100,000 mile medallion received

Yesterday, I got the Volvo 100,000 mile high mileage club medallion in the mail that I had ordered a while back. The packaging was more professional than the previous one I had gotten for my last Volvo about ten years ago. Also included was a letter from the CEO with congratulations on becoming a member of the High Mileage Club. I've included a few not so great shots of the package and the medallion. Once I decide where to put it on the car I'll take some more and hopefully better pictures. It's really great that Volvo sends the medallions out. Take a look...

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High Mileage

Volvo 100,000 mile odometer flip

Note: I wrote this just before the GooTube announcement but hadn't posted it, in the meantime the video was removed. I can only speculate why... maybe the owner was nervous about the music (Beatles) and any pending copyright enforcement changes? It's too bad you can't see the video. Here's my original post...

Some people care about odometer milestones and some don't. I'm one that cares and wishes I had recorded something like this person did for their Volvo. I've got less than 40k miles to plan for my 200k flip.

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High mileage

The Pope has a new Volvo

You've maybe seen the stickers: "What would Jesus drive?" I don't know what Jesus would drive but a few months ago the Pope got a new Volvo XC90. Here's the MotorTrend story:

Volvo Cars presented His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, with one of its Sport Utility Vehicles. The keys of the car were delivered to the Pope in the Vatican, on Wednesday June 28th, with a short ceremony in front of the Papal Audience. The delivery of the keys to the Pope has taken place in the Vatican, during a short ceremony after the Papal Audience. To represent Volvo Cars, Gerry Keaney, Vice President Volvo Car Corporation, Marketing Sales and Service, Pascal Bellemans, President Volvo Auto Italia, and Michele Crisci, General Manager Volvo Auto Italia attended.

The Volvo XC90 delivered to the Pope – and fitted for His personal use – is a V8 version. It is a dark blue XC90 with light interiors. Since its debut, the Volvo XC90 has set the highest standards among SUV when it comes to Safety, in all driving conditions and on any surface. The AWD system (all-wheel drive) allows the car excellent off-road behavior, while ROPS System helps the car avoiding roll-over or reducing consequences of that type of accident.

The Volvo XC90 has also been designed and built not only to protect people on board, but also in order to enhance Safety performances on other vehicles in case of impact. "We are absolutely happy and proud of the opportunity we had to give a car to the Pope. Safety has always been a no-compromise must for Volvo; no doubt, our strong commitment to safeguard lives could not get a higher and more touching recognition", said Pascal Bellemans, President Volvo Auto Italia

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Pop culture

Pimp My Volvo

Have you seen the green Volvo in the opening credits of Pimp My Ride? It looks like it's maybe a 740. Some people hate the show, I think it's funny and I like that they don't take themselves too seriously. Anyway, I don't think a Volvo has been pimped despite the one in the opening. Here you go...

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Pop culture, TV

LEGO Volvo

The very interesting Volvo XC90 made out of LEGO's should be on display again at the upcoming Seattle Auto Show. There are at least a couple of them around. I've seen a blue one too. Here's what they say about it:

This Volvo XC90 made of LEGO bricks, on display in the Volvo exhibit, was built by LEGO Master Model Builders, members of an elite team of talented artists who design, create and maintain the thousands of LEGO brick models at LEGOLAND® California. Constructed at the U.S. headquarters for LEGO Systems, Inc. in Enfield, Conn., the Master Builders began production of the Volvo XC90 in January 2004. It debuted at the 2004 New York Auto Show.

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LEGO, Pop culture

Waste oil drop off nastiness

I did an oil change over the weekend and as usual it went smoothly. I think this is the 32nd time. However, the worst part by far of the whole experience is taking the waste oil to the recycle/disposal station located at the local yacht harbor. The station is more of a shack or shed type of structure. The inside has a big tank with a grate over it where you can pour the waste oil. It's a mess in there, there's oil, absorbent towels, cat litter, used filters, and small bits of engine parts everywhere. I really don't know how it gets that way. It shouldn't be a big deal to dump the oil carefully into the tank, that's what I do. Anyway, inside the disposal shed is not the worst part, it's getting to the shed. It's located amongst a bunch of dumpsters and restaurant fat collectors. Sometimes, the dumpsters are arranged such that they're partially blocking the oil disposal station forcing me to squeeze through narrow gaps to get in and out. All the while I'm holding my breath because of the rotting garbage and fat. The oily smell of the disposal station is actually a relief. I usually try to get in and out without making a mess and getting sick from the smells.

After each recycling/disposal trip I tell myself I should probably find another place or method to recycle the oil. I've got 5,000 more miles to figure it out.

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Service

Volvo Snowrace

The Euros are at it again. This time we get lots of power sliding and synchronized action. The drivers are really good, there's some great Dukes of Hazzard style launches. I'm not sure if this is a news show, an infomercial, or a promo video. The music sure is suspect.

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Dukes of Hazzard, Movies, Racing, Sweden

Volvo High Mileage Club

Got 100,000 miles or more on your Volvo? If so, you can join the Volvo High Mileage Club. I first heard about it when I had my last Volvo. I don't think it's something that dealers actively promote but I happened to be in contact with a Service Advisor that tipped me off and sent in the High Mileage Club enrollment form for my car. A few weeks later I received a great 100,000 mile medallion. Supposedly, the club medallions are available in increments of 100k. I'm not sure how far up they go. I eventually made it to 200k but didn't follow up with getting another medallion before I sold it.

My latest Volvo has had over 100k for a while now. I've been occasionally thinking about how to get a medallion for it. The Volvo website says to contact the dealer for a club enrollment form. This doesn't really work for me since I don't take my car to a dealer. Instead, I decided to email Volvo customer support about joining. They replied back and said to contact Volvo Personal Shopper at a 800 number. I called them and was able to talk to someone who took my name, address, VIN, and mileage. They said I should get a medallion in about eight weeks, delivered to me and no charge. That was a lot easier than I thought it would be; it's another reason why Volvo is great.

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Accessories, High mileage, History

The service light, OBD-II, and the quest for a tool, part 006

(This is part 6 of the story that started here)

It looked like I wasn't going to be able to reset my service light on my own any time soon. I also needed to get a smog check for my pending vehicle registration renewal. Since a smog check requires a trip to the shop, I decided to combine it with a reset request. I made a morning appointment at the independent shop I usually go to and prepared to once again grovel for a reset and also deal with whatever else might come up.

I got there a few minutes before my appointment and it was busy and crowded. Eventually, I was able to talk to one of the service advisors. I explained my need for a smog check and also requested a service light reset. He said no problem. Things were going well, I thought, hmmm... too well. I figured while I was there I could pick up an oil filter for the next oil change. I asked to buy one and that's where the problems started. The service advisor said "sure" and made a trip over to the parts department to get a filter. He came back with a box that was smaller and a different brand (not Volvo) than I was accustomed to. Volvo parts have a distinctive blue packaging but the one he had was beige. He handed me the filter and it was much lighter than I was used to. I knew there was a problem. Even though I knew it wasn't a Volvo part I asked if it was. He then said it wasn't and proceeded to explain that sometimes they use parts that are a different brand than Volvo but just as good. I didn't feel like arguing with the guy so I just said ok. I then opened the box to investigate why the item inside could be so much lighter and smaller than I was used to. Well, it was smaller and lighter because it was totally the wrong filter. He gave me one of the cartridge/insert type filers rather than the spin-on metal filters that my car uses. While I was investigating the filter, the advisor was trying to move my car into a different spot so it could be in the queue for service. I turned around just in time to see him start it up and stall it. This happens almost everytime I take my car in. I realize there aren't many 5 speed wagons around but geeze, at least pay attention! The guy started laughing in an embarrassed way because there were lots of customers around watching him stall my car. He said something like "Wow, a 5 speed, that's rare!". At least he didn't crash into the car in front of mine. To be fair, I've never seen one of the mechanics stall my car, it's usually someone else.

I took a seat on a bench and waited for my car to be smog checked and have the service light reset. The whole time I'm trying to figure out how to nicely tell the guy that he gave me the wrong oil filter. I didn't want to get in a hassle or make a really big deal about it. I sort of compare it to giving a waiter or someone else at a restaurant a hard time. I don't want to piss off the people involved in my food and I don't want to piss off the people involved in my car service. After a while, my car was next up. The mechanic drove it into position and connected the smog check equipment. He saw me and asked how the car was running. I said the car was running good. He's a nice guy and had worked on my car before. I'm not sure if he recognized me or not. He always does a great job. After a while more my car was ready and I met up with the service advisor back at the counter. He said my car passed the smog check and they reset the service light too. I said that was great. I told him I'm used to a different type of oil filter and put the one he gave me on the counter. I described the kind that I usually use and expressed my concern that the one he gave me might not be the right one (even though I knew for sure it was the wrong one). He immediately started typing away on his computer. I assumed he was doing a lookup on my model and the appropriate oil filter. After a bit, he walked over the the parts department again. I guess he didn't find what he was looking for there because he then walked over to the mechanics area. He came back with a familiar looking box. He handed it to me, I said thanks and opened it. The box was blue like I was used to but the brand was Mann rather than Volvo. The filter inside looked like the right type but it was missing a gasket. I told him the gasket was missing and he seemed to not sure that it was supposed to come with one (the Volvo ones always come with a gasket). He said he could try to dig one up but I said I probably had an extra. I really didn't feel like hassling any more over a $8 filter. I paid my bill, grabbed the filter and got out of there. For the first time in a few weeks I was driving off without having a service light on.

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Technorati tags:
OBD-II, Volvo parts, Volvo service