October 2007
I've changed jobs a couple of times in the five years I've had my Volvo S60 D5. For its first two years, it was my company car and was serviced at 12,000 and 24,000 miles.
I left that job, bought the car and found myself travelling rather less, to the extent that the car shifted to a routine of annual services, at about 35,000, 44,000 and 55,000.
Now I've moved again and am travelling much more. It passed 60,000 yesterday, and will be well past 67,000 when the anniversary of the last service arrives in June.
So, here's my question. Is the sensible thing to do, the obvious one - to have it serviced again 12,000 miles after the last time? Or should I try to re-align it with the 12,000-mile intervals buyers may look for when I sell it?
If it makes a difference, the extra miles are mostly gentle motorway driving - so gentle that I'm now getting 49mpg instead of the previous average of 42 - and the car is running on Mobil One (supplied at sky-high Volvo dealer rates).
I suppose I'm thinking that the use the car is currently getting fits pretty well with the long-interval service regimes some other manufacturers use, and that there might be no harm in delaying the next service to, say, 70,000 and the one after that to 84,000, probably not much more than a year from now. (When it's probably going to be time for a new cambelt besides.) This is my first experience of running a car to this sort of age or mileage, so I'd be glad of the BR's thoughts on what to do for t' best. Read more
Regarding the future of petrol and diesel, some of us have thought about going back to petrol as costs and complexity increase with diesel.
Fiat seem to be stating similar here and going for new petrol engines..
What do you think?
www.italiaspeed.com/2006/cars/other/technology/11/...l Read more
My understanding was that more companies were focusing on petrol engines to satisfy the new euroncap measures out soon that will see off a lot of diesels - as relative to petrol they pollute alot more (CO2 excluded) and would not be good enough to comply.
Things like Bluetec will help but off course that is dependent on the bluetec fluid being topped up at service etc so it is not gauranteed although Honda are supposedly bringing out a new diesel engine that will comply with no additives - I think its the re-design of the exhaust system that makes it work although that is about 18-24 months away.
What's the best website to check the value of a second-hand car (2003)? (with a view to trade it in in next 2 months).
I have tried autotrader (to look at what similar cars are going for -wide variations, lots of professional traders), and the Parker's guide, also Whatcar? (unfortunately the latter does not go back to 2003). Any other suggestions? Read more
Blue - one for you, please.
My car is a 2001 Punto - but it was sold to me from the dealer in 2005: the V5 and tax thus says 2005. It's only got 30,000 miles on it. How can I get an accurate price from Glass's who only give me the price as if was run from 2001 - or are they pricing it as a now 6-year-old-car?
I've seen similar cars for sale at more than Glass's value - both main dealer and private. How, then, do they work out the price or is it a case of bracketing the value around everyone else's? Just keen to know as I'm interested in selling the car and want, of course, as much as I can get.
Cheers
AA
Hi,
Could anyone help confirm if a Honda Civic 1.7 CDTI 2003 is a chain or belt driven cam?
Thanks,
rr01 Read more
its a cambelt & should be changed at 90K
--
if it aint broke don`t fix it
Hi there,
i was with one of my friends the other night, he decided 2 idiotically race a "whiz kid" off at a set of traffic lights!!!
When changing from 2nd gear up, he accidentally selected 1st gear and lifted the clutch! The needle on the rev counted went past the stop and it must have hit at least 10,000 RPM bearing in mind the red line is at about 7,000. The car now whines in all gears and it is getting gradually worse, can anyone suggest what the problem is? I'm guessing he's ruined the gearbox.
Cheers Read more
It would likely have set a code;
P0219 - "Engine overspeed condition; incorrect gear change."
I am gradually coming around to the idea that I am going to have to get an MPV rather than an estate.
Looking around the obvious choice seems to be between the Sharan/Galaxy/Alhambra or the C8/807/Ulassy (sp?)
I'd be going diesel prob 2003/2004 model.
The sharan has the PD engine which I like, although there is the issue of correct oil and low timing belt change interval.
The French cars I know less about but seem to have the issue over emissions stuff and the Filter and fluid.
The C8 etc have sliding doors which would be good.
So, anyone owned both or compared both ? Comments on the French engines would also be welcome.
Will be carrying 2 children +dogs or lots of children and doing runs to France a couple of times a year (cheap french servicing?)
thanks
Read more
We've got an 05 plate Galaxy (2.3 petrol auto) that we bought in April. As has been pointed out already the old Galaxy/Sharan/Alhambra were/are all produced on the same line in Portugal.
Overall we've been very happy with the quality, practicality, comfort and performance of the vehicle.
Although I can't comment on the diesel engines the vast majority of these cars on the road are TDi so I'm guessing they must be generally OK - plus plenty of them are taxis.
All five of the rear individual seats are removable.
When doing my research on the Galxy/Sharan I saw reports on the internet of failed climate control units and bent sills because of incorrect jacking.
We didn't consider the other cars you mention as SWMBO wanted an auto
Hi all,
We live at the end of a typical Victorian, no-exit road in south west London. We don't have CPZ/permit parking, so it's a bit of a free for all to park the car - anywhere in the road. Being quite a tight street, cars park half on/off the pavement (OK as per signposts).
At the end of street is the turning area, which of course, also has cars parked around the edges. There is one house at the end which has a very old and very small shed/garage that opens *directly* onto the road (i.e no pavement). Even so, it's so small you would not get a modern car of any description in there. That includes an old style Mini.
The space in front of the shed doors was previously designated as a disabled space by the council, and as such was generally repsected by other car owners. It was then reverted to general parking (i.e. non-disabled) about 4 years ago. Most days/nights there is a car parked there (including ours sometimes).
The new owners of this house have strongly spoken to us today, stating we cannot park there as it blocks access to their garage. Despite having a seperate side access to the shed (footpath from their property), they claim it blocks their access to retrieve a bicycle and pushchair. The final threat included having our car clamped/towed it we didn't move it.
Obviously we'll follow up with the council to help confirm the situation, but any general thoughts from the Backroomers?
Is that area in front of the shed considered 'public highway' (it's certainly not part of their private property).
Many thanks,
Matt
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I'm afraid so horatio.
The council really didn't want to get involved on this one - i.e. not our problem.
It will be a difficult one for him to constantly police, but good luck to him.
Cheers,
Matt
For the last few weeks I had been running my Vectra CDTi1.9 on Shell V diesel to see what difference it made to the economy and performance to justify the extra cost. Over 2500 miles I found that it did accelerate better but the engine didnt seem to run quite as smoothly as it had on ordinary diesel and the economy was only marginally better too.
Filling up with ordinary Shell diesel again I found the car didnt start up very well, it had a very lumpy tick over and cruising at about 2100-2400 rpm produced what felt like a misfire. After a few journeys I was getting a little concerned and I ended up topping up the tank again with 30 litres of Sainsburys diesel. The Vectra immediately returned to its good starting and smooth running.
If my tank of ordinary Shell diesel contained water or particles then surely diluting it with 30 litres of fresh diesel wouldnt make the slightest difference. Ive generally used Shell fuels believing them to be one of the better brands but is this a quality problem or something else?
Read more
I think I had run out of things to worry about concerning diesels and I was coming round to that way of thinking.
Thank you for both for your comments.
I've noticed a couple of threads along these lines (starting handle and grease nipples most recently) so I thought I'd throw down the gauntlet and add a few of my own. Anoraks out, everyone: there's some serious money to be made in pub quizzes if we play our cards right!
Which was the last mass production car to have...
Headlamp wipers? (as opposed to jet washers)
A chrome horn ring on the steering wheel?
Genuine walnut dashboard?
Semaphore trafficators?
White (front) and red (rear) indicators? (Not including owners omitting to fit amber bulbs!)
Foot operated dipswitch?
Foot-operated wash-wipe?
A dynamo?
Positive earthing?
6v electrics?
"Umbrella" style handbrake?
Bonus question for 100 points - the last police car/ambulance/fire engine in service to be fitted with a Winkworth bell, and the last time one was used on a callout? (Are they still legal??)
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I drive a 3 Y/O Hi Lux pick up here in Sudan with a umberella hand brake
For past couple of weeks (since the cold weather basically) my S40 TD isn't starting up as nicely as it used to do. In the morning I'll start up the car and then it'll start up no problem but within 5 seconds it'll switch off and then I'll start it again, it smokes quite a bit for say 20/30 seconds while revs are moving up/down but then its perfectly fine, revs are settled, no smoke what so ever!
I serviced the car couple of months ago and since then I've driven almost 6000 miles, I used 15w/40 oil and put in the no smoking can as well. Could it be really thick oil?
Please suggest. Thanks Read more
Thanks OldNavy, I'll try it tomorrow morning and would let you know how I got on with it! Thanks
Browse
If the interval is 12 months or 12,000 miles, thats what you should do.
After every service it resets, there is no building of credit by lessening the mileage.
If you decide to try the cheap option and make up your own service schedules, just good luck. Id bet Volvo know better.
As suggested, find a specialist who is cheaper, that way you can stick to the recommended schedule and also save the money you want to.
On a car like a Volvo, which is both complex and expensive if it goes wrong, it would be a true false economy to mess around with servicing requirements.