1999 V70XC Repair Shop legitimacy check!

sharkatax · Post by **sharkatax** » 27 Jul 2015, 17:00

This is a sad story, that's only getting worse. Can someone please affirm that I'm not getting taken for a ride and that this is possible? I want to believe my shop, I love my ride, but not sure how to proceed.

So my uncle purchased the very first V70XC to be imported to Canada. A beautiful silver on black model that he drove for 175,000 km in five years. He then was going to trade it in when I bought it from him in 2003 and drove it for 10 years, running the odometer up to 340,000. I upgraded to iPd sway bars, 18" rims, ECU upgrade, angel-eye headlamps, etc. The vibrations though became an issue and I was told that the solution was to replace the torque tube ($6k new, impossible to find used). Based on vehicle practicality, comfort, and investment in mods, I decided to buy a '99 model from Chicago with only 90,000 miles on the clock. Long (and painful-$$$) story short, I've had the engine pulled and redone, suspension replacement, new rims & tires, partial respray...and I'm in to this car for close to $20k. Now the shop is telling me that the steering rack needs to be replaced - to the tune of $2,500! When is enough, enough?! The steering seemed to be fine before the engine was pulled, but ever since there has been no power steering. The shop replaced the PS pump, but that didn't work. They tell me that there are some pressure valves on the rack and that they may have been in the process of failing before the engine pull, and that the engine pull may have been enough to cause them to fail? Oh, the reason to pull the engine, was to solve an oil leak and a compression test indicated one valve was not operating correctly. Oil still leaks and now the turbo hoses are the culprit? Please confirm that this is all possible and that these guys are on the up and up!

I (foolishly) bought the car on the internet and flew my father out to Chicago to pick it up and drive it home. I figured at $4,000, what could I lose? The timing belt was nearly frayed and under braking the car would swerve to the left. Despite it's low mileage, it was not a healthy car.

I still love the idea of a Volvo wagon and keep telling myself that for only $XXX of repair costs - it makes sense and that I can't get a suitable alternative. I'm not sure I can convince myself much longer!

Post by **FLXC90** » 27 Jul 2015, 17:52

Wow, sorry to hear of your woes. I see you joined the forum a couple years ago. A common recurring theme here is that these cars are expensive to maintain if you don't or can't do your own work. Where do you fall on the continuum of mechanics?

Of course on this particular car you are so far beyond upside down that it will have to last forever to get your money's worth out of it. Satisfaction is what you need to shoot for.

As for the rack, as I understand it, the racks and pumps are paired to the extent of TRW or the other kind (drawing a blank) If the motor swap involved changing the pump, it could have been the wrong kind. That involves a VIN check.

Is this a Volvo specialist? Do you come across to them as a doormat? Sorry, not trying to be rude, but to help. A compression test won't tell you a valve isn't working, only that you don't build pressure in a cylinder. A vacuum test may indicate valves, or did they perform a Leakdown test? In any case, stop the financial hemorraghing. Fix it to be driveable, and drive it.

A rebuilt rack should cost around $300, with a $150 ish core. JY might be a GOOD option. Check the tie-rods before installing.

Post by **JDS60R** » 27 Jul 2015, 18:24

Rack is about $300 bucks from FCP and $900 installed is a great deal for the mechanic.

The lack of power does point back to the pump. Either way $2500 is too much to install a rack. If wish you were closer. We could knock that out Saturday morning.

Post by **RussB** » 27 Jul 2015, 19:02

Rack certainly could have been damaged. But from your explanation of the issues, there was no reason to pull the engine. It may be time to find another mechanic? I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that you put 16k in a $4000 '99? That car in excellent condition is valued at about $6000. You could've bought a very nice Volvo for 20k.

Post by **scot850** » 27 Jul 2015, 19:38

$2,500 is probably not that far off from a dealer, using a dealer re-con rack. I'm trying to remember what I paid a couple of years ago for rack replacement on a 98 V70 XC at the dealer. I went that route as it was my son's car and I don't have the facilities to do the repair myself. You have to drop the rear of the front sub-frame on the AWD, which requires disconnecting the prop-shaft to the rear ( 6 bolts and easy on a hoist) first, before disconnecting the engine mounts.

The rack I know was in the $1000 + range from Volvo, but the local dealer charges $150/hr, so that would mean they would be charging 9-10 hours of labour at that rate. Maybe someone who is in the trade can tell us if that is a reasonable time for the job. Personally, I struggle to see why it would be so much, but an alignment is also required (about $150 at dealer).

Did the repair shop do the engine pull and replacement or did someone else? If the repair shop did and they damaged the rack, why do they expect you to pay for it at all? If it was working when you had the engine work done, then something happened that they did. They have insurance for workshop cock-ups, so I would be taking whoever did the engine work to task on this.

I've had issues with my local dealer in the past, but they normally come good if they screw up.

Good luck!

Neil.

Post by **abscate** » 28 Jul 2015, 03:12

Alldata reports complete steering gear replacement with part transfer for 1999 FWD is 2.9 hours

I don't know how the XC adds to that.

But

Rack. 300
Hours 300 USD
Alignment. 100
Tax and tip total 800 ish

Blockpartie · Post by **Blockpartie** » 28 Jul 2015, 03:34

You can't get a new OEM steering rack for 300$. Unless you steal it and throw money at the guys running after you.

Post by **tryingbe** » 28 Jul 2015, 06:30

Dump the shop. This is the same shop that took your 20k, right?

Do it, do it now.

Post by **oragex** » 28 Jul 2015, 06:43

sharkatax wrote:They tell me that there are some pressure valves on the rack and that they may have been in the process of failing before the engine pull, and that the engine pull may have been enough to cause them to fail?

What is the name of that garage?

The issue is that we cannot sue a mechanic. Someone breaks a glass and steals a camera from your car. If caught, he goes to jail. The mechanics are doing just that when they lie in full knowledge tovsteal hundreds and thousands.

We need a law to sue these thieves.

Post by **dosbricks** » 28 Jul 2015, 08:54

This is why I hate to have to turn a car over to the torturers. You always wonder if they are damaging the actual or peripheral components and if it was accidental or on purpose. Too many times I've gone in to do a repair and discovered the butchery of the last repair shop.