Volvo Findings! (What have you found on FB/Craiglist/Kijiii/other)?

[June]

Any thoughts on the Pros - Cons? Transmission Especially.

2006 Volvo S80 2.5T FWD - $3900 (Bailey)
https://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/d/ba ... 47013.html
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2006 S80 2.5T FWD.png

It has the clunky Asian 5 speed. June

After your recent post about working at GM and the transmission being reliable I've been exercising the T6 turbos. The trans has been exceptional "Amazing". So the Asian "Ai Sin " transmission is a no, no?

I would not say a no no. The S80 was designed for a 6 cylinder and is a complete DOG with the 5 cylinder. Take the turbo 5 in a lighter car and it is fine.

1st generation S80 has a empty weight of 3,8XX. Add 22 gallons of gas, 4 gallons of coolant mix, shy of 13 quarts of transmission fluid (8 for the 5 speed), and 7 1/2 quarts of oil. And you have over two tons before people and packages. For all that you need torque to get it off the line. That's where the 6 cylinder shines. I also suspect the Ai Sin transmission looses more engine power before the wheels than the Hydramatic. Don't know that for a fact, but I have driven (When new) the S80 T5, 2.9, and obviously owned two T6 models. The 2.9 NA rated similar in power to the T5, with the difference being the transmission, the 2.9 NA definitely takes off better.

Isn't that Ai Sin transmission made in Asia???
June

[MoVolvos]

It has the clunky Asian 5 speed. June

After your recent post about working at GM and the transmission being reliable I've been exercising the T6 turbos. The trans has been exceptional "Amazing". So the Asian "Ai Sin " transmission is a no, no?

I would not say a no no. The S80 was designed for a 6 cylinder and is a complete DOG with the 5 cylinder. Take the turbo 5 in a lighter car and it is fine.

The 2.9 NA rated similar in power to the T5, with the difference being the transmission, the 2.9 NA definitely takes off better.

Isn't that Ai Sin transmission made in Asia???
June

I wasn't sure if you meant Asian or Aisin but it was Ai Sin to put in that transmission ? I remember the BW Shift Kit in the family 78 Cougar XR7. Second gear chirps at 50mph on wide BFG's. Lowered with Dual Exhaust No CATS.

http://www.scottlewisonline.com/images/ ... lack_2.jpg

"Aisin Seiki and Aisin AW, formerly known as Aisin-Warner, and which was established in 1969 as a joint venture between Aisin Seiki and BorgWarner.

I drove a 5 cylinder and it did not feel fast for sure but thought maybe it was in need of a Stage O tune. I like the instantaneous go of the T6 even at highway speeds. Thanks.

[June]

After your recent post about working at GM and the transmission being reliable I've been exercising the T6 turbos. The trans has been exceptional "Amazing". So the Asian "Ai Sin " transmission is a no, no?

I would not say a no no. The S80 was designed for a 6 cylinder and is a complete DOG with the 5 cylinder. Take the turbo 5 in a lighter car and it is fine.

The 2.9 NA rated similar in power to the T5, with the difference being the transmission, the 2.9 NA definitely takes off better.

Isn't that Ai Sin transmission made in Asia???
June

I wasn't sure if you meant Asian or Aisin but it was Ai Sin to put in that transmission ? I remember the BW Shift Kit in the family 78 Cougar XR7. Second gear chirps at 50mph on wide BFG's. Lowered with Dual Exhaust No CATS.

http://www.scottlewisonline.com/images/ ... lack_2.jpg

"Aisin Seiki and Aisin AW, formerly known as Aisin-Warner, and which was established in 1969 as a joint venture between Aisin Seiki and BorgWarner.

I drove a 5 cylinder and it did not feel fast for sure but thought maybe it was in need of a Stage O tune. I like the instantaneous go of the T6 even at highway speeds. Thanks.

I love the endless power feeling of the T6 too! Even brand new, the P2 S80 T5 and worse the T5 AWD were complete DOGS. I'm sure the T5 had the same reliability as any other T5 of the same year. June

[MoVolvos]

I love the endless power feeling of the T6 too! Even brand new, the P2 S80 T5 and worse the T5 AWD were complete DOGS. I'm sure the T5 had the same reliability as any other T5 of the same year. June

That is the perfect description, just glides down the road at all speeds besides great mileage when we behave.

[erikv11]

... I remember the BW Shift Kit in the family 78 Cougar XR7. Second gear chirps at 50mph on wide BFG's. Lowered with Dual Exhaust No CATS.

http://www.scottlewisonline.com/images/ ... lack_2.jpg

...

10 years too young!!

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2017/11/2 ... id=1&pid=2

[bmdubya1198]

Hmm... not quite. The 2.5T is pretty good in the S80s, a friend of mine has one. It's not going to be as quick as the T6, but it's definitely faster than the 2.9 NA (couldn't tell you how those are, but I assume they're pretty slow).
The 4T65 in the T6 is the bad transmission. By 2006, the AW55-50 had been improved. The shifting issues are with the older ones. My 2003 suffered a pretty bad flare from 2-3, but the B4 servo cover update and a couple ATF changes has mostly fixed that. After several more drive cycles, it should be completely normal again... I'm too cheap to go and pay the dealer to update the software.

That said, that S80 looks pretty nice! Not too bad of a deal either.

[June]

Hmm... not quite. The 2.5T is pretty good in the S80s, a friend of mine has one. It's not going to be as quick as the T6, but it's definitely faster than the 2.9 NA (couldn't tell you how those are, but I assume they're pretty slow).
The 4T65 in the T6 is the bad transmission. By 2006, the AW55-50 had been improved. The shifting issues are with the older ones. My 2003 suffered a pretty bad flare from 2-3, but the B4 servo cover update and a couple ATF changes has mostly fixed that. After several more drive cycles, it should be completely normal again... I'm too cheap to go and pay the dealer to update the software.

That said, that S80 looks pretty nice! Not too bad of a deal either.

Don't assume. I've driven all three versions and can speak from experience. If you think you're friends T5 is quick, then slip behind the wheel of a T6 and prepare to gain a permanent smile! The 2.9 NA and the T5 are both electronically limited to 210KMH. The T6 250KMH. The T5 has 10 more HP than the 2.9 NA notice the factory data sheet I have attached. As far as the 4T65 being a bad transmission are you just repeating tripe? Or have you owned one??? June

[bmdubya1198]

I have not owned one, I’m just going off of what I’ve heard. I’m sure if it’s well maintained in stock form it will last, but I like power and I push my cars. I’m sure that transmission couldn’t hold any more than stock power.
I’d really like an XC90 T6, but I’d have to figure out how to beef up that transmission.

Anyway, I haven’t driven any S80, so I can’t say much about the actually driving experience, but just look at the torque curve. Around town, the 2.5T looks like a much better engine than the 2.9... way more low end torque. Also it’s over a second faster to 60!

[June]

I really think the XC90 initially was a Ford era afterthought use for the P2 platform. I don't know that for a fact. Since a GM Hydramatic transmission (4T65) was initially selected for the T6 and the 2.9 S80 pre Ford, why not use it's big brother (4T80) for the heavier T6 XC90? I guess we will never know for sure. It has been established that for the AWD XC90 the 4T65 is too light duty.

The FWD S80 T6 is close to what GM designed the 4T65 for. That being cars like the Park Avenue Ultra 3800 Supercharged to replace the beefed up 4T60E originally used for the Supercharged application. I worked for a Buick dealer during those years. I have yet to kill one! June

[bmdubya1198]

Interesting! It seems the weight of the XC90 probably has a lot to do with the transmission longevity/durability issues.

Transmission issues are really overhyped though. For example, a lot of people complain about the TF80-SC in the V8 XC90 (also used in the V8 S80 and I think also the 3.2, as well as the 2006-07 P2Rs) but they’re really not bad transmissions compared to the AW55. Way smoother than the AW55 and having 6 gears is nice. Although, the AW55 keeps the revs way down in my S60. It’s nice coming from the M56 in my R which revs a bit higher on the highway.

I agree though about the XC90 being sort of an afterthought. Volvo needed to get into the SUV game since it was really starting to pick up in the late 90s and early 2000s, and it seemed to work out for them! I see P2 XC90s all day long... more so since my mom got hers. But since buying that back in March, I understand why so many people have them... I love it! You get the space and towing capabilities (which I have yet to test) of an SUV with the comfort and safety of a Volvo. Plus they’re cheap these days.

The difference between the SUV trend back then and the SUV trend now is that back then they were useful SUVs. Now for some reason everybody wants an SUV no matter the size... completely pointless to have an SUV smaller than my V70R with a towing capacity of less than the weight of the car!