Your Fuel Efficiency?

[chrism]

2005 S80 / 2.5T / Auto / 180,000 miles - 20 city / 29 hiway (80-82 MPH)
2003 V70 / 2.4 NA / Auto / 230,000 miles - 21 city / 29 hiway (78-80 MPH)

Note: Computed numbers displayed on the DIM run 1-2 MPG lower than actuality.

[Brahms]

What a minute, are you saying that the MPG on the trip computer in the display gives a false reading somewhere around -1?

[mrbrian200]

Running the AC doesn't drag MPG in my S60 noticeably. Drove straight through from Matteson, IL to Colorado Springs last year got around 38-39mpg for the run. Tracked 1100 miles at very close to 28 gallons used. Do note I went across on US-36 at a lower speed than you would if flying through at 75mph on the interstate. It was a scorcher that day +100F, AC was absolutely required until the last hour or two getting into Colorado/higher elevation.

I drove it all over creation yesterday. To and around downtown South Bend IN (aka Notre Dame) then back home, around 85 miles on a hair over 1/8 tank of gas. And I even stomped on it a couple times, once to pass a slower vehicle on a 2-lane highway and another for no reason at all, just because it's FUN. No it's not a 'perfect' end all-be-all car. There is no such thing. For the $ I have into it I'd be hard pressed to find anything that suits my tastes better. Things I appreciate the S60 seems to dole out by the bucket full. Excellent balance of style, power, comfort, econ...built like a tank compared to any of the shoebox mile misers. Friend bought a '15 Civic HF new, it gets 45 highway/33 avg. I driven it. I.think.not. If the difference were +20mpg compared to the Volvo I might be able to overlook practically everything about it. But not over 5-6.

[prwood]

Do note I went across on US-36 at a lower speed than you would if flying through at 75mph on the interstate.

What kind of speeds were you doing?

[RSAmbassador]

06 S60 2.5T FWD. about 18 in rural driving and 20 on mountain highway driving.

[precopster]

mbrian200: interesting you should mention those rear stays as one of mine was badly bent before I got it out and whacked it straight again using straight hardwood lumber. It was "pretty straight" when I viewed it but may have lost some length; who knows. The mechanic that aligned it (not a tyre shop) said that it wasn't ideal so perhaps I should get a new one. I recall those IPD stays and didn't know about the quality issues. It's a shame that IPD aligned themselves with an inferior product as they looked very promising for allowing adjustment of rear toe.

That eccentric bolt is a bad design. I hope Dorman come up with something as I've used some of their products and they seem to be well made.

[chrism]

What a minute, are you saying that the MPG on the trip computer in the display gives a false reading somewhere around -1?

Yep. At least 1 mpg off.

[mrbrian200]

That eccentric bolt is a bad design. I hope Dorman come up with something as I've used some of their products and they seem to be well made.

Volvo could do it too. They would have the stress/torsional data to know how strong the arm and welds need to be and could probably get a specification sent out to manufacturing in a few days--on the shelf in a couple months.
I don't see the loading being more than it would be on the cloud cars-- on those the lateral links (two of them) act as a lower control arm in conjunction with a forward tension strut. On these Volvos the stays merely set/hold the toe alignment. In both cases the assembly is locked with the bush acting as a bearing during suspension travel, therefore the materials/welds need to be strong enough to hold up without shearing off or bending. I think that's where the IPD stays went wrong. Pictures I remember looked like the ends might have been welded aluminum. The Chrysler lateral links are made of corrosion resistant steel and aren't known to come apart. People replace them either from collision damage or they need to adjust the alignment on a very old car and can't get the adjuster to turn. It's a not so uncommon design for adjustable stays/lateral links.

[leapdragon]

2002 AWD getting about 18mpg city / 28mpg highway

Better than my old 2000 which was about 17mpg city / 23mpg highway

[mrbrian200]

Do note I went across on US-36 at a lower speed than you would if flying through at 75mph on the interstate.

What kind of speeds were you doing?

60 unless I was going though one of the little towns. There aren't very many of them. Through Missouri 36 has been upgraded to a thru route with just a couple stoplights across the entire state, including through St. Joseph. In Kansas 36 is a two lane highway, but the towns are very small and spaced far apart. I really enjoyed the drive. The interstates snake around on the map and aren't that much quicker either.

Seriously--Kansas is so flat boring and sparsely populated you really do need the up close scenery to break up the monotony/keep you alert. At least on the old US highway once in awhile there's a break in the corn with cows looking at you as you drive past or some neat old farmhouse with a UFO hovering over it sucking people up.