TBP88
Well-known member
Unreal that this is something we actually need to consider *in a car*.
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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
MR_Y
Well-known member
Minor updates:
1. The Volvo app allows one to get into a chat with Volvo Head Office to answer technical questions. The responses were so well written and quick, that I asked them if they are an AI bot or a human. Here is the response 😂
2. Google is launching a major UX update for the Google enabled Volvos (mine included). This changes the main screen to have hot keys to access the driving modes (Polestar with one click, instead of diving into the settings menu) and includes a contextual bar (shortcuts to commonly used apps/features). The driver screen also gets a much needed update.
Google Gemini will also be included as alternative or replacement for Google Assistant.
3. The PPF (installed by the dealership in partnership with a reputable fitment centre in Sandton) is lifting on the lower bumper. The car is booked in later this month for a new application on the lower bumper. No fuss, no cost. I know some places may argue that the PPF is lifting because of high pressure washing (even when it is not the case), but no such issues with Tom Campher Volvo. Noting that the PPF was fitted 3 months ago.
4. No issues to report with the car itself. I hit 20,000km recently (travelled 6,000km in the last 3 months). Looking forward to a nice long road trip in April
1. The Volvo app allows one to get into a chat with Volvo Head Office to answer technical questions. The responses were so well written and quick, that I asked them if they are an AI bot or a human. Here is the response 😂
2. Google is launching a major UX update for the Google enabled Volvos (mine included). This changes the main screen to have hot keys to access the driving modes (Polestar with one click, instead of diving into the settings menu) and includes a contextual bar (shortcuts to commonly used apps/features). The driver screen also gets a much needed update.
Google Gemini will also be included as alternative or replacement for Google Assistant.
3. The PPF (installed by the dealership in partnership with a reputable fitment centre in Sandton) is lifting on the lower bumper. The car is booked in later this month for a new application on the lower bumper. No fuss, no cost. I know some places may argue that the PPF is lifting because of high pressure washing (even when it is not the case), but no such issues with Tom Campher Volvo. Noting that the PPF was fitted 3 months ago.
4. No issues to report with the car itself. I hit 20,000km recently (travelled 6,000km in the last 3 months). Looking forward to a nice long road trip in April
MR_Y
Well-known member
Some recent shots
(AI used to hide number plate and people)
After recent UX update, the interface looks more slick and having quick touch for the driving modes is a big plus.
Fuel consumption is around 10-11 litres/100km, since the car is used daily for short trips in hectic, peak hours traffic in Midrand.
On weekends, open road driving drops it to below 8 litres/100km.
Looking forward to holiday driving next month.
(AI used to hide number plate and people)
After recent UX update, the interface looks more slick and having quick touch for the driving modes is a big plus.
Fuel consumption is around 10-11 litres/100km, since the car is used daily for short trips in hectic, peak hours traffic in Midrand.
On weekends, open road driving drops it to below 8 litres/100km.
Looking forward to holiday driving next month.
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CK4LIFE
Active member
This color looks great in the sun. My 2015 D4 shown me flames mid-week when the turbo pipe broke in Rustenburg, had to be towed back to PTA, but all is well again, now on 170k km
MR_Y
Well-known member
Dealer service:
Happy to report that the PPF issues have been resolved. The owner of the dealership chatted to me as well. Being a non-volume brand, sure there may be limited nationwide dealer footprint, but the customer service (at least from TC Volvo) is superb - you are treated as an individual and not just another number.
A full valet was performed on the car after the PPF work and safety checks were done before my holiday trip.
Holiday driving:
Drive to Sun City went well. Had to evade a few potholes that appeared after a blind rise. Sure, this car is not a sporty handling machine, but when faced with high speed evasive manoeuvres, you can feel that it was designed to pass the moose test (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moose_test). Very confident in changing direction quickly to avoid a road hazard.
Connectivity gripe:
The only gripe so far is the Internet/data connectivity (rather lack thereof) built into the car. As standard, the car has an eSim built-in from the factory. In other markets, you can activate this eSim and there is no need to use your phone or WiFi router to get data into the car to use all the Google based functions. In SA, the eSim cannot be activated (it is only used for OTA software updates, not for Google functions). The issue with using another device to create a hotspot in the car, is that the car struggles to properly connect (because it was designed to use its own eSim instead). I raised this issue with Volvo SA and I found out that this is a common complaint among modern Volvo owners in SA.
The solution is to use Android Auto, but the native in-car Google functionality (built in Google maps, Gemini, etc) is wasted. Also, Android Auto is basically mirroring the phone apps and chowing the phone's processing power, instead of using the native powerhouse processor and apps from the car itself.
Volvo SA are to confirm when data functionality will be activated on the eSim.
Other than the above issue, there are no issues with the car.
Fuel consumption stats for drive to Sun City:
Happy to report that the PPF issues have been resolved. The owner of the dealership chatted to me as well. Being a non-volume brand, sure there may be limited nationwide dealer footprint, but the customer service (at least from TC Volvo) is superb - you are treated as an individual and not just another number.
A full valet was performed on the car after the PPF work and safety checks were done before my holiday trip.
Holiday driving:
Drive to Sun City went well. Had to evade a few potholes that appeared after a blind rise. Sure, this car is not a sporty handling machine, but when faced with high speed evasive manoeuvres, you can feel that it was designed to pass the moose test (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moose_test). Very confident in changing direction quickly to avoid a road hazard.
Connectivity gripe:
The only gripe so far is the Internet/data connectivity (rather lack thereof) built into the car. As standard, the car has an eSim built-in from the factory. In other markets, you can activate this eSim and there is no need to use your phone or WiFi router to get data into the car to use all the Google based functions. In SA, the eSim cannot be activated (it is only used for OTA software updates, not for Google functions). The issue with using another device to create a hotspot in the car, is that the car struggles to properly connect (because it was designed to use its own eSim instead). I raised this issue with Volvo SA and I found out that this is a common complaint among modern Volvo owners in SA.
The solution is to use Android Auto, but the native in-car Google functionality (built in Google maps, Gemini, etc) is wasted. Also, Android Auto is basically mirroring the phone apps and chowing the phone's processing power, instead of using the native powerhouse processor and apps from the car itself.
Volvo SA are to confirm when data functionality will be activated on the eSim.
Other than the above issue, there are no issues with the car.
Fuel consumption stats for drive to Sun City:
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