Stage 0
 

Having read through many posts on here, some mention "stage 0" / stage 0 service ?
Excuse my ignorance, being quite new to the marque, what is stage 0 ?

Stage 0 is just a full service to bring it back to original specification.

Ah, I read it as stage 0 / zero, but its O for original ?

I've always read it as 'zero', implying it's the thing you do to a car with unknown service history before you start doing anything else.

You mean you do "zero" to a car with unknown history ?

no Idea , I'd like to know too :-)

No, sorry, my perception is that you might buy a car with unknown history and with some possible faults or even a nice car that you want to improve, it's easy to get carried away with a list of things to do like, 1 New Tyres, 2 Replace headlining, 3 Fit Towbar, 4 fit fancy Silicon Hoses to Engine, 5 Replace Engine Control Module, etc etc and then find that the car has been so neglected that it's not worth fixing or what the internet makes sound like a complicated fix is just a bad spark plug or lead, so item zero on the list, do a basic service,- oil, filters, plugs, leads, points to check the car is in a good running condition before you get carried away with upgrades or complicated fixes .

stage 0 (zero for those who think its Original) comes from the "tuning world"
where
"stage 1 + 2 + 3 tune " means fitting/changing things to "performance versions "


Stage 0 is all the Basic supporting work to get the car as close to "as new" as practical/possible.

Spark plugs ,, in a Volvo Use Gen volvo ones *if stock engine /no mods

All filters = replaced with "oem" ones (or your preferred brand)

All fluids = replaced , that's All not Just the engine oil,but Coolant, gearbox oil *inc ATF, Brake fluid

Hoses - cooling / turbo / heating / vacuum / etc (washer hoses if your that fussy)
Hose junctions and clips
*** esp the Lower radiator hose clamp.. if you don't know why,, you will when the rusty one fails :D

Brakes as in Pads + disks IF needed, Brake Lines and flexi pipes IF needed.

Fuel line - If needed.

on cars with distributors , you would be looking at adding in
Plug leads,
distributor cap
Points/capacitor ,
rotor arm ,,
Or replacing with electronic ignition unit

on cars with "software" you would be adding in "checking all software is Up to date as per manuf "
checking + replacing if needed sensors dotted about the engine/engine bay
Checking the spaghetti wiring loom and connectors :P to said sensors

Timing belt + tensioner + aux belt & tensioner IF "unknown" when they were last changed Or as a "i know they were done" point.



Some will add in "cleaning a lot more things" , for "cleaning" you need to read that as "clean , inspect for correct operation"

Then the car is at a "known state" with hopefully No consumable or items that do deteriorate with age , leaving the car "ok" to Start adding performance items/upgrades

This!

It was originally a tongue-in-cheek reference to how all the performance bolt-on part people used to market their wares as "Stage 1" for the smallest changes to "Stage SomeLargeNumber" for the most expensive kits. The numbers used to mean absolutely nothing as every workshop or retailer had different stuff in the kit for each "stage", but people still used to try one-upping each other with the "stage" they had installed ... "I've got a Stage 6 kit!!!!".

So Stage 0 means no modifications, as it's not even Stage 1. But there's still a performance gain to be had with refreshing all consumables & wear-items when those things are all worn out, hence the "stage" reference.