The Winter Beater - Volvo S60 2.4T
Discussion
With my 924 Turbo being quite simply a 32 year old Porsche turbo, it was decided a winter runaround was needed!
With a budget of £1000 for a car & insurance I have purchased a 2003 Volvo S60 2.4T.
Ashamed to say, but I'm smitten! Never having owned a car younger than 1984, the Dolby sound system is excellent, cruise control & steering wheel buttons a novelty as is the aircon. It's comfortable, the 5 pot makes a lovely noise and with 200bhp it's not too slow either. It's got 120k on the clock, FSH, nearly new Michelins and just been serviced. Top this off with 12 months MOT and no advisories. Not bad for £620
Are there any other S60/V70 owners out there with some useful tips for ownership?
With a budget of £1000 for a car & insurance I have purchased a 2003 Volvo S60 2.4T.
Ashamed to say, but I'm smitten! Never having owned a car younger than 1984, the Dolby sound system is excellent, cruise control & steering wheel buttons a novelty as is the aircon. It's comfortable, the 5 pot makes a lovely noise and with 200bhp it's not too slow either. It's got 120k on the clock, FSH, nearly new Michelins and just been serviced. Top this off with 12 months MOT and no advisories. Not bad for £620
Are there any other S60/V70 owners out there with some useful tips for ownership?
They are very, very good at what they do, which is cruise in comfort.
If you've not got a good indie locally then consider getting yourself a VIDA/DICE diagnostic rig as the electronics are quite complex and bog standard OBD2 readers can't access all the modules. Even if you don't use it you can sell it on for not much less than you paid when the car goes.
Aftermarket suspension bushes/wishbones are usually a false economy.
Watch out for any brake fluid loss, usual cause is a failed slave cylinder which if not caught in time will contaminate the clutch.
Handbrake shoes can fail spectacularly so if you've no evidence they've ever been changed it's something to consider.
Worth registering on the owners club site, it's very Volvo-centric (as you'd expect) but there is tons of knowledge there.
If you've not got a good indie locally then consider getting yourself a VIDA/DICE diagnostic rig as the electronics are quite complex and bog standard OBD2 readers can't access all the modules. Even if you don't use it you can sell it on for not much less than you paid when the car goes.
Aftermarket suspension bushes/wishbones are usually a false economy.
Watch out for any brake fluid loss, usual cause is a failed slave cylinder which if not caught in time will contaminate the clutch.
Handbrake shoes can fail spectacularly so if you've no evidence they've ever been changed it's something to consider.
Worth registering on the owners club site, it's very Volvo-centric (as you'd expect) but there is tons of knowledge there.
Got a couple of diesel Skodas. 03 Octavia Elegance and 02 Fabia SD. Total cost three years ago was £4k.
Insurance £140 each
Diesel mpg 60-70
Awsome motorway cars
Deceptively spaceous inside (moved a double bed in the Octavia hatch)
Cheap and simple to maintain.
Both cars are approaching 200K miles with nothing other than annual mot/servicing (and a gallon of unleaded once a year)!
Very fast too when they want to be..
Insurance £140 each
Diesel mpg 60-70
Awsome motorway cars
Deceptively spaceous inside (moved a double bed in the Octavia hatch)
Cheap and simple to maintain.
Both cars are approaching 200K miles with nothing other than annual mot/servicing (and a gallon of unleaded once a year)!
Very fast too when they want to be..
charltjr said:
They are very, very good at what they do, which is cruise in comfort.
If you've not got a good indie locally then consider getting yourself a VIDA/DICE diagnostic rig as the electronics are quite complex and bog standard OBD2 readers can't access all the modules. Even if you don't use it you can sell it on for not much less than you paid when the car goes.
Aftermarket suspension bushes/wishbones are usually a false economy.
Watch out for any brake fluid loss, usual cause is a failed slave cylinder which if not caught in time will contaminate the clutch.
Handbrake shoes can fail spectacularly so if you've no evidence they've ever been changed it's something to consider.
Worth registering on the owners club site, it's very Volvo-centric (as you'd expect) but there is tons of knowledge there.
The missus has an S60 D5. We had to have the clutch slave cylinder replaced. Luckily it was done in time and had not contaminated the clutch. I also heard it's the shakier diesel engine, rather than the petrol that is more susceptible to this problem. It's easy to spot, as it were, you get a low brake fluid warning light.If you've not got a good indie locally then consider getting yourself a VIDA/DICE diagnostic rig as the electronics are quite complex and bog standard OBD2 readers can't access all the modules. Even if you don't use it you can sell it on for not much less than you paid when the car goes.
Aftermarket suspension bushes/wishbones are usually a false economy.
Watch out for any brake fluid loss, usual cause is a failed slave cylinder which if not caught in time will contaminate the clutch.
Handbrake shoes can fail spectacularly so if you've no evidence they've ever been changed it's something to consider.
Worth registering on the owners club site, it's very Volvo-centric (as you'd expect) but there is tons of knowledge there.
Have had to change rear brakes on both mine and missus' S60 - and as above, make sure you buy the shoes for the handbrake also
Sadly they pretty much all do the slave cylinder at some point, depending on how old the clutch and DMF are it's usually the "done thing" to replace them all in one hit as the labour is a big part of the cost 
That said if you can catch it in time and the clutch/DMF are in good shape then it's a worthwhile saving.
That said if you can catch it in time and the clutch/DMF are in good shape then it's a worthwhile saving.
they are cheap,had this 2.0t, for £230! only fault was the dashboard instruments did't always work,and a exhaust hanger rusted out {easy fix}
it actually drove well, nice sounding engine and went pretty good too.I quite like it no doubt because it cost so little. Drove it a little while,once the mot ran out ,I broke it up for parts and made about £700 profit on it.
it actually drove well, nice sounding engine and went pretty good too.I quite like it no doubt because it cost so little. Drove it a little while,once the mot ran out ,I broke it up for parts and made about £700 profit on it.
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