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It was a 1999, a bad year by everyones assessment including Consumer Reports. The interior is very comfortable, the ride is marvelous and as one S80 owner said to me 'very seductive', as he advised me to rid myself of the car. My problems started the second day I owned it with an idling problem that included the rpm dropping to about 500 as I almost stopped then shooting up to about 1100 rpm as I stopped. With a car in front of me at a stoplight you can imagine how exciting that was. Took it an independent Volvo shop that I always used for my 240 that told me my Electronic Throttle Module was dirty. They told me I needed a new one as these did not 'clean up' as my 240 did. They also told me they did not put new ones on because Volvo would not sell them the software to do finish the installation. I talked them into cleaning it and removing some error codes and spent $185.00. Got about 30 miles closer to home and the car started dying everytime I stopped. Sat in my garage for 4 days while I negotiate with the dealer I bought it from. We agree he'll pay for repair and I drive it 60 miles to my nearest dealer. He says the Thottle Module and PVC nipple are dirty and only need to be cleaned. I say, make sure to fix whatever the problem is because the other dealer is paying and I'll only get one chance for that. Three days later it's done, $440.00. Another trip over with my wife following and I don't get 1 mile away and strange lights starting flashing on the instrument panel, but too fast for me to tell exactly what. There is alot of information on the panels of these cars. A day later the service engine light comes on and the information panel tells me that the Emission System needs servicing. So, in summary, idling and surging problems, lights on dash misbehaving, the rock guard fell off and drug for miles, the emission display, a panel tells me I have bulb failure from a dipped beam (whatever that is) and the final straw happened last night when we took the car out to go to the restaraunt. Just about 1 mile from my house, getting on the on ramp to the highway we hear a clunk/smack sound like I ran over a piece of plastic on the highway. Nothing in the rearview mirror, my wife asks me 'what fell off now'? I don't know, I said. Get to the restaraunt and see the left front parking light assembly hanging out and holding on by the wire to the bulb. This is one sad car regardless of how fancy and nice it looks. If you get one, I hear to get at least the 2002 model but I would advise these 2 things: 1.) live close to the dealer, because no other kind of shop can work on the car. Volvo is only supplying dealers with the necessary software upgrades. The car is completely computerized, fly by wire type design, and every 'fix' requires a software upgrade at $75.00 per event. (Amazing really) 2.) Have your wallet with you always and keep a repair fund on hand. 3.) Have a back up car. 4.) Pray for a patient spirit to be about you always. I know I said 2 thngs originally, but you'll really need more.
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