is it imperative that you use premium fuel in this car??? (1999 Volvo S80 T6)
or would I be able to get away with using regular fuel???
anyone who knows or has tried I would really appreciate your input
Andrew

 

you can use regular. If it makes ur engine Knock then you'll have to use the higher grade.

I've used 87 in my 01 s80 t6 with no problems,only thing isit feels a little slower on pick up .

 

i see. that is what i have been told as well. so it is not going to cause any serious damage, possibly some carbon builid up and gunk build up which may hinder the performance somewhat.
i am considering purchasing a 1999 S80 T6 that isthe reason for myquestion.
do you know of anything to check out prior to purchasing??? or any bewares??

 

I'd make sure the:

1.) Timing belt has been changed.
2.) Look to see if the transmission has been done/rebuilt/serviced. A lot of s80's of the 99-01 have had transmission problems.
3.)See if your ETM has been done(they are warrantied 10years/200,000 miles)
4.)ABS module/Brake booster.
5.)Check when the struts/control arm bushings/sway bar links were done, I just had mine done 5 months ago, my warranty company had to shell out 2300$ for that.

That model, the 1999 was a very "Buggy" model, since it was released here first. A lot of people say to stay away from these, but if those have been addressed and some other things then you may be fine.

I've had a lot of issues with my 01 s80 t6, but I believe my previous owner hasnt taken care as much as I have.Luckily my warranty company(which now wont expire till 2011 or if I reach 120,000 miles) - it has paid all my claims.

Some of the things I've listed are things that I have gotten repairedand probably suggest taking a look at those, as those are costly to the pocket.

 

If you dont mind me asking gordon, who is your warranty company, when did you insure it and how much does a warranty cost.. Maybe it can be a good investment on my 02 s80

Regards the fuel ive been wondering the same thing, i have always used premium and regularly treat the fuel system so i would seriously like to save a bit by switching to regular (mid is just a waste if you ask me)....

I also considered regular + octane booster.. will actually work out more than just paying for the premium with less octane gain..

 

yeah i use to use premium myself, but now i switched for the last two months.

I bought a warranty in Sept 2005, 3 years 36000 miles with 63k miles, it cost me 3 grand. In January 2008, I was interested in purchasing a new warranty. At that time I had like 83k on the car. I bought a new one, which was also about 3grand, but they credited me back 1grand for the portion that I did not use. So I ended up paying 2 grand for my warranty, which is also 3 years 36000 miles (zero deductible).

The warranty company was same for both times I purchased it which is American Auto Guardian. They are not available anymore, as they are going out of business I believe - I bought the contract the last day that you could. In the first two years that I had them they were great, but they are not that great now.They send inspectors down all the time regardless of what it is going to cost them. Inspectors are ready to deny this claim for any reason.

The only reason why I bought a warranty: I knew that back in 2005, I had about 2000$ of work that i needed to get done, and this forums helped me realize that. I simply decided that I needed the warranty on that basis. I thought that hey, Im shelling out 2000$, for another 1000$ I can get this warranty. if you total it up i've paid about 5 grand for 2 warranty's, and I have gotten little more than double of that in repair invoices since owning the car.

 

i think that premium fuel should be the choice of everyone right now. it is 20 cents higher than regular, which is a per gallon savings. well, a few years ago when regular unleaded was 105 a gallon, premium was 125 a gallon. so thats a 15 to 20 cents savings on the gallon. now if you pay 330 for a gallon of regular to 350 for a gallon of premium its a 20 cents savings on the gallon but only 6 or 7 cents on the dollar, as to 20 cents on the dollar from gas a few years ago. hardly worth going cheaper gas for that price. and if you add in how much better and more efficient your car will run with the higher octane gas, it is probably more efficient to run the premium fuel. also with the t6 i have noticed more predetination with the 87 octane, especially when you get on the throttle. so if you want great performance and best efficiency i would suggest you stay with 92 octane or 93.

 

Not sure if there has ever been a study on this, but does anyone know about any info regarding fuel tests to see which has the highest amount of impurities etc between the major chains?
People seem to test,rate and compare everything so I am sure they must have been some study on this before..

thanks