Should I give it one more chance?

[Lukas]

 

 

Lukas, what's the fuel/car tax system in Austria like? Would you be a lot worse off buying a petrol car?

 

Tax and insurance depends on the number of horsepower a car has. So a Volvo S80 2.0D with 136 hp will cost me less in tax and insurance than a 2.4D with 185 hp for example. 

 

The problem is: Volvo S80 with petrol-engines are very rare, as everyone bought the diesel. And a petrol-powered S80 like this

 

http://www.willhaben.at/iad/gebrauchtwagen/auto/volvo-s80-2-5-ft-momentum-80237466/?adId=80237466&

 

with 231 hp will cost me quite a lot more in tax and insurance. 

 

 

 

211k they will inevitably be toast, just like my 407sw will tell you!

 

I think we have different standards. I would not drive such a car until this amount of mega-mileage, would not expect any car to last this long without any major trouble. If I buy one and that´s not for sure, than it will be an example with ~ 130.000km and I´ll drive it until ~ 160.000 or maybe 180.000km if I am feeling brave. 

 

So if your Peugeot 407 2.0 HDI lasted 211.000 miles (340.000km!), you were very lucky or the car did a great job. 

 

Lukas

[Pillock]

Our old company Focii were the 90hp version and there were plenty of turbo failures even with company enforced service schedules. They do seem better, though.

[Lukas]

Is it the 1.6D? This one is very well known for turbo-failures every ~ 100.000km. German car-magazines are saying the 2.0D does not have this problem, "only" the 1.6D. 

 

Is there a way to make modern diesel-engines last longer? I mainly drive longer distances, a lot of Autobahn-miles, I always try to warm a car up properly by driving it very carefully when the engine is cold and I always put 2stroke-oil in the fueltank because its good for the high-pressure-fuel-pump. Any other suggestions?

[Sigmund Fraud]

Is there a way to make modern diesel-engines last longer? I mainly drive longer distances, a lot of Autobahn-miles, I always try to warm a car up properly by driving it very carefully when the engine is cold and I always put 2stroke-oil in the fueltank because its good for the high-pressure-fuel-pump. Any other suggestions?

 

All the above should help, as well as shortening the oil change intervals (especially if they're something ridiculous, like 10-15K miles !).

 

However, you're looking at used cars, and nobody can guarantee that the previous owner(s) were anywhere as careful with the car. In fact, for Joe Average there's nothing wrong with redlining the engine from cold and the only fluids that need frequent topping up are fuel and screenwash...

[Pillock]

Ford 1.6D interval is 12500, Peugeot ramped theirs up to 16k last year.

[Talbotman]

The Pug/Ford dv series engine is as reliable as any other modern dizzler if the service schedule is adhered to or bettered. Change the oil every 10k and it's imperative to check that the injector bolts are not loose or the injector seals aren't leaking which in turn would create carbonated oil deposits which block the oil pick up feed and either starve the bottom end or the turbo of oil with inevitable consequences. In my experience getting 200k out of any modern diesel requires mechanical sympathy and vigilance and it's not dependant on make or model. Most Bmw diesels are toast before 150k because people pay above the odds for them in the first instance and then can't afford to service them properly.

[twosmoke300]

The ford diesel engine situation is so bloody complicated. Mk1 focus is the 1.8 ford cast lump with electronic pump ( tddi) or common rail (tdci) this also carried on into the mk2 . Mondeo mk1 had the same engine design but different injection and monumental turbo lag.

Later Mondeo had the 2.0 tdci transit motor . it looks like they now have the 2.0 PSA lump and the focus prob has the 1.6 and 1.4 awful PSA/ ford engines .

Confused. I am

[bigfella2]

What electrical issues did you have with the original s80 to make it so unreliable. Would be intrigued to know.

[Lukas]

My S80 started to make various problems after ~ 5 month of owning it:

 

It all started when all of a sudden it refused to start again when I parked it after a 2 hours drive at an autobahn-toilet. The ARBÖ-man (austrian AA) said maybe the crankshaft-sensor, but he was not sure because no fault in the ECU. It was towed to the garage of my choice where they changed the crankshaft-sensor and it started again. So I collected it and drove it home. Parked it in front of the garage and when I wanted to drive it into it, it refused to start again. Phoned my mechanic, he told me to check the fuses. Some where at fault, so I changed them and it started fine. No fault in the ECU. This went on for about two weeks (changed the fuses every second or third time starting the car) when suddenly it said "no oil-pressure - stop". I stopped, switched off the engine and phoned my mechanic. He towed the car to his garage, repaired the oil-pressure-sensor and everything was fine again. One week ahead, the same happened suddenly. But now with a slight knock from the engine. So I had the car "repaired" again and sold it immediately to an export-dealer as a non-runner. Lost more than 6000 Euros in 6 month with a car that cost me 3300 in the beginning.   The export-dealer drove it one week when he phoned me, complaining the car stopped in the middle of a big junction in Vienna.   I dont know what he did with it, maybe he pushed it into the danube river. At least that´s what I would have done. 

 

Talked to a Volvo-specialist afterwards and he told me he would have known how to repair it properly. He guessed the ECu may have gotten wet and caused this multiple sensor-failures. The repair: Change the two ECUs. For 3500 Euro.  The car cost me 3300 Euro when I bought it and that has been ~ 500 Euro too expensive, so it was a write-off no matter what. 

 

Worst car I ever had in terms of reliability, but I guess it was bad luck. And it was the most comfortable car with the best seats I ever had. Felt very secure inside. 

[Sloth in a bowl]

My S80 started to make various problems after ~ 5 month of owning it:

 

It all started when all of a sudden it refused to start again when I parked it after a 2 hours drive at an autobahn-toilet. The ARBÖ-man (austrian AA) said maybe the crankshaft-sensor, but he was not sure because no fault in the ECU. It was towed to the garage of my choice where they changed the crankshaft-sensor and it started again. So I collected it and drove it home. Parked it in front of the garage and when I wanted to drive it into it, it refused to start again. Phoned my mechanic, he told me to check the fuses. Some where at fault, so I changed them and it started fine. No fault in the ECU. This went on for about two weeks (changed the fuses every second or third time starting the car) when suddenly it said "no oil-pressure - stop". I stopped, switched off the engine and phoned my mechanic. He towed the car to his garage, repaired the oil-pressure-sensor and everything was fine again. One week ahead, the same happened suddenly. But now with a slight knock from the engine. So I had the car "repaired" again and sold it immediately to an export-dealer as a non-runner. Lost more than 6000 Euros in 6 month with a car that cost me 3300 in the beginning.   The export-dealer drove it one week when he phoned me, complaining the car stopped in the middle of a big junction in Vienna.   I dont know what he did with it, maybe he pushed it into the danube river. At least that´s what I would have done. 

 

Talked to a Volvo-specialist afterwards and he told me he would have known how to repair it properly. He guessed the ECu may have gotten wet and caused this multiple sensor-failures. The repair: Change the two ECUs. For 3500 Euro.  The car cost me 3300 Euro when I bought it and that has been ~ 500 Euro too expensive, so it was a write-off no matter what. 

 

Worst car I ever had in terms of reliability, but I guess it was bad luck. And it was the most comfortable car with the best seats I ever had. Felt very secure inside. 

 

 

I'm always wary of ECU failure requiring complete replacement as from my experience of other circuit board fails (PCs, CD players, etc) they are usually either a dry joint where the circuit board contacts an external source and takes the vibration stress or dirty liquid causing a short.

Dirty liquid shorts (including tea staining) can usually be fixed with a simple cotton wool bud and tap water clean followed by warm air drying before reapplying any electricity.

[Lukas]

Of course it would have been repairable, but I lost trust in the car so it had to go. 

 

But I am much more interested in reviews of the 2.0D than to therapy my trauma with my first S80. 

 

Not much to find about the S80 2.0D on the interweb, just that the FAP-filter needs to be replaced every 120.000km for ~ 1500 Euro. Not a fact that puts me off I have to say. 

[Lukas]

Same engine? 

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/19021-c-max-tdci-failure-to-start-any-ideas/

 

Could be a sign from the shite-gods. 

[Lukas]

I think I might be a bit strange in my head... 

 

January this year was the last time that I lusted for a Volvo S80 Mk II. Since then, I drove my Pajeros, became a dad  , renovated our own house and had a good time. 

 

And today, I walked across a small street to enjoy the sun and suddenly saw a second generation Volvo S80. And all the feelings suddenly came back. I imagined how the wonderful Volvo-seats would feel and how nice it would be to waft around in this barge. 

 

I guess I´ll have to buy one of those just to know how they feel in my everyday life. 

 

But there is one point that keeps me from buying one immediately:

 

It seems there is "Forever yours" engraved on the underbody. There are still the same used S80 Mk II advertised like almost one year ago. So if I get one for a lot of money and I dont like it or I am not brave enough (OMG modern diesel/electronics!!!) to keep it for longer than a year, it may be impossible to sell on again. Or only at a very low price as I am a private seller and cant give warranty.

 

Let´s see what the future brings. Somehow I´d love a S80 Mk II. On the other hand -> I hate it to own a car knowing it´s impossible to sell again. 

 

Pfoah, life is complicated. And so am I. 

[Asimo]

One day someone on here will take the fully loaded , 4wd, YamahaV8, computerised and leather lined crash capsule plunge -

 

and tell us all about in great and expensive detail.

 

It could be you.......

 

**Better life choices are available.

[stripped fred]

I think it will all come down to finding one cheaply enough that you could then sell it on and not lose too much money. If the owners find them that hard to sell they might be open to lowish offers. It sounds like an itch which you will need to scratch at some point unless you can find something similar that meets your needs.