XC90 or Discovery 3?

[sam303]

Looking for opinions here, especially owners, especially anyone who has had both!

Budget is up to 10k and I'm aware that there are lots of XC90s in that range, and very few Disco 3s, but I think it can be done.

Priorities are (in no particular order):

- comfort
- quietness
- reliability

Performance is accepted as slow. MPG not really an issue. (I'd buy the XC90 with the Yamaha 4.4l V8 if I was willing to increase the budget to 15k. But I'm not, at the moment.)

OPINIONS PLEASE, INTERNET!

Edited by sam303 on Friday 13th January 16:39

[Caulkhead]

Sounds like you don't need to wider ability the Disco offers so get the Vulva. Me? I'd take the Disco but I'd want a slightly higher budget to get a good one.

[seawise]

if you are patient you might find a 4.4 V8 Disco3 for 10k, think the only TDV6 you'll find for 10k will be either be base spec manual, mega miles, scruffy or a dog (most likely a combination of all four) -- alternatively go for the swedish car.

[Skellen]

You need wary of the T6 XC90s. The gearboxes all fail in them - some have been rebuilt / replaced and can be fine, but essentially the GM box simply isn't up to the job / can't cope with the 2.9 Turbo engine.

If you look on volvoforums there is a guide on them - basically if it clonks or is anything other than smooth when changing, walk away.

[Bluebarge]

Neither of those cars, in that price range, will be particularly reliable nor cheap to repair.

[Eth2312]

Any particular reason you are only interested in these two?

Obvious one is the 7 seats but any other reasons?

In answer to your question though, not had either but driven both on several occasions, doesnt have the refinement of the Disco but generally if you have kids the XC90 might be just a little easier to live with.

One thing though, Volvo's can be exepsnive to repair, I know the Disco could be as well but I know from a friends experience the Volvo is very expensive for no apparent reason to service and repair. (main dealer that is)

[sam303]

Thanks all for input. I narrowed it down to those two because:

- back seats fit 3 adults (or 2 kids seats and 1 adult)
- also have 7 seat option
- XC90 has reasonably sized tyres I think i.e. avoids £1k cost of 4 tyres
- Disco 3 looks cool
- I like 4WD and the high driving position
- XC90 is a Volvo (this is a plus)
- Range Rover too flash and doesn't have the 7 seats

Given the above, are there any other choices I should consider? Eth - what makes you say the XC90 is more kid-friendly (I have two wee boys)?

Edited by sam303 on Friday 13th January 16:39

[Eth2312]

sam303 said:

Thanks all for input. I narrowed it down to those to because:

- back seats fit 3 adults (or 2 kids seats and 1 adult)
- also have 7 seat option
- XC90 has reasonably sized tyres I think i.e. avoids £1k cost of 4 tyres
- Disco 3 looks cool
- I like 4WD and the high driving position
- XC90 is a Volvo (this is a plus)
- Range Rover too flash and doesn't have the 7 seats

Given the above, are there any other choices I should consider? Eth - what makes you say the XC90 is more kid-friendly (I have two wee boys)?

Ok,

not too sure about tyre costs but I can see where your coming from with the sizes etc. with regards to the Volvo being more kid friendly, I cant really put a finger on that one...

My brother in law has two little ones as well, a 1 year old and a 2 year old, he has had both cars before (although the Disco was the Disco 4 TDV6, the Volvo was the D5 which was sufficient)and generally he found using the Volvo much easier, cant really put a finger on it but he just found it easier to use with the kids than the Disco.

Sure there will be people ouwho disagree with that but thats from personal family experience.

I assume you saying "its a Volvo" being a good thing you are liking the Volvo slightly more than the Disco???

If so, might be worth keeping hold of your money for a short whilem, Volvo should soon be releasing a new XC90 and that will reduce the cost of useds examples, might help you get a better spec etc

[Jonboy_t]

How about an S6 Avant instead? I know it's not the high riding 4x4 that you've been looking at, but:

- It has more power,
- Possibly more reliable (certainly more so than the Disco 3)
- The same, if not more room,
- Uncharacteristically comfortable when driving 'normally' but tight when driving enthusiastically
- Better/similar MPG
- happy medium between a rep-mobile A6 Avant and a thirsty as hell RS6 Avant!

The only thing I think you'd miss out on is the high ride that you'd get on a 4X4 if that's what you're looking for. If that is what you're after, you could do a lot worse than look at an X5 too. A relatively high miler (50-60k ish) can be had for under £10k or a more leggy model (80k plus) can be had for as low as £5k or £6k - I find them (personal opinion only) much more pleasing on the eye and having had experience of a Disco 3 and it's numerous electrical gremlins, much more reliable!

ETA - Just read a bit more and can see you want 7 seats, don't think that's an option on either of my suggestions! Although you can get a padded boot load-liner for the S6 that, when combined with some gaffer tape, would make a comfortable '6th seat' for a small child....

[Piepiepie]

Im in a similar state to yourself, i looked at disco3's for that budget and gave up on them when every single one had done galactic miles for their age. I know this isn't always the best indicator as to how good it might be, but at such huge miles, there's a reasonable chance something will break, and i know it wont be cheap.

[Jonboy_t]

Piepiepie said:

Im in a similar state to yourself, i looked at disco3's for that budget and gave up on them when every single one had done galactic miles for their age. I know this isn't always the best indicator as to how good it might be, but at such huge miles, there's a reasonable chance something will break, and i know it wont be cheap.

In general, but the engines on those things are barely worn in until they hit 50k!! The electrics, however, (as per my post above) are utterly useless! My old man bought one from new in 2005 (I think) and it has been in with a main dealer for repair for, wait for it, the equivalent of 4 months!! I st you not, 4 months - and that's counting 7 day weeks!

[CharlesdeGaulle]

I've had 2 XC90s and since then have had 2 Ford S-Maxs - the similarity is clearly the flexibility of the seating and the ability to move up to 7 people. Unless you need the 4WD - and the true off-road ability is tyre-critical - the Ford may be an intersting alternative.

Obviously the badge snobbery scores higher with the Swede, but at least there are not so many S-Maxs on the road that they feel too common. If 4WD is important, the Ford won't do.

Overall, we were really pleased with the XC90 and enjoyed it. There will be some lovely ones out there if you look properly. For me, I'd go Volvo again, but as much because I'd have more of a pool to choose from at that budget than there being anything wrong with the Disco.

[Bluebarge]

In that price range, and seeing as your kids are still small, I'd go for the S-Max or something similar. The Volvo will be expensive to fuel and service and that model is not exactly a paragon of reliability - there are issues with fuel injectors failing on the diesels and 4wd failure due to problems with the transfer box is quite common(check 4wd is working by sticking one side on a slippery surface such as a grass verge and check if the rear wheels spin as well). The early geartronic boxes show a lot of hesitation when pulling away and and all of them have the turning circle of a supertanker.

Don't get me wrong, I like Volvos, but that one will be expensive to run if buying an early model 2nd hand, and 4wds inherently cost more to service and maintain than 2wds.

As for the Disco3, you won't get a decent one in that price range which hasn't done stellar miles and it will cost even more to run than the Volvo. A major service is £1250+, the electrics are iffy, the brakes and suspension have to work v.hard given that it weighs 2700kg and components wear out accordingly.

Either would be a good buy new or nearly new, but 6 years old with a big mileage - not so much.

[BuzzLightyear]

OH has had her XC90 for about 2 1/2 years from new and likes it very much. It certainly rides well and handles OK for the size of the thing. Performance is also pretty good, even at Motorway speeds.

It is the D5 Active model with auto and it has been reliable and only had scheduled servicing. Winter setting has been useful and snow was no problem last year. The split tailgate is handy, too.

We only get about 26mpg out of it though (according to the on-board computer thingy) and the rear-most seats are a bit of a faff to raise and lower, particularly if you have child seats in the middle row. Legroom in the two rear rows is a bit compromised.

It's possible we may replace it with another later this year.

We haven't had a Disco but I have read that they do have some reliability issues. The rear-most seats are bigger and more accessible and I believe the 4wd system is more sophisticated but it's heavier so performance and economy are affected.