High Years, Low Mileage - What Can I Expect? Topic is solved

[rubbie]

Hi all: we have a beautiful 2002 V70 XC, with only 138,000 km on it - about 86,000 miles. Owned it for almost 2 years. In that time:

• replaced inner and outer tie rod ends, rear stabilizer bar bushings, control arm bushings

• Had camshaft seal leak, replaced the seal, did a full PCV system replacement - it was plugged with the white ooze

• While I was at it, did the timing belt and serpentine belt

• Replaced the headlight switch unit

Now I find that a ball joint and both front struts need replacing, and the steering rack has 'some play' in it and may need replacing down the line.

I asked my mechanic why all this, in a car with low miles? He said the problem might be the previous owner's infrequent driving - we're both just guessing, really. But the white PCV goo is a symptom of infrequent short-distance driving, so maybe.

My question is - what else can go wrong?? Are there certain things to look for in a car that has spent much of the last 15 years just sitting?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[cn90]

- Search forum for similar threads. This has been asked before.

[abscate]

If it was driven on hard roads you could need new suspension parts. I did lower control arms on my 99 at about 120k, New struts and springs at 160k on a car that was gently driven on good roads.

What to expect? 200k miles of luxury miles. If you are still lightly using it it needs to get up to 60 mph for 30 minutes once a week, ideally.

[Rattnalle]

If it was driven on hard roads you could need new suspension parts. I did lower control arms on my 99 at about 120k, New struts and springs at 160k on a car that was gently driven on good roads.

What to expect? 200k miles of luxury miles. If you are still lightly using it it needs to get up to 60 mph for 30 minutes once a week, ideally.

As long as it sits parked there's no need to drive it just because. It's mostly when driving a lot of short trips that a longer trip is needed every once in a while.

In general you can expect most things that wear due to age to be just as worn as on a car with more miles on it. Hoses, rubber bushings, seals etc. Low miles really doesn't do that much of a difference when it comes to the amount of repairs needed. It's more about how it's been looked after.

[rubbie]

Thanks for the replies! Sounds like it is still a keeper, then.

[mrbrian200]

If it was driven on hard roads you could need new suspension parts. I did lower control arms on my 99 at about 120k, New struts and springs at 160k on a car that was gently driven on good roads.

Rubber deteriorates as a function of both age, use, and heat. The organic compounds break down even if it's just sitting. Soft seals and gaskets are the same. Note your timing belt interval is stated in mileage/years whichever comes first because the materials degrade whether you drive it or not.

Certain electronic components degrade with time as well, notably electrolytic capacitors as well as the batteries inside the alarm module if equipped. Microelectronics (logic chips, processors, memory) if they have minor chip flaws that might have destined a chip to fail at 20 years, but you parked it for 10 years with the battery disconnected, might still be expected to go bad at 20 years...unless it was parked in a garage chilled to -273.15 Celcius. Man made permanent magnets used in various hall effect sensors lose magnetic flux as a function of time as well. In general the only thing you really get a free pass on with an old-low mileage car is internal mechanical wear.

[abscate]

The positive here is OEM parts on Volvos are expensive, high quality parts. I tend to run my two Volvos in preventative maintenance mode, replacing high mileage parts as they approach their MTBF rather than repair in failure since I have 8 female drivers going distances in urban settings and weather.

When I replaced my 15year old heater hoses, I inspected them and no gumption about donating them to a member as good spares, the rubber was still like new condition.

If you inspect wiring and looms for chafe and such you can fix wiring problems before nasties...under the cam cover for example.

I am a risk taker though. I have a 2003 VW 1.8 with 50k on the original timing belt. I inspect annually. Rubber is like new. I’m about 5 years past replacement interval on time. If you don’t live in a nasty heat and ozone place, I suspect belts and rubber die on miles, not time.