Blackcurrant Pearl p2 xc70

[waynedear]

My wife suggested that my Punto sporting was all wrong for my ‘stature’ and I needed a 4x4/suv type thing… I am 5’ 10” and under 14 stone, god knows what she means.
It did set up one of those itches that needed scratching.
Nearly bought a late freelander 3 door and looked at a couple of Freelander 2’s.
Around 10 days ago an 06 manual, low miles, 93k, xc70 was advertised a mile from me, asked a few questions and went and viewed and drove.
All was well, albeit she is a bit unloved, agreed a price and left deposit, he was waiting for the logbook, that arrived last Wednesday.
A chap messaged me from the Volvo club asking did I know it was an insurance write off, no I didn’t, apparently neither did the owner.
A new price was agreed and I collected.
Bit of a wallowing thing but I love it, can’t see me getting stuck in the fields for a while.

[Waxoyling Lyrical]

Certainly looks very comfy. What happened to the wheel - pothole damage or did it hit a kerb?

I have an Abarth Grande Punto Esseesse, which goes rather well, and yet surprisingly economical.

[waynedear]

Mar 7, 2022 13:46:52 GMT Waxoyling Lyrical said:

Certainly looks very comfy. What happened to the wheel - pothole damage or did it hit a kerb?

I have an Abarth Grande Punto Esseesse, which goes rather well, and yet surprisingly economical.

It has hit something rather hard, written off by insurance.
My grande surprises me with it’s midrange, 130bhp diesel and does not weigh much.

[waynedear]

It would seem I have a missing wheel arch liner, after removing a few kilos of earth/mud I can see the light.
Replacement ordered.

[waynedear]

Last couple of days it has been a godsend, new bathroom, many tip runs 😁

[dandam]

Some cars are just built to swallow household rubbish, and they always result in a smug satisfied smile

[waynedear]

More tip runs, I did have to angle the long radiators.
Received a message from the car ‘dipped beam bulb’, checked and it was correct, blown, stupid xenon thing, only time for the local motor factors… £41.
My god it is hard to do, battery disconnect, ecu off, airbox out, much wiring moved to access the bulb cover.
Long story short, broke the new bulb trying to fit it.
Spoke to the Volvo forums, they put me right, bumper removed, headlight out and then fit the bulb.
Managed to pick up a rare complete light unit with bulbs for £100, as on removal mine was not great.
It is still fiddly with the unit removed, everything back together with new push fasteners.

[iain1970]

Removing a bumper to replace a bulb seems to be the thing these days. It's terrible, but yet another "what can we do to make ownership a pig?" example of problems that are designed in to a car.

I'm so pleased BMW put access hatches in the arches of my Mini R56, which is about the only owner friendly thing they have done.

[henspeed]

What is that like in fuel?

[waynedear]

May 21, 2022 19:43:44 GMT henspeed said:

What is that like in fuel?

Readout says average of 32mpg, that is mainly my 7 mile each way Liverpool commute with no motorways, obviously goes up considerably on a motorway.
I think that is ok for a heavy 185bhp car.

[Waxoyling Lyrical]

Indeed. Pretty remarkable in fact, for a 1.7-tonne four-wheel drive.

[henspeed]

I fancy one as a runner but a bit hefty on derv
My xc60 returns 35 on local runs and 40ish on a long one
Just under 30 with the caravan on back

[waynedear]

May 24, 2022 20:38:53 GMT henspeed said:

I fancy one as a runner but a bit hefty on derv
My xc60 returns 35 on local runs and 40ish on a long one
Just under 30 with the caravan on back

Does it sound like an Audi Quattro though when you boot it… 😁

[henspeed]

Can’t say I have noticed actually

[Rich]

May 16, 2022 8:06:31 GMT iain1970 said:

Removing a bumper to replace a bulb seems to be the thing these days. It's terrible, but yet another "what can we do to make ownership a pig?" example of problems that are designed in to a car.

I'm so pleased BMW put access hatches in the arches of my Mini R56, which is about the only owner friendly thing they have done.

Xenon bulbs have a much higher lifespan so it offsets the work. The halogen units don’t require the bumper to be removed.

[waynedear]

A nice man put his Vida dice on my car to read the codes, I have a 4cs issue, all to do with auto ride height and headlamps, my lights are too low as a default setting.
I suspected front o/s shock area, turned out to be o/s rear sensor, flipping thing is hanging free from a broken bracket, I am going to have to be very creative to fix it due to access.
Another code thrown up is for swirl flaps, hateful things, I had a rummage and found a broken actuator arm, ordered a replacement, fun then begins.
Fits on the actuator end perfect, flap end not so much, ball joint has broken off, to replace that bit means the whole S/F unit, with a junior hacksaw blade I cleaned it up (more curse word access), heated a selected bolt and enlarged the hole, measured space, cut bolt to length and then shaved down the head to 2mm, made a sleeve to center the arm, removed actuator and other bits and bobs, I could just get two fingers in (don’t go there), real pain in the ass.
Everything back together, and started her up, hmmm, not right, reconnected a temp sensor, much better, wife kindly did the pedal to the metal, in her head that is 3000rpm, anyway it works now. 😁

[brachunky]

Had mine (same as your model) for nearly a year now and like you, love the thing. Drives pretty well & the sound is too addictive for a grandad estate! Fitted new 4c front shocks a few weeks ago which wasn't a bad job but thats all its needed.
I drive mainly on open roads and averaging 43mpg.

[waynedear]

Jul 30, 2022 13:37:33 GMT brachunky said:

Had mine (same as your model) for nearly a year now and like you, love the thing. Drives pretty well & the sound is too addictive for a grandad estate! Fitted new 4c front shocks a few weeks ago which wasn't a bad job but thats all its needed.
I drive mainly on open roads and averaging 43mpg.

They do make a great noise, mine is an 06 as well, 3 miles away from 96666 miles, 95% city commute has mine at 33.6mpg.
My s40 t5 is nearly ready for an mot… then one has to go, originally it was going to be the xc, now I’m not sure.

[waynedear]

Oh boy my xc70 is being awkward, I know there is an issue with the rear o/s height sensor, had a good look today, rivet holding the frame snapped, one of 3 wires snapped.
As the wiring is a nightmare to access i cut the other two and removed everything, where the frame screws to the sensor the metals have oxidised and split all the plastic, ball joints are seized.
Sorted the ball joints, cleaned up the sensor, drilled out the remains of the rivet and got the two screws out.
All I have to do now is, work out how to lock the sensor to the frame, somehow get a drill to the bit of rivet in the subframe, rewire the connector, get the bit of loom from in the subframe… And we are good to go.
Hopefully can get my headlight to light more than 10’ in front then

[waynedear]

F*****g stupid car, 15/8/22 set about the new drop links for all four corners, started o/s rear, noticed arb bush is past it’s best, thought to myself ‘I’ll buy new bushes and do everything together’.
My I will, Volvo do not sell bushes, old ones are vulcanised in and they only sell complete anti roll bars, heard about people buying 14mm bushes in Latvia but I can find nothing.
Still having trouble with the height sensor, I bought a better than mine replacement, found that a Land Rover connector block and wiring fit the Volvo sensor.
Managed to get to the wiring in the subframe, have almost an inch of it I can get two fingers on, managed to get some of the tape off it (laying on my back 5’ under the back of the car), Amazon delivered my fancy wire stripper/cutter/crimper today, thing I can get at it enough to join the wires.
And the rad fan I have found does not work, could be one of half a dozen things, doing the cheapest first 93p for a coolant temp sensor.