Re: Are volvos still made to last for 500,000 miles? (victhevolvo)

the volvo engines are. the rust proofing has improved cumulatively but the limit to modern cars durability is the electronic systems.

Due to their cost when they go wrong, many cars are scrapped when electrics fail due to the part cost exceeding the vehicles value. im looking into after market solutions to this at the moment along the same lines as the meagsquirt system being used for ECMs etc... we need aftermarket multiplex modules....

S

 

Re: Are volvos still made to last for 500,000 miles? (Shimon)

Agreed. Even all the electric motors become problematic (on all cars). Getting to these things to replace them can be very expensive. And if wiring goes bad, you have to basically disassemble the car to fix them. Oh for the day with crank windows

 

Re: Are volvos still made to last for 500,000 miles? (Freeworld)

I worked in the service department of a Volvo dealership about 15 years ago. AT THAT TIME, about 30 percent of our customers had 300-400K miles on their cars.

I can't speak for the newer, front wheel drive cars. However, I can certainly say that the 240 and 7XX cars seem to hold up pretty well. The exception to this is the old Peugeot-Renault-Volvo V-6 engine found in 7XX series cars. Our service department did a lively business replacing worn valve gear in these engines. The valve gear only seemed to last around 90,000 miles.

By the way, I purchased my 2000 V70 last year with 88,000 miles on it. I am about to turn over 120,000 and I can say it has been a VERY good, reliable car. The only problem that I have had that has affected reliability is some corroded exhaust piping. This was also a problem for customers when I worked in the Volvo dealership. You should definitely check the exhaust on a used Volvo purchase...

For what its worth.
Brad Cole

Modified by V70 Brad at 2:11 PM 10-1-2006

 

Re: Are volvos still made to last for 500,000 miles? (V70 Brad)

I get the impression that they are. My V50 is still only a young 'un at 34,000 miles but it still feels a whole heap newer than previous cars did at the same mileage. Conmsidering I do mainly motroway miles the paintowrk is astounding - I've only had to touch up 3 stone chips in those miles, compared to godknowshowmany on previous motors.

Looking forward to another several years with it....

 

Re: Are volvos still made to last for 500,000 miles? (Marmoset)

If anybody has ideas about how to make the electronics last longer, please let us know.

 

its a tough one to make electronics last longer. In terms of ECUs and engine management, there are now plenty of aftermarket solutions. the cheapest of which is the megasquirt programmable ECU unit. you need to be quite a mechanic and have a good understanding of fuel injection systems but this is not different to the days when you needed to be knowledgeable enough to tinker with a car without breaking it.

in terms of the multiplex or can bus or networked cars ie the modern electronic systems the concern is how to replace a control or system module when it fails. In theory, manufactureres use off the shelf processors and standard languages. with a little help from volvo and the archives you ashould be able to make your own modules. however, they will only release the info once the cars are old enough for the info to not be sensitive.

this therefore wont resolve people scrapping their car coz they dont want to pay the cost of the module. but then again, in the days before modules how many cars were scrapped due to corrosion or coz the clutch change cost exceeded the value of the car??? people will get rid of a car once the repair cost exceeds the value, that had always been true. the challenge now is to figure a way to have control modules for the modern volvos once the get old......

shimon

 

Re: Are volvos still made to last for 500,000 miles? (carockwell)

Quote, originally posted by carockwell »

If anybody has ideas about how to make the electronics last longer, please let us know.

Keep it cool. Move it out of the engine bay. Volvo puts their ECU right next to the accessory belt on the engine, where it can get a big heat soak after shutdown on a hot day. Heat is the biggest killer of electronics, followed by corrosion on electrical connectors/components and cracked printed wiring boards from vibration because it wasn't held down properly.

 

no.

but they are still volvos

my old 240 had 280 or so when I sold it. My present car, a 95 850 turbo- has 160, and has had lots of recent work
They will go for a long time, but require lots of maintenance. I think part of the reason is that my 240 was very very slow and hard to beat on. I remember driving coast to coast back in the day, and gunning it to (gasp!) 70-75 to keep my speed on the next hill. lol!

my 850 could go up the same hills at what? 140?

My point is that the 850 naturally recieves more abuse as it is a performance car, and lives a rougher life. It also had some first gen technology, like the side bags, tracs, abs, etc. And like someone said, they put the ecu right in the hottest place possible, except possibly under the turbo or maybe mounted on an exhaust pipe.

 

Re: (Whats_up)

Quote, originally posted by Whats_up »

They will go for a long time, but require lots of maintenance.

Won't any car go a long way with lots of maintenance?