RE: Volvo 850 T5 and R: PH Used Buyers Guide

[rtz62]

Had several earlier T5 estates, all manual, and came to appreciate the lack ofhe ETM that post-1999 carscame fitted with, and which caused problems for many.
I’ve also owned a number of P2 series V70 T5 estates, both standard, and R AWD.
My preference is for a manual over the 5/6 speed autos, especially, for some reason in the R AWD...
I can concur on the turning circle of the second generation T5s, local car criminals in Nottingham used to lead us a merry dance around the Bestwood estate as it had many sharp turns which they could take in their stolen chariots (§obviously uncaring g as to any damage caused, whereas the Volvos often had to do 3-point turns, and then of course, they’d disappeared. The 24v Senators were a lot better in that respect.....
Would o want another T5.
Yes, but a qualified yes, as my preference would be for an 850/V70 (1996-2000) Model.
As an asid, it’s amazin* how many I looked at, each time I bought, that had odometers that had ‘just failed last week......’ Yeah, eggy bill, as we used to say to fibbers when I was a kid.

[Stedman]

PCV - remove dipstick, if smoke chuffs out slightly then the PCV needs doing

[benm143]

Gandahar said:

That simple 5 spoke titanium wheel design on the early ones is so nice too, modern day wheel designers take note.

Couldn't agree more! These wheels remain one of my all-time favourites; such clean un-fussy lines

[demic]

I had a one about 13yrs ago. It still lives, the chap who owns it now tracked me down on Facebook. He is currently restoring it to its former glory so it’ll look something like this again

[grumpy52]

T5 Auto
In normal mode it's a fairly quick waftmobile

T5 Auto
Rica ecu and a few other mods . In sport mode and traction control off is a right hooligan!

As for mpg , with the upgrades , normal mixed driving I got 24 -31 , run to Scotland at near legal speeds average at 40.5 ,
around town high teens .
Hooligan mode ! As low as 9 !!

[Stedman]

Rica maps are pretty st though

[grumpy52]

Stedman said:

Rica maps are pretty st though

Mine came with the car and did exactly what it said on the tin .

[merckenzie]

Outstanding cars in so many ways. I have had the privilidge of having had 3 T5 Estates. Each one of them rewarding. As previous comments, not a point and squirt kind of drive, but amazing overtaking and fast A road speed/comfort.
You can hustle down the back roads, but you need your wits about you as the rampant wheelspin/torquesteer/understeer can catch you out.
A V70R in Saffron is currently No4 in my fantasy garage. No1 Lancia Stratos, No2 Lancia Delta Integrale, No3 Alfa GT Junior.
So i would need something practical!

[claymore]

Love my 850's, I use a T-5R as my daily and what started as a T5 as my project car.

[Davie]

This thread has done nothing to help my urge to buy another.

Stupidly sold a cracking 850 T5 back at the start of the year on the grounds it'd be a bit old / basic / unrefined for ferrying around a new human plus an 850 T5 manual and a V70 T5 Auto were just too similar and I wouldn't part with the latter. Bought a P2 V70R which really is brilliant but has evolved in to some sort of garage queen so rarely ever sees use, less so in full on family mode... so I find myself thinking the sensible thing would be to sell up and to invest in a nice, tidy but usable 850 T5, T-5R or R model as 'my' car for work, faffing and as a bit of a nice thing but without the running costs of a P2R then change her smallish family hatchback for something that would be used 90% of the time, V50 / A4 Avant sort of thing.

So yes, reading this, the classifieds and beer has made me extremely close to having to explain where the third Volvo came from...

Also using my old V70 T5 more over the break has just cemented the fact they really are rather good!