Advice for a noob soon to be commuting 120ish miles a day...
Discussion
Mr Tidy said:
Welcome back to reality! 
When I was doing business miles with a car allowance I had 4-cylinder BMW turbo-diesels.
My first was an E46 320td, so no DPF to worry about either.
And while they may have had swirl-flap issues, that can be sorted for less than the cost of a new cam-belt (BMW use a chain)!
Good luck.
It is hard re-adjusting back to normality... having a mustang at your disposal and fuel costing less than 55p a litre is my idea of paradise! When I was doing business miles with a car allowance I had 4-cylinder BMW turbo-diesels.
My first was an E46 320td, so no DPF to worry about either.
And while they may have had swirl-flap issues, that can be sorted for less than the cost of a new cam-belt (BMW use a chain)!
Good luck.
Ideally, I'm trying to get as much bang for my buck as possible.. with the bang being made up of fuel efficiency, comfort, gadgets and a little bit of power to "make sure I'm not late getting to/from work"
This is the first time I've struggled to find something that is the right car... as discussed previously, I also don't want to invest a shnit tonne of money into a car that is going to be primarily a work horse and will depreciate at a rapid rate with the annual miles
So just came back from looking at some volvo's... looked at a 60 plate C30 2.0D R-design... lovely car but the boot is quite bad.. I'll get my gear in the boot but it will be a struggle and when we eventually have a family it may become problematic
Onto the S40 at the same garage... 59 plate same engine and spec... steering wheel and gear knob showing a little more wear but considerably more room in the boot and the 5 doors would be helpful for family plans..
72000 miles on the clock full service history but boot lid sensor is faulty, slight squeal from under the bonnet think it is the tensioner and pulls a bit to the left. Garage has told me all the issues will be addressed and sorted as well as an MOT and service plus 6 month warranty for £5,295... seat are night and day compared to the fiesta, little gutted the S40 doesnt have heated seats but beggars cant be choosers... what do you guys think?? Are the 2 litre lumps an ok engine for high annual mileage? Ive seen so many with 150,000+ miles but I've also read they are a PSA engine and should be avoided at all costs
Oh and I bought my fiesta for £3,200 in February, it is now worth £1,050 on trade or I was told I'd be lucky to see £1,900-£2,000 private
Onto the S40 at the same garage... 59 plate same engine and spec... steering wheel and gear knob showing a little more wear but considerably more room in the boot and the 5 doors would be helpful for family plans..
72000 miles on the clock full service history but boot lid sensor is faulty, slight squeal from under the bonnet think it is the tensioner and pulls a bit to the left. Garage has told me all the issues will be addressed and sorted as well as an MOT and service plus 6 month warranty for £5,295... seat are night and day compared to the fiesta, little gutted the S40 doesnt have heated seats but beggars cant be choosers... what do you guys think?? Are the 2 litre lumps an ok engine for high annual mileage? Ive seen so many with 150,000+ miles but I've also read they are a PSA engine and should be avoided at all costs
Oh and I bought my fiesta for £3,200 in February, it is now worth £1,050 on trade or I was told I'd be lucky to see £1,900-£2,000 private
Yea I bought the fiesta from a little garage just before all the s
t came out about diesels and depreciation kicked in!
Pretty set on an S40 but think I'll take your advice and go private just need to flog the fiesta first.. really liking the R Design model or something fully loaded to make the purchase feel more worth it
A 320 is a good shout but with a better badge comes a better price tag and more premium part prices
Ford Focus is do-able and after having a serious near miss crash tonight, when I say near miss Im not being OTT... someone decided to pull out at a junction as we were no more than 2 feet from them approaching at 60, thankfully I was able to swerve out the way.... that st us both up to say the very least!!! So I standby the brakes on the little fiesta... they did us proud tonight thankfully!!!
t came out about diesels and depreciation kicked in!Pretty set on an S40 but think I'll take your advice and go private just need to flog the fiesta first.. really liking the R Design model or something fully loaded to make the purchase feel more worth it
A 320 is a good shout but with a better badge comes a better price tag and more premium part prices
Ford Focus is do-able and after having a serious near miss crash tonight, when I say near miss Im not being OTT... someone decided to pull out at a junction as we were no more than 2 feet from them approaching at 60, thankfully I was able to swerve out the way.... that s
t us both up to say the very least!!! So I standby the brakes on the little fiesta... they did us proud tonight thankfully!!!SWoll said:
Bonefish Blues said:
S60/80 D5, smaller wheels preferred, really is the answer.
With an autobox.
As someone who's recently done 4 months of a 180 mile round trip 5 days a week due to a project I can confirm that the refinement and comfort levels of the larger executive range of cars is a significant improvement over the class below.
One of these would do a great job
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
And should be able to get a warranty from somewhere like warrantydirect for a reasonable sum for peace of mind?
How is the fuel on such a big car? I'm currently averaging 65mpg and, granted, I wont get that by going to a bigger car but high 50s would be handy
Funnily enough the first R design in your list is the one I test drove yesterday with a few various faults
Im now making my way through your list although everyone seems to be recommending an S60 I cant help but want an S40... I found this, seems to have the seats and engine just a st colour...
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-56-VOLVO-S40-D5-2-4-...
Im now making my way through your list although everyone seems to be recommending an S60 I cant help but want an S40... I found this, seems to have the seats and engine just a s
t colour...https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-56-VOLVO-S40-D5-2-4-...
So browsing the net and stumbled across this... 7 miles from my home so going to have a look tomorrow..
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Can anyone list in ascending order the spec trims of volvo as I am confused to hell as to what are the more or lesser spec'd cars
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Can anyone list in ascending order the spec trims of volvo as I am confused to hell as to what are the more or lesser spec'd cars
HannsG said:
Not worth it mate. Unless you are on a day rate or a fat wage.
All IMHO.
I have no intention of buying that exact car but will give me an opportunity to get the feel of an S60 with a 2.4 D5 engine... I'm still thinking S40 preferably with a D5 but I want to see if I would like the S60 by seeing it in person before writing it off All IMHO.
ZX10R NIN said:
That's the best way to do it OP check out any possibles before writing them off.
It is the mistake I've made countless times in the past where I've bought a car then seen another that I wrote off and regretted my decision... I've had many many cars but I'm set on a volvo... after seeing the C30 in the flesh, it is a great car but I think I would get fed up with the boot rather quick so therefore moved onto the S40 which ticks alot more boxes however I have a guilty pleasure for a V50 so I'm holding them in reserve until I've seen the S60 and decided if it will suit everything I need like everyone has recommended... dont get me wrong the S60 would be very good but I prefer the shape of the S40... i'll report back tomorrow once I've had a look :-)Bonefish Blues said:
Mikey2312 said:
So browsing the net and stumbled across this... 7 miles from my home so going to have a look tomorrow..
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Can anyone list in ascending order the spec trims of volvo as I am confused to hell as to what are the more or lesser spec'd cars
No, definitely not that one. 4C is a no-no - sounds like a good idea but is a very expensive fix. That car has the big sports pack I think (can't remember its proper name), with 18" wheels and half leather interior, plus the 4C. Was an expensive option, but I've only seen a couple around.https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Can anyone list in ascending order the spec trims of volvo as I am confused to hell as to what are the more or lesser spec'd cars
SE is the desirable spec, with the HU850 sound system, 17" wheels, full leather, usually comes with Winter pack too, with headlamp wash and heated seats.
Regular Sport spec is nothing of the kind
ETA
Here are the cars you should look at IMHO: Euro 3 facelifts with 163bhp and no DPF, identifiable by their black engine covers. Best mpg, best durability. Autos sometimes give trouble, not because of a problem with the box, but because Volvo didn't spec ATF changes.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=price...
Edited by Bonefish Blues on Sunday 29th October 16:51
Bonefish Blues said:
Adaptive dampers with multi settings, don't really add anything, and cost a fortune to replace.
Ahh right yea I didnt see that... definitely dont want that! I'll have a look anyway as its the closest D5 engine I can find so at least I'll know if thats for me... Hows the economy on the older 2.4 engines?
Bonefish Blues said:
On a 126-mile commute with A roads, lanes, and the M1 an honest, measured-over-55K miles 49mpg
Thats surprisingly good to be fair for what it is.. my journey would be a 120 mile round trip consisting of A roads and the odd back road.I'm still interested in the S40 2.0D but want to give the S60 a chance
mattfuey said:
OP I had a 2007 S40 2.0D, which I used for 3/4 months on my 100 mile a day commute before I’d had enough and sold it.
Average 49.5mpg (calculated) over just under 7,000 miles. Best I ever got out of the tank was 55mpg on a trip to Leeds and back.
Seats were comfy, drove nicely enough on a motorway but was completely lifeless on the last 10 miles or so of my commute through the back roads - hence chopping it in.
Overall, not a bad set up, found it frustrating that you can’t upgrade the sound system very easily
Cheers Matt, been wanting an S40 owner review to come forward. Did you have any issues with it during your ownership?Average 49.5mpg (calculated) over just under 7,000 miles. Best I ever got out of the tank was 55mpg on a trip to Leeds and back.
Seats were comfy, drove nicely enough on a motorway but was completely lifeless on the last 10 miles or so of my commute through the back roads - hence chopping it in.
Overall, not a bad set up, found it frustrating that you can’t upgrade the sound system very easily
The fiesta is gutless with only a little bit of poke near red line so I'm sure, for me, the S40 would be an improvement.. as long as it has a little bit of puff for overtaking I can live with it... for 14 days of the month it will be used for commuting to work and then just the odd trip into town and then eventually for family in the future so doesnt need to be a performance car
mattfuey said:
Mikey2312 said:
Cheers Matt, been wanting an S40 owner review to come forward. Did you have any issues with it during your ownership?
The fiesta is gutless with only a little bit of poke near red line so I'm sure, for me, the S40 would be an improvement.. as long as it has a little bit of puff for overtaking I can live with it... for 14 days of the month it will be used for commuting to work and then just the odd trip into town and then eventually for family in the future so doesnt need to be a performance car
Other than a puncture, absolutely nothing.The fiesta is gutless with only a little bit of poke near red line so I'm sure, for me, the S40 would be an improvement.. as long as it has a little bit of puff for overtaking I can live with it... for 14 days of the month it will be used for commuting to work and then just the odd trip into town and then eventually for family in the future so doesnt need to be a performance car
My step dad bought it off me when I was finished with it, he eventually chopped it in when the clutch & DMF started to give up. Was also a rattle of some sort from the rear axle, but not sure what that was if I’m honest.
Is the DMF failure an expensive repair on the S40's?
Wonder if a warranty from warranty direct would be a good idea
The 7 series is crazy big! Problem not the best thing for the journey I'll be doing... the A8 is ok but not many for sale that arent a 4L V8 diesel..
The saab has been a little dark horse in all this but I dont think it is a car for me, yes it seems very good for what it does, but not my first go to car..
The more I'm looking at S60's the more I'm coming to terms with it but need to see it in the flesh first...
The saab has been a little dark horse in all this but I dont think it is a car for me, yes it seems very good for what it does, but not my first go to car..
The more I'm looking at S60's the more I'm coming to terms with it but need to see it in the flesh first...
So an update from today... called to the garage and they had just sold the S60 to a guy in Canada an hour beforehand... couldnt believe it.. for obvious reasons they couldnt let me test drive it but I could look round it.
Initial impressions, it is a good size with a giant boot so ticks that box, the seats are incredible.. similar to the S40 but with a little more support I do very much dislike the centre console looks very dated for an 07 plate and like all volvo's the S60 had the same console regardless of the age. Gutted I couldnt experience the D5 engine!
I'm a little undecided because of the centre console to be fair, sounds petty but i'll be spending alot of time in the car and do prefer the 'floating' grey consoles found in the other models.
They did have a 2.2 mondo titanium X tdci on the forecourt that had all the bells and whistles and although the seats are an improvement on the fiesta I don't think they compare to the volvo seats... even the two tone leather has more comfort than the mondeo...
Drove to Harwich today in the fiesta for a meeting and, in short, it has to go... felt crippled when I got out... it is now up for sale so I think it will be a case of whatever comes up first... my ideal preference would be an R Design S40 with the D5 lump but I guess the likelihood of finding one is like a needle in a big haystack...
Can anyone recommend a good owners forum where I might pick up a good example of either an S40 or S60???
Initial impressions, it is a good size with a giant boot so ticks that box, the seats are incredible.. similar to the S40 but with a little more support I do very much dislike the centre console looks very dated for an 07 plate and like all volvo's the S60 had the same console regardless of the age. Gutted I couldnt experience the D5 engine!
I'm a little undecided because of the centre console to be fair, sounds petty but i'll be spending alot of time in the car and do prefer the 'floating' grey consoles found in the other models.
They did have a 2.2 mondo titanium X tdci on the forecourt that had all the bells and whistles and although the seats are an improvement on the fiesta I don't think they compare to the volvo seats... even the two tone leather has more comfort than the mondeo...
Drove to Harwich today in the fiesta for a meeting and, in short, it has to go... felt crippled when I got out... it is now up for sale so I think it will be a case of whatever comes up first... my ideal preference would be an R Design S40 with the D5 lump but I guess the likelihood of finding one is like a needle in a big haystack...
Can anyone recommend a good owners forum where I might pick up a good example of either an S40 or S60???
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