I bought my 99 S80 with 30K miles before I realized what I was getting into. I have learned alot about autos and their manufacturers since I bought the S80. I am now at 130K. I have performed all of the services on the car. My ABS/STC module problem has me concerned.

I have had the following problems:
ABS/STC module
Check Engine light
Sunroof will not retain its flush postion
Sunroof rails fell off of the glass
driver side window of tracks

I am concerned that there is only one dealer within 100 miles of my home. I took the car in to get the check engine light checked at the dealer and was told (by a service associate) that there were several codes in the computer and that I needed to replace all of the parts for the respective codes in order to remedy the check engine light(>$2000). Being an engineer, I unnderstand "Root Cause". I now do not trust the dealer. After a heart to heart with the service manager, nothing was really accomplished.

I am trying to decide whether to keep the car or trade for a Camry or Accord. I know that they are less "inspiring" to drive but want more dealer choices and fewer problems. Are there any other major S80 potential problems that I should be aware of when making this decision? I struggle with the decision because my mentality is that I'll just take care of this issue and see what happens. Since the car is paid for I don't want to throw away the money put into the car, but want to avoid putting money into a bottomless pit.

Looking for wisdom here. Hoping to see an angle that I haven't thought of thus far.

Just so we're clear here I understand doing some basic maintenance on your own but how often has your car been to the dealership for service visits? I hope you realize that everytime your car goes to the dealership for a scheduled maintenance stop it gets hooked up to a mainframe in Sweden. That mainframe must have a heck of a configuration management solution in place because it downloads software (patches and upgrades) to the various components in the car specific to your chassis number as Volvo tweeks things. If you have been forgoing stops at the dealership you may have cost yourself more in the long run I'm afraid. My fear is that you may have missed several significant upgrades / patches over the past 100k miles or so if you haven't seen much of your dealership service bay.

Also, unless you can find a rare independent shop that can afford VADIS you should forget about avoiding the dealership. I've never heard of an independent with the interface to Volvo needed for these cars (because I heard the cost was something like $100k a few years ago) but there might be some out there.

Best of luck.

-rollie
rdollie@att.net
'99 S80 T6 (65k miles and Warranty Gold for piece of mind)
'01 V70 T5 (soon to be replaced by XC90T6 or Executive)
'04 S60R (maybe - if I find a buyer for the S80 T6 now or wait until early next year and do factory pickup)

I apologize for my inarticulate message. When I stated that I had performed routine services, I meant to say that all of the routine services had been performed. And just for the record, ALL of the service was done at the local Volvo dealership save one. The only service that was not performed at the dealer was the last oil change because I no longer trust them. As for servicing the car, It would not have prevented the sunroof bars from falling off. It would not have prevented electronics from failing. If a car is manufactured poorly, servicing it will slow down the rot, but my friend I doubt that it will prevent it. I really fail to see your point. You didn't really address the question I asked, but I do thank you for taking the time to type from your "soap box". The car has been serviced and the problems that exist do so even with the servicing.

sad to see you do all the service on your own , the volvo shop knows these cars better then you. If they get to do the maintenance , you will have fewer problems ...

some maintanence is always good to do on your own , but not all, especially not at such low milage..

Find another shop if you can, preferably an indy shop. If you can't find another shop, then find another car.
What a shame too, the S80 is such a beautiful car.
--
'98 V70, '95 850 GLE 10V

As has been said, you should fix that Check Engine Light! The car will be very dificult to sell with the light lit.

First, about the codes. An engineer, about the string of codes. You KNOW the odds of MULTIPLE simultaneous failures in a car is very small! The way to remedy the situation is not Not NOT to shotgun $2000 worth of repairs into the light, especially if the problem isn't even one of the codes! (My V70 thermostat failed, which -eventually - triggered the CEL and the temperature sensor code. Obviously, replacing the sensor - the code - wouldn't have solved the problem. Replacing the thermostat did.) So I don't know what your service advisor is smoking. Get the car to a shop that knows Volvos - particularly the S80!

Second, I've come to the conclusion that the process of trying to keep these hypercomplex Eurocars running is completely futile. (Mercedes-Benz and BMW are just as bad. Volkswagen and Audi are even worse.)

According to Edmunds.com the "private party" value of a '99 S80 2.9 is $15,471 and a T6 is $17,631. The "street price" of a NEW 2003 Honda Accord V6 EX-L (leather interior) is $23,984. The V6 EX-L bears an uncanny conceptual resemblance to a Volvo 850, right down to the location of the seat heater switches and the big round gauges. It has 240-250 HP depending on gasoline grade. It also has head airbags in addition to front and side airbags. If my wife's Odyssey is any indication, it should be about as trouble-free as my 1983 Honda lawnmower.

After you get the S80 problems fixed, I'd recommend selling the Volvo and buying the Accord.

My $0.02.

-Punxsutawney Phil

'98 V70T5M, 121k mi., iPd stabilizer bars, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, Valentine-1, Mobil-1 always, e-code headlight lenses, Dunlop SP5000s

Your immediate problem(s) is to try to get the "check engine" light off IF you want to sell because almost anyone will want that fixed first.
Is there another dealer around? I too find the "multiple part" thing hard to swallow and highly doubt that from my experience with S80s. The car is networked so often one bad part can give false codes for other parts downstream that might not really be bad. Volvo knows this.
As for the sunroof, the rails breaking are common.

"Money pit" ?.....probably will be, especially with higher mileage. I doubt that most newer cars, especially a '99 S80 will last long like older models once did, at least not w/o you spending alot of money on a regular basis. Almost all parts for S80s are big $$ too and if trips to a dealer 100 miles away are needed for software, etc, I'd go for a car where one can get parts and service closer to home. Who needs the hassle?

Your VADIS readout and the Service report will list what problems were found to make up the $2000 they claim needs to be done. Ask the Service advisor what the part numbers are. You paid for their time. Try resolving these other ways if possible with used parts or buy new parts from the Boston Volvo site at this web page. They will save a lot of cost in parts. If you can replace the problem parts you'll save a large part of the (high quote) that the dealer typically gives.

Then sell a working car over trying to trade in a problem for pennies on the dollar.

GR

2fingers,
1999 S80s are a known problem among Volvo circles. If there was one single model/year to avoid in the recent history of Volvo, the 1999 S80 is it. Accept this reality and get rid of the car while you can still get some value from it. Cut your losses and re-consider other Volvo models. If you want boring, reliable transportation, then Camry or Accord would certainly be my pick...
Having said that, the S80 is actually a beautiful car, just stay away from 1999.

I agree with the last gentleman's comments. No one likes to spend money on repairs. My father-in-law owns a Toyota dealer and I still couldn't force myself to drive one. Good products, but very boring. Fix the S80 and test drive the new S60 R. I think it must be the technology in these vehicles, because my '90 740 is much more reliable then my '99 Cross Country.