[psispace]

Originally Posted by littlebrother

I would really like to get in contact with you and discuss regarding the same whenever you're free. Expecting a pm from you with your contact details? (sorry for the trouble)

Yes we are put up at Kochi and would be happy to join your Volvo club if everything goes well

Looks like I can't PM you either. I have requested this to the Admins.
You seem to be just 14 posts to graduate from newbie. So get busy. Plenty of interesting threads in here.

Meanwhile could you please update your email in your profile.

Wish you luck

[littlebrother]

email updated , thank you.

will work towards my graduation

[psispace]

SIX YEARS UPDATE, SIXTH SERVICE @ 42000KM

The experience so far

This year in April, it will be six years since the S60 entered my life. Its been quite a while since I've come to this thread too. I see my last post was in September 2016. Not that I wasn't peeking in and visiting other threads, posting comments when I felt like it. However, it had been a busy year and I had to make some changes and shift my practice. Now, as I've moved to a new workplace, I've got more time till things settle down.

Kochi traffic is now what Bangalore traffic was 10 years ago, albeit with smaller roads. The Kochi Metro rail works going on, only add to the misery. But with work nearing completion, things seem to be smoothing up.

I get to drive 5km up and down twice daily in this 'wonderful' Kochi traffic. Not a pleasant thing to do. Especially if you are in a hurry. But I do get to spend some 'zen' time in the car listening to music, as the city buses, cars and bikes pass by horns blaring.
Also, the city safety systems are tested very regularly (almost once a week), what with inadvertent darting from cars and bikes with the occasional suicidal pedestrian to liven things up. But with the music on inside, the car does such a wonderful job isolating the chaos outside that you don't feel stressed. That is, until someone makes contact with your vehicle.

ORVM
On a couple of occasions the ORVMs have taken a good impact from bike riders, taxis and even a pedestrian who suddenly decided to gesture with his hand outstretched into traffic.
The left ORVM took a bad hit couple of months back, dislocating the ORVM cover and its clamps. Fortunately it did not damage the motors and indicator lights. The financial damage? Rs.14,000/- for the mirror case and painting + labour. Ouch! I don't want to know any time soon how much the whole assembly costs. An extra digit more perhaps.

Alternator belt
With more time on hand, I was fortunate to make two trips with my family. One was to Kodaikanal. It has been nearly three decades since I had been there and I was skeptical of the road conditions for this car. However I was reassured by the hotelier and friends. I was quite surprised by the road conditions and except for a few bad patches, the entire journey from Kochi to Kodai was smooth and stress free.
The second was to Wayanad. Here too, I was surprised at the road conditions. I stayed at a resort called Vythiri Village Resort (highly recommended). The roads were good all the way up to the resort. Something I cannot even imagine not so long ago. I think the relatively scanty rains last year contributed to this.
Although the stay at the resort was fun an all, unbeknownst to me, a rat had tried to get into the car at the resort parking lot. Possibly the smell of the biscuit crumbs in the back seat had become tempting for him. Although obviously he (or she) couldn't get in, he had made a small meal of the alternator belt.
I was lucky to reach back home without any glitches. Two days after we arrived, one morning, the engine cranked funny. And as I started driving, I get a desperate "charging failure" message on the MID. The engine also starts knocking and lurching.



Luckily, the Volvo service center had recently relocated close by and I was able to limp to the service center. Any further and it might have had to be towed. At the service center our service adviser Mr Eldho was around. He is who we call the "resident car doc" in our group. He made me shut down the engine immediately and pulled out to show me a chewed and torn up alternator belt. Images of my family stranded on the Wayanad ghats flashed in my head. I thank God for that not happening.
The car was pushed into the service bay, the belt replaced and battery charged. Fortunately it had not fully drained and possibly the belt must have started loosing tension only the previous day.
A glitch in reassembly of the alternator system however delayed delivery that day. Cost - Rs. 4500/-
The new Volvo service and dealership is fortunately continuing in the same customer centric philosophy of it's predecessor.

I always carry a carvac inside the car. I should remember not to forget to use it during such journeys in future.

Tyres
The side wall of the front right tyre developed a small peeling after the Kodai trip. As there was no air leak and I had no long trips planned soon,I switched the tyre to the rear and planned to change it along with the other tyres which was probably another 4000 to 5000km later. However the peel progressed to the condition as below:



As it was not safe to proceed like this I decided to change just one tyre for now. However the 225/45 profile Michelin tyres were not apparently available in the Indian market. I was told they had stopped importing due to lack of demand. Outsourcing and importing was not cost effective. New Bharath Tyres in Kochi usually have good stock of Michelins. However, even they didn't have any. They however had 225/50 or 245/45 profiles. I was fortunate to meet the proprietors Mr. Nithin and his father at New Bharath and they gave me a reasonable exchange for my old tyres with discount for the new ones. So I was convinced to change all four. Taking me for an enthusiast, he suggested I go for wider Pirellis. But I decided to change all wheels to 225/50 and stuck to Michelins as I valued comfort over performance (I'm getting old !). Besides, the Pirellis where slightly expensive. They were W speed rated and thus seemed to have a harder compound. Cost of this tyre change Rs.50,000/- after discount and exchange.

After the tyre change, I've noticed a considerable increase in ground clearance and was surprised at how much the extra 5% profile change made (with same tyre pressure of 33psi).
Pictures below for reference.


Not very apparent from far



But obvious when close by



Picture taken 2 years back to show ground clearance



Now after the tyre change


The low speed ride has changed to more comfortable. With 33 psi its not bouncy on bad roads or floaty on the highways. I have not tested it for performance and don't intend to. Grip levels were adequate on some emergency braking situations at highway speeds. But I suspect the wonderful ABS and TCS systems also had a role in it.
I don't know if its' psycholgical, but the added ground clearance makes it more confident to go over speed humps and such. Earlier, in certain places where the flap ahead of the front wheel (seen in the pictures above) used to scrape (at a mall exit, over a large hump etc), it doesn't anymore.

I was advised 50 profile tyres years ago (25000km back). However due to my obsession with Michelins (who didn't have 50 profile on 225s then), I changed to the 45 profile. There was slight increase in ground clearance then too, but not noticeable.


Service
The service message started popping up this month. Odo was on 42000km.
This was a rather expensive service.
Apart from the routine, the following needed replacement;

Charge air hose of the turbo unit had started leaking oil ~ Rs.7000
Link for the strut and antiroll bar on the right side needed replacement ~ Rs.8000
Multi filter and Cabin AC filter (which was completely blocked) ~ Rs.5000
Various clamps which were worn out and recommended replacing ~ Rs 3000
Engine oil (Castrol Edge) ~ Rs.6500
Perhaps due to the recent alternator belt fiasco, the battery I was told, will need replacement in about 3 months. The battery was last changed in October 2014. So rather than wait and get into a situation in the near future, I asked the battery be changed at this service.
The same AC Delco DIN 80 was replaced ~Rs. 9600
Wiper blades will need changing but I am holding on as its' going to be summer


Turbo hose and various clamps, nuts etc,



Although these components needed to be replaced, I did not notice any performance issues or abnormal suspension noises. It was only with the alternator belt tear that I could notice something amiss. But that was of course, after the battery was reaching its critical point. It is interesting and re-assuring to note that these cars have an additional small backup battery for critical vehicle and safety systems in case of power loss.

Thus the total service cost with labour charges came to Rs.58,000/-. This included Service tax, VAT, various cesses etc, which came to about Rs.7300/-.

Some shots of the interiors at 6 years:


Front passenger side, that grey thing on the seatbelt is a child seatbelt adapter (brought online thanks to this exhaustive thread by samaspire
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...-your-car.html)



The most used seat



The most abused seats



Front dash and steering


People keep asking me whether it isn't time to change the car.
Sure. Logically it is. My car, no matter how much TLC I gave it, has started depreciating in value. If you are looking at exchange or resale, its' high time I dispose this off.
But I tend to keep my cars for a lot longer if I can afford to. As long as maintenance costs are not forbidding and utility (need) doesn't change, I keep my cars longer. I also have an emotional attachment to my cars. If I could, I wouldn't have sold any of them. But I would have become a very poor man in the process.

My actual first car, the Alto VX (I had an 800 prior), was with me from 2001 till end 2014. A good 14 years. My Dad's Accord was with us from 2002 till again 2014, when he got his Camry. The Alto, well kitted and maintained, gave me a good resale value. The Accord didn't. However, the Alto was changed due to a 'need' as my wife had started driving by herself. The Accord however was changed due to prohibitive maintenance costs. A lucky guy got it for a bargain as it was taking the Camry's parking space in the house. The Alto is with my next door neighbour and the Accord was bought by a young guy in my hometown who had apparently been eyeing it for years.

No doubt my Volvo will need some more component replacements down the line to keep her shipshape. No doubt it is going to cost. However, thus far the costs to keep her that way are anything but prohibitive. This is the highest I had to spend on maintenance in the past 6 years. And that hopefully, is an indicator of this car's durability and longevity. My next car will most probably be an SUV. But with roads getting better I don't feel a need for it at present. If I do end up buying one, and if finances and regulations (and space) permit, I may retain this as my second car.

The number of Volvos are increasing on our roads. Our Whatsapp group now has 96 members and is fast growing. Because of this, spares availability won't be an issue for me in the near future. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a glitch free future ahead. The road so far has been great!

Cheers.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by psispace

The experience so far

This year in April, it will be six years since the S60 entered my life.
But I decided to change all wheels to 225/50 and stuck to Michelins as I valued comfort over performance (I'm getting old !).
After the tyre change, I've noticed a considerable increase in ground clearance and was surprised at how much the extra 5% profile change made (with same tyre pressure of 33psi).

The low speed ride has changed to more comfortable. It is interesting and re-assuring to note that these cars have an additional small backup battery for critical vehicle and safety systems in case of power loss. Thus the total service cost with labour charges came to Rs.58,000/-. This included Service tax, VAT, various cesses etc, which came to about Rs.7300/-.

Doc, thank you for the update. Reassuring to hear that 6 years on the car is giving you smooth service and that Volvo stepped up to the plate on the belt situation. The car is looking neat.

Just learnt through your thread about the back up emergency services battery. I'll check for it in my XC60. The ground clearance is a good 30mm greater - maybe more. Good for you. Keep the car for 10 years. For a high end 6 year old car Rs 58k isn't bad for a maintenance event (just my view). May she continue to serve you with safety and reliability.

[KAUBMW7]

Thanks for the update, I've been following this thread as well as a couple of others on Volvo here.. they are really a understated bunch of cars and probably losing out only due to the lack of the 'first mover' advantage that the Germans have in the Indian market and also cause the Vs are more sedate and all rounded (nothing flashy!) unlike the Bimmers & Mercs which excel in driving dynamics & comfort, respectively.

And i have to say, the seats look pretty good for 6 years old, you have to give to the Europeans for build quality, I have a Laura TDI DSG and their seats look like near new even after 92K kms & 5+ years.

[psispace]

Quick update:

One fine morning, a "Book for service" message appeared on the MID. Odo was just past 48k. I had only recently serviced at 42k in February and was concerned that it was something major.

The rear brake pads and discs had apparently worn out to near the end of their lifespan. Fortunately nothing else amiss. The service engineer who took the car from my apartment immediately felt a diminished pedal response and was surprised I didn't realize it.

I guess the brake fade was so slow that I didn't notice as my driving was predominantly in slow city traffic. This also explains the accelerated brake fade. My foot is more on the brake than on the accelerator in the city due to the slow traffic. Keeping a safe distance and slow deceleration is just not practical. Any potential space between you and the vehicle ahead gets filled up with bikes, cars and any vehicles that can potentially fill that space.

Anyway, post replacement, the difference was quite apparent in terms of pedal displacement during braking. it is now a lot less.



The cost of rear brake pads, discs, brake fluid and service was around Rs. 30,000/-. There was a feedback enquiry form from Volvo via email, a week after the service. My only grouse was that the car was delivered back uncleaned and dusty. I guess this must be due to my insisting the car be delivered early morning the next day.

The city safety systems are being tested regularly on the Kochi roads and are fortunately working just fine. I also occasionally test the radar guided cruise control on the highways and they are still in perfect order. However it is useless for prolonged use on Kerala highways.

I will update any events as they come. Nothing else to report.

[nirvanaguy19]

Great ownership report. Just wanted to add my 2 cents about the S60. I recently rented the brand new (5k miles on the odometer), S60 D3 for a few of days in Scotland to drive through the Scottish highlands.

I was thoroughly impressed with the car. The ride quality , brakes and handling were spot on. The only not so impressive aspect was the automatic gear box; I am comparing with the ZF 8 speed in the 320d that I have back home in India.

Overall I have a new found appreciation for Volvo, I will definitely give them a close look next time I am considering a vehicle purchase

[psispace]

7 Years, 7th service, 53,000km :

It had been a rather uneventful past year for the car (Thank God for that) with no niggles as such.

Got an 'Engine oil low' message last month after a long drive. Thought I'd picked up a leak somewhere and drove to the service center the next day. It appears that the car was due for service. I had visited the center in August 2017 to change the brake pads and the service indicator was reset then. Hence it did not alert me. Usually every year, around March-April, the indicator used to light up. So I got the oil topped up and booked a service date which was convenient for me.

Thankfully, there were no issues. I used the opportunity to get all the scratches around the car touched up. There were some nasty scratches and a small dent on the front bumper which were all fixed. The interiors still look nearly as new with minimal leather wear which was noticeable only to me. People sometimes look in disbelief when I tell them its' a 2011 model.

Routine service including engine oil, gasket, filter changes etc came to ~ Rs. 21,000/-
and the front bumper painting, polishing etc came to ~ Rs. 17,000/-. Add CGST and SGST and the bill comes to ~ Rs. 39,000/-.

It seems not long ago that I had taken delivery of this car in 2011. How time flies!
Every time a new model Volvo comes out, I get tempted to think of changing. But there is very little that the newer models offer over this except a newer design and modern lighter engines. Of course, if my wallet was not so tight ( in the bad context), I would've kept this and brought a new one too. Not having a car EMI is a lot of burden off your back.

No doubt, the value of the car will go down even further in the coming years. It has already depreciated by more than 60%. Volvo is planning to stop Diesel engine production in a few years. This will further depreciate it's value.

My car had radar guided cruise control in 2011. The newer cars come with the improved version which also incorporates lane keeping assist. In these 7 years, I can count on my fingers the number of times I have used cruise control. It was mostly to check whether it was still working or to 'show off' to friends and relatives. Its' just not practical in India. At least not on Kerala's Highways.

It is the city safety systems that have come in handy on many occasions. In fact, whenever I drive another car that is not a new gen Volvo, I have this small sense of vulnerability when I drive and I tend to have a heightened sense of cautiousness. This also makes it difficult for me to move out to a new car, especially if not from this brand.
No doubt, very soon, these technologies are going to filter down to all vehicles. I'm sure in future they may indeed be made compulsory and required by law.

After the Polestar update and 230hp, most cars I test drove felt inadequate on power. If I changed to any of them, they would be found wanting. The ones' that matched, or bettered, were very expensive and beyond my purchasing capacity at present.

So, in all, it had been a good 7 years and now, I can comfortably say that my S60 has been a trusty friend. I hope to keep her for at least a few more years if circumstances don't change by then. I have good company too. Our Volvo Whatsapp group has now grown to around 150 members from all walks of life. There were more, but some of them couldn't bear the constant chatter on automobiles in the group and left. Some have multiple luxury cars with them, but they feel none compare to their Volvos (Yes, some of them have two or three in the family).

Will update in future as and when.

Cheers.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by psispace

7 Years, 7th service, 53,000km
It had been a rather uneventful past year for the car (Thank God for that) with no niggles as such.
...The interiors still look nearly as new with minimal leather wear which was noticeable only to me. People sometimes look in disbelief when I tell them its' a 2011 model.

Congratulations. You are the original Volvoman on T-BHP. Others like me followed in your tread marks down to polestar upgrades.

.....and the bill comes to ~ Rs. 39,000/-.

Gulp. Gasp. Gruugh. Gwak!! Sounds emanating from owners of certain other luxury car makers as they choke. Repeat it again @psispace some think they read it wrong.

It is the city safety systems that have come in handy on many occasions....No doubt, very soon, these technologies are going to filter down to all vehicles. I'm sure in future they may indeed be made compulsory and required by law.

Volvo leads the way in many respects. I have to travel on the highways (the kinds without a divider) very often - once or twice a week and the Volvo is my horse of choice. Self-driven of course.

After the Polestar update and 230hp, most cars I test drove felt inadequate on power.

Me too. Me too. Me too.

Look forward to your car's photos. Please.

[R2D2]

Just a note here - my brother's S60 Polestar (petrol) which he has in the UAE is nearing the 40K kms mark in less than a year. He drives from Abu Dhabi residence to his Dubai office 3-4 times a week, a distance of approx 280 km for the round trip.

He is VERY happy with his Volvo car and intends to keep it when he buys a Toyota Land Cruiser possibly as early as end 2018.

[psispace]

Originally Posted by R2D2

Just a note here - my brother's S60 Polestar (petrol) which he has in the UAE is nearing the 40K kms mark in less than a year. He drives from Abu Dhabi residence to his Dubai office 3-4 times a week, a distance of approx 280 km for the round trip.

If I had a Polestar I would stay as far away from my office as possible too.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Look forward to your car's photos. Please.

Thank you for your kind words. I unforgivably forgot to mention about my extended Volvo family in Team BHP

Some photos of the car as is.
I clicked these with my mobile after I got back home today. With the incessant rains, its' almost always like this now and I have tough time keeping her clean.

The lower part of the door is the area where my shoe brushes against the door as I get out. It's always dusty, but has shown no wear.


The front seats


The rear shows a bit more wear on closer inspection


Posing shots: Front


Right flank


Left flank


Close up of front grill and bumper


Headlights still clean


C pillar


Derriere


Roof - B pillar


Roof - sunroof

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by psispace

If I had a Polestar I would stay as far away from my office as possible too.

The UAE is a car lovers dream country. Low taxes on cars, cheap fuel and good roads. And then there are those ultra rich dudes driving the poshest and most expensive cars one could buy. You get to see them all in Dubai & Abu Dhabi. Car prices in India are about 2-2.5 times that of what you'd pay for the same model.

I've told him to consider even a used Lexus LX-570 (do I see V Narayan smiling in approval? ) instead of the Toyota LC 200. Prices in UAE are depressed after the global oil price slump. You could get great discounts on new cars. The slump has been one heck of a reality check for most countries in the GCC.

[psispace]

8 years : 66000 km Update :

How time flies! I feel like it was just a few months ago I had put up an update.
A lot happened since then. After my last service, I had to relocate to Kothamangalam in July last year. This is a quite town on the way to Munnar from Kochi (40 odd kilometers). I was quite apprehensive about how I would manage servicing. However, as God-sent, one of the service engineers of Indel Volvo resides in Kothamangalam and he makes the trip to and fro almost everyday. The folks in this town are quite friendly and we soon built up a good rapport. For servicing, this engineer used to collect my car from the apartment in the morning and delivers it back at night when he is back. Because of this, almost always, I got my car back on the same day.

The floods in Kerala last year had affected Kothamangalam as much as it had other parts of Ernakulam district. On the day the flooding started, I was caught off guard due to the sudden surge of water from canals onto the road. On my way back home in the evening, I was confronted by bumper-level water logging at one junction (it was just a trickle in the morning when I passed throught that same spot). I saw an Innova drive through it ahead of me. But cars and bikes behind it stopped. The wake of water created by the Innova plus the pre-existing flow was intimidating. Bikes turned around and cars still waited. Being new to the town, I didn't know alternative routes. I just wanted to get home ASAP before the water levels rise further. So I took a deep breath (and a gulp of saliva) and slowly drove through the water. Mid way the front parking sensors started to get activated. This meant the water level was higher than the bumper level. But I didn't stop and drove through keeping the accelerator depressed to prevent the exhaust from getting flooded. I made it through, but realized later that I had lost the front license plate. I just crossed my fingers hoping none of the electronics were damaged. There is also a very expensive radar unit sitting behind the front grill.

The incessant rains backed off, the flood waters slowly receded, and with the unprecedented and combined effort of the populace, order was slowly restored. It was only after four days from that day that I was able to take the car out of the apartment. The license plate that had come off was replaced with one which had an outer black casing. This would supposedly prevent it from falling off in similar instances. Some weeks after this, one of the front parking sensors started getting activated randomly. Cleaning it only temporarily cleared the problem. I thought this was a result of me driving through the flooded water and the sensor had gone bust. Even the service guys couldn't initially figure it out as diagnostics showed no fault. A decision was made to replace it. However, my service engineer friend (not naming him to respect his privacy), tried re-positioning the new number plate. Presto! Problem solved. The edge of the plate casing was ever so slightly coming within the range of the sensor.

In November last year, I started hearing an ominous rattling sound from the right rear end. This was happening only over slightly rough roads. Turned out to be the rear suspension. The shock absorber was broken. Replacing it cost Rs.14,000.

The service indicator came in April this year at 64,500 km. Just prior to this, I had a 'battery charge failure' indication. This was just like the one I had in August 2017. Fortunately, my service guy was kind enough to replace the alternator belt on site at my apartment. It was quite difficult without getting the car hoisted up. Volvo requires you to go through multiple layers of entry points which involves removing bumpers and panels. This can be done only by technicians who know the correct order. Else it will trigger an error code. He however managed with some effort. If not, I would have had to flatbed the car to Kochi. After replacing the belt, a date was fixed for routine servicing. The total cost came to Rs. 26,000. This also includes Rs. 4800 for replacing the center console slide panel (in the picture below) which was getting stuck to the side railings.



All was well after that. We did multiple long journeys and the odo soon reached 66000km.



Thats' her chilling out in the morning mist in Vagamon

Recently I started feeling a bit of brake fade. Since it had been quite a while (at 48000 km in 2017) when the pads were replaced, I thought it must be brake pad wear. I called up and fixed an appointment for that week. However, one fine morning I started rapidly losing brake pressure and could get braking only on pushing the pedal all the way down. Losing brake fluid so fast was ominous. I called up my friend and he promised to take the car the next day. Unfortunately, on the way to the service center, the brake pressure reached critical level and the car had to be taken on a flat bed. There appeared to be a leak in the brake master cylinder. The safe way around this was to replace it. This would be quite expensive (Rs. 1,20,000) I was told. The dealer has sent a request to the head office whether this can be done under 'goodwill' dealer/company warranty. Hence, temporarily, the brakes were bled (off air) and refilled with brake fluid and car returned to me for short daily runs (charged Rs.6000, excluding flatbed towing charge of Rs.4200). This was of course with a disclaimer from responsibility towards any untoward incident that may occur from sub-optimal repair.

Its' been a week since I have got back the car and so far its doing fine. But with a master cylinder leak, its' only time before the brakes start acting up. I was curious as to why the brake fluid warning indicator didn't show with such low fluid levels. This is still pending investigation. Any way, till this is sorted out, I can't have any long trips with her. Also, if there is no dealer / company warranty, this will be my most expensive service till date.

Distance makes the heart grow fonder. As she was in the service center for a week, I was driving a rented Swift for few days. Although the new Swift is a great car in its own right, this made me get even more desperate to get my Volvo back and was quite relieved when it was finally back in my apartment.

The dealer also took this opportunity to try and entice me into upgrading my car. I was given a test drive of the V90 CC which I am told will be coming with 'offers'.

Here are my thoughts on the car;

• Looks really huge and imposing from the outside. Although its' the same chassis as the XC90, due to the lower height, it accentuates the length.

• Loads of interior space. Of course, here I am comparing it to my S60. Its' typical station wagon boot space here. With my height (5'9"), you can literally take a nap in the boot without folding the rear seats.

• Although the rear seats are quite comfortable and leg room generous, I found the rear seat squab to be slightly less than in my car. My family though, were impressed. The generous glass area, panaromic sunroof, leg room and interiors were impressive. And there is a pull up curtain in the rear door which is sadly missing in mine. We make do with a clip on curtain which is inconvenient while on the go.

• I drove the car for around half hour in and around town. Although the controls and ergonomics of the car were different from mine, I quickly got used to it in 10 minutes of driving. I used to think the central touch screen will be distracting. However, contrary to my expectation, I found it quite intuitive.

• Driving through some muddy under construction roads was also revealing. The extra ground clearance and compliant suspension meant that the ride was great even through these roads.

• The feeling of the bulk of the car is gone once you start driving. After the drive, I had to park it next to my car, to convince myself how much bigger it is. It however takes up only slightly more space in my normal parking spot. The front wheels are closer to the bumper on the V90 than the S60. Its' the rear that projects more.

• The 2 liter power pulse D5 engine is different in characteristics than my 2.4 D5. The former has a very linear power delivery on flooring the throttle. The engine in mine gives explosive power (especially after the Polestar tune) when you do that. Of course, the S60 is a lighter car. 1700kg versus the V90 CC's 1900kg. The newer engine is slightly clattery at low speeds, but quieter at higher revs. The older engine is quieter at low rpms but is noisy at higher revs, especially at kickdowns. The 2 liter D5 manages kickdowns without much fuss. I guess the additional two gear ratios in the new gearbox helps for seamless shifting.

• With not many estate cars around, it is also quite unique and grabs eyeballs. Half the town knew about my test drive. Not ideal if you want to be inconspicuous.

Its' slowly going to be the age of electric cars. Fossil fuel engines will soon be phased out. If our government's vision is to be believed, this will be sooner than later. Diesel engine vehicles will be the first victims in this phase out. Subsequently Petrol, Hybrids and so on. How quickly cars like the Hyundai Kona are adapted onto our roads will dictate that. And how the industry convinces the Government to delay such decisions due to infrastructure, adaptability and employment issues that will occur when the industry transitions from manufacturing oil burners to manufacturing electric motors.

At this stage, I am doubtful of the wisdom of investing in a diesel car, even though it may be BS VI compliant. If I keep my present car for 2 or 3 more years, I might be in a situation were I will have to sell it for scrap. Or it might be viable in a tier 3 town were it is still not banned. But a new car such as the V90 CC will definitely have a higher running cost even if I were to purchase outright and not go for a loan. I am in no hurry to dispense of my S60 for a fixable brake issue. However, as you can see, I have gone ga-ga over the V90 after the test drive and am keeping that option in the back of my mind if things go south.

I'll keep you all updated. Till then, I eagerly await your thoughts on the above.

[Ashutosh]

Is it just me or this is the only Volvo owner's review on Team-BHP?

@psispace, For potential buyers and admirers of Volvo's cars this thread is a gold mine in India, do continue sharing your thoughts and experiences here.You mentioned about a group of Volvo owners that you are part of, if possible do encourage them to share their experiences here on Team-BHP.

One question- The new 2019 S60 will be available in India by 2020, what are your thoughts on it?

https://youtu.be/o0ZRi9qgApM

[psispace]

Originally Posted by Ashutosh

Is it just me or this is the only Volvo owner's review on Team-BHP?

There are a few others. But V.Narayan's thread ( link below ) is the most regular and up to date.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...000-km-up.html

Originally Posted by Ashutosh

One question- The new 2019 S60 will be available in India by 2020, what are your thoughts on it?

That thankfully is a petrol only car. It seems to be more spacious than the present S60. Going by the present trend, I guess they'll bring in the T4 and T6 engines initially. But if they don't plan to assemble locally, they might give us the T5 option too (250 hp). There is also a 400+ hp Polestar T8 hybrid (same engine as in the XC90 T8 Inscription / Excellence) which will make things livelier. As with the other models, the interiors and safety features are similar to the bigger models. The differences are only in the interior trims.

I feel the only reason Volvos aren't selling as much as the Germans are because of their sparse dealer and service network. Not to mention brand awareness. But that is slowly changing. They have more than 20 dealers in India now and are still expanding. I only wish they also start infrastructural support for their hybrid and electric vehicles which we will see more of in future. I also hope they bring in the T6 engine options for the present range of cars. At present, barring the XC90, none of the new gen Volvos in India have petrol options. The previous gen S60 and V40 are now discontinued.