Within the past 4 months, I noticed the highway gas mileage on my 2004 S60T with 88K miles dropped from the normal 30-32mpg down to around 22-24mpg. I've tried different gas stations, even found one that wasn't E10 but no change. Have any forum members experienced anything similar, and, if so, what was the fix? I do all my own work so any suggestions on what to check are welcome.

Up until this point, I've been pretty happy with the car except for the ever-present front end clunks that seem to be pretty common for volvos. The lower a-arm bushings probably need to be replaced. Which brings up another thought: Are there any benefits to switching to poly bushings for their front end suspension rather than the OEM rubber bushings?

I appreciate any and all feedback on this!

Thanks,
RonW

 

As for the gas milage drop, do you have a CEL? If not, maybe you have a brake caliper dragging.

As for the bushings, going with poly bushings will make the car ride stiffer/harder. You may want to stick with OEM and avoid hitting pot holes when possible.