Volvo V50…

Any experienced owners in here who can comment on a V50 diesel? The single burning questions is, can I get a bike in the back with the front wheel off.

Ta.

can I get a bike in the back with the front wheel off.

Nope. At least, I couldn’t. Both wheels had to come off and the bars flipped around to have any chance and I always managed to scratch something.

I had a V50 and yes you can, not easily. You can’t stand the bike up with the front wheel off though and I used to remove the seatpost too to clear the wheel arches. Easiest taking front wheel out, putting the bike in rear end first and then having the bars standing upright. My forks were too long to do this without damaging the roof liner.

Even with the rear seats down?

And another question – are the diesel engines ok as high milers?

Answered my own question. I can lay my bike down onto side – which is all I need – in our Kuga which is reported to be 1578 from boot lid to from seats, whereas the V50 specs have it at 1766.

About that engine then, does 83k on a 2.0d Lux or sport 2008/9 for £6k negotiable sound right?

Dealer would pay about £4k trade in for that. Just some numbers to work by. Much better car than the Focus, that shares the same floorpan. DMF will be about 110k miles and ‘supposed’ DPF is due at 70k miles, so check that was changed, although some will last a bit longer if not changed, but maybe looming.
Liked our V50 a lot, but got a dog and 3 bikes, so got an XC60 now and a towbar.

I had an 04 plate for 3 years bought at 70’000 miles(se model) full leather all the toys .. Excellent car and very comfy 2.0d engine was very strong and plenty powerful 138bhp..

Sold at 106,000(boot faulty/air con not working) needing few other jobs doing 🙁

Yes check dpf was done its due at 70,000 and it’s around £1000

Never let me down once … However hand was never out pocket with mostly wear and tear items(despite being mainy repaired at an independent) still cost £££££ 🙁

Maybe I was just unlucky ?

Am I right they’ve stopped making the V50 now? Superceded by the shapelier (if you like that kind of thing) V60? (edit: because I was looking at buying one and notice its not on the Volvo website anymore)

One of my colleagues (also on here) has a v50 and can a bike in the back – front wheel off, bike on its side

A large long travel 29er fits with the seats down

Front wheel off and saddle down

Mate down the road from me has one for sale for £1450…

Details Bikebouy? Sounds too cheap to be good for me?

I’ve basically been given the go ahead for a “filler” for the next three years a £5k plus part ex / sale of my 330. I do want RWD or an Audi so I’ve settled on a v50’as something a bit different and its strengths of comfort and practicality, plus it should be beloww 100k miles ideally.

This kind of thing http://www.michaelwicksgarage.co.uk/used-cars/volvo-v50-2-0td-sport-5dr-wisbech-201412109566050

I’ll seek him out Sunday when I’m back. He’s had it for a while that I do know, it’s silver too, whether it’s deisel or petrol though I’ve no idea. I’ll check out a few facts and let you know.
It looks in good condition though, that’s a given.
Does petrol bother you if it is a petrol one ?
I did think it rather cheap TBH, but then I’ve no idea what they go for..

Sport version is a looker but lower on spec than se and ride quality on 18″ wheels is pretty jarring 🙁

Actually looking at spec it’s not really at all maybe it’s an se sport ? Leather seats are handy for dealing with mud 😀

@bikebouy – the petrol ones arent really good mpg so is rather have the diesel for the motorway and bike trips. I only do about 6k miles a year but the majority are long / laden trips. I would appreciate if you could get some info though.

Thrustyjust – thanks I’ll check if the DPF is done. Is there any way I can tell if the DMF is on the way out if it hasn’t already been replaced?

Plus one – thanks. I like the look of that one but the Se/lux is more which my age requires…. 😐

DMF can give clunking, rattling and an irratic idle if getting bad. Also when you lift the clutch pedal, make sure it doesn’t clank. Make sure the clutch doesn’t slip, as another symptom.
You can get cheaper DPF jobs and many places selling Volvo Eolys to refill the tank of fleabay etc. You might get it done for half the price.
Also lift the engine cover off the top and check for any carbon deposits around the injectors, as they are also a common fault and is a pain and can be pricey to replace the seals, as the injectors can seize in the head.

Can get bikes in on their side easy enough, up right only with sub 140mm forks for 26″, just couldn’t get the 36’s to fit between floor and roof at 160mm.
Better than a lot of other things the same size, but was rather disappointed by economy, handling and power delivery coming from a Mk3 Mondeo tdci.
Got rid in the end as just a pain to work on and whole thing strangled by egr and dpf, even on one doing enough miles to keep these theoretically blown clean. ECU system wouldn’t let us in to delete them either.

At just 6k a year, would get a heavily depreciated petrol, 330 touring? Petrol is cheaper and the cars simpler.

I had one for 8 years from new and only sold it to move overseas. Not the biggest estate but great for what it is. Handles really nicely, the 2.0D is pokey where you need it and I loved the 6 speed manual box. The leather trim is pretty robust, you can get nearly 60mpg on a very good run and still get high 30s around the doors.
Drop the back seats and you can get the bike in with the front wheel off and the seat down – even at my size I could do that.
I bought the V50 after trying the equivalent Jag, Honda, Audi, Saab, Alpha and BMW and would do so again.

Had one for 3 years as a company car, it was the 2.0D R Design (138 bhp one). With the seats down you’ll get a bike in the back with the front wheel off.

R design was the sport version, mine was full leather, big wheels & all the toys. Mine did 110,000 in 3 years & the only problem I had was the air conditioning condenser which failed. It’s a known fault, it’s located next to the radiator and gets hit by stones, apart from that, it was a good car, decent on fuel & well made.

I changed mine for an xc60 that I’ve had for the last 3 years and again, apart from the alternator & a leaking radiator which are known faults again, it’s been brilliant. Probably one of the best & most comfortable motorway cruising cars I’ve had. I pick my new xc60 on Wednesday. I looked at other cars but the standard & quality volvo’s are finished is brilliant compared to others.

I looked at the v60 but I think the boot looks smaller than my v50 used to have. I think I’ve got a Thule foot pack for the Thule v50 roof bars still kicking about somewhere if they are of any use to anyone?

At just 6k a year, would get a heavily depreciated petrol, 330 touring? Petrol is cheaper and the cars simpler.

I already have a 330 saloon, but I’ve two issues while we wait 3 years for the real new car time; I’m getting up of swapping kids car seats around for longer trips to use the other car, and the 330 needs to be replaced by someone newer. There is the morale issue that I’m paid a company car allowance so I really shouldn’t be driving around in a 12yo car. Basically, I want my own car loaded with my own CD’s with drivers seat always in “my” position that I can just thrown in the bike and go with the minimum of fuss, with added mpg increase and insurance/tax reduction benefits.

I have found a £6k ’07 Mercury grey Beemer tourer with 65k miles albeit with light grey rather than black leather but I wanted to move away from RWD and the lower chassis to avoid get stuck in muddy fields when parking for XC races.

Or if the mileage isn’t an issue, a 99k miles ’11 version of the same car for £7k if stretching the budget…

I reckon you could get a c200 or c220 mercedes c class estate got that kind of money if you shopped well, they’re good cars too by all accounts

Much better car than the Focus, that shares the same floorpan

Wiki reckons it shares 60% of parts, NOT including floorpan…

Among all of the cars, the floorpan is different, but the front- and rear-subframes, suspension, steering, braking, safety, and electrical components are shared

So what about it makes it ‘much better’?

Is anyone able to comment on the sensibility of buying into that 2.0 engine with 100k miles?

I’ve just found a great example albeit 2005 (but I’m not precious) all the toys for £4k – around the corner from me. Tempted to have a look but is 99k miles and I need to know if that’s a concerns (I’d put max 25k more on it in the 3 years I’d want out of it)

??

As with most things, surely it’ll be luck of the draw?
You could buy a well made, well looked after example that you have no problems with, or you could buy a heap of misery…
Hard to tell with that sort of car/mileage.

My 03 plate Ibiza has gone past 251k miles and is showing no signs of slowing down. A few expenses last year, but most of them were wear items. The air-con condenser needed replacing and an intercooler pipe failed, but apart from that it was all stuff that needed to be done like brake pads/discs & cam belt.

I’d have no concerns buying a diesel with 100k mile on, so long as it had full service history; of course, depending on how it felt on a test drive.

It does have a full – 11 stamps – Volvo dealer history. So the dpf should be done – I can check that in the history – and I can take the DMF advice from above and apply it on a test drive / tickover.

Might have a look then. I’ll probably get f all on trade for mine but I’m not to concerned as long as it clears £1k on principle.

DPF should have been refilled with eolys at 70k, but will be due whole filter at 140k along with belts.

We’ve had an 06 V50 2.0D sport wagon with cream leather, 18in alloys and sat nav for about six yrs having traded it down from an Xc90 we didn’t need. I kept the full size Volvo roof box though.

It’s done 92k and had a new alternator four years ago and the DMF went in Sept last year. It’s had some elec probs too, but nothing you wouldn’t expect for a car of its age. It’s not up to the quality of an Audi or BMW but it moves along well, looks good and returns between 38-50mpg depending on journey types.

Had a v50 1.6 DrivE SE Diesel for 3 years and 60000. Nice car, drove quite well and could get a bike in the back with front wheel off and Seatpost down otherwise it had to lay flat.
Went to swap it for a V60 until I saw the size of the boot, much higher floor and lower roof so went elsewhere and (waits flaming) chose a 1.5 Megane Estate GT line. Vastly bigger boot, better equipment level and surprisingly felt quicker even though on paper it was 1 second slower 0-60. Rear passenger space is far bigger on the Megane as well.
The downside would be the residual but doesn’t matter to me coz its a company car but it does have CO of 90 which puts it in the lowest tax bracket.
As a private buyer having poor residuals might be an advantage depending on how old the vehicle you are buying is.
The Megane doesn’t quite have the same build quality but it’s still fine and nothing has fell off it yet….after 2 years. It’s certainly a good option for rear space, luggage space, economy and equipment levels…..might be worth a look.

Are those 1.6s not a bit gutless under load?

Nope. I have the engine in my V70.

I like my Volvos and will be sad to see it replaced in March. (Getting a T5 Cali). The V70 is on par with the BMWs we’ve owned (six in total) and far better than the Audi I had the misfortune of owning.

When I bought the Volvo (replaced my XC70) I had the choice between that and a 5 series and it was a no brainer. 21k for the Volvo vs 33K for the BMW (both cars 6 months old). The Volvo was also far better equipped.

In 43k miles its not missed a beat. (The Wife’s BMW has just had its transfer box replaced)

I felt that the V50 struggled under load definitely. Climbing Dinas (sp) on the way to CyB it used to struggle fully loaded up, it depends how you use it, if it’s mostly you, one passenger and a couple of bikes it would be ok. My Renault 1.5 was better, again, dunno why, gearing might be better spaced to suit the torque.

Had the R Design Sportswagen 177ps loved it did 90k in 3 years only the clutch went but that might have something to do with the way I drove it……..I didn’t like it’s less good looking replacement the V60 so in a MK 7 Golf GTD now missing the space loving the leap in build quality.

Anyone know how to check that the DPF elosys has been done? I’m looking at a car with Volvo history to 63k, 2 private garage stamps after that…?

It’s a fluid top-up and system reset, I guess that you’re at a mileage over the service interval

I don’t know if the system reset is logged by the ecu (ask Volvo as one possibility) or contact the garage(s) concerned as another

Anyone driven the 2.5 Turbo Petrol?

It’s just appeared on my radar as a quick small wagon, mainly for commuting but odd bike/surf duties.

Boards and bike go on top.