How hard is it to work on C32's?
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How hard is it to work on C32's?
Hello all, new to the forums here. I currently own a 98 Volvo C70 and I'm thinking about purchasing a new car in the next couple of months. The C32 is on my list and I was just curious how easy it is to work on these cars? My 98 Volvo is very easy to work on and I can pretty much do it all in my own "driveway". Is the C32 easy to work on as far as - brakes, suspension, belts, heater/ac components, and other such items that might need regular maintenance attention?
I've done a few searchs to try find out common issues and I haven't really seen anything that really scares me away yet.
I do live in the Boston area and we do get hit with storms in the winter (not this year yet though!) but I've read that these cars do ok with a good set of winter's so I have no concern really there.
I'm also curious what some of you get for your average MPG? I know the epa is 17mpg city/21mpg hwy, are these numbers accurate?
Thanks!
Jay
I've done a few searchs to try find out common issues and I haven't really seen anything that really scares me away yet.
I do live in the Boston area and we do get hit with storms in the winter (not this year yet though!) but I've read that these cars do ok with a good set of winter's so I have no concern really there.
I'm also curious what some of you get for your average MPG? I know the epa is 17mpg city/21mpg hwy, are these numbers accurate?
Thanks!
Jay
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Joined: Nov 2005
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C32 AMG
Hello all, new to the forums here. I currently own a 98 Volvo C70 and I'm thinking about purchasing a new car in the next couple of months. The C32 is on my list and I was just curious how easy it is to work on these cars? My 98 Volvo is very easy to work on and I can pretty much do it all in my own "driveway". Is the C32 easy to work on as far as - brakes, suspension, belts, heater/ac components, and other such items that might need regular maintenance attention?
I've done a few searchs to try find out common issues and I haven't really seen anything that really scares me away yet.
I do live in the Boston area and we do get hit with storms in the winter (not this year yet though!) but I've read that these cars do ok with a good set of winter's so I have no concern really there.
I'm also curious what some of you get for your average MPG? I know the epa is 17mpg city/21mpg hwy, are these numbers accurate?
Thanks!
Jay
I've done a few searchs to try find out common issues and I haven't really seen anything that really scares me away yet.
I do live in the Boston area and we do get hit with storms in the winter (not this year yet though!) but I've read that these cars do ok with a good set of winter's so I have no concern really there.
I'm also curious what some of you get for your average MPG? I know the epa is 17mpg city/21mpg hwy, are these numbers accurate?
Thanks!
Jay
The EPA numbers are correct.
As to working on the cars, it's fairly easy -- to a point. Unlike some brands, Benz seems to pay some attention to maintaining serviceability. They engineer stuff so it is accessible. My prior car (Audi) had a LOT of inaccessible items that made it very hard to do even basic maintenance. On the C32, filters and fluids are easy to check and change. You can change your oil with an oil extraction pump and change the filter up top, and never crawl under the car!
The only other stuff I've done is brakes (pads and rotors). That was a breeze.
The one area where Benz is difficult is any service requiring computer diagnostics. There is no way for a consumer to access and interpret computer codes. In contrast, you can find Audi/VW diagnostic software that loads on a laptop and can diagnose and change many things.
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From: Socal
EVE
The EPA numbers are correct.
As to working on the cars, it's fairly easy -- to a point. Unlike some brands, Benz seems to pay some attention to maintaining serviceability. They engineer stuff so it is accessible. My prior car (Audi) had a LOT of inaccessible items that made it very hard to do even basic maintenance. On the C32, filters and fluids are easy to check and change. You can change your oil with an oil extraction pump and change the filter up top, and never crawl under the car!
The only other stuff I've done is brakes (pads and rotors). That was a breeze.
The one area where Benz is difficult is any service requiring computer diagnostics. There is no way for a consumer to access and interpret computer codes. In contrast, you can find Audi/VW diagnostic software that loads on a laptop and can diagnose and change many things.
As to working on the cars, it's fairly easy -- to a point. Unlike some brands, Benz seems to pay some attention to maintaining serviceability. They engineer stuff so it is accessible. My prior car (Audi) had a LOT of inaccessible items that made it very hard to do even basic maintenance. On the C32, filters and fluids are easy to check and change. You can change your oil with an oil extraction pump and change the filter up top, and never crawl under the car!
The only other stuff I've done is brakes (pads and rotors). That was a breeze.
The one area where Benz is difficult is any service requiring computer diagnostics. There is no way for a consumer to access and interpret computer codes. In contrast, you can find Audi/VW diagnostic software that loads on a laptop and can diagnose and change many things.
flip
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From: Ohio
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it is fairly easy to work on as long as you are fairly knowledgable about vehicles in general...if you are not, then i would not call it easy...as long as you are comfortable working on your own car though, you should be fine...
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Thanks for the replies, glad to know that if I did end up with one of these cars that I would be able to do some work.
I think I'm pretty comfortable with working on cars, the most I've done is a manual swap...converted a Volvo 850 Turbo Auto to Manual.
How much do you guys spend on average per year maintenace wise? I know mods can get up there
Thanks
I think I'm pretty comfortable with working on cars, the most I've done is a manual swap...converted a Volvo 850 Turbo Auto to Manual.
How much do you guys spend on average per year maintenace wise? I know mods can get up there
Thanks
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Anyway, I like what I'm hearing so far. Just going to be a matter of finding the right car with low miles and hopefully some kind of extended warranty.
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From: Ohio
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oil and filter
fuel filter
transmission fluid and filter
differential fluid
new air filters (always K&N or equivilent, Green filters on this car)
radiator flush and replace fluid with Water Wetter
New plugs and wires
etc...
there are other things that i do as i go along, such as i am upgrading the brakes to bigger Stoptechs in the front, therefore i am going to flush all of the brake fluid and replace it with new fluid...you get the idea
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
C32 AMG - in Pewter
i will clarify one thing though...whenever i buy a used car i always go through and do all of the standard maintenace on the entire vehicle, including:
oil and filter
fuel filter
transmission fluid and filter
differential fluid
new air filters (always K&N or equivilent, Green filters on this car)
radiator flush and replace fluid with Water Wetter
New plugs and wires
etc...
there are other things that i do as i go along, such as i am upgrading the brakes to bigger Stoptechs in the front, therefore i am going to flush all of the brake fluid and replace it with new fluid...you get the idea
oil and filter
fuel filter
transmission fluid and filter
differential fluid
new air filters (always K&N or equivilent, Green filters on this car)
radiator flush and replace fluid with Water Wetter
New plugs and wires
etc...
there are other things that i do as i go along, such as i am upgrading the brakes to bigger Stoptechs in the front, therefore i am going to flush all of the brake fluid and replace it with new fluid...you get the idea
Very good advice. Would these all make sense regardless of the mileage, say what if the car was at 40k miles when purchased (which is my case)?
The other question I have is what would you recommend to be done by a dealer? I can definitely drop new filters, plugs/wires, but radiator flush or dif. fluid flush may be best done in the shop...
Thanks
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,213
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LET C32 2002
Hello all, new to the forums here. I currently own a 98 Volvo C70 and I'm thinking about purchasing a new car in the next couple of months. The C32 is on my list and I was just curious how easy it is to work on these cars? My 98 Volvo is very easy to work on and I can pretty much do it all in my own "driveway". Is the C32 easy to work on as far as - brakes, suspension, belts, heater/ac components, and other such items that might need regular maintenance attention?
I've done a few searchs to try find out common issues and I haven't really seen anything that really scares me away yet.
I do live in the Boston area and we do get hit with storms in the winter (not this year yet though!) but I've read that these cars do ok with a good set of winter's so I have no concern really there.
I'm also curious what some of you get for your average MPG? I know the epa is 17mpg city/21mpg hwy, are these numbers accurate?
Thanks!
Jay
I've done a few searchs to try find out common issues and I haven't really seen anything that really scares me away yet.
I do live in the Boston area and we do get hit with storms in the winter (not this year yet though!) but I've read that these cars do ok with a good set of winter's so I have no concern really there.
I'm also curious what some of you get for your average MPG? I know the epa is 17mpg city/21mpg hwy, are these numbers accurate?
Thanks!
Jay
SPONSOR
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,517
Likes: 1
From: Ohio
...
Very good advice. Would these all make sense regardless of the mileage, say what if the car was at 40k miles when purchased (which is my case)?
The other question I have is what would you recommend to be done by a dealer? I can definitely drop new filters, plugs/wires, but radiator flush or dif. fluid flush may be best done in the shop...
Thanks
The other question I have is what would you recommend to be done by a dealer? I can definitely drop new filters, plugs/wires, but radiator flush or dif. fluid flush may be best done in the shop...
Thanks
i never let the dealer do anything that i can, and that isn't much...
radiator flush is easy on a low mileage car...drain the radiator, fill back up with water, run for a couple of days, drain the radiator again, fill back up with the fluid of your choice (in my case i use water and Water Wetter)...
Differential fluid is the same...just drain it and fill it with whatever is recommended for the vehicle
...
