15th Jun 2015, 16:42
Thanks for the comments. I think the earlier S60 headlights are glass and more durable. Still, I have a 2005 Honda Element with 108,000 miles with plastic headlights and they are clear. Maybe it's the factory Xenon lamps (which cost over $100 each by the way)? Who knows.
Tried the chemical sprays into the condenser. Helped somewhat, but the smell always returned within a month. Yet I've had Fords, Toyotas, Hondas, Acuras where this has never been a problem (and I live in a VERY arid climate too). Is the A/C system poorly designed or too complex? Who knows.
As for the turbo, I know these Mitsubishi turbos are rock-solid so it must have been abused. But the average driver isn't a grease-monkey who thinks about how to drive/maintain their car to keep the turbo happy. Sadly, according to my mechanic, if you simply follow the manufacturer's instructions on oil changes at the dealership, then you're courting disaster with your turbo. The Volvo service interval on oil changes is every 7,500 miles and claims that conventional dino oil will be used at the dealership unless synthetic is requested. That's nuts. My mechanic says you must religiously replace oil with Castrol Syntec every 4-5k to keep your turbo safe. I've never even heard about keeping revs low at cold temperature, but it makes sense.
I know about the control arms, they're on the list of needed repairs my mechanic gave me, along with struts, strut mounts, upcoming timing belt/water pump change, ignition immobilizer antenna ring and a host of other little things that are needed. Oh, also need new tires. I don't want to spend any more money on this car, so it's going.
I flushed/filled the transmission the day I got it with 48,000 miles on it. My neighbor has a 2005 S60 and put the fear of God in me after he said his transmission had to be replaced at 65,000 miles for about $6,000 because he followed Volvo recommendations and didn't change his fluid. I did the "Gibbons Method" with Mobil 3309 and I'm happy to report that my transmission has always been flawless. I hope it's the same for whoever ends up with this car though.
14th Jun 2015, 22:35
When Volvo facelifted the S60 in 2004, the headlamp covers were changed from glass to plastic in common with many other manufacturers. Unfortunately, plastic lens do 'fog up', whereas the glass ones didn't. Every manufacturer seems to suffer this as I've seen this on Mercedes, Saab, Vauxhall and many others. I understand why they changed them, but it's a shame they don't stay clear for so long. The upshot is they don't fracture with stone chips, etc as the glass ones did, and are cheaper to produce amongst other things.
Sorry to hear you didn't fully enjoy your S60. I have two - a 300bhp R model and a D5 diesel model, and I think they are superb cars and so underrated on the marketplace today. I really can't see why people pay twice as much for an Audi or BMW. But then again, I value comfort and safety over sportiness, which probably explains it!