Originally Posted By: mdocod
Originally Posted By: linksep
Avoid the Volvo XC-90. My dad had one and I think he put tires on it about every 30K miles.
I'd be curious to know what rim size that was. I'm looking for an early model with the small 16" rims. These were available with 17" and 18" rims, and in later years even larger. Sporty low profile tires don't belong on a 4600lb SUV, they will wear fast and provide poorer traction when it actually counts. That shouldn't "surprise" anyone.
I think the Volvo had 17's but it could possibly have been 18's.
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When the Volvo needed a new rear-diff around 120K miles (quoted something like $4,200 from the dealer)
The only reason to have a dealer quote a job on a car out of warranty is to find out how much you saved doing it yourself or having it done elsewhere.
I'd be curious to know more about that failed rear diff though, as I was under the impression that the rear diffs in these haldex systems don't see a whole lot of the load unless frequently used in poor traction or if the car is flogged a lot.
Well I looked into doing the job myself and I think the lowest price I found on the assembly (new or reman) was maybe $1200. Even at $3k cheaper he started thinking about paying me and warranty (I'm not a shop that can absorb redoing a huge job like that "under warranty"). It was a couple years ago and I don't even know if I ever knew the exact failed part(s), but it was a LOUD groan on the highway. At parking lot speeds (trade-in buyer going for a spin around the lot) it wasn't noticeable at all.
As for being "flogged", well if you asked the Volvo it would tell you he really flogged it, but to me pulling a 17.5' boat or 2-place snowmobile trailer or 5x8 utility trailer full of leaves for a combined total towing distance of maybe 150 miles a year isn't flogging a V8 SUV with a 5K tow rating. The main point though is: in 40+ years of driving, this particular 2005 Volvo was the first vehicle he ever owned that needed a new rear-end.
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he traded it on a new BMW X5 and couldn't be happier....
Many early X5's and XC90's run the same size rubber on the same size rims, and they both weigh about the same (~4600lbs). Assuming both vehicles are properly aligned and driven the same with the same tires, they are both going to chew through tires at a similar rate.
Properly aligned doesn't mean much if the "proper" specs as well as steering/suspension geometries are different between manufacturers (I can't say how different BMW and Volvo are RE suspension/alignment specs because I don't know). I know he had the Volvo aligned multiple times, but the thing ate front tires for breakfast. Not my cars so I can't really tell you much more than that, except that he also had a computer die (don't recall if it was ECM, PCM, BCM, etc.) and that cost well over $1,000 and lots of hassle.
