, but not really what I was expecting. Perhaps my leg resting against it was just too much for it to take.
Finally, the dashboard has just told me its time to book a maintenance check. So, its in with my local independent next week. That'll be about 10,000km in 8 months, of which a large proportion has been urban work. Don't think it'll be anything other than a routine service, but I just can't be sure.
The service is timely as I'm also going to put on a new pair of front tyres - the rears were replaced back in June following a kerbing incident - and then put it up for sale. A friend is off travelling for a year and I've agreed to look after his Mazda CX9 which he doesn't really want to sell. It means I don't have to keep the Volvo for another year as planned. Can't say I'll be sorry to see the back of it - not really wormed its way into my affections, I still don't get the attraction of these things. And I keep expecting something expensive to break/fail any moment.
Positives? Well, its still the engine, the rear booster seats, the boot, and, er, um, that's it for me.
Roadside Assistance dude was helpful, having seen a few he prescribed cooling the electric steering lock, which seemed to do the trick. Apparently these aren't as woeful as the XC90... Seems that the steering lock hadn't engaged properly last time I used the car, and when the computer looked to unlock the steering this time, and discovered it couldn't because it was already unlocked, it went into safety mode, which means not letting the car start. The internet tells me of tales of Volvo owners in the US (where else...) crashing because their steering locks failed 'On' whilst driving.
Whatever. I now make sure the lock is on before leaving the car, but that doesn't happen until I open the door, so its a bit of deep-breath moment every journey.
Its also been pissing down here for about 3 days. Early on Day 1, the rear wiper released itself from the car, preferring instead the comfort of the road outside our house. No probs, thinks I, a new blade and we'll be right. Nope. Can't find just the blade anywhere and it seems to be a wiper arm removal job. Which is not going to be the work of a moment, I can just feel it. Will get round to it when it finally stops raining hard for long enough to take a proper look.
The trim on the edge of the centre console has started to peel its lacquer - looks a bit shoddy, have used a razor blade to slice it in line with its edges to try to hide it, but not really what I was expecting. Perhaps my leg resting against it was just too much for it to take.
Finally, the dashboard has just told me its time to book a maintenance check. So, its in with my local independent next week. That'll be about 10,000km in 8 months, of which a large proportion has been urban work. Don't think it'll be anything other than a routine service, but I just can't be sure.
The service is timely as I'm also going to put on a new pair of front tyres - the rears were replaced back in June following a kerbing incident - and then put it up for sale. A friend is off travelling for a year and I've agreed to look after his Mazda CX9 which he doesn't really want to sell. It means I don't have to keep the Volvo for another year as planned. Can't say I'll be sorry to see the back of it - not really wormed its way into my affections, I still don't get the attraction of these things. And I keep expecting something expensive to break/fail any moment.
Positives? Well, its still the engine, the rear booster seats, the boot, and, er, um, that's it for me.
And that is the end of that. Buyer has just driven off, and the only reason I'm not dancing with elation is cos I sold it for 15% less that I paid for it, and I paid a cheap price only 10 months ago. Seriously, even at a low price the car had little attention. Interestingly, a V70 T6 I looked at last May has only just sold a week ago. He probably got a bit more for his car, but I'm not waiting for a year or so.
For the past 8 or so weeks, I've been running my mate's CX9 as well, and its shown the Volvo up for the lumbering beast it is. The Mazda is heavier, wider and higher but feels so much more nimble and gives very little in day-to-day driving. Build quality is at least the Swede's equal, even if the dash isn't quite as stylish. The main difference to me is that I don't have the lurking suspicion that the CX9 is going to stiff me for a major repair soon. I really did begin to dread what might or might not stop working on the Volvo.
In the past few weeks, I have tried to keep it moving between a variety of unsympathetic test drives, but choosing the bottom of Galston Gorge to throw a coil pack was not its finest hour. Esp on a day of 37-40C. I know, these things can go at any time, but trying to find a replacement was a right pain. Even Volvo dealers don't keep them in stock. Anyway, with a new pack fitted, the engine continued to run like the jewel it is.
And that really concludes matters. I cannot think of any instance where I would put a V70 at the top of the list, and can't see a Volvo, past or present, that I want to own. I still don't get these cars. But the engine was worth having, just for a bit.
For the past 8 or so weeks, I've been running my mate's CX9 as well, and its shown the Volvo up for the lumbering beast it is. The Mazda is heavier, wider and higher but feels so much more nimble and gives very little in day-to-day driving. Build quality is at least the Swede's equal, even if the dash isn't quite as stylish. The main difference to me is that I don't have the lurking suspicion that the CX9 is going to stiff me for a major repair soon. I really did begin to dread what might or might not stop working on the Volvo.
In the past few weeks, I have tried to keep it moving between a variety of unsympathetic test drives, but choosing the bottom of Galston Gorge to throw a coil pack was not its finest hour. Esp on a day of 37-40C. I know, these things can go at any time, but trying to find a replacement was a right pain. Even Volvo dealers don't keep them in stock. Anyway, with a new pack fitted, the engine continued to run like the jewel it is.
And that really concludes matters. I cannot think of any instance where I would put a V70 at the top of the list, and can't see a Volvo, past or present, that I want to own. I still don't get these cars. But the engine was worth having, just for a bit.
This post (along with many on the Volvo Owners club) answer my question as to weather Geeley Volvos are worse than the Ford Era ones.
It's a crying shame tbh as I really like the brand and loved all my Volvos, x2 850 wagons, a 20valve then a 2.3 T5, and then the S60 D5 & XC90 T6, all great cars....We still have the S60 and it has just passed 200k while still running strong.
Incidentally I loved the T6 in the XC90, a peach of a motor.
Experiences like yours (and many others) cut deep and really do hurt the brand involved...As you say, I very much doubt you'll ever want another Volvo again.
It's a crying shame tbh as I really like the brand and loved all my Volvos, x2 850 wagons, a 20valve then a 2.3 T5, and then the S60 D5 & XC90 T6, all great cars....We still have the S60 and it has just passed 200k while still running strong.
Incidentally I loved the T6 in the XC90, a peach of a motor.
Experiences like yours (and many others) cut deep and really do hurt the brand involved...As you say, I very much doubt you'll ever want another Volvo again.
y2blade said:
Experiences like yours (and many others) cut deep and really do hurt the brand involved...As you say, I very much doubt you'll ever want another Volvo again.
If I could summarise my experience with the V70 its that it was competent, but little more. It offered nothing that I can't get elsewhere, and on this side of the planet, didn't have the service back up to give confidence. It was such a frustrating car to drive as it really felt like it was trying to span too wide a spectrum and didn't really succeed at any.More oomph out of the T6 - at least 350bhp, a little less weight or at least a permanent AWD system, a la Subaru. Sharper, more feelsome steering, and change the feckin map on that auto box. Then add some seats which offer proper support and a smaller steering wheel, and we're in business. Alternatively, whack in the 4.4 V8 and be done with. None of this is tricky stuff.
The ability was there, but it took such effort to uncover it, and the rewards were so slight, that I just couldn't be arsed in the end. And having driven the XC60 T6 and XC90 V8 I don't think its a one-off. Perhaps these make a better case with the lower spec engines.
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