Hello,

THis is my second post in the forums, I hope you can help me out with these questions as the first one I posted got good replies and answers.

Two months ago I bought a beautiful 1999 S70 FWD Sedan... its really a gorgeous car. But i'm concerned about a couple things...

1. My friend came with me for a spin, he noticed the head light were beeming a little off place, in other words, they werent straight. He said that there was a posibility that this car was in an accident or something... I really didnt give it a thought as I got Carfax and plus I bought it from a Volvo dealer and its a Volvo Certified used car. He went ahead and told me that sometimes Carfax doesnt catch accidents... if the accident is not reported to them, then nobody knows. Then I started to get worried. But then I got more worried when I realized the car came with a fog light button yet there was no fog head lights. I've seen other pictures of my car and noticed that where the fog lights is supposed to be, my car came with small plastic grill on each side covering that area. Now i'm thinking maybe this car WAS in an accident and when rebuilding it they forgot to put the fog lights.

Before I go to the car dealer to get to the bottom of this, I would appreciate tips and suggestions on what to ask or maybe just give me some ideas on whats going on here, like I said, i'm terribly new to Volvos.

2. This question is a little more serious because this might end my ownership of the Volvo.
I just got my Volvo Certified Used Car info in the mail (letters, ID cards, etc). I saw that on the card it said that it expired on 12/29/04 or 100,000 (whichever came first). I"m like "WHAT????" 12/29/04???????? I was under the impression that since they (dealer) said that it was 6 years warranty or 100,000, it would be six years from the date of purchase, not from the date of manufacture!
I was shocked, this doesnt makes sense... how can they say whichever comes first , the date or the milage... milage i understand.. but date??? How the heck am i gonna reach 100,000 miles in 2 years?????? Just doesnt make sense.I called Volvo Certified office and they confirmed that that was the case and that I should take it up with the dealer. Which I am!
Now, did I get dooped or is this really how the Certified Volvo deals go? What should I tell the dealer or should I just accept it?

I would appreciate any comments or suggestion on both questions.

Thanks in advance!


Peru y tu?

P.S. I bought the car with 35,000 miles.

That's the way it works. It is all based on the day the manufacturer says the car was put into service.

Any really good body man can probably tell you if your car has had body work.

Some clues -
Paint on parts that were not painted
different fastners on one side, for example, screws instead of rivets
damage to wheel liners or suspension pieces - since people do not see these parts, body shops often do not change them.
a lack of stone nicks on the front of the car or on the windshield
a new part on one side of the car

Take a good look on both sides from a distance, look for ripples, flat spots, etc

Measure the diagonals from the front corner of the windshield to the oposite front corner of the engine compartment, they should be equal. A body man may have a book of these measurements. (I have a set of 240 manuals that show several measurements to take to see of the body is straight)

Take care in confronting your dealer, you will probably do better with him as a partner than a foe for the next two years. If you have real bad luck, he may help you with your next car.

Try to judge the car by what it does instead of your fears, you will enjoy it much more
--
3 8s & 2 7s 725,000 miles total

I would agree here. For your own peace of mind, just take your car to a reputable body shop that specializes in Volvos. They after all are trained specialists that can hoist your vehicle and properly inspect for claims etc. $50 or $80 should be the norm.
Based on your story however, I don't think you should be worried.

Jimmy Johnson

< Based on your story however, I don't think you should be worried.

Jimmy Johnson>>

Thanks for the tips, I will definately follow with that. Although now I feel alot better about the car because of the rest of the posts. I appreciate the help. Thanks Jimmy!


Evans

What does your friend mean by "off place?" Headlights can be adjusted up and down by the owner with a largish hex wrench. Left right is supposed to be adjusted only by a Volvo tech.

The foglight switch is for the rear foglight, which comes on brake-light bright just to the left of your license plate. (An orange caution light should also light on your instrument panel.) This is a safety feature required in all EU countries, and is particularly useful in daylight hours when there's rain, snow and fog. It's been standard equipment on all US-delivered Volvos since the early 1980's. (You also see them on Audis; BMW disables them on US delivered cars.)
--
David \\ (98 S70 T5SE Black, misc mods (mostly lighting), red calipers) (92 940GLE)

<<>>

Ok but how would I know for sure if this car hasnt been in an accident? How would somebody go about finding out the real past of the car? Just in case I want to know for sure. Look for previous owners? bring it to the dealer? Do some kind of investigation with VIN #? I know i'm being such a pain but I really wanna know more about this particular car.

<<>>

Thanks alot! I tested it today and you were right, its a fog light in the left rear lights! hehehehe Pretty funny place to have a fog light but then again it makes pure sense!, these swedes do really know what they're doing! Thanks again! =)

Peru y tu

If there is only one fog light button, it is for the rear auxilliary taillight, and there would be no front foglights.

The warranty time period is a common sleight-of-hand. Even if you can get them to let you read a copy before you buy, it takes some flipping back and forth through the fine print to find out what you're really getting.

Enjoy the car, though. It's a good vehicle.

<<>>

Yeah, I think this guys pulled a fast one on me cause I remember asking specificaly whether it 6 years from the start of manufacture or 6 years from the start of my purchase. Even though thats what Volvo Certified Used Car offers, the dealers still lied to me and they should pay for it! Thanks for the reply. =)

Peru y tu?

1.) The headlight pattern is assymmetrical and, in fact, bizarre with the DOT lenses. Some have reported dramatic improvements with E-code headlight lenses. If you adjust the lights using the bubble balances that are part of the light assembly for height and aiming against a wall for R-L aim you might get some improvement.

1.5) The FRONT fog lights were optional with most models. If factory installed they were "bundled" with the rear spoiler. (I added them after delivery, so I could avoid the rear spoiler.) The single REAR fog light incorporated into the driver's side tail light assembly is standard. You can tell it's on because an orange square warning light with a pictogram of a fog light comes on. There would be two fog light switches to the right of the main headlight switch if the car were equipped with the optional front fog lights, one switch if it only had the standard single rear fog light.

2.) The VIP warranty should be to 6 years/100,000 miles following initial delivery. I have 108k on my '98, so it's an easy car to pile up the miles on!

-bill d cat

<<<1.) The headlight pattern is assymmetrical and, in fact, bizarre with the DOT lenses. Some have reported dramatic improvements with E-code headlight lenses. If you adjust the lights using the bubble balances that are part of the light assembly for height and aiming against a wall for R-L aim you might get some improvement. >>>

Hmmm sounds very interesting but i'm not sure exactly what alot of those terms mean (eg; DOT lenses, E-code headlight, and bubble balances)... you should know that i'm not only a Volvo newbie, but i'm also a car newbie, I know nothing about cars. Is there a link where you can direct me to where they explain this in detail for newbies?

<<<1.5) The FRONT fog lights were optional with most models. If factory installed they were "bundled" with the rear spoiler. (I added them after delivery, so I could avoid the rear spoiler.) The single REAR fog light incorporated into the driver's side tail light assembly is standard. You can tell it's on because an orange square warning light with a pictogram of a fog light comes on. There would be two fog light switches to the right of the main headlight switch if the car were equipped with the optional front fog lights, one switch if it only had the standard single rear fog light. >>>

Yeah, I just found out about the rear fog light, thanks alot! =)
One question though, as I said in my first posting, I've seen pictures of my car online with the front fog light and they look really nice. Is there a place where I can find out more about installing those head light? Is it complicated it to do so?

<<<2.) The VIP warranty should be to 6 years/100,000 miles following initial delivery. I have 108k on my '98, so it's an easy car to pile up the miles on!>>

Yeah but they didnt explain to me in that manner ""6 years/100,000 miles following initial delivery"" ... I remember asking them specificaly, they said that it was 6 years starting from my purchase, not following initial delivery. So basicaly they lied to me. I dont wanna be a pain in the butt but I hate being lied to. Or do you think I should just accept it?

Thanks for you reply bill d cat! =)


Peru y tu?

"Yeah but they didnt explain to me in that manner ""6 years/100,000 miles following initial delivery"" ... I remember asking them specificaly, they said that it was 6 years starting from my purchase, not following initial delivery. So basicaly they lied to me. I dont wanna be a pain in the butt but I hate being lied to. Or do you think I should just accept it?"

It's Volvo, not the dealer who allows the added 2 yrs to the original 4 yr/50K mile warranty so they can't/won't just say "OK, we'll go 6 yrs for you then" ..............they'ld go bankrupt if they did that for everyone.

You seemingly misunderstood what you say they told you but it should be in print. I know that it's only another 2 yrs from the original 4 yrs.

But they didnt add anything. Supposedly the 6 year Warranty comes straight from Volvo Certified Used car program. I even called them about this matter, they did say that the Volvo has 6 year warranty from initial date of manufacture. So they're not adding any years to warranty, they're just keeping original warranty until it runs out.

Evans

E-code is the European specification for lighting. It brings more of the light down to the road, and sprays less light overhead. There is a clearly visible horizon cutoff, with an upward angle on the right for lighting roadside signs and hazards. DOT has a fuzzy, indisctinct pattern (well, actually, there's almost NO pattern) with 50% of the light projected above the horizon. When using higher-output lamps, much of the perfromance gain is lost in the trees overhead...and in oncoming drivers' eyes.

It's easy to tell whether your lenses are E-code: there will be an E1, E2, E4, etc in a circle embossed on the lens.
--
David \\ (98 S70 T5SE Black, misc mods (mostly lighting), red calipers) (92 940GLE)

Whoa!!!! "There is a clearly visible horizon cutoff, with an upward angle on the right of lighting roadside signs and hazards"
That is exactly what my friend saw when he said that the light was off balance and that it might be cause it was an accident! heheeh I cant believe that, you got it right on the money! Your post has helped a great deal, I feel so much better now, thanks David!

Evans

Same deal with our pre-owned Nissan. Almost all auto manufacturers make the statement of time/mileage.