V70 163 v's V70 185 - What should I look for when buying?

[George111]

Alex C2 said:

Good to see some autos ticking along well....I've just brought a 6 speed geartronic 'Lux' spec on 87K - I paid a bit over the odds but wanted a low mileage auto so I could get on top of fluid change very early (and then once per year ~25K) to hope it goes well past 150K.

My S80 D5 2007 with the 6 speed auto had an oil change at 75k miles and is now on 160k, running fine, probably needs another change.

[Gliaviate]

Thanks to all for a very informative thread. I'm about to buy a 110,000 miles 05 2.0t SE from a friend for shed money. I like the car which has a full and known service history (albeit the body is rather heavily scratched) but unfortunately it is likely to be a short term proposition as much of my driving is around the London suburbs and parking in tight spaces.

My usual mechanic will probably be absolutely fine but I don't think he has a code reader for the car. Roger- I am based in the Coulsdon area which is not very far from Crawley/Gatwick. If you read this, would you mind confirming which specialist you use?

Edited by Gliaviate on Saturday 20th August 20:43

[PKLD]

Hi all - I'm looking at a D5 V70 for a back up car to our EV and be a dog carrier/holiday wagon...

This is near me:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

I think they are generally reliable but reading honest john it sounds like a time bomb money pit lol:

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/volvo/v70xc70...

So do i risk a swirl flap, autobox fluid, DMF clutch death combo? I had a V50 2010 D4 as a company car a while ago and liked it a lot so was hoping this would be even more comfy!

[DSLiverpool]

PKLD said:

Hi all - I'm looking at a D5 V70 for a back up car to our EV and be a dog carrier/holiday wagon...

This is near me:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

I think they are generally reliable but reading honest john it sounds like a time bomb money pit lol:

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/volvo/v70xc70...

So do i risk a swirl flap, autobox fluid, DMF clutch death combo? I had a V50 2010 D4 as a company car a while ago and liked it a lot so was hoping this would be even more comfy!

We run a leaf and a zoe and needed a back up car etc etc and I sought after a XC70 with family pack and found one circa 2006. It was SO HARSH after the EV`s I couldn't believe the engine mounts were working (Hydraulic on these) and had them checked to be found ok. I couldnt live with it and I strongly suggest a petrol car!

[PKLD]

DSLiverpool said:

We run a leaf and a zoe and needed a back up car etc etc and I sought after a XC70 with family pack and found one circa 2006. It was SO HARSH after the EV`s I couldn't believe the engine mounts were working (Hydraulic on these) and had them checked to be found ok. I couldnt live with it and I strongly suggest a petrol car!

I know! We've currently got a diesel Tiguan and apart from it being too small inside (she now agrees we need an estate!) for kid and 2 dog combo. I hate driving it compared to my Leaf but we need something for her to use as we have regular 200 mile weekends and the boot of the Leaf isn't big enough.

Petrol estate might be on the cards but it would need to do 35+mpg to keep running costs in check. If it was a smaller hatchback style thing then small engined petrol would be ok but I'm thinking a loaded up larger car would benefit from the diesel - and I would have thought the bigger 5 cylinder would have been a bit more refined than a 4 pot? Maybe not!

[Roger Woods]

Gliaviate said:

Thanks to all for a very informative thread. I'm about to buy a 110,000 miles 05 2.0t SE from a friend for shed money. I like the car which has a full and known service history (albeit the body is rather heavily scratched) but unfortunately it is likely to be a short term proposition as much of my driving is around the London suburbs and parking in tight spaces.

My usual mechanic will probably be absolutely fine but I don't think he has a code reader for the car. Roger- I am based in the Coulsdon area which is not very far from Crawley/Gatwick. If you read this, would you mind confirming which specialist you use?

Edited by Gliaviate on Saturday 20th August 20:43

I use a lad called Keith at Ashurst Woods MOT centre, time served Volvo man, real good lad, in fact I had a issue Friday evening so will be having a chat In the morning......

[PKLD]

Well fingers crossed I've told the seller that I'll be taking:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

end of the week. All depends on a conversation with the local mechanic who's looked after it as he has no receipts of the belts being changed but there was no squeaks, rattles and from what little I could see under the bonnet everything looked spot on.

Took it on a hilly test drive and several roundabouts and the auto box was completely smooth up and down the box so hopefully it will not throw any wobblers this winter.

It was like driving a big sofa though, so comfy and lazy! Perfect for dogs and toddler mess

[Roger Woods]

That looks like a great buy, good luck

[PKLD]

Well fingers crossed I've told the seller that I'll be taking:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

end of the week. All depends on a conversation with the local mechanic who's looked after it as he has no receipts of the belts being changed but there was no squeaks, rattles and from what little I could see under the bonnet everything looked spot on.

Took it on a hilly test drive and several roundabouts and the auto box was completely smooth up and down the box so hopefully it will not throw any wobblers this winter.

It was like driving a big sofa though, so comfy and lazy! Perfect for dogs and toddler mess

[Gliaviate]

Roger Woods said:

I use a lad called Keith at Ashurst Woods MOT centre, time served Volvo man, real good lad, in fact I had a issue Friday evening so will be having a chat In the morning......

Thanks- appreciated.

[Roger Woods]

Well just a quick update just as I'm almost at 6 years ownership. Passed mot with no issues at all this week 215630 miles and not one advisory this year. I live in Broadstairs now and use a local garage. Broadstairs MOT centre real good lads. The volvo does around 25000 pa now days and it's as good as gold mostly motorway (m20/m26/m25/m23) and gets mid 50's mpg. It's worth nothing and will stay with me for a very long time hopefully. It tows my lads trail bike as well now days although we may well get a van for that job next year!. I'm also running a 2016 Focus ST as well now but still think the volvo will continue to be pressed into service .... the bumpers have a few marks now as do the alloys . Can anyone recommend a painter to sort the bumpers in Crawley/Dover/Thanet ?

[wiliferus]

Seems like the best place for advice...

Have a 2005 V70 D5 163 with 135k on the clocks.
It still goes well (it’s due a clutch but that’s par for the course) but the driving is starting to feel a bit ‘soggy’. It passed its MOT last month with no advisories, but could the bushes etc need a refresh? I was expecting it to fail on some suspension bits, I thought the soggy feel may be a dead shock or spring, but no, MOT threw up nothing. Any thoughts?

[anonymous-user]

MOT will only pick up a damper that's leaking oil, by which point they are long knackered. They can be absolutely clapped out and provide no damping action at all and still be externally oiltight.

Anything over 100k on original dampers will feel soggy and often twitchy. Over 150k and it'll be terrible.

[Bonefish Blues]

Roger Woods said:

Well just a quick update just as I'm almost at 6 years ownership. Passed mot with no issues at all this week 215630 miles and not one advisory this year. I live in Broadstairs now and use a local garage. Broadstairs MOT centre real good lads. The volvo does around 25000 pa now days and it's as good as gold mostly motorway (m20/m26/m25/m23) and gets mid 50's mpg. It's worth nothing and will stay with me for a very long time hopefully. It tows my lads trail bike as well now days although we may well get a van for that job next year!. I'm also running a 2016 Focus ST as well now but still think the volvo will continue to be pressed into service .... the bumpers have a few marks now as do the alloys . Can anyone recommend a painter to sort the bumpers in Crawley/Dover/Thanet ?

Hi Roger. Do you calculate that mpg or take it off the dash?

[smn159]

A true 50mpg requires an OBC reading of around 62mpg in mine!!

[Bonefish Blues]

smn159 said:

A true 50mpg requires an OBC reading of around 62mpg in mine!!

And mine - both of them, which is what prompted the question (that and having never got better than 53mpg measured out of a tank on my Euro 3 D5 S60 manual)

[Stedman]

Roger Woods said:

Well just a quick update just as I'm almost at 6 years ownership. Passed mot with no issues at all this week 215630 miles and not one advisory this year. I live in Broadstairs now and use a local garage. Broadstairs MOT centre real good lads. The volvo does around 25000 pa now days and it's as good as gold mostly motorway (m20/m26/m25/m23) and gets mid 50's mpg. It's worth nothing and will stay with me for a very long time hopefully. It tows my lads trail bike as well now days although we may well get a van for that job next year!. I'm also running a 2016 Focus ST as well now but still think the volvo will continue to be pressed into service .... the bumpers have a few marks now as do the alloys . Can anyone recommend a painter to sort the bumpers in Crawley/Dover/Thanet ?

SLRestoration on the industrial estate

[Roger Woods]

Would you believe, I parked my Volvo at a nice "drop, stay and park" hotel over the New Year to come back to find 7 cars had been broken into there NYE..... Not impressed, the car was in their overflow car park which needless to say had no CCTV.... They said we were 1 of 5 hotels in the Gatwick area it happened......

Thankfully National Windows in Crawley came up trumps and sorted me last night, Great Service.

The "Muvva of all" letters will be going to the hotel, basically I was told in not so many words, you need to sort the repair yourself.

I was lucky just one window, looked like the Merc GL next to me had far more damage

[Roger Woods]

Stedman said:

Roger Woods said:

Well just a quick update just as I'm almost at 6 years ownership. Passed mot with no issues at all this week 215630 miles and not one advisory this year. I live in Broadstairs now and use a local garage. Broadstairs MOT centre real good lads. The volvo does around 25000 pa now days and it's as good as gold mostly motorway (m20/m26/m25/m23) and gets mid 50's mpg. It's worth nothing and will stay with me for a very long time hopefully. It tows my lads trail bike as well now days although we may well get a van for that job next year!. I'm also running a 2016 Focus ST as well now but still think the volvo will continue to be pressed into service .... the bumpers have a few marks now as do the alloys . Can anyone recommend a painter to sort the bumpers in Crawley/Dover/Thanet ?

SLRestoration on the industrial estate

Cheers old chap......Long Story but heading back to live in Crawley this year...........

[Roger Woods]

Bonefish Blues said:

Roger Woods said:

Well just a quick update just as I'm almost at 6 years ownership. Passed mot with no issues at all this week 215630 miles and not one advisory this year. I live in Broadstairs now and use a local garage. Broadstairs MOT centre real good lads. The volvo does around 25000 pa now days and it's as good as gold mostly motorway (m20/m26/m25/m23) and gets mid 50's mpg. It's worth nothing and will stay with me for a very long time hopefully. It tows my lads trail bike as well now days although we may well get a van for that job next year!. I'm also running a 2016 Focus ST as well now but still think the volvo will continue to be pressed into service .... the bumpers have a few marks now as do the alloys . Can anyone recommend a painter to sort the bumpers in Crawley/Dover/Thanet ?

Hi Roger. Do you calculate that mpg or take it off the dash?

Morning BB - Off of OBC but I did calculate last year and low 50's were constant