Faults:

First problem was cracked headlight. Easy and cheap for 2nd hand glass to replace, but you try and take a front bumper off an S80 and soon realize it's easier to crack the other headlight and tell people they are suppose to be like that.

Then front tyres needed replacing, standard size is 225-55-R17. This size rubs on the inner guards, so I put 215-55-R17 on the front so I don’t get horrible rubbing sound when turning on full lock.

Front left shock/strut tower collapsed and needed replacing.

Also front right has a grinding sound like a worn bearing, Replaced drive shaft, hub assembly, strut tower. The sound is still there and can’t be found.

Bulb position light on dash came up, all of the lights work fine, this fault can be fixed by taking the covers off the back of the lights and wriggling them to ensure good contact is made with terminals etc. (On my car it was the right rear lights that caused the problem)

Radiator leaks on bottom corners, so I had to get another radiator, they only take 3 hours to replace so don’t let a Volvo dealer charge for 6+hours labor, which they will.

Also while on the Internet looking at diagrams of T6 coolant system, I came across a photo of a leaking heater pipe inside the left hand side foot compartment. I pulled off the plastic bottom of the dash to find mine was no different. Radiator fluid leaks down onto the carpet, sometimes behind the carpet, and you can’t see it - this is caused by a corroded heater pipe.

Then while sorting out the radiator, the top engine mount was noticed to have a split in it, so this got replaced and costs $170ish to replace, only takes 30 minutes to replace this part.

General Comments:

This is my second Volvo and I guess I was lucky with my first one, which was small and slow, and it certainly didn’t carry the problems that the S80 range has.

While they are comfortable and the T6 model is quite fast with terrible torque steer under heavy acceleration, you still have to ask yourself why you are buying one in the first place. There is plenty of warning on this website alone directing you away from such vehicle, and don’t be fooled by its heated seats and endless safety features, this is a car to stay well away from.

Having said that, if you can afford to buy a Volvo from new or perhaps less than 3 years old, there is a good chance it's perfectly fine and you will enjoy a fantastic car, but to be sure to sell the car and move on before it gets to the 5-7yr old mark, this is when the problems bite you in the bum and run off with your wallet.

Faults:

So far I have had a few bad experiences with this car (and I have owned it only 6 months).

I the days leading up to summer, the ABS started playing up and eventually packed it in while I was driving in the rush hour traffic, displaying almost every warning light and putting me out of pocket of almost $1000 just to have the unit repaired.

During the summer, the car started to act up in the heat. It began to not want to start without three or more turns of the key. A problem that is yet to be resolved.

General Items:

- All 4 front suspension bushes

- Bits of plastic in the interior, which got sun damage and broke

- Front brake hoses

... AND a rear door panel, which sometimes comes off in one corner if you shut the door too hard.

General Comments:

I do like driving this car, but it has its downsides.

Overall the car is comfortable to drive and ride in.

Good visibility if you are traveling forwards, but you do need to turn around in your seat to reverse, the mirrors will not help you even if you are tall like I am.

The wide sides of the car will be a problem if you are not used to driving big cars.

The sound system is one of the best I have ever come across in a car before.

It has a comfortable driving position, and handles well (when it's not broken), both in rush hour traffic and in daily driving.

As for the cars reliability; I am not impressed. I have owned it only a short time and yet I have had to put more money into repairing it than I did with my Jaguar. Volvo really have let me down with this one. I won't be buying another Volvo for a very long time.

As for the dealership, they have been excellent. They have been sympathetic, patient and have managed to fix my car as soon as they possibly can, which has usually been within the day or up to three days for the bigger issues.