Just bought my first Volvo!

DavidBrown95 · Post by **DavidBrown95** » 28 Jun 2018, 00:51

Ahoy there Volvians..Volvoites?,

My name is obvious, due to my screen name, and I am the new proud owner of a 2003 volvo XC0 with 184k. I payed $600 for it, and the care drives beautifully, when it drives. Regardless, I'm excited to own and purchase my first car without daddy and mommies help. I want to make this into my dream reliable/practicle wagon. I want it to sound mean, drive smooth, and break down as rarely as possible. I am looking at either doing a tune or exhaust system on it as soon as it is out of the shop. I am looking for good recommendations as maybe a starter exhaust I can have for a year and sell for something better. I have flipped cars for eight years now, and was tired of driving lemons to sell for a 35% profit. I want to finally "customize" a car and make it mine. So my budget for an exhaust or tune would be $400 usd. I would do one or the other, but would prefer to do an exhaust first.

Thanks in advance Volvians,
David S. Brown

Post by **chrism** » 28 Jun 2018, 09:53

Congratulations on your purchase and welcome to the "club".

Personally, I would concentrate on just getting the car running properly and reliably, and forgo the radical mods. When you start messing with the exhaust system or hot cams, etc, you can buy yourselve a heap of trouble that $400 won't get you out of.

Save your $'s for tires, brakes, fluid replacements, suspension repairs.

Just my 2 cents.......

Post by **mrbrian200** » 28 Jun 2018, 10:04

Did you get any previous service/repair documentation from prior owner(s) with your XC60?
Are there any service entries showing up on the full vehicle history report? Sometimes you can figure out where the previous owners took the car for service and request that information from those shops/dealers.
For example, I steered my sister into an '03 XC90, From data shown on the carfax report it was apparent that both previous owners took the vehicle to Volvo of Lisle (Illinois) for all work.

MDK · Post by **MDK** » 28 Jun 2018, 14:29

It's VOLVARIANS by the way. I would start where the previous owner left off. Glance over any paperwork or receipts from previous repairs and see what is due next on your scheduled maintenance. MDK

Post by **June** » 28 Jun 2018, 16:10

The first thing to do is replace the timing belt and all associated tensioner/wheels and at that age water pump. Use only genuine Volvo parts for this. According to my dealer the rubber belt is rarely what fails. It's the water pump, tensioner, or idler wheel that takes the belt out causing engine damage. Read around on here about other than genuine Volvo timing belt parts if you don't use genuine Volvo. I have read here on MVS so many posts about timing belt failure from cheap aftermarket parts.

You being new to owning a Volvo I felt it was only fair to warn you that when buying parts other than "blue box" otherwise known as genuine Volvo Parts is a crapshoot. On some things like spark plugs the car simply won't run right with many aftermarket brands. It sounds crazy, but these cars can be finicky. June

Post by **matthew1** » 28 Jun 2018, 19:22

Stage zero is the first step. Anything else and you're building a house of cards.

Georgeandkira · Post by **Georgeandkira** » 30 Jun 2018, 08:52

It's an XC-70 you bought, right? Proofreading is your friend.

Gotta go with Matthew's "Stage zero" approach.

1) Check the condition of the coolant. Is it the dark blue or something else? Good coolant protects the radiator.
2) You will learn to check suspension bushings. No benefit in throwing "Super parts" at a wobbly car.
3) Do people in Lake Tahoe use snow tires? Maybe a mounted set of them will help sell it?
4) It's an automatic? Do at least one drain & fill to see how foul, neglected and burnt your fluid is.
5) AC work? Cabin air filter OK? People neglect these too and they become solid filth and block airflow.
6) '03 will have an external fuel filter. It likely hasn't been changed ever. Do that too.

Cool your jets on amateurish, high school boy toy mods. You don't want to go there.

Get this baby on the road in great shape and drive it with a FOR SALE sign on it. People will call you. Leave the year OFF THE SIGN.

When you do sell it you can multiply the time it took by 10 to see how long a high mileage gang-banger of a 15 year old Volvo would've taken to sell.

Make it your daily driver and people will see you as an intelligent, thrifty soul from whom they'd gladly by a car.

Old Volvo's don't appeal to many. Sedate drivers only need apply. STOCK RULES.
.....with respect and all the pain experience brings, Kira

Post by **June** » 30 Jun 2018, 13:19

Georgeandkira wrote: ↑30 Jun 2018, 08:52 It's an XC-70 you bought, right? Proofreading is your friend.

Gotta go with Matthew's "Stage zero" approach.

1) Check the condition of the coolant. Is it the dark blue or something else? Good coolant protects the radiator.
2) You will learn to check suspension bushings. No benefit in throwing "Super parts" at a wobbly car.
3) Do people in Lake Tahoe use snow tires? Maybe a mounted set of them will help sell it?
4) It's an automatic? Do at least one drain & fill to see how foul, neglected and burnt your fluid is.
5) AC work? Cabin air filter OK? People neglect these too and they become solid filth and block airflow.
6) '03 will have an external fuel filter. It likely hasn't been changed ever. Do that too.

Cool your jets on amateurish, high school boy toy mods. You don't want to go there.

Get this baby on the road in great shape and drive it with a FOR SALE sign on it. People will call you. Leave the year OFF THE SIGN.

When you do sell it you can multiply the time it took by 10 to see how long a high mileage gang-banger of a 15 year old Volvo would've taken to sell.

Make it your daily driver and people will see you as an intelligent, thrifty soul from whom they'd gladly by a car.

Old Volvo's don't appeal to many. Sedate drivers only need apply. STOCK RULES.
.....with respect and all the pain experience brings, Kira

Extremely good advice! Absolutely STOCK RULES for resale value in my book. Though you plan on keeping this car, be cautious of the money pit that it can become. June

StrokerAce · Post by **StrokerAce** » 07 Nov 2019, 18:50

I'm going to assume that your 03 is a XC wagon. Not a XC60. They weren't introduced until late 2010. If its in fact a 03 XC wagon. Your 400 should be spent checking or replacing things that need to be fixed or replaced at that year and mileage. Like timing belt, front end parts, clogged PCV system,tune up. These aren't meant to be Hot Rodded. They are meant to be safe, reliable, fun to drive in all types of weather. Especially heavy and deep snow storms. These Cars will always have your back as long as you have its. Keep it happy by keeping up with maintaining it. If you want to be the center of attraction. Buy a R series. Or a WRX or my personal favorite that sits in my garage. A Rousch Mustang with 700 hp. Good Luck..