130,000 miles!

last year at this time my car was around the 105,000 mark and due for a timing belt change. I kept meaning to do it myself but kept putting it off. Time seems to really fly by and the next thing I knew it is a year and 25,000 miles later. Well I noticed that the used car dealer down the street with all the VW, Volvo, BMW and Mercedes was actually not a car dealer but a Import mechanic (that is how popular he is around here). I called him up and he quoted me $700 (decided not to do it myself) which seemed fair? He is the only guy that actually told me everything that needs to be replaced while doing it.. usually the mechanics just want to do the timing belt alone but he changed the water pump, tensioner, etc and the serpentine belt and he told me on the fly without looking it up... he also quoted the price without looking it up. He showed me the belt when I went to pick up the car and it had cracks all in it.. could have gone any day. Glad I got it in when I did. Also glad I found a local mechanic that knows Volvo like the back of his hand and for a fair price.

 

You are very fortunate. I had 100,100 miles on my '94 Integra when the belt snapped. It was due at 100,000. I had planned to put it in the shop right after my son was born and I knew I'd be taking time off. It broke when I tried to start the car to leave the hospital. Fortunately, my wife had her care there too. And also fortunately, no damage. I don't bank on engineering margin anymore.
Stan

 

Hey Stan, that's too bad yours broke and right at the change time but glad you had a spare car for the trip to the hospital and that it did no damage. I have escaped twice now. Let my 2001 Xterra go 170K without a change. I don't think I will tempt fate anymore. How did you escape damage? Non interference or because it was starting and not running?

 

I replaced the timing belt, tensioner, and water pump in my XC90 T6 at 105k. Every part looked like new. You just never know how long those parts will last. I know people (definitely not recommended) who have never changed their timing belts on older Volvos with over 250k on their cars. In that case, every day is a test. Of the parts and their capacity for risk.

 

I think it was because everything was cold (February night) and I was starting the engine, not running.

That car was extremely reliable for the most part but it did have a couple unexpected major failures. The first was the T-belt, the second was the clutch that basically blew apart under normal highway driving while up-shifting from 4th to 5th. One of the balance clutch plate springs broke loose and trashed the thing.
Stan

 

Sounds like you were fortunate too. I noticed that my head light was out after the timing belt job and when I went to replace it I also noticed that the part of the back of the housing where the screw is (I assume to adjust the head light beam) is broken. It is broken in the hole it screws into so you really can't see it but you can jiggle the inside area where the headlamps are around. What do I need to get to replace this?

 

JB Weld or a new headlight I think. I must have repaired mine 4 times before the chrome plastic covering peeled so bad the light output dropped to a flashlight.

 

Thanks Hudini, I'll give that a try... just happen to have some in the garage right now.