Looking at changing our Touran Tdi that is not liking the incredibly rough roads around here to work.
Likely to get a very cheap banger (sub £500 fiesta/micra/panda 4×4) to batter to work each day on the rough lane.
But then looking at a larger family car/bike carrier/paddle wagon for the longer and family journeys, around £2k.
V70 2.5D (old shape) and Saab 9-5 2.2 TiD appeal – anything to be aware of or other cheap(er) alternatives…

Not sure about the Volvo, not old enough yet 😳 but when I was looking at 9-5 Aeros, I took them off my list as they don't have a particulary good reliability record.

Vectra/Omega estate are both cheap and large, plus 5 series Touring and Mondeo estates.

I have a 9-5 aero (2.3l turbo petrol), W plate and it hasn't missed a single beat. Starts rapidly even through the really cold weather we had.
Saying that, I may have to sell it soon due to the arrival of a company car.
Great car though, really comfortable and loads of room.
I have very bad experiences of Vauxhall but the mondeos are supposed to be good.

would go for the petrol engined SAABs over the TIDs – i get a good 37mpg out of a 2.0t petrol, had a 2.2TID for a couple of weeks – which got 42mpg over the same journeys – just didn't add up – plus i find the petrol has better drivability.

saying that – the petrol needs to be looked after. that is – change the oil every 6000miles with fully synthetic.

otherwise comfy mile eater, with a big boot.

Mondeo for the cheap estate win.

Passat tdi estate?

i've had 2 9-5 estates and i loved them and they both blew up….

Passat tdi estate?

Been there, had one, same as Touran – expensive to look after and hates the bumpy roads round here. Spent £500 on Touran tracking and tyres in 11 months of being here, plus servicing….

Mondeo for the cheap estate win.

Aye, tempted, but they do seem rare on the market – maybe a good sign…

saab was a redesigned vectra/cavalier, and now sold off cheap, and volvo v70 is a ford again now sold off to some other company.

I bought my first Volvo seven months ago. I have seen the light. The reputation is for robust liability, all I've had to do is servicing in 12,000 miles on a 60,000 mile car. I do my own servicing, and everywhere I poke my nose is good quality.

Mondeos are good as well by the way….Saab lost it under GM ownership. Volvo less so under Ford. Volkswagons are overrated on longevity and and robustness in my opinion – although the 53 plate Golf TDI I had had a nice dashboard.

Matt where do you live to have such crap roads ? I suppose since the winter anywhere in the UK would suffice!!

saab was a redesigned vectra/cavalier,

not really. the only major thing the 9-5 shared with the vaux/opels was the floor pan – even then it was lengthened to suit the size of the saab.

theres less in common between the Vectra and the 9-5, than there is between a Skoda/Seat/VW/Audi

The cheap and cheerful 406 2.0HDI estate for not much over a grand I'd say. Large, comfy, copes with neglect well (me and servicing? nope), soft ride but 45+mpg doable easily even with a bit of traffic.
Loads to choose from too.

Um. Having just checked the facts, the 9-5 shares engines and running gear with the Vectra. Basically you bought a badge, different body panels and a different interior……..

I drive Volvo V70's daily at work – yes they normally have a pretty pattern on the outside. On my department they rarely get switched off, are used and abused and thrashed mercilessly, crashed smashed bashed and TPACed on a regular basis, and I have seen people walk from horrendously big crashes in them. They rarely miss a beat – there is no better estate car.

Sure they're expensive to repair at dealers, but insurance is cheap, they're undesirable for thieves, and they swallow big loads easily.

My 850 is now 14 years old and hasn't missed a beat, is still on its original clutch, shocks, springs etc. All I do is service it once a year and check levels regularly. Nothings seems to go wrong.

9-5 shares engines and running gear with the Vectra.

diesels yes are GM/Alfa Romeo.

the petrol engines, no. they are saab.

suspension set up by saab engineers.

the 9-5 shares engines and running gear with the Vectra

Mine doesn't.

I'm not arguing with you Vectra owners………. 😈

Matt where do you live to have such crap roads

Side of Loch Tay, and it is more like a 7 mile landrover track in places to work. It is a road that has been like this for years and get little maintenance, it is not just this winter. Even out maintenance chaps Landy 90 has its tracking done all the time. The cars that 'get away' with it seem small, light and cheap to fix…

I am leaning towards V70, latest of the old model (square beasty) in 2.5D or 2.4 20v guise. Seems a few around that are not to thrashed/bashed/high miles.

While I know that 9-3's used a GM floor panel, and unfortunately pre56 Vectra (56 plate onwards were totally new and drove well) running gear – I thought the 9-5 was related to the original 9000/XM/Croma/Lancia project?

Lord Summerisle- didnt your turbo blow up on you as well?!!!

Can I make a left field suggestion here…..

Have you looked at Subaru Foresters?

Not pretty but pretty bombproof, 4wd, quick if you need it, pretty flexable.

Had one for a few years and its been reliable.

Have a look at http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/driver_power_2009/

and the 2010 survey results are in the current magazine in the shops.

There are some stories about Saab engines and sludge http://www.carbibles.com/sludge_casestudy.html

Sometimes worth looking here http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/

I'm in two minds about the Forester and the words bombproof. I experienced every known-Forester fault so I wont agree with the 'bombproof' comment.

Then again there were times that I did hit the redline in that car but then arent cars designed to hit the redline every so often once fully warm? 🙄

I've got a 2001 SaabMarine 9-5 2.3t Auto with 168,000 miles on the clock. It's still rolling along nicely, loads of boot space (I'm too lazy to take the wheels of the bikes so I throw in a Yeti 575 and a Kona coilair fully built) and all the other stuff needed. I lived out of the car for a three month trip around France and it has a host of storage spaces.

Hora,

you must have had a friday afternoon built car (like your rockshox?.

You watch mine start breaking down now……………

Hora: yes, the year i bought the car, the Turbo blew. as did a few other things.

It seems tho it was poor maintenance by previous owner that was behind a lot of the problems we had.

for example – it needed a new gearbox soon after we got it (about 3 month later) – when the box was taken out one of the plugs hadn't been screwed back in, so it gradually lost oil. gearbox replaced via dealer warranty.

turbo – due to being run on semi-synth oil/long intervals between oil changes.

we did the update to the crank case breather system that should have been carried out a couple of years before we bought the car the same time as replacing the turbo – 3 years and 60,000 miles later its been fine.

only other things we've had has been a cracked vac pipe, and a leaky slave cylinder. both of these we've had one other cars at similar ages.

gottapickapenny I think the first owner (a Police Inspector) couldnt drive for toffee.

Took ownership of an oldish V70 about a month ago. Still getting used to it's bulk 🙂 Takes a little while to get going but once it's built up a head of steam it cruises along smoothly, quietly and with no fuss. Seems solidly built and well specced. Can't comment on it's reliability but if they live up to reputation i expect to double the current mileage on the clock.

On the other hand my brother has just part-ex'd his Saab 9-5 Turbodeck as it was leaking fluids.

Cheers guys, I think I have found a couple of good V70's local to go look at.

Cheers guys, I think I have found a couple of good V70's local to go look at.

as my missus would say 'are you retiring Grandad' (everytime I considered a V70

Had a few 9-5s. If they are maintained properly they seem to last forever, especially Aero which are also very quick. Shared GM parts not as extensive as some would have you believe, though they are certainly there. If you can afford it a 9-5 Aero estate is a great way to cover big distances in comfort.

yes, mine is as well.

What's the real-life mpg of an average V70 2.5?

I loved my petrol LPT 2.0 9-5 saloon even though it was a vectra underneath.

Comfy, quick, economic, large boot, excellent cup holder, safe feeling,

Turbos go at 80k, pixel display any time it wants to go it will go, auto boxes are weak.

Most other things are sound on them though. Great cars.

I was a motorway mile muncher in mine and put 100,000 on it in a bit over 2 years. Best car for that by far.

I once drove it for 10 hours only stopping to pee or take on coffee. At the end of the journey I just got out, no need to stretch, rub or complain of any aches. Super seats and driver environment.

One thing with the Subaru Forester- you really do need the captains armrest (hook your left arm under it whilst cornering)…the amount of times I've forgotten and almost ended up off the seat and squashed against the glass on the drivers door 😆

Gawd I miss my Foz 🙁

Time for another me thinks.

i have an R Plate Volvo V70 2.5TDi, and do a 60 mile round trip from Northampton to Milton Keynes every day in it, one junction on the M1 with town driving and the MK roundabouts at either end and i get around 38-44 mpg from it, really depends on how i'm driving it, on the way home on a Friday its more like 38, on a monday morning on the way to work its more like 44, had it for about 5/6 years now bought it from an old couple who had it from new, and i love it, it does everything i need it to do. Great for long distance cruising where it really just eats up the miles, took three guys four bikes and kit to North Wales with ease and in comfort, and it has the nickname Hotel Volvo as with all the rear seats folded flat at various bike races, many people have slept in it (not at the same time mind)

I had a Saab a few years ago, one of the first of the GM ones. I think it was bigger than a 2.2, petrol. Went like stink, but drank like a fish. Not the most economical vehicle, £200 to replace the side mirror, IIRC.