Just got an S60 D5 SE - seems very nice!

Just got an S60 D5 SE - seems very nice!

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BL Fanboy

Original Poster:

339 posts

142 months

Tuesday 17th February 2015
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Hi All,

Just got an S60 D5 SE in solar gold. Its done 72K miles,has the winter pack, laminated side windows and the 13 speaker Dolby pro-logic upgrade.

Its on a 54 plate and one owner full service history + cambelt.

Luckily its the facelifted version and so I am led to believe, the preferable euro 3.

Really pleased with it - only had it a day.

Certainly feels in a different league to my Corsa 1.0.

mcgandalf

657 posts

155 months

Tuesday 17th February 2015
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Welcome on board - similarly just upgraded from a ratty old diesel Vectra to a low mileage 05 reg S60 D5, in S spec but with enough optional extras for this not to bother me.

Unbelievably comfortable, flies like a rocket (and I haven't remapped it...yet), stereo is absolutely stunning and, amazingly, car is cheaper used than the equivalent Vectra/Insignia.

Best decision I've made in a while. Until something goes bang.

BL Fanboy

Original Poster:

339 posts

142 months

Tuesday 17th February 2015
quotequote all
Good aren't they!?

Like I say early days. Not without drawbacks - the interior is fairly snug for the size of the exterior and the turning circle isn't great.

Just getting used to it really - it does seem to go quite well but the accelerator is quite long travel so it needs a positive push to get it to "go".

Seats are very comfy.

Stereo - well its the best car stereo I've ever heard for sure.

Cold this morning - I had to scrape off ice from the windscreen - I had the engine running and I was pleasantly surprised at zero degrees how quiet it was on start up.

Five gears - its ok but I would've preferred 6 I think - seems like each gear is quite long.

Heated seats are lovely!

kwk

562 posts

178 months

Tuesday 17th February 2015
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I've got two Mercs and an S60. If I go any distance, especially European trips, I always take the S60.[/url]

Edited by kwk on Tuesday 17th February 15:28


Edited by kwk on Tuesday 17th February 15:30

BL Fanboy

Original Poster:

339 posts

142 months

Tuesday 17th February 2015
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That looks tasty!

Comfortable cars for sure - I'm told that the laminated side windows mine has makes it a little quieter - how much of that is true I don't know.

The ride is firmer than I was expecting but the comfy seats take the edge off that so on balance its a good ride from the seat.

anonymous-user

54 months

Tuesday 17th February 2015
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These respond very favourably indeed to a remap, once you get bored of it....

Also have you wound the windows down and given it some real welly yet? I've never known such a great sounding diesel engine.

T5R+

1,225 posts

209 months

Tuesday 17th February 2015
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kwk said:
I've got two Mercs and an S60. If I go any distance, especially European trips, I always take the S60.[/url]

Edited by kwk on Tuesday 17th February 15:28


Edited by kwk on Tuesday 17th February 15:30
rofl

Have an E250CDI and ML450 but still think that the Volvo has the best seats.

In fact bought the E250 to replace the S60 but could not do it - as the Volvo just blends in and does everything so well whereas the blinged AMG kitted Merceds says "look at me".

martinrpeachey

749 posts

145 months

Wednesday 18th February 2015
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Just something to note, and I'm not sure how obvious it'll be on a standard D5 as I've only driven remapped ones but it has a torque demand thingy...

It looks at not only where the throttle pedal is but how fast it got there (gentle press or stamped) and adjusts power delivery to suit.

Flooring it hard should make it take off harder than gently feathering the throttle.


Welcome to the fine and understated world of volvo ownership.

BL Fanboy

Original Poster:

339 posts

142 months

Wednesday 18th February 2015
quotequote all
martinrpeachey said:
Just something to note, and I'm not sure how obvious it'll be on a standard D5 as I've only driven remapped ones but it has a torque demand thingy...

It looks at not only where the throttle pedal is but how fast it got there (gentle press or stamped) and adjusts power delivery to suit.

Flooring it hard should make it take off harder than gently feathering the throttle.


Welcome to the fine and understated world of volvo ownership.
Ooh! I'll have an experiment with that on the way home tonight. Will add my thoughts!

My previous diesel 3 years ago was an Astra CDTI 150 which had a "sport" button - that made the accelerator very sensitive and subjectively made the car feel like it was always wanting to "go".

Not expecting a heavy Volvo to be anywhere near as lively as the Astra which feel like a paper bag in comparison seemed to be - the D5 does go, its subtle - perhaps I need to be a bit more "positive" with it - its all very new to me at the mo.

Maybe the refinement of the drive belies the rate at which speed is being added.

BL Fanboy

Original Poster:

339 posts

142 months

Wednesday 18th February 2015
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Oh and it makes a novel wobblewobblewobblewobblewobble noise when you going up through the gears.

martinrpeachey

749 posts

145 months

Wednesday 18th February 2015
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At just under 1600Kg, they're quite heavy but the power delivery is lovely.

Another feature of the ECU is to smooth-out the power delivery when compared to throttle pedal input. This can often feel like a slight delay between pedal and throttle response while the ECU works out what you want from it.

Personally, I own a modified ex police V70 T5 but I've experienced the whole range in one way or the other and the D5 gives fantastic power for the MPG it returns. If I boot 2nd gear off a slip ramp, I see 2.2MPG but by hell does it go.

Here's mine at a local PH meet last year (Kitchen Club - Bournemouth)


solo2

861 posts

147 months

Wednesday 18th February 2015
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BL Fanboy said:
Hi All,

Just got an S60 D5 SE in solar gold.
I think you'll find it's called Ash Gold. smile

BL Fanboy

Original Poster:

339 posts

142 months

Wednesday 18th February 2015
quotequote all
Really? Could have sworn it was Solar Gold - it has the tiniest tinge of a sage green in it.

Are you sure? - perhaps Volvo changed the gold around the time of the cosmetic facelift in 2004? Mines a 54 facelift.

I've just ordered a touch up stick of solar gold - looks like it might be an oops!

solo2

861 posts

147 months

Wednesday 18th February 2015
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BL Fanboy said:
Really? Could have sworn it was Solar Gold - it has the tiniest tinge of a sage green in it.

Are you sure? - perhaps Volvo changed the gold around the time of the cosmetic facelift in 2004? Mines a 54 facelift.

I've just ordered a touch up stick of solar gold - looks like it might be an oops!
Never heard of Solar Gold but I worked for a Volvo dealer from 2002 to last summer and as far as I know it should be Ash Gold. If you want to pm me the reg number I can get my old contacts to run it through the Volvo spec ID smile

Alternatively, if the paint code on the car says 446, it's Ash Gold.

Hainey

4,381 posts

200 months

Wednesday 18th February 2015
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Jewish Racing Gold isn't it?

That's the colour of mine anyway smile

BL Fanboy

Original Poster:

339 posts

142 months

Wednesday 18th February 2015
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I've been talking a right old load of rubbish.

It might be "Lunar Gold" not solar gold....



solo2

861 posts

147 months

Wednesday 18th February 2015
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BL Fanboy said:
I've been talking a right old load of rubbish.

It might be "Lunar Gold" not solar gold....
Yes, there was a Lunar Gold ages ago, paint code 469. smile


BL Fanboy

Original Poster:

339 posts

142 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
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Hi All,

Well, its two years on and 12K miles and what can I say?

I'm not getting bored of this car at all.

Its still immaculate, comfortable, smooth, economical and the stereo still amuses. Other cars feel like a park bench to sit in.

All its needed is tyres and a service.

Boy does it go through front tyres - blimey! 10,000 miles - does that seem right for urban only use?

The car got paggered all over by enormous hailstones 18 months ago and I had them all removed so its still looking good.

The bonnet and boot lid are aluminium (ask me how I know - see above!)

Its the little things too.

Did you know that if you flick the disable switch for the rear electric windows it also switches off the illumination of the decal on them too!

The carpets are proper deep pile and clip on fitted mats - not the usual syntho black flat stuff used in other marques.

The paint (probably not water based) is thick and luxurious with very very little orange peel.

The visible vin number on the dash top has Volvo enscribed rivets holding it on so you cant use any old rivets to protect against ringing that little bit more.


Has decent pedal spacing - I've noticed that before on Volvos.

Its a proper Engineers car.

I notice that current V70s seem on casual glance from behind to have Mondeo suspension. I hope they have rust proofed them for Volvo as any Ford over about 3 years old looks to have visible suspension components covered in surface rust.

At 13 years old, my S60 is spotless underneath, but it shows the depth that mattered to Volvo. I've been told that most cars would be kn4ckered on the chassis at this age. The Volvo has a tiny bit of surface corrosion on an exhaust bracket.

What do Volvo make their exhausts out of - it looks new but I know its original as I bought the car of the first owner.

So its with me for the foreseeable. I used to like changing my car regularly but if I had to get a new one tomorrow, I dont know what I could get for a couple of grand that would come close for all round usability, quality and cost.


The only thing I can think of right now if I had to replace it would be an E320 cdi for about 4K and only then because it has a higher towing weight than the Volvo.

I'll have to change my wifes car more often to keep with the car changing bug ha ha.

Anyway, if you are thinking of buying one - get one, they are really rather good.




Super Slo Mo

5,368 posts

198 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
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I would say 10,000 miles for front tyres in urban use is good going. I didn't get much more than that and I was mostly on the motorway, and rotating front to back to maximise wear rates too.
In fact, before I realised the tracking was out, I got through a set of fronts in under 4,000 miles, without trying particularly hard.

BL Fanboy

Original Poster:

339 posts

142 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
quotequote all
Super Slo Mo said:
In fact, before I realised the tracking was out, I got through a set of fronts in under 4,000 miles, without trying particularly hard.
Oooofff!