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coastal
08-31-2001, 10:16 PM
I'd be very interested in finding out what first generation drivers have to say about your cars. This is my first Volvo and I've heard so many good things about the long term durability of these cars.

Care to comment?

Thanks!

mrfearless
12-22-2001, 04:02 PM
98 XC, early adopter (beta tester?)

Car has 43K miles (US) with 3 months remaining on warranty.

So far:

1) fuel tank replaced
2) front brakes at 8K, 17K, 25K, 35K, 42.5K
3) front rotors at 42.5K
4) rear brakes at 17K, 28K, 42.5K
5) rear suspension replaced
6) electronic door locks (rear) replaced
7) passenger seat power train replaced
8) gas cap & filler nozzle replaced
9) electronic fuel pumps (both sides gas tank) replaced
10) In dash CD player replaced

Volvo provided 100K extended warranty in exchange for release from filing a claim under Oregon's "Lemon Law".

I'll keep the car until I start having to spend real money, but I won't own another Volvo. This is my second "lemon". Will replace with Lexus RX 300 or LX 470.

dtlayman
02-15-2002, 03:21 PM
I am interested in knowing what other 1998-2000 year XC owners have experienced.  I have thought about purchasing a 1998-2000 year XC to save some money.  Are there consistent problems?

Malcolm
03-06-2002, 07:23 PM
We have a 99 XC with 83K miles. The car also had &#3622K of bodywork from a collision, that did not trigger the air bags. Other than routine service, performed at the dealer and transmission work (software upgrades) it has run well. Best change that we made was tires from the factory Continentals to Michelin Pilot. The car now handles as I believe a &#3640K car should. We will be replacing a top motor mount soon as it has broken. The local repair shop says it is a must fix, but the car is driveable. Based upon no damage sustained by my wife in the wreck and relatively trouble free operation I would recommend the car. Parts and service are a bit expensive, when performed, as a minor disclaimer.  One other item, the manual recommends 91 octane fuel and the car does perform better on it.

Neil
03-19-2002, 02:13 PM
I have a 1997 850 awd, into service November, 1996.
Car has 135k km  (~85k miles).
Service issues have been generic - i.e. not awd components.
. air pump
. 02 sensor
. abs control unit
. control arm (x2)
. multiple batteries
. upper engine bushing
. front rotors at 130k km

P Hartmann
05-15-2002, 07:41 PM
I have a 99XC no damage.
So far:
     new ignition switch(without getting stuck somewhere&#33http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
     anti-sway bars     R shock upper bearing
     L ball joint
     new battery for free(battery must be full force to start this car--not just lighting the lights)

slender
04-16-2003, 02:20 PM
Thought it may be worth bringing this to the fore for the benefit of newer members and those thinking of dipping a toe in the world of XC ownership with a mark 1.

My XC has required a new ABS/Tracs unit (which did not rectify the Tracs Off light illuminating intermittently. I have since worked out that the fault is somehow linked to the operation of the ignition. If I fire the vehicle up immediately the warning light never illuminates. If I put the ignition key to position 2 and allow the warning lights to go off sometimes the Tracs Off light will illuminate. No great shakes, in other words, and I know the system is working fine.

A severe`thud` from the transmission which was audibly diagnosed by a local Volvo technician as the viscous coupling then diagnosed by another Volvo mechanic (at the supplying dealer) as the torque converter turned out to be nothing more serious than a complete flush out and change of the transmission fluid. Took the garage nearly a week and some `phone calls to Volvo UK to sort it out, mind you.

FNS caliper seized and required replacement.

With the exception of the caliper, everything was fixed outside of warranty and paid for by the supplying dealer without so much as a quibble. They even INSISTED that the first repair was done at a local Volvo dealer to me to save me the inconvenience of a 200 miles round trip to Cambridge and back. Excellent service in my book and the reason I would NEVER buy a vehicle such as an XC, with much to go wrong, outside of the Volvo delaer network. The caliper was fixed by a colleague of mine who is an ex-Volvo technician using parts sourced at trade price. The cost was negligible.

I hope this information on my 88,000 mile model is of use to somebody.

xclogan
04-17-2003, 08:06 AM
99 XC Purchased second-hand in January.  It had 33k miles when I got it that is now over 53k miles (3 months later).

Here is what I have done so far:

Replaced driveshaft (warranty item) unusual wearing of joints.
4 Oil and filter changes (synthetic oil and premium filters).
Replaced all fluids with synthetic equivalents.
Replaced back seat ashtray and license place bulbs.

No real issues...Just driving pleasure...

methos
04-17-2003, 08:09 PM
Thanks Logan!  Those guys were scaring me http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/exclamation.gif  http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif

slender
04-18-2003, 03:35 AM
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (methos @ April 17 2003,20:09)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Thanks Logan&#33; Those guys were scaring me http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/exclamation.gif http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Don`t be scared, Methos&#33;

Generally, the internet seems to attract a lot of extremes; those that seriously rate a product and those that seriously don`t&#33;

I hope that my posts take a balanced view and I`m sure that the majority of users here are the same. Looking at the amount of traffic a thread on potential or actual ownership generates (far more than the corresponding posts) it`s safe to assume that a lot of people are using forums such as this for research purposes prior to buying an example or, having bought an XC, to see what may lie ahead. My post here is a truthful account of short term ownership. For a vehicle nudging 5 years old and 90,000 miles I am very impressed and I hope that came across. Before I bought my XC I read some real horror stories regarding ownership before I read about budrichards cracking example and now XClogans and many others.

Hope you`ve got one of the good `uns.

Happy Easter

methos
04-19-2003, 07:41 PM
http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif Thanks for the reply&#33; I&#39;m confident Volvo didn&#39;t make a dud, and like you said, hope there wern&#39;t too many that were put together during the &quot;World Cup&quot; http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

budrichard
04-20-2003, 07:37 AM
99XC, 74K miles. Brakes at about 40K+miles(highway driven at 80+mph). Engine mount, thump in trans as mentioned, fluids replaced. I replace batteries every 3 years. That &#39;s it&#33; Most reliable vehicle I have ever owned, best handling ever, safe and great in mud/snow. Only thing lacking are the newer Volvo Safety features, DSTC and ground clearance which Is why we have an 03XC. -Dick

barrysharp
04-24-2003, 08:03 PM
Here&#39;s a list of major things recalled from memory and some from my records.

It used to be that radiators were metal. Today (and probably starting back in the mid 80s) they are made from a tough heat resistant plastic except for the cores.

At around the 15 year mark the top hose radiator spiget broke off my 1986 745 (had a plastic radiator&#33http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif and luckily I was able to pull off quickly before engine over heated. I&#39;ve survived since with this as about 1&quot; remained which I was able to clamp the hose onto. However, every now and then it slips off and I have to pull over and re-attach it. I carry a 4 qrt bottle of water for this purpose.

I would say without any doubt in my mind that all plastic components on the car will start failing in some manner at and beyond the 15 year mark. Just about anything plastic that I mess with these days will break. For example I had to replace a rear door window rocker switch and being very careful prying it out I still managed to break off small pieces of plastic that held the rocker switch in place. I had to glue the new one into place. The plastic shrouding that hides all the rear hatch wiper mechanism and lock has broken loose from the constant open and slaming. It&#39;s held in place with plastic brackets http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

A/C compressor metal caste bracket fractured at around 80,000 miles and had to be replaced.

Timing belt failed 10,000 miles before its scheduled replacement. New cam shaft and valves needed for this.

New brake rotors all round at around 145,000 miles.

Sunroof electric motor failed at around 180,000 miles. Replaced with a manual crank arm.

New engine mounts at around 200,000 miles.

Original Tach had to be replaced under warranty at around 40,000 miles.

Analog clock can no longer be adjusted as the adjustment pin&#39;s cog seems to have worn or broken -- it&#39;s probably plastic http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

All the plastics are all failing at 235,000 miles http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

Windshield washer tank&#39;s neck has fractured -- it&#39;s PLASTIC.

Any poorly designed plastic component that is under stress or has any stress applied in order to remove it will fail quickly -- although YMMV.

One head light bulb has burned out. Very few exterior bulbs have burned out and I believe I still have several originals left http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Interior bulbs for dash, radio and gear selector have all burned out -- and they are buggers to replace.

Radio quit working at around 180,000 miles.

Plastic engine grate has been replace three times -- it warps and the areas around the bolt holes fracture eventually making it useless.

Rear hatch piston struts failed at around 170,000 miles.

One of the fuses got so hot it melted into a blob and cannot be removed from the PLASTIC fuse holder.

Fuel filter plugged up so bad my wife got stranded on Freeway.

Some part of the fuel injection system failed at around 130,000 miles.

This all may sound pretty awful but the car has really been reliable for most of the time and have only been stranded about twice in the past 17 years and 236,000 miles. All the other breakages were dealt with by scheduled services. The car has been driven all over the country and we&#39;ve had much fun with it and remains as a strong memory for my three children.

barrysharp
04-24-2003, 09:35 PM
I spoke at length with my local Volvo Service manager today about XC70 reliability.

In a nutshell he said that since the 2001 model was introduced there&#39;s been a dramatic reduction in servicing requirements beyond the normal oil/filter changes. He was VERY impressed with the car&#39;s quality as of the 2001 model changes.

He was unable to give any meaningful feedback on 2003 models as they haven&#39;t been out that long. But if the 2001 and 2002 models are anything to go on they should be as reliable http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Big
05-02-2003, 01:33 PM
Speaking of reports, I just filled out an on-line Consumer Reports 2003 Annual Questionnaire for our 2000 XC with 55k miles. They asked me by email to take part. First time experience. Took about 5 minutes and I gave the car a glowing report--I hope that doesn&#39;t go to its head&#33;

I&#39;ve always been suspicious of Consumer Report&#39;s used car ratings and this experience confirmed that the survey is relatively shallow and subjective, although perhaps not as bad as I imagined. That some people rely on it so heavily for their car purchases is kinda scary.