[psispace]

Congrats on crossing 60k !

She looks dapper even with all that slush.

The light upholstery is what makes those wear-out creases stand out on close up. Otherwise the interiors still look new. No doubt you have been pampering her.

Wish you many more happy miles.

[Aurum]

Looks beautiful and in great shape. On the leather stains, have you tried the 3M interior cleaning foam. I use it every few months on my nearly white leather seats. Works surprisingly well.

[Hayek]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

6th service :: 60,000 kms

Total cost Rs 102,000 rounded off to the nearest '000. Big jobs done :-

Front wind screen changed under insurance
Some tinkering with the suspension. The insurance required me to pay Rs 2000/- towards change of the windscreen.

Congrats on a great run with this car. Did the ₹102,000 include the amount borne by insurance for the windscreen change or did it only include your contribution of ₹2000?

Looking at the total cost of ₹274,000 for 60k, that seems very similar to the cost of the BMW BSI Package for a similar distance. Does Volvo offer such packages and was there any reason why you didn’t opt for one?

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

All the brake pads were last changed at the 30,000 kms mark. This time only the rear two were changed. The front ones were good to go till the 70,000 kms stage.

Probably a naive question but I thought the front brakes wear out faster since they do more of the braking on all cars. Isn't this a bit odd?

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Probably a naive question but I thought the front brakes wear out faster since they do more of the braking on all cars. Isn't this a bit odd?

Rear brakes are not always used especially in town use so much hence surface rust on the disc develops. This leads to more rapid wear on the pads. If one uses the car frequently on high speed runs then rear pad wear will be comparatively lesser.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by Aurum

Looks beautiful and in great shape. On the leather stains, have you tried the 3M interior cleaning foam. I use it every few months on my nearly white leather seats. Works surprisingly well.

I use 3M's services about three to four times a year. Maybe my driver and I need to wear cleaner trousers or shower more often.

Originally Posted by Hayek

Congrats on a great run with this car. Did the ₹102,000 include the amount borne by insurance for the windscreen change or did it only include your contribution of ₹2000?

Only my share of Rs 2000 is included in the Rs 102,000 bill. The actual cost of the glass was Rs 83,000 odd. The other big items were - Rs 29k for the brake pads and discs and Rs 13k for the battery. As the insurance was taken out through the dealer they took care of all the interface. I am a very lazy chap on such matters.

Looking at the total cost of ₹274,000 for 60k, that seems very similar to the cost of the BMW BSI Package for a similar distance. Does Volvo offer such packages and was there any reason why you didn’t opt for one?

Sorry, I do not know what a BSI package is. Volvo offer a warranty which I took - can't recall the terms though. Will need to check my records for that. Nice to hear that Volvo's maintenance costs are in line with other high end OEMs.

[V.Narayan]

In a few days the Brown Mare completes 5 years. As a birthday present she was gifted a wax and clean session at 3M. More pictures will follow in a few days. Reliable, trouble-free, torquey, throaty (growl), tough and imposing. The PPF from 3M has now served 60 months without a whimper.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

[b]Request advice from experts on T-BHP on how to preserve a car so that it runs for 25 years in regular service.

Here is what I do to keep my cars in top shape. Some basic stuff, some require a bit more effort - link (Best Practices : Maintain your Car in Top Shape).

[V.Narayan]

The brown mare goes in for its 7th servicing this week. I'm getting the servicing done a little early at 67,000 kms instead of the 70k mark as the tyres need a change. The tyres have run 67,000 kms and two days ago on the Delhi- Mathura highway, in the Faridabad-Palwal sector, the left front burst. First time I've had a tyre burst as opposed to a puncture. Sounded like a gun going off. Fortunately I was at around 50 kmph due to the traffic so lost the chance to boast about heroics of a tyre burst at 100 kmph!! Never understood why OEMs give these tiny stepneys. Beats me. It's been a long time since I changed a tyre. I also learnt that I am not as strong as I used to be. I needed help of a tea vendor's teaboy to haul the tyre into the dickey. The clock of biology ticks on.

[TheHelix0202]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

The brown mare goes in for its 7th servicing this week. I'm getting the servicing done a little early at 67,000 kms instead of the 70k mark as the tyres need a change....

That must have been a scary surprise for anyone, hope you are fine sir. Wonder why the tyre burst?

[Hayek]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

The tyres have run 67,000 kms and two days ago on the Delhi- Mathura highway, in the Faridabad-Palwal sector, the left front burst. First time I've had a tyre burst as opposed to a puncture. Sounded like a gun going off. Fortunately I was at around 50 kmph due to the traffic

Glad you are fine sir. Am a little surprised that you ran the tyres of 67,000 km and 5.5 years (if I am not mistaken). I have always replaced tyres at around 4 years or in about 35,000 km, irrespective of the condition of the tyres (can be faster but not slower).

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by TheHelix0202

That must have been a scary surprise for anyone, hope you are fine sir. Wonder why the tyre burst?

I think it became too old.

Originally Posted by Hayek

Glad you are fine sir. Am a little surprised that you ran the tyres of 67,000 km and 5.5 years (if I am not mistaken). I have always replaced tyres at around 4 years or in about 35,000 km, irrespective of the condition of the tyres (can be faster but not slower).

Thank you Hayek. You are absolutely right. I plain forgot. Just that morning as I took the car out I had thought, 'bloody hell these tyres have never been changed, hope they don't create a problem with the higher speeds on the highway'....and sure enough!!!. Just 20 minutes prior on the Gurgaon-Faridabad sector I was clipping {by my modest standards} at 90kmph. It would have been messy if this had happened then.

[V.Narayan]

7th service :: 67,000 kms :: The Brown Mare trots along.....

Total cost Rs 108,000 rounded off to the nearest '000. Work done :-

Front shockers changed.
Timing belt and associated pulleys etc changed
Four new tyres from Pirrelli
The fluids as always.

Brake pads were checked. Front ones which were changed at the 30,000 kms mark will come up for replacement at the next service 10,000 kms later. Rear brake pads good for another 25,000 kms.

This car continues to give a yeoman 'fill it shut it forget it' service. Volvo A.S.S. remains well above average. This time I availed of their pick up and drop service. I now know all the key employees at the garage and co-ordination over phone is smooth.

The total cost on routine maintenance plus change of crucial parts like brake pads, battery, tyres etc has come to Rs 510,000 so far including my voluntary investment of Rs 48,000 for the Polestar upgrade and this times investment of Rs 80,000 in the tyres. So we come to 510,000/- over 67,000 kms. This gives us a maintenance cost of Rs 7.61 per km.

I do plentiful of self driven inter city runs as a part of my occupation - typically 125 to 200 kms round trips almost always day trips. I usually take my brown mare along to negotiate broken roads, kumbkaran speed breakers, and all those challenges Indian roads through up. Fortunately, touch wood, she simple swallows it all effortlessly. Driving it is spelt t-o-r-q-u-e.

The brown mare at rest this evening.

[sv97]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

7th service :: 67,000 kms :: The Brown Mare trots along.....

Is that a Honda Accord Hybrid in the background?

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by sv97

Is that a Honda Accord Hybrid in the background?

I believe so. Not mine. A neighbour's. You have a sharp eye.