Tempted by new Volvo V70 estate - good choice?

[Martin_M]

Hi guys, on the whole I've had mainly sporty cars over the years but with a german shepherd and pregnant wife, I am keen to move away from hot hatches and buy a big practical estate. Whilst sports car performance would be lovely, in reality we will be looking to spend our money on childcare further down the line and so I would rather have luxury and comfort over performance (although a mix of both would be nice).

My benchmark in terms of comfort and the like is the M135i I owned for a year and I am continually drawn towards the Volvo V70 D3 SE Nav manual. I can't find a better deal than the one below:

http://www.stoneacre.co.uk/new-cars/offer/423

I don't need to buy until nearer the end of the year by which time, I will probably be able to secure a better price for my Abarth 595 as I will paid off more on it. Do you reckon the above model would be a good choice or are there competitors I should seriously consider?

As a package, the V70's interior looks to be right up there with the BMW's although I have yet to sit in one. The exterior may look a bit bland to some but I think it looks pretty good, particularly if I add some tints.

All thoughts appreciated.

Martin

[Martin_M]

Thanks for the replies guys. Ideally, I would buy a nearly new example but I'm almost forced to buy new due to the better finance deals etc. I don't want to part with more than £1500 deposit-wise so it'll be this kind of deal I'm looking for. If I could sell my Abarth for the price I need, I'd take the plunge tomorrow but I'll probably need to wait until nearer the end of the year unfortunately.

[Martin_M]

I took the plunge on a new V60 D2 R-Design in rebel blue yesterday guys. Comes with winter pack if I remember rightly and I should collect it mid-week.

To my eyes, it looks absolutely stunning inside and out and should suit my needs perfectly. It's the 1.6 diesel so probably incredibly slow but I couldn't resist the looks and mpg claims!

Will post some pics when I collect!

Martin

[Martin_M]

I test drove a 2ltr version yesterday and it was an automatic handbrake to pull away but manual to put it on - activated by a button to the right of the steering column.

[Martin_M]

Sorry guys, yes it's the one in my profile pic. I've since added wind deflectors and rear tints which really set the car off. With regard to the car feeling sluggish, the more I drive it, the more I realise that the performance is perfectly fine for driving sensibly and within the speed limit. The mpg is excellent and I certainly don't need to thrash it to keep up with traffic although I do drive it hard when I'm in the mood.

I've had the car for a month now and it really is very good indeed. If I'm honest, I miss the performance of my previous cars but the practicality of an estate combined with how cheap it is to run means that we can go day trips and it isn't costing a small fortune on petrol. I can certainly see myself seriously considering a V70 with a bigger engine in 2 years by which time I hope that I won't be in negative equity.

I would quite like to change the wheels but haven't taken the plunge yet.

[Martin_M]

Hi, thanks - the colour really sets it off. I can see myself going for a V70 next time round but I'm hoping that there will be more performance options in the line-up that aren't quite as expensive as the Polestar V60!How are you enjoying yours?

As for the wind deflectors - I bought them from ebay. They are the good quality Team Heko version and the ebay seller is automotive_jandj

I'm booked in to have some yellow 'alloygators' fitted next week - I could be making a big mistake but my dad has red ones on his e class and they look smart.

I've removed the VOLVO rear lettering as I prefer a smoother rear end. My only other plans are to have rear tints added and possibly have fly eyes applied to the front and rear light clusters.

[Martin_M]

Magictrousers said:

I can have a go here now! Just picked up my new to me V70 R Design, with the rampaging 1.6 Diesel engine. Coming from a 1.9 150 Signum, I knew it was going to feel slow and was ready to be disappointed. But. It actually works. It's actually quite comically enthusiastic pulling away, runs out of puff, change gear, another whack of enthusiasm and you're away!

Yes, it's not quick. It's certainly better than adequate and changes speed in 6th gear quite nicely. After 220 miles bringing it home today, I'm more than happy. Particularly with an indicated 50 mpg and 3/4 of a tank left.

If you're after a motorway cruiser, as I am, you'd do a lot worse than try one.

Glad you're enjoying it - I know where you're coming from with regard to the performance. Rather than accelerating all the way to the red line, changing up sooner than feels 'right' actually produces another whack of acceleration. I was driving my dad's E350 yesterday and I must admit that I miss the performance side of things but with a baby due towards the end of the year, the Volvo ticks pretty much all the boxes for what I'll need over the next 3 years. Will be interesting to see what deals emerge on the Golf R estate over time.

[Martin_M]

That's the thing though - me being a bit of a speed freak I need the likes of an M5 for fun too lol.

I could neither afford nor justify two cars but in 2 or 3 years, I'll see what the Polestar models are doing price-wise as well as have a look at the Golf R estate.

[Martin_M]

Yup, I would want to pay no more than £32k I reckon so I'll watch with interest over the next couple of years.