Some very hard decisions to be made

[Kix]

Right so we are a month later again...

I was on leave last week so I had some issues sorted on both the Volvo's. The XC went in for a service and a cambelt and they also fitted new front control arms. The control arms were covered by the warranty. On the S40 I also had front control arms fitted after driving over a speed bump at a rate of knots (still haven't seen it). Car developed a nasty knock in the front suspension afterwards. Also covered by warranty.

I must say the XC is driving better than ever with fresh oil, plugs and control arms. There's still quite a bit to do to get it tip-top shape, but the money just isn't there.

We took yet another trip in the XC this time visiting the friend I previously mentioned on their holiday farm. What an experience! We were so close to the wildlife, it felt like we could reach out and touch the Giraffes!

XC handled the bad gravel road with aplomb and somewhere during the trip my wife asked if we are going to take the XC (if we still have it) on holiday end October. Unfortunately new discs and pads, etc. will need to be fitted before then at the very least.

Anyway, here's some pics to give you an idea of the weekend.

Little one enjoying the fresh air...



XC looking good - spot the wildlife



XC, Amarok and some Giraffe



Some more Giraffe





Taken from the bathroom window!





Some panoramas





The house



Some Sable Antelope

[Cam]

My aunt and uncle live in the Maasai Mara in Kenya. They've always had Land Cruizers (Afican Version). They have had their share of problems with it due to roads and climate.
I used to live in Atlanta and I've had many different cars. In Atlanta, I never really had any major issues except with crap American brands. I then moved to Northern Vermont where the roads and climate are hard on vehicles. Every brand here has problems even the esteemed official car of Vermont, the Subaru. I help a friend at his small dealership here. I've seen loads of issues with every brand. I have noticed that BMW and Volvo tend to hold-up longer in general. Yes, they still have issues but they are built tough and generally just need some TLC rather than rust out.
Guess what I'm saying is, if you love the car and it works for your family, keep it. Learn to do the easy stuff like brakes, plugs, oil, etc, and the Volvo we cost you about the same as a Japanese brand of the same caliber. All cars will surprise you and hit you in the pocket. All cars will have problems when you hit dirt or rutted crappy roads, trust me, I've seen it and experienced it.
Great pictures by the way!

[Astro14]

Wow! What an incredible place to live!

The XC is about perfect for "soft roads"...dirt roads...like Vermont...not serious off-roading, but from the looks of things, it's about perfect for your situation...

And, wow...giraffe? Really!

[guymon]

TIL (Today I Learned) VW makes a truck... but not for the US. Oh also TIL, other parts of the world don't swear at the squirrels in their yards.

[Kix]

TIL (Today I Learned) VW makes a truck... but not for the US. Oh also TIL, other parts of the world don't swear at the squirrels in their yards.

Whut? No Amarok in the US? That's rather sad, because they are FANTASTIC. The one in the picture is the top of the range 2.0 4cyl BiTDI with 8 speed Auto transmission and 4Motion 4x4. Fully specced, just about all the luxuries you can want. They drive exceptionally well on all road surfaces and they are very capable offroad. They've been out in South Africa for 5 years or so and has built a very strong reputation for reliability.

The middle pick is of the new 2015/16 steering wheel.

[The Landshark]

Whut? No Amarok in the US? That's rather sad, because they are FANTASTIC. The one in the picture is the top of the range 2.0 4cyl BiTDI with 8 speed Auto transmission and 4Motion 4x4. Fully specced, just about all the luxuries you can want. They drive exceptionally well on all road surfaces and they are very capable offroad. They've been out in South Africa for 5 years or so and has built a very strong reputation for reliability.

The middle pick is of the new 2015/16 steering wheel.

Do they do the amarok with the V10 TDI out there, you need to try one if they do. Unbelievable power.

[Antherzoll]

Awesome pics!

[Kix]

Small update:

After looking at my finances again, I had no choice but to advertise the XC on every platform I can think of.

Got a call from a dealer and he asked to put the XC on his floor. Apparently he has a 2001 on the floor which gets a lot of attention, but the car is in a sad state of disrepair and they won't be selling it. (In SA we have a Consumer Protection Act which means you can claim from the dealer if something breaks for 6 months afterwards.)

So yes, the XC has gone to the dealer. I'm not sure what I'm hoping for. Regardless, I'll let you know what happens.

[Kix]

Fast forward a bunch of months...

And the S40 and the XC70 has been sold.

We are now looking to combine them into one vehicle. XC60 is a strong contender, but I've also found a beautiful and very reasonably priced XC90.

Have a look here: http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showth...t-10-years-old

And please do give your opinions if you will.

[Astro14]

Glad to hear that progress has been made on the vehicle front...you still live in an awesome place!