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2nd hand V70 advice needed!
🙂
Erm..
Buy one.
HTHs.
The D4 auto.
We seem to always have something that needs doing to ours, but then we do a lot of miles.
I kinda like ours (2.4d), but part of me thinks I may as well have bought a Mondeo (it's a 2008, which is pretty much all Ford anyway)
Sound system is good. Suspension is pretty wallowy, so not particularly inspiring to drive, but it's good for long motorway drags.
I seem to get about 43mpg
The RYA and UK Sport have fleets of them...
Goody comfy seats and good standard stereo.
Careful what engine you choose though, my 2.4 petrol turbo, 5 cylinder, whilst satisfying, averaged 19-25mpg, although it could average low 40's on a motorway cruise as it was barely ticking over.
Great mile munchers, much less driver fatigue on long distances compared to other cars due to the suspension being comfort oriented rather than the harsh 'sports suspension' that seems to be all the rage in larger cars these days.
not so good around town due to petrol consumption.
Also have the turning circle of an oil tanker.
Also have the turning circle of an oil tanker.
Ours is called Valerie (Val > Valdez > Exxon Valdez)
@matt_oab - Don't listen to that fancy-pants Captain and his exotic Swedish ways.
It'll be orthopaedic disco slippers next. You mark my words.
Get another Galaxy
They are pretty good . My 53 plate D5 did 50mpg + all the time, peaking at 57mpg on week last summer .
Early canbus electronics and lots of ecu's have potential for gremilns.My door control module packed in and it was £500 for a recoded new one
Volvo only manufacturer not t release transponder codes for keys . Do not loose them.
Swing arms/ track arms are a consumable.
PSteering suffers as they are heavy cars but regular PS fluid changes keeps them running
Geartronic boxes also give issues
163bhp up to 55 plate are 5 speed and DPF free, 185bhp 6 speed and a interiorn re-trim 06-.>
I've gotta say the standard Volvo leather seats, not the harder sportier options that are available on some models, are by far the most comfy car seats I've sat in. It's like driving around on a great big 200bhp sofa.
You won't get that from a galaxy.
I bought mine at 150,000 miles, bought blind on eBay for £2k. Although it had a full service history it needed a few things doing. Front wishbones, timing belt for peace of mind. Alternator and tensioner, if the belt goes it takes out the timing belt too.
Its now done 186,000 miles and it has been very reliable.
Mine is a D5, fuel economy is very good. Great mile muncher of a car. My last round trip was from Fife to Kent and back to collect a fourteen foot Ifor Williams trailer. A nineteen hour round trip in a day. Snow tyres are essential in winter.
I know an excellent Indy Volvo mechanic in Cowdenbeath. If you want him to check one over for you, give me a shout
I’ve gotta say the standard Volvo leather seats, not the harder sportier options that are available on some models, are by far the most comfy car seats I’ve sat in. It’s like driving around on a great big 200bhp sofa.
...except for whichever one of Matt's three boys is unlucky enough to have sit in the middle on the back seat on the narrow bit between the two larger seats either side, with his feet uncomfortably placed either side of the hump in the floor
You don't get that in a Galaxy 😉
Hello. Multiple Volvo owner here including a 2011 D3 5 cylinder that spanner myself.
Note there is more than one 163bhp engine so the comments above don't ring true to me. In fact I *think* there are 3 163bhp engines...the original D5, the 5 cylinder D3, and a later 4 cylinder engine! The comments that follow relate to my car and are generally applicable to 5 cylinder diesel engines.
Geartronic automatic allegedly sealed for life, a Toyota derived unit that appears in other manufactures models with oil changes recommended. Change transmission oil at 50-70000 miles depending on usage e.g. sooner if towing or boy racing. Gearboxes fail without oil changes.
Serpentine Aux belts, tensioner, stretch belt for AC can all fail taking out timing belt writing off engine. These belts have been failing prematurely and cars still in Volvo dealer care are getting changes at 3-5 years on average mileage cars. There was a recall for tensioners changing from a hydraulic to a spring actuated tensioner. The original service interval was much longer and plenty of cars seem to be at risk from this. Moral - change belts and tensioner at purchase unless you have full Volvo history and know they have been done.
During DPF regens diesel can enter the sump if regen doesn't complete for example if you park up part way through the process. This dilutes the oil causing premature engine wear (well, common sense says it will), and the oil level in sump to rise above max. The risk of too much lubricant volume includes blowing out seals and runaway diesel syndrome. Solutions, only fill to 3/4 on the dipstick/technicians dipstick and monitor. The electronic gauge is a bit woolly as some shall have been recalibrated since leaving the factory to allow for this issue, some have not - Volvo service history counts here. Second solution is note when car is regenerating the dpf as instantaneous mpg shall be atrocious and fans will be running hard. Cars with start/stop have an advantage here as a message is displayed on the dash that regen is taking place.
The breather system for the crankcase is complex and prone to blockage. Look for oil blowing by the dipstick as a sign there are problems here, although the same symptom can be caused by a failed o ring on the dipstick.
All cars have their quirks and that is the V70 ones that I'm aware off. They are expensive to run and service, but no worse than others in their class. Full Volvo service history is worth lots. Personally I think R-Designs are a sheep in wolfs clothing it a big cruiser not a sports car. SE Lux with all toys is the way to go, on standard suspension. I absolutely love mine.
If you are into home servicing hooky Volvo dealer software can be procured and set up on an old laptop, making dealing with electrical issues much easier. Volvo Owners Club website is a good source of info, and there are details there of a Volvo dealer who shall post parts at a discount UK wide.
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">If going for a D5, there are quite a few variants of the engine as it was regularly updated. Even in the P3 V70 the range varied from 165ish to 215bhp depending on model year. There were also some changes to the D2, D3 and D4 engines, including some confusing swapping of the names. So if getting one, just double check that it is actually the engine that you expect it to be. </span>
Having tested a few, I found the later D5 5cylinder 215bhp to be the best, although the Most recent D4 seemed almost as good but with slightly better mpg.
They are big, heavy but very comfortable cars. had mine a year now and it has been excellent so far .
…except for whichever one of Matt’s three boys is unlucky enough to have sit in the middle on the back seat on the narrow bit between the two larger seats either side, with his feet uncomfortably placed either side of the hump in the floor
I think you also get the option of the rear facing extra 2 seats on a V70, producing near insta-vomit decoration of the rear window. Was pleased it was not my child, even more pleased it was not my car.
From what I remember you can forget luggage if you're using them though, so back to the Galaxy or Caravelle
The RYA have them because they get them for free. My mate (performance manage) gets one for free and it's desired for a new one every 6 months.
I had a a T5 years ago.... Lovely and fast, felt very safe but it ate some suspension parts and was pretty thirsty.
Good car though.
As mentioned above, replacement keys can be expensive if it is a newer model. I have a 2010 2.0d SE, the basic one. Taggarts in Glasgow laughed in my face and took £263 for one 🙁
Had a 05year 2.4 non turbo petrol for the last 8 years and self spanner so know it pretty well. Has ~165k miles. I bought the 2.4NA as it doesn't have the complex PCV system or a turbo.
Ours has had;
front wishbones, droplinks, top strut bearings.
Both front ABS rings
2x rear calipers
Cat and exhaust (full stainless from factory but cat broke up and a hanger snapped off leaving a hole in the back section)
Alternator pulley went chewing the belt off
Rear wash wiper motor rebuilt.
Gearbox oil flush x2
Car was abused daily when my wife ran it for her business, has an easier life now.
By far and away the best car ive ever owned from an engineering/working on point of view. Have never encountered a stuck/rusted fastener, things are logical, easy to access and were designed with how someone would fix later down the line.
Solidly built, no sign of rust.
However complex premium cars that need keeping on top of - not ones to be run on a budget and they can throw big bills. Find a decent indi Volvo specialist or be prepared to spanner yourself.
Buy a V70R and shares in Shell.
55 plate D5 owner have had it for 4 years now, usual replacement parts for a car of that age. Full leather interior with the comfiest seats ever in the front, kids (mostly my youngest 13) moans about the rear seats says they are not as comfy as the L200 I had from work, hmmm.
Bought it at 70,000 miles now on 147,000, definitely happier on the motorway and A-class roads where it can stretch it's legs. Around town the turning circle is a bit prohibitive.
Have put cross-climates on it and it has been pretty good in the recent conditions we have experienced in the Bathgate Alps!
When it comes time to get rid of this one I will not be happy, my plan is to keep it until it dies.
I know the RYA get thier volvos for free... our club car park is full of them.
I mentioned it because they are a superb family vehicle, large enough to carry a small continent, comfortable to whaft you into paradise..
I like em’ too big for me though.
Be like everyone else in Dunblane and buy an xc60 instead (like me too).
Seriously though ... super comfy seats ... good sound system ... electronics and widgets a bit unreliable compared to German cars ... heavy heavy steering ... shocking fuel economy ... service costs not too bad.
I'd buy another Volvo when my one bites the dust. 8 years old with 150k on the clock and ok apart from an annoying water leak into the cabin.
Didn't Volvo buy in the early 2.5 litre 5 cylinder engines from Audi?
They're a bit heavy on brakes as well. Mine needed discs and pads all round at less than 60k. I don't drive like a pillock and most mileage is on motorways.
No
They thought the Audi engine was a turd wrapped in turds so they designed their own 2.4 5cyl 20V unit.
My was heavy on the brakes too. I changed nothing in 110,000 miles.
Volvo built their own engine...then Ford bought then and used the 5-cylinder lumps for the Focus ST range...very good engines.
Those are the later low pressure turbo 5 cyclinder 2.5l T5 engines. The generation before with the older 2.3/2.4l block and the high pressure turbo was the one. 320bhp /400nM out of a 2.4 T5 with no supporting mods with just a tune. Boom proof engine too. Ford/Volvo 2.5l T5's as used in the STs like cracking liners.
I feel I ought to join in...
Galaxy - heading for 160k, lots of maintenance piling up, another cam belt by end of year, really feeling tired. Struggling to start some days (glow plugs gone), stalled a couple of times for no reason in neutral a good few times in last month, etc. The money it's looking like could go towards newer...
I do 25k a year, I buy cars and run till nearly dead. I've had the Galaxy 3.5yrs, put 85k on it, bought at £7k, WBAC offering me £1600. Work mileage in that time has paid all costs. Owes me nothing.
clan_oab start leaving home next year. This year we fly off to hols, local hols for various reasons are only two boys. 70% of time it's only me in car. It's nice to have a Galaxy space, but it's a luxury, and we have two cars in household if we need more seats and load lugging. I do carry lots for work at times, looks like work miles may go up this year with more work in England. We carry bikes on rack and big open canoes on roof. Long term (and the Galaxy is shortest I've ever had) an estate makes some more sense.
smax/galaxy all seem utterly sh*gg*d at the budget we are looking at. £8k for a car with dents in? £9k for a car that's failed all three MOT's it's had on tyres/suspension/steering? One that won't go into first gear properly? Sorry, no. The Volvo's seem a bit more middle manager and retired copper than baby puke and tesco carpark kerbing...
Won't touch another Touran or VAG as they aren't worth the premium at the age I'm buying.
Dont want Citroen or Puegeot, unless a Berlingo and then mrs_oab won't drive a 'noddy car'. Zafira kills my backside and back after an hour.
i40 was close, and bargain, but midfle seat was awful. Everything else ok.
Mondeo/6/ etc all have poor inner seat too, and mrs_oab finds the Ford seats uncomfortable.
E class - yes please, but find one without interstellar miles for under £10k on E220, ideally facelift model.
v70 offers blend of cost, space and comfort, plus still reasonably tank like build. 100kg roof loading for the canoes. Big boot. Middle seat ok, lower floor hump than many. Service every 18k and my garage rates them as easy to work on generally. Comfy for me alone on big journeys 😉 It isn't perfect, I would love to have more money or a 'perfect' SMax titanium power shift....
I want ES or Business poverty spec, prefer cloth and they have bargainlicious tyre size, R Design daft and expensive tyres on lowered suspension (not good with bike carrier on), SE or Lux I would do, maybe XC70...
D5 depending on age is £135-350 tax, not great mpg all round unless latest one. 2.0D is same Ford/PSA in the Galaxy, it would work but felt wheezy (different tune?) Old D3, in post 2010 guise offers good mpg according to honest johns real mpg and is basically a de-tuned, smaller volume and proven D5 with new injection system and £30 or £130 tax (half the Galaxy cost). old D4 has no advantage over the D3 IMO. New VEA D3 and D4 out of budget.
I am not bothered by gearbox.
Cream or white or red interior a total no-no.
So, anyone know of a 2011 onwards, under 80k, V70 D3, ES or Ocean Race auto with winter pack, reversing sensors in Caspisn Blue under £9500 from an ex Chief Constable for sale?
If not i have got one in metallic red, sans winter and reversing sensors with two year warranty lined up for first dibs on Monday....
You'll pay a premium for ocean race. Re: ex-Chief Constable: Having had ex-police cars buy with extreme caution, one was awesome, the other was a dog. Both still running at 170k+ miles mind you... (S60 and v70).
Service history > mileage on volvos without a doubt.
Imho worth spending a little more to get winter pack and park sensors.
I'll never buy a Volvo without heated seats...
Hopefully going to look at an XC90 this weekend to add to the household and double the Volvo quota!
I'm with you on service history.
Finding with sensors and winter is a challenge on the lower models - I've seen one and even from pics you could tell it was battered....
My was heavy on the brakes too. I changed nothing in 110,000 miles.
Interesting. Mine's auto and I drive almost everywhere on active cruise. I wonder if that's causing the brake wear?
There are some really, really sh*tty cars out there for many thousands of my pounds...
Seen two V70's - both just poor, missing trim, cracked tyres and marked seats (what is it about cars with water(!) stained seats???) - but seemingly mechanically sound and full VolvoSH. Saw one V70 that didn't actually have full SH as suggested - you can tell when logbook has pen only service record (no stamp), and was 7k past a timing belt change with no timing belt in record book or on painted cover under bonnet as many would...
Saw by chance (driving by) a nicely presented XC70, but it is £600 over budget and more importantly the most foul colour interior (black seats, cream carpet, cream lower dash, black top dash, metal trim panels...! Nice red colour though.
Seen two SMax's that were not even funny with the marks on dashboard from feet, grubby interiors, glove box damaged, cracked headlight on one and a couple of bald tyres each.
Tried to see a Altea XL (not sure about VAG group...) and it wasn't there as the ECU has imploded so was at SEAT dealer (eek)
I am working out that what I think is *lots* of money (£6-9k) is actually naff all these days, and that most families seem to just abuse vehicles - I thought we were bad, but the inside of current car is better than most I am seeing...
*does a Vic trouser rubbing movement*
Yeah, they do look like that inside..
I’ve seen a lot of v70’s with beige interiors.. and whilst on the face of it I used to think YUK, I now think s’not bad akchewally.
Keep looking, you will find one.
Quick eBay search on xc70 67k FSH in what looks like excellent condition (plenty of pics) for £8995
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F292396713410
and another (a year older) 62k for £9k
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F173196142719
While it’s drinking a gallon every 37 miles, & starting & driving well, I’ll keep my trusty old Galaxy going. Needs a few hundred quids worth of brakes & suspension doing though, but nothing short of a van comes close. It’s a towing tool too so something as heavy as a V70 will replace it. But she’s going nowhere for now.
That interior looks like it was chosen by a blind man, in the dark in a coal mine....
No cream/red/beige/wacky colours thanks. Dull old grey and/or black all the way 👍
R Design daft
🤔
I make that comment from my view - lowered & stiff suspension is a pain in the arris, even more so with a bike rack on, Additionally the tyres are rubber band thin, with not much choice and high cost. Plus, more wacky leather seat options...
For me the priority is comfort and cost - normal car has more of this than R-Design
Agreed, they are nice. I am just struggling with £9k for 11 year old car and those older ones are £350 odd on tax/sub 40mpg... hmmm
I’ve just done another quick search on eBay with criteria v70/Manual/Diesel/mileage <75k/age >58
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F202030454689
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F142696434548
And an auto
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F273050552612
More manuals that autos at your price..
May I suggest a Ford Kuga ? Not a lot of love on here for them but they share lots of Volvo parts/engines etc at your age/price point.
I picked up an 09 titanium x 64k fsh £7900(wee bit under dealer value at time) bought from local ford dealer.
Awd version
Has all usual titanium spec - cruise/climate/parking sensors/auto wipers etc. X adds full leather-heated-panoramic roof - electric drivers seat .. I'm very impressed with build quality and for 9 year old car it's in excellent condition inside and out.
Ok 2.0 tdci is bit thirsty 35-40mpg but I can live with that as it's super comfy and I think it's a good looking car 🙂
I would buy this all day long
Heated and cooled seats , Xennons, Parking Cams Led light upgrade. bang on the money . Should have had belts done at 90k if its been looked after £4,750 = bargain
Or..
You may vomit on your Ready Break, but a VX Zafira 2014, 9500 miles, FSH, diesel, manual in fetching red.. £6950
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F123011441653
You may balk at the option, but I reckon you are going to have to come to terms with either massive miles/Swedish or low miles workhorse..
Christ that's cheap. Are they the ones with free spontaneous combustion?
I had a '96 850 2.4 8valve NA for a number of years, kinda same but different, so my thoughts and experience are:
Reliable, massive amount of space, comfy and it didn't rust away.
Fuel consumption was on the heavy side, big car so resultant affect on tyres, brakes and suspension.
My current '51 plate Focus 1.6 estate with equivalent 150k miles is much cheaper to run, more economical but certainly not as comfy and it's rusting away.
My personal fave car of all time was a '97 E-Class 300td estate, but rust and running costs were silly and finally outweighed the comfort and joy and space that it provided.
OP, you could get yourself a very nice Saab 95 estate for your budget.
Matt - I was just messing, I love the looks and I needed a motorway cruiser (v60 though).
One reason for posting that zafira is my BiL has one, it’s frankly a pile of shit but it’s a farm vehicle, having been used to move sheep to/from market, all manner of feed collection/distribution, kids muddy feet, chickens well you get the drift..
Its a 2006 model petrol and it’s still standing in one piece, all be it without a rear wiper...