Christine strikes again, this time it's the gearbox

**Porcine_Aviator** · Monday 25th May 2009, 14:04

Last week after a few days of the cow cutting out after a few minutes of running on petrol, I decided to get her into a garage to sort out the problem.

I pulled away from a set of lights and turned right into a narrow one way main road running over a railway bridge with a cycle path on the right, said path has a ridge of sloping curbstones to separate cars from cyclists. The cow cut out as I pulled away. I fired her up again, and she took, just enough to get me into the narrow section of the road, then she cut out again. I rolled her over the curb and ground the underside on it.

She rolled to a stop and I tried again to start her, which she did, and I went off to fill up with gas. She stopped no problem, and restarted so I drove home to pick up the other half and offspring to go to the pictures.

Again she started and ran on both gas and petrol, then out of nowhere she stopped running on gas. So I drove her down to a local garage that fits and services gas conversions. The booked her in to sort out the problem on Friday last.

Drove up to Bristol, no problems she ran without a cough on petrol. Did a bit of round town stopping and starting. Drove home, still no problems, following day the other half took her out again no problems.

Then I had a run to do, same route as the previous Monday, she ran no problem until I stopped at a roundabout. I was sitting waiting for the traffic to ease so I could pull on, normally I would slam the foot down and drop into a space in the flow, but I had the boys in blue sitting behind me.

As I sat there the engine revs started to climb and almost red lined, I had my foot on the break! So I put her in neutral, then when put her back into gear to pull away.

She was very sluggish, no power, I put my foot down and she pulled away very slowly. I got to my destination as she slowly ground to a halt, no drive.

I left her to go in to the call, about three minutes and then went back to her, checked underneath, no oil, no water no nothing, so no leaks. Got in and started her, put her in gear and she pulled away.

I got her around to my local garage and then managed to block the drive as I had no reverse to put her into a parking space. So I hopped out and pushed her back, am I glad the area is flat.

They have had a look at her and said that the oil smelt burnt when it came out. But as it was late on Friday when they go around to looking at her, not much could be done.

So now I'm waiting for the bad news tomorrow, I have a feeling that it could mean a rebuilt gearbox. Volvo say the Geartronic is a sealed for life unit, so when they go wrong are they saying it's their problem? Some how I don't think so.

Then next thing is a price for a repair, the bloody car has had my arm and a leg. It enough to make you cry off Volvos for ever, this is my fifth and it could be my last.

I'm now driving my 850 T5 and she's running like a dream, but then she's a pre Ford ownership model.

**Al115** · Monday 25th May 2009, 14:10

Sorry to hear. For those of us who don't know, what is your car?

**Porcine_Aviator** · Monday 25th May 2009, 14:32

Sorry I should have said.
Christine is a 2000-2001 V70 T5 Estate with an eGas gas conversion. She has had over three grand spent on her in the last twelve months, and she's still not working as she should.

She was first registered in Dublin, but this doesn't show in her log book which I find very strange. I found this out from Volvo, and the only way I can get her early history is to phone a Volvo dealer in Ireland as Volvo say they don't have it!

She arrived in the UK in 2001 and has 2001 specs.
Geartronic box
Self dimming rear view mirror
Accessory socket in the read load area
Half Leather Seats
Load Cover
Heated Seats
Auto lights on dash, if the ambient lighting drops the dash lights up

It doesn't have riding lights, I have been told that Volvo charge the dealers £25 for the software to turn them on.

The car came to me with the wrong battery so that has been replaced.

If you look at my other posts you will see the whole sorry tail of the bitch on wheels.

Personally I think that Ford screwed up Volvo with their stupid standardise parts across the company.

Volvo has never been the same since they took over.

**hd9584** · Monday 25th May 2009, 23:21

Sorry to hear about your problems. You are right about Ford everything they touch turns to ****e! Reverse Midas touch I think. I worked for them for years and they are almost incapable of making a reliable car. Company is run by bean counters so the cheapest nastiest parts will do!!!

**Porcine_Aviator** · Saturday 30th May 2009, 11:29

Well it's update time. So far they have not been able to find out what's wrong with her. The said the oil smelt burnt when they drained it off. They refilled it and have driven her out of the workshop, but it looses power, there's no drive to the wheels.

I'm now waiting to see if they can find a company who can sort out the autobox. Then it's get the gas put right, then it's go bankrupt.

I just wish the bloody car was as reliable as my 850 T5, as I said before I blame Ford for screwing up Volvo and the sooner it goes back into the hands of people who care about the way the cars are built the better.

**Porcine_Aviator** · Monday 1st June 2009, 17:09

Just had a phone call from the garage and they have been quoted by an Autobox repair company in Bristol £1900 to repair it. He did ask me if I was sitting down before he told me.

So now I'm on the market for a second hand Geartronic box for a 2000 - 2001 V70 T5.

So much for Volfords sealed for life rubbish, seems the clutches or something like it have disintegrated.

**MrMopp** · Monday 1st June 2009, 17:15

Personally id remove the gas conversion sell the car as is and start again , sounds like you have a friday afternoon car

**AlanG** · Monday 1st June 2009, 17:16

Sorry to hear that buddy,you must be well p****d off. Volvos are generally very,very reliable but very expensive when they break...Unlucky.

**Porcine_Aviator** · Monday 1st June 2009, 18:34

Originally Posted by MrMopp

Personally id remove the gas conversion sell the car as is and start again , sounds like you have a friday afternoon car

I would but that would be admitting defeat, and I'm not giving in yet. I'm going to try for a gearbox first. As to it being a Friday afternoon car, I think this cow was built on Saturday morning by a crew of part-time trolls with extra dark sunglasses.

**AlanG** · Monday 1st June 2009, 18:41

Originally Posted by Porcine_Aviator

I would but that would be admitting defeat, and I'm not giving in yet. I'm going to try for a gearbox first. As to it being a Friday afternoon car, I think this cow was built on Saturday morning by a crew of part-time trolls with extra dark sunglasses.

Admire your tenacity mate but even Volvo make the odd lemon. Sounds like you hate the thing with a passion......

**MrMopp** · Monday 1st June 2009, 20:08

Originally Posted by Porcine_Aviator

I would but that would be admitting defeat, and I'm not giving in yet. I'm going to try for a gearbox first. As to it being a Friday afternoon car, I think this cow was built on Saturday morning by a crew of part-time trolls with extra dark sunglasses.

LOL i admire your determination, have you tried sending NADS a pm for the gearbox ?

**Porcine_Aviator** · Tuesday 2nd June 2009, 22:08

Originally Posted by MrMopp

LOL i admire your determination, have you tried sending NADS a pm for the gearbox ?

I have to admit I haven't but I go and do it now.

Thanks.

**Porcine_Aviator** · Wednesday 3rd June 2009, 23:55

Well I PMed NADS but as yet no reply, so I'll keep waiting and looking around the online scrapyards to see if any of them have a box.

**MrMopp** · Thursday 4th June 2009, 00:01

Originally Posted by Porcine_Aviator

Well I PMed NADS but as yet no reply, so I'll keep waiting and looking around the online scrapyards to see if any of them have a box.

There you go give him a bell

07961505315

**Porcine_Aviator** · Friday 5th June 2009, 00:24

I'll give him a call in the morning. My 850 sprang a water leak this evening and I can't see where it's coming from. If it's not one thing it's another. Spit spit spit.

**Porcine_Aviator** · Friday 5th June 2009, 17:04

I had a word with NADS a few minutes ago, no joy with the gearbox

But have got a rad and two rear lights off him for the 850 so it wasn't a total loss

But I still need a gearbox so I'll have to keep trying.

Any help would be every welcome, and thanks again MrMopp for the phone number.

**cameron** · Friday 5th June 2009, 18:01

Try these guys matey

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BREAKING-VOLVO...3A1%7C294%3A50

**Porcine_Aviator** · Saturday 6th June 2009, 14:09

Thanks Cameron, I've just left a message on their answering machine, so here's hoping.

I keep looking at other T5s and thinking should I dump Christine, but then I think, I've spent a bloody fortune on her, I want something back.

A few years motoring at least.

**Porcine_Aviator** · Wednesday 10th June 2009, 15:40

Things are looking up

I have just had a phone call from a guy in Southampton who is breaking a saloon with a Geartronic box, he's going to check with Volvo to see if his car and Christine are a match, he says that it should go in no problem.

And the price is really good as well.

So fingers crossed it's the right one. I'll be on my knees praying it is.

I have been running up the phone bill trying to get hold of one nearly every day since I first posted this thread.