Buyers Advice P2 vs P3

Post by **vtl** » 10 Aug 2016, 13:23

So at the end it all comes to quality of outsourced components. Which is hard to bullet proof, because it takes years of field testing to make sure the quality is at the level. And after those years no one will be wanting to buy ancient 5-speed gearbox, because every other new vehicle comes with 8-speed already. So all you can do is to pray that your suppliers have similar view on what quality is.

Subaru had good AWD when it was mandatory to rotate tires every 5k miles (or did they call for 5k kms?). These days "civil", non-STI Subaru's have alike quality/principle of operation in AWD system.

Auto trans.

Post by **matthew1** » 30 Oct 2018, 13:57

Notice: This is a new post on an old thread. Fast forward two years and...

Post by **matthew1** » 30 Oct 2018, 14:04

Fast forward two years and...

Notice: This is a new post on an old thread.

Anyone have any updated thoughts on P2 vs. P3? Are you more or less likely to move to a P3 Volvo? If you're in a P3 Volvo, how do you like it?

P3
S80 2007 - 2016
V70 2008 - 2016
XC70 2008 - 2016
XC60 2010 - 2017
S60 2011 - 2018
V60 2014 - 2018

MacNoob · Post by **MacNoob** » 12 Mar 2019, 07:43

A P3 V60 or S60 (2014+, with 2.5 I5) will likely be my next car once the current P2 XC70 is inevitably taken out by either wildlife or one of the inexperienced new drivers in my area (already lost wife's car in a parking lot to one of those).
Just keeping an eye on which might have oil consumption issues.

Post by **vtl** » 12 Mar 2019, 07:46

MacNoob wrote: ↑12 Mar 2019, 07:43 Just keeping an eye on which might have oil consumption issues.

And rust. P3 do rust a lot.

MacNoob · Post by **MacNoob** » 12 Mar 2019, 07:57

Really! I haven't seen any rusty ones yet. Where are the trouble spots to watch for?

Post by **vtl** » 12 Mar 2019, 08:03

Our then new 2016 XC60 was rusty from day 1. Look underneath: both subframes chip and rust, especially at welded joints (oh yeah, Ford forced Volvo to used cheap steel for subframe). Belly is also prone to quick rust when enormous amount of Noxudol wears out. Our P2s didn't even have any Noxudol out of assembly line.

Also its paint maybe 1/3 of what my 05 XC70 has. And somehow it feels cheaper inside, though we paid for the Platinum trim. I don't know... When I crashed my car about 1.5 years ago, I opted to buy a donor and swap everything undamaged from my car. Lot of labour, but still better than driving a new Volvo.

MacNoob · Post by **MacNoob** » 12 Mar 2019, 08:24

Thanks for the hints... haven't had an opportunity to crawl under one yet.

Post by **vtl** » 12 Mar 2019, 08:42

When it was couple of months old:

Our P2 V70 and 2 XC70 didn't/don't have any chips like that:

Now:

Yeah baby, this is body rust! Unheard on P2!

In winter all the water freezes (apparently!), but the cheap plastic used in P3 does not flex enough, so we have a broken driver side mirror (wobbles a bit), front bumper off the alignment. The rear doors freeze to the body, every cold morning after ф rainy day I pour a gallon of warm water over the door seals.

Also the rear door wiper motor died, dealer had to replace it. While replacing, the tech damaged plastic gear inside it, so the wiper wobbles. Transmission was engaging horribly from day one, software update that was applied after about 1.5 years did "fix" it, however the car is lazy dog now. Also when I drain&filled ATF after 2 years of use it was brown, with a lot of chunks from friction plates - not those tiny black spots from normal wear, but literally chunks broken off. I also found sealant chunks in motor oil when the factory fill was replaced, who knows what tight passages are semi-blocked?.. The car was loosing the brakes semi-randomly after like 4 months of use, two dealers could not diagnose that. I did a video how I, customer, flush the brakes on the new car and it has bubbles in it, have sent it to Volvo. They sent a field tech to look at it, he said: "I don't know what's wrong with it, let's replace the master brake cylinder". Thanks, it helped. Only after a few months of fear on the roads.

I gave up on that car, won't take care and repair as I do with XC70. For long family trips we take XC70, which is ole good Swedish metal and simply more comfortable (oh, yeah, XC60 drives and handles like a Russian UAZ!).

Post by **jimmy57** » 12 Mar 2019, 12:07

Techs don't like P3 models. They have longer brake life (not rears always) and far less maintenance items. The suspension work they can always find to do on P2 is not there on P3 even with well over 100K miles.

The rear wiper gears are inside motor and not touched nor serviceable. Look at wiper arm angle and the angle it makes in blade on glass. The arm can be twisted in removal and will make blade dance on glass if arm and thus blade is twisted.

Buyers Advice P2 vs P3

Re: Buyers Advice P2 vs P3