Originally went into the dealership to possibly lease an xc90 or at least get a used one... but ended up going home with an 02 s60.

I bought it precertified at 47k miles, what should i look for (maintenance wise)? Would it be a good idea to do an oil change anyway even though its pre certified?

I have a few Qs:
i wanna switch out the headlight bulbs for some PIAA ones, but wasnt sure what temp would be safe. Obviously, im going for the "HID look" but dont wanna spend $$$ on a setup.... so what temp should be safe while giving me the brightest whiteness (without turning out blue)? Or maybe u guys could suggest other brands (silverstar, GE, etc?)

Secondly, I origially wanted an interior with wood trim-- and was definitely willing to pay more for that option if they found a used s60 with the wood trim-- but unfortunately, they didnt have any on the lot. I see a lot of wood grain kits on ebay but i dont feel all that comfortable with getting them. How good are these? Anyone with experience? Suggestions as to where to purchase good quality ones? I have the gray interior pieces... and i'm still not sure if the wood grain trim would accent nicely with the gray pieces.

Lastly, what size wheel/tire combos would u suggest on a stock height/no sides skirts/etc? Whats the lug pattern measurements?

thanks a lot!

 

Forgot to ask this:

anyone have dash covers on theirs? From the ones i see on the road, they dont. Is there a reason for this? I've read that there are sensors that may be blocked by the dashcovers as well as a problem with the center speaker and the passenger airbag. If these are the reasons for not having a dashcover, i can imagine how weird looking a dashcover would look like with all the holes/cutouts for the sensors, speaker, and airbag.

Also, i wanted to know if theres a website that offers OEM floor mats? The ones i find at walmart or the auto parts store do not match the interior gray carpet.

 

What does pre certified mean? Is that where they sell you the car before it is certified? What is a dash cover? Check the oil and see if it is clean. If this car was not from a volvo dealer, I would assume they only changed the oil and not the filter. Unless you have a lot of skill woodgraining, i would not attempt this. Even if you had the skill, I wouldn't do it. Just asking for a mess or a new door panel.

 

Check your ETM. If the 02 is normally aspirated, it will most likely have the Marelli ETM (the one that has been failing). Of course Volvo has extended the warranty to 10 years or 200K. I immediately changed the oil on mine when I bought it. I run Quaker State full synthetic, so I would definitely switch to synthetic oil. Can't help on the lightbulbs. I've kept mine stock. I did add a K & N air filter. My car has the 16" wheels. The tire size on mine is P205 55 R16. That is a lower profile tire. I've seen some S60's with a P195 65 R16. I personally like the lower profile tire better. The bolt pattern is 5/108. I would stay away from the woodgrain kits. If your luck is anything like mine then it would most assuredly start to peel off soon after installation, leaving a nasty, gooey mess to clean up. Dash covers, YUK. Just keep a good coat of Armor All or similar treatment on it and nix the dash cover idea. Floor mats can be found on many web sites. Just Google Volvo S60 parts. I've also seen them on Ebay. Hope all this helps and enjoy your Volvo.

 

thanks guys. The info helps a lot. I checked the oil and levels, color, and smell seem to be normal. What type of oil does volvo use?

I talked to the salesman that sold me the car and he got me floor mats from another used s60

As far as the dashcover situation, I think you're right, jks2-- armourall would probably do best. Plus it'll give a nice gloss...

I've read about the ETM problem and it seems like volvo would not change the ETM unless something goes wrong (shows on msg center or car stalls, etc). That is, unless i'm reading the terms incorrectly. I'll give the dealer a call to see what they say... hopefully they'll just do it without waiting for the bad to happen.

I guess i'll stay away from the wood grain. I'm in Hawaii.... so i'm sure it would definitely peel sooner than i expect because of the heat.

I hope someone could chime in here and add a recommendation for the light bulbs... i'm really hating the yellowish colored lights.

Again, thanks guys....

 

My understanding, and I got a letter from Volvo about it and talked to the service manager, is that they will do a software upgrade now, and if the ETM then fails within the 10 year, 200K mileage window, they will replace the ETM. Unfortunately I don't think they can replace it with the Bosch ETM.