V50 T5 Wagon

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Discussion

si_xsi

Original Poster:

1,193 posts

195 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
Just pondering these, i know nothing about them but quite like the look of this one and its a manual. Is there anything major to look out for on them, I heard cylinder liner issues can be a problem on 5 pot Volvo/ford units - does this apply to certain years of manufacture and what are the signs?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009193...

Timberwolf

5,343 posts

218 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
They're pretty robust cars. Good combination of largely Ford chassis bits and Volvo engine/interior bits. Things to watch out for:

PCV valve, if the engine is whistling and has suction at the dipstick it needs replacing, and can cause problems with seals and excessive pressure if not attended to.

Air conditioning system is a bit fragile, the condensers often get punctured (I think later ones are better with a revised part?) and the compressor can fail with clutch or bearing issues. When in good order it should be powerful and ice cold. The natural cabin ventilation isn't great so one with broken aircon can be rather miserable in summer.

Wheel bearings are unexpectedly expensive, it's a sealed unit with all the ABS sensor bits so don't expect a rumbling wheel to be a cheap fix.

Typical Volvo standards on paint and bodywork so the slightest rust anywhere is a sign something's amiss, even an early 2004 car ought to be cosmetically perfect.