Broke it 30 min after purchasing- HELP!

Marybird · Post by **Marybird** » 12 Feb 2011, 11:27

Hi everyone,
My husband and I bought a 2000 S80 T6 with just under 80k yesterday from a private owner in York, PA. We both tested it (albeit very briefly), and did the paperwork. As I followed my husband into the rental place to return the car we'd rented for 2 months, I saw too late that the driveway was practically a curb and felt the underside brush the road. As we drove home, we both started hearing and feeling a clatter/jitter, especially at low speeds, and we are about 90% sure that we hadn't detected it when test-driving. Of course, we'd prefer to believe that it just happened, rather than face the possibility that we didn't test drive long enough which would indicate our stupidity.
My question is this: What is the most likely thing that I broke, and is anyone aware of any parts wearing out on the S80 around 80k that I should be aware of? My guess is that it's a strut, since the ride is not at all soft, and I can feel a grinding in the brakes which I'm fairly sure means new pads/brakes?
Should I be looking at any "weird" possibilities that it could be (i.e. A computer part or hose or something)?
Despite this snafu, we're in love with the comfort of the interior, the memory seat driver-specific remotes, and the roominess of it, and I'm thankful to see such a well-supported site as this.
Thank you in advance for your help and recommendations.
Also, if anyone can recommend a local mechanic who is good and honest, please let me know. Cheap would be great, but I'm not crazy enough to expect all three!

Mary
'00 S80 T6
York/Harrisburg area

Marybird · Post by **Marybird** » 01 Mar 2011, 20:35

Just want to post a follow up to my initial post:
We had our mechanic drive the S80 yesterday, and when he came back, he popped the hood, bounced the front up and down, and on the driver's side, the round thing was not following the car down, as the other side was. Can't remember what that part is (shock?), but he said the likiest culprit is the bushings.
Anyway, he can't get us in for two weeks (that says a lot about the place- in a good way), but we've asked that he give it a front to back going over to see if there are any other issues.