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http://www.tricoproducts.com/new/part_locator/index.cfm
Entire your model and year, and the proper sizes will be displayed. For S80, driver side length is 24"; passenger side is 22".
The Volvo replacement blades (refills) are very expensive and I found them to be of poor quality. Unfortunately, they are a special width and aftermarket blades will not fit unless you replace the entire wiper (holder and blade). The good news is that a set or replacement wipers from Trico is less than half of the cost for Volvo refills. I paid $15 each for "exact fit" #22-9 (passenger) and #24-9 (driver). Replacing the factory holders took 15 minutes. Now I can buy replacement refills for less than $3 each, and they are easy to find.
The Trico holders do not have the plastic "spoiler" on the driver's side to increase downforce at high speeds. But I cannot detect any difference in performance at 75mph, which is the fastest speed I ever travel.
I own 2000 s80 which has been great except for a few minor problems at the outset. Have 65000 miles. Changed Michelin's at 57,000 and bought Bridgestone Potenza as result of comments on this board. They have been great but we'll see how they handle snow.
I was out driving several vehicles last week and had not been considering the S80. The dealership I was at has Audi, Jaguar, Volvo and the saleman mentioned that Volvo is offerring incentives to move out the remaining 2002 models. The rough price we are talking about is about $1k less than the TMV for my area with the options that are included and just barely gets into the high end of my price range.
I am intrigued by the safety features ( I have a 7 year old son), I like the ride and feel of the car (I fit much better than in an A4)and it has a distinctive look to it.
I guess it is the opportunity to get more car than I thought I could afford that intrigues me. At the same time, there is a reason they still have a half dozen of these sitting around the dealership.
Your comments are 2002 reliabililty are appreciated.
Thanks.
Thanks!
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Share your vehicle reviews
Did later S80s get cheaper original wiper blades?
Thanks.
-rollie
As to heated seats, my lady wouldn't let me get a car without them. We first had them in a '87 760 we picked up at Gotenburg and drove in Europe for a year. She loved the nice warm seats in the European cold winter! And I enjoyed the warm tush too. I have come to like them as much as my wife and like air conditioning, wouldn't have a car without them.
Still love my T6 too. rld.
Co-worker here just crash his minivan up north in Michigan, all adults are fine, but the 9 month old baby suffer terrible injury on his jaw, possibly due to the impact to the car seat.
I guess when people decide to pay $35K for a safe car, they should also pay more and get the best car seats.
My experience with the S80 has not been as painful as others have spoken about on here. I have had no engine or transmission problems with the car. The biggest thing was some body repair done on the rear of the car (people on the street where I used to live have no idea how to parallel park). However, my experience with the S80 has been painful in other ways. 99% of the problems I have had with this car have related to the following - doors unlocking while driving or refusing to lock when I set the alarm, loud cycling of the AC fans, door seals on the driver and front passenger doors consistently deteriorating, gears slipping and then catching when accelerating onto a highway from an onramp, etc. Besides the door seals, which have been replaced 4 or 5 times, my dealer (Boston Volvo Village in Allston, MA) has never, over the past 30 months, ever been able to duplicate these problems. I have complained to their service manager and the like, yet nothing was really ever done. As much as I like the S80 (size, features, safety), with its history of unreliability and with the problems I have encountered, I am eagerly looking forward to turning it back in in 8 months and saying "good riddance." In addition, I am quite hesitant to lease or purchase another Volvo.
This brings me to my next thoughts. Having spent a day at the recent New England International Auto Show, I was able to view, in one fell swoop, a variety of cars which will eventually replace my S80. I have the field narrowed down to 4 cars - the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Saab 9-3, and VW Passat. You are probably wondering why I'd go from such a large, stately car to something smaller and sportier. When I first went into the lease with the S80, it was mostly based on impulse rather than careful planning. However, after 3 years, I have realized that the S80 was never really a car designed for the under-30 crowd, and have decided to go with something more fitting to my age. I would like some thoughts on which car would be more reliable. I am also a bit wary of going back in to a BMW dealership. Back in 2000, I visited Herb Chambers BMW (on Commonwealth Ave) to test drive some BMWs, but was told by one of the sales people that there were no BMWs to test drive, that the reason I should buy a BMW is because it was a BMW, and that someone my age should be out smoking weed. If you know of ANY BMW dealers in the Boston area that are free of attitude and elitism, please let me know. The same goes for any friendly Audi, Saab, or VW dealers in Boston, too.
Thanks for any feedback.
It represented a huge leap forward for Volvo and should have been left in the oven longer.
The other children of the P2 chassis, the S60 and V70 have done very well, even the current S80's are quite trouble free.
If you want guarranteed reliability stay away from the Euro cars.
Audi, BMW and especially Saab reliability are worse than Volvos.
Lexus and Acura are your best bets, at least according to JD Power, and Volvo currently is not far behind either of them.
Volvo has done alot of hard work to improve theircars and its finally starting to pay off, also Volvo might be willing to help you with incentives to stay with them.
For a younger person, the S60 is definitely the way to go.
Stay away from Saab at all costs!
BMW, will make yo pay for the privilige, and their reliability is so-so, so is the dealer network.
Audi, nice car, jury out on reliability, less expensive option is VW, alot of the same hardware.
VW Passat, nice car, dealer treatment, warranty etc not in lux car class though.
VW and Audi's are very nice looking cars with nice suspension engineering BUT their reliability is terrible (lowest of European manufacturers who sell in the US.). Saab's outgoing 9-3 was problematic but the new one is unknown. I will say that I've looked at the new 9-3 and I really like the look which surprised me (it looks like a cross between the new A4 and 3 series particularly around the C-pillar now that they've dropped hatchbacks). Pricewise I think the new 9-3 is the most attractive for what you get (world class safety engineering that you expect from the Swedes).
As Volvomax said, BMW will make you pay dearly for their cars unless you special order a stripper.
Here's a couple of suggestions to consider for an under 30 person (in no particular order):
-Lexus IS430 (it's the IS300 with the GS430 engine)
-Volvo XC90 (yeah, it's a SUV but take one out and really push it and you'll see why it beats some sports sedans like the Acura TL in specs - also Volvo is now the top rated European producer when it comes to quality)
-Nissan Murano (too new for me to say much about safety or quality though)
-Mazda RX8 (too new for me to say much about safety or quality though)
-Infiniti FX45 (I'm not sure when this thing hits the streets but it'll be the one turning the most heads I think)
-Infiniti G35 Coupe or Sedan
-Volvo S60R
Regarding dealer choices I can't help much here. I've had horrible BMW and Audi/VW (Brookline and Natick?) and mediocre Mercedes experience (Herb Chambers in Somerville). My experience with Chambers' Saab (right across from their BMW dealership) was good and I've had great experiences at Boston Volvo Village.
Good luck.
-rollie
p.s. - I've not been to most of these dealers in the past 18 months.
Thanks for the quick responses and insightful comments.
Rollie, regarding Herb Chambers BMW, I was in there the other day to see about getting some brochures on the 3 Series, but was told there wasn't a single one in the entire building and then the salesman walked away. Did I mention I hate them?! So, I wrote an e-mail to their HQ complaining about how awful this dealership is, but I doubt I will hear back from them. While I was there, I popped in to the redesigned Herb Chambers Saab dealership next door, and was treated extremely well. It's amazing to think that there dealers are only 10 feet apart yet a world apart in other aspects. Their entire showroom was filled with the new 9-3, which I am liking more and more each day.
My thoughts are this so far...I am heavily leaning toward turning my S80 in at the end of the lease and not using the buy-out option. I did test drive the XC90 while I was at BVV, and liked it. It did feel rather "disconnected" from the road, but I haven't driven an SUV in a couple years, so I'm not the one to ask. Plus, I hate SUV drivers but that's another story. Back on track, unless Herb Chambers BMW calls me back and apologizes, I am either going to another BMW dealership (BMW of Peabody or BMW Gallery) or just forgoing BMW entirely (I also hate BMW drivers on the road, the way they cut people off...). Anyway, between the A4, 9-3, and Passat, I definitely like the sportier look of the 9-3 over the classy look of the A4 and the so-so look of the Passat. However, I am concerned that the new 9-3 is too new to judge reliability. Plus, my roommate said this is the first Saab to be 99% GM parts - engine, transmission, and all. The A4 has been around much longer and is more proven (I would assume) than the 9-3 is.
My other questions is would you buy a new 2003 A4 or 9-3 or go with a 2 year old model instead? I want to get the best deal possible.
Thanks.
Michael
P.S. - Any good Audi or Saab dealers? I am thinking that Clair Audi (VFW Parkway) or Brookline Audi would be good, and also Herb Chamber Saab or Charles River Saab. Let me know.
Regarding the 3 options you mentioned, I would focus more on the A4 and 9-3. Pricewise they are quite close to each other. Regarding the fact that the 9-3 has a lot of GM influence I wouldn't necessarily be concerned about it (oddly enough). GM is doing quite well these days in many respects (and Toyota is now actively looking to copy some of GMs manufacturing efficiencies - I didn't see that one coming to be honest). GM has been one of the best in the business when it comes to trannies (which is why BMW and Volvo use them). I can't say much (positive or negative) about their engines.
I suspect that both of these cars will do well safety wise with a probable edge to the Saab. If you opt for an A4 with Quattro the Audi will have better resale value I suspect (neither has been stellar but Audi has been on the upswing the past few years.) I haven't driven either of these new models so I can't give any real insight there.
Regarding the new vs. used issue, I've got no good info here. Financially, you are almost always better off going used (let someone else pay depreciation) but the newer models are newer for a reason (improvements, more features, etc.). (Of course with so much discounting on some cars these days it's not as clear cut anymore.) I've known in my head that used is a more logical way to go but all 5 cars I've bought so far (I'm 34) have been new - I'm trying to make myself buy used but it's so tempting with all the new toys always hitting the market...
If you think you'll be comfortable in a couple of years driving a body style that has been around for several years (and replaced a couple of years back) then go for the used option.
Regarding dealers, I forgot to comment on Charles River. My experiences there were average on the whole (but I do recall them seeming a little more anxious to deal than some - possibly due to their less than ideal location).
Good luck.
-rollie
So, I sent an e-mail off to Herb Chambers corporate on Friday complaining about the service at Herb Chambers BMW (Commonwealth Ave. in Boston). Surprisingly, I got a call this morning (Monday) from Melissa Steffy (who is the general manager for that dealership). She profusely apologized for the behavior at her dealership and said that when I do go in next time, that I should see her, and she would pick a salesman to help me and make sure I am treated well. Whether she was just saying that to be nice or was honest about it, I do now know. At least I now know there is someone there I can deal with.
On another note, with my S80 lease up next August, I have my list of cars down to 6 now - the A4 1.8T, the A4 3.0, the BMW 325i, the BMW 325xi, the Saab 9-3 Linear, and the Saab 9-3 Arc. I am torn between reliability, styling, performance, resale value, etc. In addition, I do not know whether or not I will benefit from all-wheel drive (I live in Boston), or if it's best to go with front wheel drive (or rear-wheel in the BMW's case). In terms of the Audi and Saab, I also don't know whether the extra HP is worth the extra cost, or if it is better to go with the lower-end model and just get good options (leather, winter package, etc.)
Any advice, suggestions, complaints are welcome. I would like to narrow my list of 6 down to 3 before I start doing even more research on each car. (Yes, I realize I am doing this very early, but I want to go into it this time with all the info I can get my hands on).
Thanks in advance.
Michael
And with the smooth I6 and that twin-turbo "squirt", it can even be slightly addictive to drive!
First, in response to landlocked's assertion that I should keep talk of Audi et al. out of here, the reason I brought those up is to get feedback from other Volvo users who may be in situations similar to mine and have thought about moving to another car maker.
Second, in response to justanotherjoe, the residual value on my S80 ('00, 2.9) is around $23,500. I am at about 18,500 miles right now, and will probably be well under 25,000 when the lease is over in August. I am extremely hesitant to buy out the lease due to what I have heard as the poor value of the S80 over time, and the severe transmission and engine problems many people on here seem to have had around 30K-40K miles. Although I feel the S80 is a nice car, the 2000 models should have been tested more thoroughly.
Third, as to the other cars I am looking at, my roommate suggested the S60, if for the only reason being that Boston Volvo Village will probably give me a great deal on an S60 (being a repeat customer). A couple of things make me hesitant to lease/buy an S60: First, with the odd problems I have had with the S80, I'm thinking these may occur too with the S60. Second, I have sat in an S60 and was dumbfounded by how SMALL the rear window is with NO visibility. It amazes me that so many people drive the S60 around here when a problem like that would make me not get the car.
After even more research, I am thinking that the Audi A4 1.8T Quattro might be the best car out of those that I am looking at. I will probably browse the Audi boards more to get a better feel of this car. But, any advice is welcome.
Thanks.
Michael
Volvo/Acura of Athens, GA saved me nearly $2,000 on my residual after Chris Volvo of Marietta, GA said, "Pay the residual or turn in the car." Don't get me wrong. I signed a 39 month contract and knew the residual with eyes wide open. But isn't there always some negotiating room?
Enter Volvo/Acura of Athens.
At month 38, they bought my lease for about $4,000 less than my residual ("their price", based upon wholesale, etc.) and immediately sold it back to me with their destination fee, and a bit of profit. Total savings to me ~$1,900!!
All on the up-and-up with VFNA, nothing illegal, happens all the time and no problems. Just a lot of satisfaction for me and my 2000 T6.
PS I put a set of Yokohama Avid V4s on the car about 8,000 miles ago and have been very satisfied with noise level and handling.
I've been a bimmer fanatic for over 12 years and not because of the roundel, but because they're awesome on the track. However, I've been very pleasantly surprised by a '99 T6, still in factory warranty, I picked up about a month ago. This is the goal in buying a Volvo for the long haul -- buy the Volvo Total Care extended warranty contract and you can have up to 84 months (from in-service date) or 100k miles of total coverage with very few exclusions.
The contracts are expensive at retail, but shop the net and talk with local dealers' finance managers to see what deal you can swing. I secured the best price and terms on a 6 year/100k mile BEFORE I bought the car. No need to invest so much in a high-end Euro sedan and then begin buying it again in service.
You need to make sure the car has at least a month left of factory warranty and 1000 miles of same. My extended warranty paid for itself within 200 miles of going out of factory warranty -- transmission solenoid and a steering rack. Hmmmmm. The car was tied up for a while, although part of that was for the Warranty underwriters to ensure that the repairs should be covered. However, the Total Care provides a rental car.
You can buy $50 or $0 deductibles. Doing the math showed me that four visits to the service department more than cover the difference in up-front cost between the two options. It's a European make. In the additional 50k miles of use, methinks we'll be seein' the nice Volvo service department at least four times for warranty work. As in now, the 4-disc changer has lost my Brand New Heavies CD! But, oh now nice Pro-Logic sounds. Forget listening in the living room at home.
I hope concerns about post-warranty expenses don't turn off too many prospective buyers. On my test drive, I felt bad brake shudder, felt right rear suspension thumping and a bunch of other annoying rattles. I bought w/o hesitation because the factory warr replaced rotors, a strut bushing and rear strut/shock and should have fixed a shuddering tranny that was misdiagnosed by a "helpful" dealer near my Atlanta, GA home. However, a great dealer in Alpharetta diagnosed and warranty-repaired every problem I described, including the trans and steering rack.
The above may seem like a lot of repairs. For a lease return, I agree. But, the warranty saves the day. And, otherwise, the car just flat out gets.
I garner the respect of my peers for driving a "sedate and safe sedan," but I secretly get the huge grin on my face when the 911 can't shake me on the interstate after I've shifted over to Gear-tronic's manual mode to match him squirt for squirt, along with sweetly competent braking for such a large beast. This car is amazing.
And I definitely agree with you about the Alpharetta dealer's (i.e. North Point Volvo's) service department. They took care of the mechanical side of my wife's S80 after it got hit. After she initially got it back, it essentially went to hell, but they had the transmission ECM and a few DTC sensors fixed in an afternoon. (The accident-causer's insurance company was too cheap to pay for a proper mechanical inspection until things started failing at a massive clip and we drafted a complaint to the Insurance Commissioner....)
That said, I don't normally go to them. My usual Volvo shop is Doug Hyde Motorsports, near the Cobb/Cherokee border. They're cheaper, and have a long history in the area. My wife's had Volvos for a while, and we've been going to them for over a decade. Besides, they also know about cool cars -- I almost bought my son a 1975 Citroen SM from Doug in 1995!
As an aside, is it just me or is Atlanta the world's biggest market for S80's? I see so many more down here than anywhere else, and I do a lot of travelling in the US and Europe.
Best,
Burhan
I do recall that the reason why two lights are not used is because it doesn't stand out as much as a single light - people tend to think of two lights as tail lights whereas a single rear fog is more conspicuous I think.
-rollie
Has anyone else had problems with defective tires or with the original tires?
Because you asked, I'll identify my "helpful" Atlanta dealer. Dyer & Dyer in Chamblee. That's all I'll say.
But, you are correct on Northpoint Volvo. To a person, they are truly customer service-oriented. It flows from the top of the service department -- Randy Harriman -- down. He is a prize when it comes to effective client contact. Not obsequious, just professional and helpful. (And, I rarely attribute the term "client" to anything automotive retail- related, but Harriman and Company deserve the recognition.)
I agree that Atlanta seems to be an S80 capital, particularly the Twin Charged version of the S80. Who would think so many people would figure to buy the sleeper Swedish Hot Rod??? When I first purchased mine, I thought it would be a well-guarded secret!
Take good care.
Millard Darden
http://vcc.volvocars.se/bifuel
They did have some here for testing.
As far as I"m aware they don't have any plans to offer the cars here.
had my next oil change done @ volvo Dallas. I asked if it's necessary to change the belly cover. the service advisor said there is no need to worry about the little crack.
if you are in DFW area looking for a new car or getting your car serviced, AVOID volvo of Richardson.
More than say an hour at highway speeds and then only for 1-2 minutes.
You don't have to sit in your car and wait either. Just take it easy (i.e., no aggressive acceleration) for that last mile or so to your house and you should be able to let the turbo spool down enough to simply turn off the car and exit when you park.
-rollie
dlewin, the S80 has a cartridge type filter with a check valve that I believe was designed for this purpose but I can't be sure.
Regarding extended warranties, I went through this selection process myself and ended up with Warranty Gold (WG) in the end (I went with their top of the line plan). WG is the largest in the business and they have setup financial guarantees (insurance or escrow - I don't recall which) to insure you are covered even if they go out of business (which I don't think will be an issue given their popularity). WG pays ANY dealer or service shop that will take a Visa or Mastercard. I've only used them twice and they've been very easy to use (I used them once at a dealership that handled the repair authorization and once at a dealership that didn't which required me to check on my own first and then file for reimbursement which was paid quickly).
There are other plans out there including Volvo's. I was planning to use Volvo's until I found out it is much more expensive to buy Volvo's plan near the end of your warranty than to buy it when you purchase the car new (I was quoted a number approaching $4k!!). I ended up with a no-deductible plan that is just as or more comprehensive from WG for $2k (and the only exclusions are the normal wear and tear items, bright metal parts, and sheet metal damage for the most part.)
If I can answer any questions please let me know.
Thanks.
-rollie
Just curious, which Volvo do you have and what went wrong? I know the '99 S80's are scary, and the 2000/2001's are better. I haven't heard much about the '02 S80. Any known issues with them? I'm hoping they ironed out all of the earlier problems...
Thanks!
I have a '99 S80 T6 and a '01 V70 T5. The T6 is the one with the extended warranty (the T5 is leased and will be swapped for a XC90 T6 in the next year or so).
It's been awhile and I didn't commit the details to memory. I'll have to find my paperwork and double check but the only problem I've had so far with the T6 was a problem with a valve for one of the cylinders (#6) I think.
I am planning a trip in next month to have the radio replaced (I'm not sure if it's got dirt / crud in it or what but it's acting up and making a loud noise while spinning discs), repair the interior motion sensor (it's not working and I can't find a fuse to check), replace the hood struts which aren't as supportive as they used to be, and have the gaskets / seals checked since I get some smoke at WOT and a few oil drops per week on the garage floor.
This sounds like a lot but most of it is normal wear and tear. I'm glad it will all be covered by my warranty program!
-rollie
Can you please tell me where I can find more info about the Warrenty Gold. It sounds like a great deal compared to Volvo's.
Thanks,
Ray
I just took some time and perused the topic the host posted in message #1132. My read on it is that several 3rd party warranty programs including Warranty Gold were using the same outfit for claims processing. Apparently this outfit was handling 8 organizations (including Warranty Gold) from what I read and were doing a horrible job. From what I read WG left this outfit in early 2000 and has addressed their claims customer satisfaction issue. Again, this is all based on a long litany of posts with varying degrees of accuracy, attention to detail, and possibly incentive.
Again, I've only been a customer for just under a year now and I've been happy so far. However, I would still encourage anybody looking at a warranty program to shop across several suppliers.
Good luck.
-rollie
'99 S80 T6
'01 V70 T5
Thanks for the help. I guess I have a lot of research before signing up.
Raymond
1) Absolutely must use only synthetic oil. The bearings in the turbo are eventually destroyed when normal engine oil cokes. Since synthetic doesn't coke in normal engines, the bearing life should be far greater.
2) You must cool the turbo down by idling for 1 minute whenever the turbo is used near shutdown. This is actually more likely during city and hilly driving than after highway driving.
3) Change the oil, change the oil, change the oil frequently. I sure wouldn't go much past 3500 miles even with synthetic unless you've got a really incredible filter. The contaminates that builds up in the oil with bearings spinning up to 100,000 revs/minute wears them fast.
4) Keep the other engine emissions stuff working. My engine had a bad oxygen sensor that leaned the fuel out and caused the engine to run hot. The result was burning out 4 turbos in less than 50000 miles before the cause was found.
5) Get an extended warranty because all turbos will go sometime shortly after 70000 miles if not sooner. How much a Volvo turbo unit costs I don't know, but I imagine it is $1-2k installed.
Oil changed every 5,000 miles as directed in the owners manual.
Reg 30 weight motor oil. No problems whatever from the turbo. Engine was chipped as well.
Folks, turbo cars aren't hard to care for if they're engineered properly.
Is your warranty supposed to cover parts as well as labor?
Mike
2000 S80
Sidibird, while I'm sure your turbo care comments were well meaning, it would be good to realize there is a world of difference between the turbo that was in your RX-7 and the twin turbos in the S80 T-6.
>1) Absolutely must use only synthetic oil. The bearings in the turbo are eventually destroyed when normal engine oil cokes. Since synthetic doesn't coke in normal engines, the bearing life should be far greater.
This is generally good advice but it is not absolutely necessary to use synthetic oil to get good turbo life, particularly if the cool-down procedures in the manual are followed after hard driving. The engine is rated to run on dino oil.
>2) You must cool the turbo down by idling for 1 minute whenever the turbo is used near shutdown. This is actually more likely during city and hilly driving than after highway driving.
That's a little extreme. A short burst of power using the turbo is not going to raise the turbo bearing temperatures enough to carbonize oil. Unless the turbo is red hot it will cool down enough in the last 30 seconds to shut off the engine in a normal manner.
3) Change the oil, change the oil, change the oil frequently. I sure wouldn't go much past 3500 miles even with synthetic unless you've got a really incredible filter. The contaminates that builds up in the oil with bearings spinning up to 100,000 revs/minute wears them fast.
This might be true in a rotary engine. In the S80's 2.8L turbo, the 7500 mile service interval is fine under normal service conditions, especially if synthetic oil is used.
With regular oil or if the vehicle is used in a dusty environemnt, for a lot of short trips or in a lot of stop and go traffic it might be a good idea to use an interval half that far but it is not necessary under normal service conditions.
>4) Keep the other engine emissions stuff working. My engine had a bad oxygen sensor that leaned the fuel out and caused the engine to run hot. The result was burning out 4 turbos in less than 50000 miles before the cause was found.
Very good advice for any car and especially a turbo.
>5) Get an extended warranty because all turbos will go sometime shortly after 70000 miles if not sooner. How much a Volvo turbo unit costs I don't know, but I imagine it is $1-2k installed.
That's just not applicable to the S80's twin turbos, they are entirely different from the turbo that was in your RX-7. The S80 T-6 has been on American roads since 1999 MY and I've never heard of a single turbo failing. That doesn't mean none have but if they only went 70,000 miles they would be failing left and right. That's not whats happening.
Mike Mullen
mmullen, the Warranty Gold plan I opted for is VERY comprehensive. It turns out that it covered everthing I mentioned (always includes parts and labor) with one interesting exception. I spoke to the shop today (I flew in from Connecticut earlier today and haven't actually picked the car up) and the only thing Warranty Gold didn't pick up was the cost for 2 software downloads (new radio unit requires it as well as mass air flow sensor I think - I'll have to check when I pick up the car tomorrow). I don't see any mention of software in the exclusions for my plan so I will call Warranty Gold tomorrow for an explanation from them on why they don't think they should pay for the two software downloads ($170). I'll try to remember to post an update here later.
Thanks.
-rollie
At this point my T6 is still in the shop and the parts ordered yesterday have arrived (and the car may be ready by end of today). I called Warranty Gold to find out why they weren't covering the required software downloads. As I quickly discovered there's a difference between Warranty Gold and their warranty administrators (3rd party company that does administration for a significant number of other providers). I went back and forth with the rep on the phone about the software download. He kept saying they don't cover service upgrades and reflashing and I kept trying to get him to understand that with the CAN setup in this car this was neither (and since they are covering me to make a failed part work they have to cover the software). He kept stating they don't cover software downloads. I then asked him to show me in the exclusions section where this is mention and of course he couldn't (he tried to deter me with a reading of the definition of 'failure' which was not related).
Here's the kicker: this guy had the nerve to subtly threaten me! He said something about the fact that they weren't planning to cover any of the charges to begin with but the manager had decided to go ahead and do it! I took this as a threat meaning hey why don't you beat it and pay the $170 for software downloads on your own or you might get stuck with a bill for thousands! When I pursued an explanation for any rationale behind this threat he deflected back to the software issue. After a bit further discussion and my insistence that there was nothing in the contract excluding software (and his continual insistence that no plan they administer for any company covers it) he suggested I call Warranty Gold directly.
I called Warranty Gold and they went through the claim quickly and didn't see a reason why I should have a problem (actually they said from their end it looked like EVERYTHING was approved in the claim by the administrator already). They promised to call the warranty administration company and get back to me in a couple of hours. I hope to know something soon...
-rollie