The Volvo didn't start yesterday.

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
Originally Posted By: Rand
money pit.. money pit.

why post for help on here when you already have your answers and dont follow any of the advice??

reminds me of chebbiboy.

there is no need for discussion. its a money pit that you cant fix yourself. You would be better off buying a non moneypit before you put another $$$$ into it and then it falls apart.
ie needs a transmission, timing belt breaks and you need a new top end.. etc.


if you have nothing helpful or nice to say, dont say it. otherwise give him helpful suggestions. not everyone can afford a brand new or nearly new vehicle like in your tagline. he is excited about his "new to him" car. move along.


In Rand's defence here, the OP has been given a LOT of advice by people that are very knowledgeable about this particular vehicle.

He has not heeded the advice and continued to ask questions that have already been answered by those people and acting on things that don't need to be done, whilst not acting on items that need to be done.

He has done this to the point that those people are no longer responding to his posts.

So Rand's point here is certainly spot-on. The car is a money pit, but it isn't due to what it is, but rather due to how it is being approached. A decent amount of money thrown at it after the original purchase to deal with the initial concerns would have gone a long way to prevent if not completely eliminate the chain of events we have seen unfold with this vehicle recently.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: cptbarkey

if you have nothing helpful or nice to say, dont say it. otherwise give him helpful suggestions. not everyone can afford a brand new or nearly new vehicle like in your tagline. he is excited about his "new to him" car. move along.


This!

OP, first thing to try is spark, pull a boot, lay it kinda near ground (don't hold it with your hands or near your body) and crank the car over looking for spark.

 

[yonyon]

It's pretty easy to forget that an important factor in choosing the car was that is must fit his 'friend' as a driver. He's made it clear that when she sits around the house she really sits around the house. Being poor, an SUV might be out of the question due to fuel cost. Sure, he might have done better to buy a late 80's FWD Caddy, but we all have 20/20 hindsight don't we.

Cut the guy a little slack. He's pretty much committed to this now. It would probably be a good idea to just get it running and trade it for something else, but by now it's just going to be too difficult to do that. Choosing not to throw good money is accepting defeat. It isn't easy.

 

[antiqueshell]

Originally Posted By: yonyon
It's pretty easy to forget that an important factor in choosing the car was that is must fit his 'friend' as a driver. He's made it clear that when she sits around the house she really sits around the house. Being poor, an SUV might be out of the question due to fuel cost. Sure, he might have done better to buy a late 80's FWD Caddy, but we all have 20/20 hindsight don't we.




Thing is there are PLENTY of other better choices than that Volvo for fitting his obese friend.

The problem with GHT was that he refused to set his eyes upon what they NEEDED vs what they WANTED. Bottom line.


I agree with the others this thing is going to be a very serious money pit, he should cut his loses and sell the thing now and get something else if at all possible, the girl should try and see if her family will help her out.

 

[hattaresguy]

Your hooptie is broke, you need a better one!

I here those old V12 BMW's you can pick up cheap!

 

[fdcg27]

I think that you and the Brit in the post above you are confusing the age and mileage related failures that happen with any car with serious mechanical ills.
They are not the same thing.
The things that GHT is currently having to fix are realted to the age and mileage of the car.
This will work itself out over time.
The OP was told, by me as well as those on here with actual experience in owning Volvos similar to GHT's, that he would have to sink another 2K or so in the car working out these age and mileage related failures.
Many members here have recommended inexpensive fixes and parts sources.
He was also strongly advised multiple times that he needs to attend to the timing belt.
As long as the engine and automatic in this car are fine, and they appear to be, as well as the body and structure, as they also appear to be, this is a car worth fixing and then driving for another 100K.
The fact that the OP appears to be mechanically clueless is unfortunate, since the work that he's had done on the car to date could have all been done easily by any marginally skilled DIY guy, who would also know that a dedicated Volvo site would be of more value than any number of OBD II scanners or battery chargers.
Those of us who actually fix our own cars have learned to take advantage of the hard-won experience of other owners.
GHT appears disinclined to do this.
The miracle of the internet in researching causes and diagnosis for any car is something that GHT really should avail himself of.
He should also understand that a little sweat equity is in order with this somewhat neglected old Volvo, since paying someone else to fix everything is going to end up being pretty expensive.

 

[bigjl]

No you are wrong.

The car has been driven into the ground and now years of abuse is coming home to roost.

These Volvos are well know in the UK for being run into the ground by second, third or even fourth owners who see a car for £4000 that has all the toys and looks "the part" on the driveway.

What these owners never realise is that a car that cost £30000 new still has maintenance costs in line with the first owners pocket and the price when new.

Volvos have always been an expensive car to run in the UK. Especially when maintained in the dealer network.

When they leave the network and get maintained regularly by a home mechanic and a good local Garage used for more complicated things like cambelts they still remain reliable and a good bet.

But after while they end up in the hands of an owner that things checking fluid levels is a service and who changes his brakes only when they have been grinding for a few weeks.

They ignore warning lights until annual MOT and even then they may know somebody that will look the other way for a small financial consideration.

Now when these cars are on the eve on some serious mechanical issues due to this continual abuse they get sold.

At this point enters GearHeadTool.

And here we are.

This car is sludged up according to GHT. So it doesn't have a good engine and box.

And a car with the complicated electrical systems like this car has the main problem isn't mechanical, more of these cars are made uneconomical to repair due to electrical problems than mechanical problems.

This is fact and is very common in the UK.

Hence why people who like to drive these older Volvos will try to get hold of one with as few complicated systems as possible

Most European cars are galvanised so the body will tend to outlive the mechanical and electrical systems.

GHT is not the first person I have see to buy a complicated vehicle and for it to bite him.

The worst thing is if he had spent a bit more he could have got one of these without these problems.


I have read all the posts GHT has made. I somehow think you have not fdcg27.


This car was only a viable driving project at the price the dealer paid for it.

To buy a car needing work it needs to be a lot cheaper than a good one to allow you to fix all the problems and the car still owes you less than a good one.

Otherwise it makes no financial sense whatsoever.

I suppose there will be somebody coming on to defend the dealer in a minute!

 

[DuckRyder]

Originally Posted By: bigjl
...

The worst thing is if he had spent a bit more he could have got one of these without these problems.


I have read all the posts GHT has made. I somehow think you have not fdcg27.


This car was only a viable driving project at the price the dealer paid for it.

To buy a car needing work it needs to be a lot cheaper than a good one to allow you to fix all the problems and the car still owes you less than a good one.

Otherwise it makes no financial sense whatsoever.

I suppose there will be somebody coming on to defend the dealer in a minute!


I have no idea about the market in the UK, but GT bought this car for about what NADA ROUGH trade in is. It would have been a good deal IF he could do the work. Clean retail is about $5-6000.00

I really do not think the car was run into the ground, it just needs a lot of little things and one big thing that cost a lot of money to fix at retail prices. It is quite common in the US to see these front/AWD Volvo's at exactly this point. (It is also not exclusive to Volvo or even European cars.)

GT's been told a number of times he needs to take the car to a competent Volvo specialist and get it checked out, but he would rather spend money on snake oil and wax...

 

[fdcg27]

You take the worst case scenario view of this car, while I take the average case view.
Neither of us have looked at, driven or even sat in the driver's seat of this car, so we are working from theory only.
GHT is no DIY tech, so everything he reports must be taken with a grain of salt.
This would include his verdict on engine sludge, which is readily remediable anyway unless it's really bad.
This car is neither old enough nor high enough in mileage to be truly a lost cause.
It is readily fixable at least based upon the problems GHT has reported to date.
Things like the rear brakes are nothing and would have been readily repaired by any mechanically savvy owner properly at fairly low cost.
The electrical problems are not in any way caused by a lack of maintenance, since none is required.
There are only so many things that can break in this car, and a dedicated Volvo site would guide GHT in what to look for.
I'm rooting for him and his woman having good experience with this car.
Not sure what you're rooting for.

 

[shell_user]

I am going to believe FDCG27 here, cause he gives honest, real world advice with no B.S. period. Gearheadtool is learning I belive from the SMART members here. Some people on here love to jab at dumb things or people that arent mechanically inclined.

 

[mattd]

post video of it cranking. Read codes (if any).

 

[bigjl]

Originally Posted By: shell_user
I am going to believe FDCG27 here, cause he gives honest, real world advice with no B.S. period. Gearheadtool is learning I belive from the SMART members here. Some people on here love to jab at dumb things or people that arent mechanically inclined.


You are indeed free to believe what you wish to.

But I think you should read all of GHT's multiple threads and posts about this car.

And even though this car is over 10yrs old it is much more complicated than the equivalent US domestic market car of the time.


You think i am not being honest?

Thanks for that.

What do you think would be better, to tel him to borrow a $1000 off a loan shark and try to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear?

GHT has neither the skills or money to fix this vehicle up.

As far as this vehicle being priced at $5/6000 for clean in the guides.

Well this vehicle will never be clean, it has little if any history and shows all the hallmarks of a car driven into the ground.

I can't in good conscience advise the course of action that I think will be detrimental to the OP.

I have no opinion as to what GHT does or says, it is simply my opinion based on the facts as I see them.

And price guides are just that, a guide.

When the economy is like it is at the moment cars don't sell for the same money.

That fact the dealer will have made a profit at $2000 tells you all you need to know.

If GHT had paid what the dealer did my opinion on the situation would be different.

But he didn't so here we are.

This car will not be worth the above mentioned $5/6000 mentioned above if you spent $3000 on it. Unless the person saying this wants to make an offer!

GHT and his friend are in to the car for around $2500 already.

There is a point to cut your losses and get rid.

I believe this is now.

If he had paid $1200/1400 then I could see a reason to spend a little bit.

Another thing to consider is why the dealer didn't spend some money on this car to make it worth $5/6000?

Because it won't be.

 

[shell_user]

I dont personally care or give a hoot what some members here and I didnt say you at all. He is learning so cut him some slack and let him do whatever he wants to with his car. End of discussion and I wont listen to your advice in the future.

 

[shell_user]

I dont honestly know if you are being honest or giving gearhead tool a hard time bigjl and I DONT CARE.

 

[bigjl]

I haven't offered you any advice.

Why would I you already know everything.

Ever heard of he phrase, "Don't throw good money after bad".

Or perhaps the concept of not encouraging somebody of limited financial resources not to waste what he has is an alien concept?


But i thank you for your comments.......

Actually, no, I don't. Your posts come across as antagonistic and bullish.

Or do you think I missed the "hint" in your post hinting that anybody that doesn't encourage GHT spend, spend, spend isn't "SMART".

I have offered GHT advice regarding this car vehicle previously.

But as things have progressed my advice has changed.

Get over it.

 

[shell_user]

I am a mechanic and would not even get involved in GHT car. I would let him figure it out himself as I read this and his other thread. I get your point, also and I dont have a volvo so I am out of my league. I will let other people give him advice and see what happens. Lets put it this way, let GHT do whatever he wants to with his vehicle. Is this ok with you, if so I will not give him any advice.

take care

 

[shell_user]

GHT, why did you buy this car in the first place if I may ask?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: bigjl
I haven't offered you any advice.

Why would I you already know everything.

Ever heard of he phrase, "Don't throw good money after bad".

Or perhaps the concept of not encouraging somebody of limited financial resources not to waste what he has is an alien concept?


But i thank you for your comments.......

Actually, no, I don't. Your posts come across as antagonistic and bullish.

Or do you think I missed the "hint" in your post hinting that anybody that doesn't encourage GHT spend, spend, spend isn't "SMART".

I have offered GHT advice regarding this car vehicle previously.

But as things have progressed my advice has changed.

Get over it.






Extremely well stated

 

[SteveSRT8]

Anyone who buys a few cars eventually gets a bad one. If you haven't yet, I applaud your luck.

I have many friends who have done exactly what the OP did. Most recent example was a beautiful brown Jag XJ sedan my nearby neighbor bought for 4 grand. Really nice looking car for a terrific price.

But he forgot the high cost of replacement pieces and the expense of outside repairs. He is currently trying to decide whether to sell and cut losses or commit to keeping it and spend the big money to get it squared away and up to date.

If you haven't got one yet consider yourself lucky or 'in waiting'...

 

[GearheadTool]

Originally Posted By: mattd
post video of it cranking. Read codes (if any).


Will do! When I am there...

Quote:
Why did you buy this car int he first place


This car beat out a Jeep and a Subaru. This car has: 1. AWD, 2. Room for my larger ladyfriend (yes, this IS a legitimate thing! I am not being comical about it. I am an activist for persons of size, or, what the general public will call "fat people," which is an insensitive term,) 3. Is good on gas, 4. Looks good, 5. NO RUST, and.. a lot of other reasons.

It is not the biggest car in the world, but she DOES fit, and is comfy.

Now, as to the other of this thread.. I would like to repost what I posted in the other thread (and I thank those coming to my defense

(begin)
Good morning, everyone. Coffee

A few things to clear up before I begin here:

Firstly, I just went and visited the Volvo. (Yes, at Sam's.) They informed me that they "started it up when they saw it, and it died soon after" (I assume that to mean "stall.") So, there is something going on that is causing it to not run right, or start consstently. Bets are on spark, and "some kind of sensor." I asked someone that looked knowledgeable there in the lobby, and they said "It could be anything." (I also know another from a long time ago that said the same of a "crank no start" condition.) The shop also speculated that it could be plugs.. We ruled out the shifter because it did, in fact, start. So, maybe something with a sensor or spark.. though they will diagnose. That is the latest on what it is doing, etc.

Now, moving on. I will address some of the other things mentioned in the other thread, and I need to thank those that are at my defense, and I will address some of my pundits! Here we go: It is suggested by some that I "do not listen." It is also suggested that I "Disregard any and all advice given" (cited as the main peeve of Volvohead.) THESE THINGS ARE NOT TRUE!!~ What IS true is that, I have come into a unique set of factors, and I am endeavoring to do the most that I can do. I read all advice given, and at this stage in the game, I leave the links where they are, etc so that when I can make use of them, i can go back and look and CHECK THE THINGS SUGGESTED! That is right. I can't do it right away, on every thing. However, this place is an invaluabel resource!

Let us review some of the things at play:

1. I got a good deal on a car.
2. This car is not 100% mine.
3. As of recent, I am simply second fiddle on thsi car *no longer primary driver at this time.
4. Both my friend and I love the car.
5. I know about cars.. so does she. She assumes the worst case scenario, yet loves when the car works; I do nt.. I am aware of a problem, but I do not assume 'death" whenever one comes our way. She does...
6. The Volvo DOES bode well for her "artistic flair," as some pointed out. (By the way, check the Boston Globe for the last few days. Without going into detais, it bodes well for this "artistic flair" and you know she is a singer. That is all I am saying about that.)

I want to thank those that come to my defense. It is true: THIS IS "MY" FIRST VOLVO!!! Also. This car sees REGULAR USE!!! If I had the money in my pocket, I would tell Sam "Please do not give this car back without doing the timing belt!" However, that lives to see another day. I knew right away the timing belt did not snap because I have had a car once snap its timing belt and all you hear is a high-pitcher "whitrrrr" when you attempt to start it.. not "crankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrankcrank" and not catch like the Volvo did.

So, to be fair.. I can see how it gives the appearance that I "don't listen."
As to that, see the above.

Let us please focus on the Volvo.. and Thank you, again, all.

Quote:
He's been told to do the most simple and inexpensive things that would have been the most beneficial to his vehicle (eg 5$ OEM Volvo battery clamp) and he simply will NOT listen.


Case in point: Ever consider that it has now become extremely difficult - no, impossible for me to get to the dealer, since I no longer drive the car every day? Thank you.
(end cut and paste)