V70 D5 eBay purchase

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Discussion

smn159

Original Poster:

12,448 posts

216 months

Thursday 15th September 2016
quotequote all
I've been idly thinking about what to replace my Renault Zoe with when the lease is up at the end of the year. Then the Mrs said that she wanted to go to the Lake District at half term, which gave me the problem of how to transport 4 people and a dog in either a Zoe or a Mini.

Anyway, a bit of eBay browsing last night saw me putting in an impulse bid for this;



Which I duly won for about £1900. This was a bit more than I wanted to pay, but seemed to be a one owner car, with a stamped up history so I took a punt.

Took the day off of work today and got the train up to the Midlands to collect it. First impressions were good - drove straight and pulled well with no noises. I stuck £50 of diesel in it and the computer said that it had 620 miles of range left when I got home, having driven 120 miles. I'll work it out properly at some point.

I had a better look when I got home. Good points;
- fully stamped up service history, mainly main dealer
- One owner
- Drives well
- straight bodywork
- Much to my surprise when I whipped the wheels off there was plenty left on the brake pads
- Ice cold A/C. In fact I had to turn it off as it was too cold (later under bonnet inspection revealed what looks like a new compressor and pipework)

Bad points
- Needs two front tyres
- Radio doesn't work on FM, although AM is OK (aerial?)
- Smells a bit musty inside. <1000 miles in the last year and appears to have stood for a while. Polish car wash has improved things a little, but I hope to do better
- Handbrake travel is too long
- MOT advisory on front suspension arm bushes
- Wheels are scabby and need a refurb
- Looks like someone has repeatedly stuck something sharp into the glove box lid and centre console. It's not too bad, but I'll try and find some better replacement trim at some point.
- I'm sure that there's more that I haven't found yet!

It's in the garage at the moment, with the Zoe being relegated to outside. Was thinking of insuring it temporarily for the trip up to the Lakes, but I may look at sending the Zoe back early and running this as an everyday.

Pleased with it so far smile

S10GTA

12,645 posts

166 months

Thursday 15th September 2016
quotequote all
Good work. You've not mentioned if manual or auto. I've limited knowledge of the D5 engine, but I think that might be an earlier 163bhp one rather than the 185bhp, which is a plus as there is less to go wrong (dpf etc)

Enjoy, very underrated cars.

smn159

Original Poster:

12,448 posts

216 months

Thursday 15th September 2016
quotequote all
Yes good point - it's a manual 163bhp model

surveyor

17,768 posts

183 months

Thursday 15th September 2016
quotequote all
S10GTA said:
Good work. You've not mentioned if manual or auto. I've limited knowledge of the D5 engine, but I think that might be an earlier 163bhp one rather than the 185bhp, which is a plus as there is less to go wrong (dpf etc)

Enjoy, very underrated cars.
Although the earlier gearbox is a bit special. and breaks.

Have a look at the amplifier for the radio

croakey

1,193 posts

187 months

Thursday 15th September 2016
quotequote all
smn159 said:
Yes good point - it's a manual 163bhp model
You did well for £1900.

I've got an equivalent cross over s60. Love it

smn159

Original Poster:

12,448 posts

216 months

Thursday 15th September 2016
quotequote all
surveyor said:
Although the earlier gearbox is a bit special. and breaks.

Have a look at the amplifier for the radio
Will do, although a quick Google suggests that it might be the aerial, which is in the rear bumper apparently!!

I'll check the connections to the amplifier as well (assuming that I can find it!!)

smn159

Original Poster:

12,448 posts

216 months

Thursday 15th September 2016
quotequote all
croakey said:
You did well for £1900.

I've got an equivalent cross over s60. Love it
Thanks. I've had a couple of Volvos before, including a Phase 1 V70R and a V40, both of which I was very happy with. I only sold the previous V70 because I was commuting heavily in it and couldn't justify the 22mpg fuel costs. This might be the best of both worlds, in a slower sort of way.. It already feels very familiar.

Priorities before our trip to the Lakes will be the tyres, sorting the radio and maybe a look at the handbrake and even the control arms if I get a day free. Need to start collecting a few parts smile

Stedman

7,213 posts

191 months

Thursday 15th September 2016
quotequote all
smn159 said:
Yes good point - it's a manual 163bhp model
Best choice!

silverfoxcc

7,683 posts

144 months

Thursday 15th September 2016
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My V70 (52 plate) radio isnt getting an RDS signal. If you find the amp, can you update this please?

TheAngryDog

12,394 posts

208 months

Thursday 15th September 2016
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Looks fairly decent.

My S80 partially works on FM but cannot pick up AM.

Maz_uk

590 posts

197 months

Thursday 15th September 2016
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Mileage?

Rick101

6,959 posts

149 months

Friday 16th September 2016
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Nice. After one myself.

smn159

Original Poster:

12,448 posts

216 months

Friday 16th September 2016
quotequote all
Maz_uk said:
Mileage?
145k - just run in (I hope) smile

MrC986

3,481 posts

190 months

Friday 16th September 2016
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We ran an V70 2.4T of the same generation up to 185k miles and it was things like the front shocks/suspension bushes that were the main replacement item. The handbrake adjustment is an easy job, having seen the garage do it. We also had the steering column stalks fail and the controls on the steering wheel for the radio and the brake cylinder as well - there are plenty of specialists for used parts although the alarm service light was always on as we never bothered with that! Probably the comfiest make of car (& the S60 D5 that followed) we've owned by some degree. You'll get use to the turning circle being abysmal biggrin

SturdyHSV

10,083 posts

166 months

Friday 16th September 2016
quotequote all
Nice choice and a good price thumbup

They enjoy a diet of front suspension components and front tyres, but you've got a bulletproof drivetrain and very comfy seats smile

Best/cheapest components (go for decent brand suspension parts else they'll eat them weekly)

Drop links:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161271021849

Steering arms:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150931281189

Lower wishbones with all the bushes (not much more expensive and so much easier than replacing the bushes!):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121282183064

smn159

Original Poster:

12,448 posts

216 months

Friday 16th September 2016
quotequote all
Thanks!

I've just placed an order for a couple of control arms, some handbrake shoes and an adjuster kit. I'll have a look at the steering arms and drop links while I'm under there but I suspect that they will need doing as well...

I guess that I might as well do the steering arms while the control arms are off, but that the drop links can be done independently later?

smn159

Original Poster:

12,448 posts

216 months

Saturday 17th September 2016
quotequote all
Whipped off one of the control arms this afternoon



Bushes did seem soft, so worth changing and an MOT advisory last time.

Found something else wrong as well while I was under there - presumably some sort of engine stabiliser? Anyway it's goosed so I need a new one



Found that one of the track rod end gaiters was split as well, so have orders a couple of inner and outers - plus a tool to fit them.

Will keep me busy for a while anyway..

smn159

Original Poster:

12,448 posts

216 months

Saturday 17th September 2016
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Found it - lower engine stabiliser. Ordered one of these as well.

smn159

Original Poster:

12,448 posts

216 months

Tuesday 18th October 2016
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Control arms finally on, along with new drop links




rxe

6,700 posts

102 months

Tuesday 18th October 2016
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Nothing like screwing new suspension bits on a well used car for job satisfaction. Handle any better?

Engine mounts are always over looked. They make the car feel vague and broken as you have half a tonne of engine flopping about under the bonnet. Swapping them all out makes the car feel perceptibly "newer".