AshDVS
Ex850R;35809 wroteSee all the Scabydoo peeps having head gasket and oil pan leaks ......
One head can mean a $4k cost.
Better an XC and fix the gearbox than those overpriced tractors.
A lot of those horror stories are 'internet wisdom' though. While no doubt there are some real cases out there,I don't believe they're as common as you may believe.
If I was looking at that type of vehicle and I wasn't brand-biased (hard to do), I'd really look at an equivalent year Outback if considering a P80 V70XC.
jaykenneally
We did think of it, havent actually been to see it yet, we think too high mileage, thoughts on 250,000? Remember mum plans on keeping this boat for years to come so we want something fairly low.
AshDVS;35837 wroteEx850R;35809 wroteSee all the Scabydoo peeps having head gasket and oil pan leaks ......
One head can mean a $4k cost.
Better an XC and fix the gearbox than those overpriced tractors.
A lot of those horror stories are 'internet wisdom' though. While no doubt there are some real cases out there,I don't believe they're as common as you may believe.
If I was looking at that type of vehicle and I wasn't brand-biased (hard to do), I'd really look at an equivalent year Outback if considering a P80 V70XC.
Yeah, my previous mechanic told me that alot of the horror stories of the 2002 geartronic transmission was internet wisdom which is why he never tried to fix it. Turned out the internet wisdom was more correct than he was!
We're not too brand biased. The outback of the same vintage is so agricultural compared to the V70. Although it is alot more common to find a red with beige interior. We will need a 6 cylinder though I reckon, and on paper at least its no more powerful, with all the power at the higher end of the tacho, and the thing is hopeless on fuel. Think we'll stick to our Swedish engineering thanks haha
egads (she/her)
High kms on a whiteblock is not to be feared as long as it comes with history of oil changes. Not a sludgy motor and good oiling design.
PaddlerEd
My whiteblock had 225,000 miles on it when I stopped using it; other things made it beyond economic repair such as tyres and clutch, but the engine was fine.
jaykenneally
yeah the engine is not much of the concern, mum knows we can easily get half a mil out of the engine before having to worry, but its the other things that fail. But I suppose in saying that if/when/once you fix it all it would be like a new car again :P
Ex850R
Mileage versus time , a higher mile car will have had more things ( hopefully ) replaced already when in the same time the parts of a lower mileage car will still be dubious due to age. Its going to cost to do things that fail with age or should be replaced as a matter of course.
jaykenneally
yeah but i guess either way you're probably looking at spending money on either car so we may as well spend money on the lower kay model
Vee_Que
You won't get half a million out of a low pressure turbo XC70 unless it has oil changes every 5000kms, none of them have, so none of them last that long....
Outback should be on your list, headgasket issues aren't as common and they are easier to work on.
jaykenneally
we highly doubt the thing would even go near 500,000 kms, especially if it is pretty low to begin with, if we buy one with 150,000 on it, itd be lucky to have 250,000 on it by the time she retires it i would think.
It was on our list but then crossed it off, towing capacity not as good, not as big inside, not as nice, not as comfortable and it felt pretty agricultural. the newer model was a fair bit better but we still like the ovlov more.
Ex850R
Subaru easier to work on??
You have to pull the motor to do a head gasket.
Hence , every month in my local area community Facebook site you see peeps getting quotes for between $3500 + $5000 to fix their engines. It has been nearly one a month this year. They are gobsmacked at the repair bill from having a small issue when sent in for service.
The advice I give them and all the other owners out there is to do oil changes more often and also sell the crap car before it costs them an arm and a leg.
And doing one head , later they will have the same cost to do ANOTHER head , total waste of time and money running a Subaru. Especially around town where they are never serviced enough either.
You can fix the head without pulling the motor on a white block , half the cost . .
A quarter of the cost considering it has two heads to fail.
jaykenneally
Yeah Im a bit with snoopy here. The whiteblock motors are a bit unusual being 5 cylinder (ignoring the 4 and 6 variants for second), but they are hella more traditional in design terms when compared to a suby boxer. Subarus can be and are generally reliable but when something goes wrong you have two of everything on each side. 2 camshafts, 2 belts (on 4 cyl models), 2 heads, 2 head gaskets, 2 of everything and no space to fix anything.
Ex850R
Years ago had a mate who had and ooollld Suby that did HG and wasn't worth fixing even with low Ks , she got a crappo Colt new , worse car ever. ..
Then another Subaru , they can't help but buy them!
jaykenneally
Haha some people are addicted to Scooby's like we are addicted to Ovlovs.
We are going to look at a 2002 model XC today in Mistral Green, 150xxx kays on it, 6900 negotiable drive away with 8 months reg. We are prepared for transmission problems.
Ex850R
Bargain them down with that info in hand , they know it isnt worth anywhere near that much.
Allow at least $4000 to fix the gearbox , maybe more , ask Mark what they charge?
jaykenneally
why $4000? Ive been quoted far less than that
AshDVS
JeremyK;35841 wrote
Yeah, my previous mechanic told me that alot of the horror stories of the 2002 geartronic transmission was internet wisdom which is why he never tried to fix it. Turned out the internet wisdom was more correct than he was!
We're not too brand biased. The outback of the same vintage is so agricultural compared to the V70. Although it is alot more common to find a red with beige interior. We will need a 6 cylinder though I reckon, and on paper at least its no more powerful, with all the power at the higher end of the tacho, and the thing is hopeless on fuel. Think we'll stick to our Swedish engineering thanks haha
That happens sometimes. Forum advice is good, first hand experience is better. You previous mechanic may not have had either of these things at his disposal - probably a reason why he is a 'previous' mechanic.
My point really is that you need to take internet-wisdom with a grain of salt, particularly around volvos. Many forums, facilitate passing off un-validated tales as fact, it gets regurgitated several times, everyone blindly believes it and then finds themselves scratching their head when they come up against the reality of what the discussion was about.
I do hear where you're coming from though, sometimes you just want what you want, regardless of the alternatives and how they do or don't stack up.
Best of luck!
Ex850R
JeremyK;35962 wrotewhy $4000? Ive been quoted far less than that
Labour cost.
egads (she/her)
Would dropping the propshaft and keeping the power low help with longevity of the transmissions? Given a good starting box anyhow? Then you are in FWD territory and they less uber anecdotally are not asploding as much. Could just be less of them around though......
Stipud internet wisdom rebabbling....
jaykenneally
Yeah the green one was a big no haha, so much stuff wrong with it and there was no way in the world that we would reach a price agreement haha
jaykenneally
there is another potential car ive spotted the only thing wrong with it is it doesnt have the tip-tronic transmission. Its still a five speed but its gearstick goes like PRND321 rather than PRND+- whatever, no manual mode basically. I want to know is it at possible to put the manual mode back in? Cos its the same transmission isnt it? So couldnt you just swap the stick and the computer? Oh its also a standard model not an XC
