RE: Volvo V60 Polestar: PH Fleet

RE: Volvo V60 Polestar: PH Fleet

Tuesday 21st April 2015

Volvo V60 Polestar: PH Fleet

A long weekend in Wales was meant to be the perfect test for James's Volvo. The pothole had other ideas...



Having been reunited with the Polestar, I was looking forward to a family weekend away in Wales over the Bank Holiday. I was genuinely excited at the prospect of spending some quality time in the car. Alongside this, it would be an excellent test of the car's sporting estate credentials: it had to be exciting while remaining a very good and family-friendly load-lugging Volvo.

Ah yes, that's borked
Ah yes, that's borked
Very early morning progress was aided by the Polestar's excellent adaptive cruise control system. The V60 really is an exceptionally comfortable car to cover miles in, especially considering how tough the suspension is at lower speeds. The excellent damping really does contain that "jiggling" feeling often found on cars that are too stiffly sprung without decent dampers. Wind and road noise are kept pleasingly subdued as well. We were soon leaving toll booths and making our way through the Brecon Beacons, having recorded a new fuel consumption high of 28.8mpg (!) on the way across.

By 0900h we were nearing Aberaeron on the west coast of Wales. The plan was to unload the family and luggage at the hotel, grab a late breakfast and head off for a more spirited drive to properly enjoy the car. As I say, that was the plan...

The weather had really closed in by now and with a precious five-month old passenger onboard I was gently cruising along at 50 mph on a very wet Welsh country road. And then I collided with a meteorite. OK, so it wasn't actually a meteorite, but for split second I thought it was, such was the violence with which the car shook.

And they're such good looking wheels!
And they're such good looking wheels!
Once the infotainment screen had recovered from the jolt and turned back on (yes, really) I realised that what had actually happened was that the puddle I'd just driven through had a pothole hiding in the bottom of it. A huge one. And I'd hit it. Hard.

A closer inspection of the wheel revealed a very damaged tyre, albeit one that continued to hold air. No problem though, all I needed to do was locate a 245/35 R20 Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyre. In a remote part of Wales. On a Bank Holiday weekend.

And my weekend of driving pleasure was reduced to a 50 mph and an extremely gentle tour of west Wales' finest tyre fitting establishments. Unsurprisingly, it was a futile endeavour as there was absolutely no chance of sourcing a replacement. Instantly the dread about a slow speed 250 mile schlep back home set in; the journey ended up taking seven hours. Joy.

This was the Wales plan...
This was the Wales plan...
Volvo's inspection revealed that both near side wheels and tyres would need replacement due to flat spots and sidewall damage. At the same time they carried out a 'blue light' inspection of the car due to the severity of the impact. This is a belt and braces check applied to Volvo emergency service vehicles on a regular basis. Luckily the only thing that this uncovered was the need for a four-wheel alignment, which meant that the car was quickly returned to us in rude health.

I can't help but wonder if all this could have been avoided if it weren't for the trend to have enormous wheels and very thin sidewalls on cars. And don't get me started on potholes...


FACT SHEET
Car:
2014 Volvo V60 Polestar
Run by: James
On fleet since: February 2015
Mileage: 12,267
List price new: £49,775 (and £49,775 as tested too!)
Last month at a glance: Pothole puts paid to Polestar plans in Wales

Previous updates:
Hot Swede welcomed to the PH Fleet...
A few others have a go in JD's Volvo's, they love it too!

[Pics: Ben Lowden]

 

 

Author
Discussion

Matt Bird

Original Poster:

1,450 posts

204 months

PH Reportery Lad

Tuesday 21st April 2015
quotequote all
Quick note on the photos here to avoid any confusion. With James unable to take any useful photos with the tyre nightmare, we've dropped in a couple of unused ones from Ben's Welsh trip a little while back. Hence the snow! There will be some fresh ones in the sunshine for next time.

Cheers!


Matt

JD PH

2,668 posts

116 months

Tuesday 21st April 2015
quotequote all
Sorry about the lack of pictures. A couple of the tyre fitting establishments had some cracking hanging basket displays that would've made a lovely backdrop for photography. Sadly though my desperation to locate a tyre clearly meant that my mind was elsewhere!

MissChief

7,095 posts

167 months

Tuesday 21st April 2015
quotequote all
Also gives an example of the issue I had last year. Trying to find a decent quality, branded tyre, in stock at just about any tyre fitting centre. It was all 'ditchfinders' in stock and anything of decent quality wasn't kept in stock anywhere!

thelawnet

1,539 posts

154 months

Tuesday 21st April 2015
quotequote all
I hope the pothole has been reported to the local council.

thelawnet

1,539 posts

154 months

Tuesday 21st April 2015
quotequote all
MissChief said:
Also gives an example of the issue I had last year. Trying to find a decent quality, branded tyre, in stock at just about any tyre fitting centre. It was all 'ditchfinders' in stock and anything of decent quality wasn't kept in stock anywhere!
Yes, I went in one the other day to get a puncture fixed. At this particular establishment they invariably tell you to buy new ones instead, of which of course they had none in stock.

smithersjones

4 posts

126 months

Tuesday 21st April 2015
quotequote all
Spotted the car outside the Harbourmaster Hotel a number of times the weekend you were around and knocked off a few pix on my phone...wondered who was driving it and where you were as I'd have loved a look-see close up. Got to love a rare car! Having owned the only 3 ALPINA's to have lived in Aberaeron, we're somewhat used to the attention an unusual car draws...and yours drew ours (attention)!

Loved the wheels: shame you got one trashed.

Alucidnation

16,810 posts

169 months

Tuesday 21st April 2015
quotequote all
Fantastic car.

Might be a contender next year when we change!

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Tuesday 21st April 2015
quotequote all
I live in Berkshire and the state of most roads is appalling.
I get worried driving on 18's but have been OK so far, but I just would not want 20's on a car.
It isn't a blinged Chelsea tractor, it's supposed to be a reasonably practical Ovlov FFS!
Sorry to hear it wrecked your plans though - that is what really worries me about cars with just a can of foam. If yours had leaked air no way would foam fix it so you would end up 250 miles from home until you could find a suitable tyre.

smithersjones

4 posts

126 months

Tuesday 21st April 2015
quotequote all
A chat with (car-)knowledgeable locals may have elicited a supplier of some rubber (there are a few lesser known tyre fitters around here, but you need to know where to search in the back lanes!)...or the keys to the Volvo dealership in town who would have gone out of their way to accommodate you and your car. As it happens, I was speaking to the Dealer Principle on Saturday night about the visit of this very car to our town (the DP was away on holiday at time of cars' visit, so didn't see it) and have promised them a copy of the pix of the car as they are very intrigued by it: I'll also give them a link to this report smile

These Polestars deserve to sell well.

Axionknight

8,505 posts

134 months

Tuesday 21st April 2015
quotequote all
Gimme gimme gimme (a Volvo after midnight).

405dogvan

5,326 posts

264 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
quotequote all
I "get" 2-seater sportscars not having a full-sized-spare - but other cars and ESPECIALLY family cars NEED one - no excuses for not having one IMO (it can be optional but it needs to be offered)

I'm also tired of seeing people drive on space savers for long-distances or extended periods of time - they're essentially "dangerous" and their life is short (and they're expensive to replace) and yet some people seem to forget they're on their car or think they're a better idea than recovery (they're intended for SHORT trips - essentially to the tyre fitter only)!?

p.s. I looked at a car for someone last week and the space-saver tyre was BALD - I mean, how the fk does that happen and who doesn't fix it before trying to sell their car?!?

Baryonyx

17,990 posts

158 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
quotequote all
Beautiful cat and easily the best looking estate on the market.

Scottie - NW

1,284 posts

232 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
quotequote all
35 profile and 20 inch wheels are ridiculous.

drunkenmunkey

71 posts

166 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
quotequote all
I'm genuinely shocked that a professional car tester couldn't read the road well enough to avoid a pot hole large enough to disable a car.

JD PH

2,668 posts

116 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
quotequote all
drunkenmunkey said:
I'm genuinely shocked that a professional car tester couldn't read the road well enough to avoid a pot hole large enough to disable a car.
I'm hoping that you skim read the article and missed the bit where I said that the pothole was completely submerged?! Either that or there are some very important road-reading skills that I have been previously unaware of. Like the ability to predict the future and telepathy. wink

JD PH

2,668 posts

116 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
quotequote all
smithersjones said:
Spotted the car outside the Harbourmaster Hotel a number of times the weekend you were around and knocked off a few pix on my phone...wondered who was driving it and where you were as I'd have loved a look-see close up. Got to love a rare car! Having owned the only 3 ALPINA's to have lived in Aberaeron, we're somewhat used to the attention an unusual car draws...and yours drew ours (attention)! .
Sorry we missed you! I'm not surprised that you spotted the car though, it is hard to miss even on a road as colourful as Aberaeron Harbour. As it happens I visit the area fairly regularly so keep your eyes peeled if you see any other PH cars parked outside the Harbour Master.

JD


Accelebrate

5,244 posts

214 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
quotequote all
Glad I wasn't the only person miles from home searching for a replacement Super Sport over the bank holiday weekend.



Couldn't be repaired as I drove a short distance whilst it was flat. Easy to miss a flat on a 35 profile in the dark.

CS400

145 posts

110 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
quotequote all
Mr Tidy said:
that is what really worries me about cars with just a can of foam. If yours had leaked air no way would foam fix it so you would end up 250 miles from home until you could find a suitable tyre.
Exactly the same happened to me in my Saab 9-3 Turbo X, although 19" wheels with 40 profile. I completely blew the tyre and damage the wheel after hitting a pothole that was submerged in a puddle on an unlit country lane where I was travelling at about 35mph. The AA did what they could but couldn't source a tyre that evening and in the end they had to get my car and family (wife, one child of 6 and one of 18 months and myself) recovered back to home which fortunately was only 35 miles away. We ended up getting home about midnight whereas if there had been a spare, we could have been home a couple of hours before! frown

CS400

145 posts

110 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
quotequote all
I have just mentioned this to my friend that has got one of these Polestar Volvo.
He has also suffered a similar fate with his tyre but his car came with a space saver wheel, only when he came to put it on he found that it didn't fit as the brakes were too big!!! confused
Surely somebody at Volvo design could have checked something as simple as that?

is1

188 posts

147 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
quotequote all
CS400 said:
I have just mentioned this to my friend that has got one of these Polestar Volvo.
He has also suffered a similar fate with his tyre but his car came with a space saver wheel, only when he came to put it on he found that it didn't fit as the brakes were too big!!! confused
Surely somebody at Volvo design could have checked something as simple as that?
The space saver should usually fit over the brakes on at least the back axle so if you get a front puncture, you need to take a back wheel off and move to the front and put the space saver on the back. That was the case with a previous car of mine (not a Volvo, an Evo VI). Ridiculous indeed.