What did you do to your P2 Volvo today?

[Blacklab467]

Spent all day clay bar and polishing the car! I've been meaning to do this for about two years and finally got to it. I used Norton brand ICE cut and polish and a two stage foam pad system with an electric Simoniz polisher and am very happy with the results! Normally I don't like black cars and it was probably my least favourite Volvo colour but this changed my mind, it turned out great. I only wish it hadn't gotten some hail damage a few years ago and has lots of paint chips on the hood but all the scratches are gone and hard water stains. It really makes you appreciate how quality the paint on these cars are, there were no "clear coat peeling" issues anywhere and no rust to be found.

[BlackBart]

Wow. Mine does not look like that. She lives outside in the weather, and the previous owner left it in hot parking lots for days on end, for years. I don't have clear coat peeling, but it is fading.

What did you do on the plastic trim? It looks great.

[Blacklab467]

I use Mother's Back to Black on the plastic. Your car would probably shine up nice as long as the clear coat is still good. Mine looked pretty horrid before, it's a 300,000 Km car that I only started "loving" a couple years ago.

[volvolugnut]

I use Mother's Back to Black on the plastic. Your car would probably shine up nice as long as the clear coat is still good. Mine looked pretty horrid before, it's a 300,000 Km car that I only started "loving" a couple years ago.

Back to Black will make the plastic cladding look great, at least for a few months. I used it several years ago on very gray plastic. But, In my case, I would need to repeat every few months. I chose not to do it again.

volvolugnut

[RickHaleParker]

I use Mother's Back to Black on the plastic.

Back to Black is a wax. It just plays with the optics, wears off and goes back to gray.
Forever Black is a plastic dye it restores the lost pigments and will last as long as the original dye.

Note: Working with Forever Black is like working with Latex Paint. It will clean up with water if you do so before it dries. Keep a bowl of water and a rag handy to wipe off any from the paint. Do so as soon as you make the mistake. To get the edges of the trim dyed, I intentionally overshoot then immediately clean up the paint with the edge of a damp rag. Damp rag, not a wet rag that will drip water over all you work. Wet the rag then squeeze out the water until it is just damp.

[Blacklab467]

Ironically the "black" trim is dark brown, just really dark so it looks black.

[erikv11]

Topped up one quart of oil on the 07 XC70. My This XC70 uses a quart every 2.5k, alas.

That's not too bad I know, it's just that the other Volvos in the fleet (3 P80 cars and an 06 S60 R) barely use any oil at all; it is unusual that I would ever top them up between oil changes (5-7k OCI). Nope, no leaks on the XC70, no blue smoke noted on acceleration. I'll keep watching it, only had the car for 10k now.

[abscate]

Not bad at all. Once a month check under the hood, which is a good idea on a 15+ year old car anyway.

[E Showell]

Blacklab467 -- That looks awesome. Nice work!

I have used Rustoleum's "Wipe New" on XC70 plastic cladding with fantastic results. One pack will completely do a P2 XC70 and it lasts quite a while.

I made appointments for this Friday to have both of my V70's driver airbags replaced under safety recall per a heads up from Abscate.

Also, R driver side axle boot is torn. I am not noticing any clicking or other signs of excessive wear. Replacement axle is $500+. Do folks just repack with grease, replace the boots and call it good? If so, whose axle boot kit is best?

[volvolugnut]

If you have any trace of cheap in your genes, you can use plumbers putty instead of clay bar. It does improve the paint finish a lot for a lot less bucks.
volvolugnut