I asked a few weeks ago about VW passat's, thanks to all who replied. I'm now also looking at V70 estates in the 2.4 petrol mode.

Who's got one, what are they like to live with, what should i be looking for when buying?

Regards

They're OK as long as you don't mind re-mortgaging for fuel and front tyres.

I've got an S60 (saloon version of V70) excellent car, smooooooooth drive go for the diesel D5, 185 BHP 144 top speed still get 40 – 44 mpg wouldnt even like to think what MPG youll get on the petrol version. main thing is service history.

i have a 2.5TDi V70 (about 10 years old), had it for about 5 years now and its great, takes 4 people and ikes using a towbar rack (thule) and still does 95 with ease sorry 70ish at about 40mpg, however i do also get through about a set of front tyres a year, changed then in January this year and have just had to get another set the other weekend, oh mine is the auto version too, enough room to lay seats flat and sleep in it at various bike events as well.

2.0t is better than the 2.4 . Front tyres are really only an issue if you drive like a dickhead, fuel consumption is ok but its a big automatic car so what do you expect. I would definately recommend v70 just steer clear of main dealers ( robbing bastards) and find a good independent garage to service it. By all means buy it from a main dealer just never never never get them to service it!

I don't really drive like a dick head but I do work in Milton Keynes and have tried to get my boss to go halves on the front tyres as I blame the number of roundabout I have to navigate on a daily basis as a contributing factor to their wear.

Isn't it an expensive mondeo?

aP, no mate V70/S60 all volvo design, V50 on the other hand is a Ford Focus in volvo clothing

you could pick up a very tidy 850 for about £600 and spend the rest on bikes!

Mr Nutt in 850 fan boy shocker 😉

you should be able to get 4 bikes in the boot of a v70 without using a rack – I can get dh bikes 5 in my mondeo (all seats up) and I'd have thought the volvo is bigger.

volvo owners club is the place you want for questions

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/

I;ve got a very nice V70 T5 with 72k on the clock coming up for sale very very soon!
As has been said before, very solid, very comfy and quiet. Never really had an issue with tyres, but I drive reasonably sensibly 🙂
If you floor it from standstill you'll eat tyres as it's a heavy car with plenty of power behind it, but how often does that need arise?
Things to look for: droplinks on the suspension wear out regularly but are easy to spot (knocking over bumps) and are cheap to fix. There was an issue with the throttle body weaearing causing the car to go into safe mode with no reason but ours has been replaced at a cost of about £600 – I think they're cheaper now.
If we didn't have an XC90 (bought because we had twins to go with our 2 year old and couldn't fit 3 x car seats across the back seat of the V70), it would be staying.
There is a reason the police have used them for many years. 🙂

[cough] Ford EUCD platform. Same as a Mondeo/ S-max/ Freelander.

They're great but +1 for the comments about tyres.

It's very comfortable and you can fit 2/3 bikes in the back without putting the seats down.

I have the 2.4Tse auto and the economy isn't that great, about 24mpg average but that goes up to 35mpg+ on the motorway. I've never tried it but the 2.0t strikes me as a bit small for a car that big.

V70 is a top car. Got a 51 plate T5 2.3 turbo 151k on the clock ex-plod mobike.

No major probs – ive had to do the suspension bushes as there was knocking, a couple of coil packs (uses coil packs for each cyclinder rather than a dizzy) and an oil breather. Cam belt change at volvo dealership was £150 as apparently its fairly easy to get at (parts for cam belt change are circa £100 so pretty good deal)

Tyres – well its a 250bhp front wheel drive and i give some stick and i recon one set a year for about 15k miles. I do tend to make it wheel spin more than occasionally.

Fuel economy – driven sensibly with some motorway – 29-31mpg depending on how many motorway miles i do. Usually average 27 round town 25 if im driving slightly more like a mentalist.

Can get 2 dh bikes in wheels on with easy – V50 wont take adh bike with wheel as my mate discovered after he bought his. 3 dh bikes and 3 people with wheels off.

Can fill it to the ceiling and not notice any difference in how it pulls. Will carry 500+ kg.

Plus you can pick up an ex-plod T5 for less than 5k.

There a pretty solid car imho,earlier 2000 onwards ones had semi auto gearbox woes,and the strutt (coilspring)tops would wear out causing knocking noises.

The rear, front, lower arm bushes can collapse causing weave under accelleration, and the engine mountings can fail,engines are solid though and using the right servicing can do high mileages with no problems.

I would avoid used police ones though,unless its very cheap 😉

(ex police mechanic!)

I have a 200bhp, AWD version (not the soft roader, though)

Massive boot, comfiest seats of any car I know, effortless mile muncher and enough fun when needed.

Very much recommended.

sharkbait,
details?