Possibly having to make a 70 mile each way commute at least 2 days a week next year

I want to get rid of my current car a high mileage 99 v70 T5 AWD. Starting to need fixing more often than I'd like.

I will be putting a lot of miles on it so I was wondering what people thought about the relative merits of spending all of my 10k budget on a second hand volvo v50/s60 or use my budget and finance the balance of a new volvo. This way I can consolidate the depreciation and high mileage losses in one.

What do you think?

[Edited on 16/12/09 by liam.mccaffrey]

I would get a second hand S60 D5. You will have money left of your 10k. Them things will go forever. Too much money lost on a brand new plus you could probably afford more toys on a seceond hand one.

My mates dad has a D5 sport. 185bhp. Goes like stink hell of a nice car. 55 reg done well over 200k. Doing a 180 mile a day comute and never missed a beat.

[Edited on 16/12/09 by Danozeman]

I got an S60 D5 3 years ago and it cost me £6.5k for a 53 plate.

Never needed anything other than brakes replacing (125k on the clock this week), has plenty of grunt in the engine and does a pretty good mpg too.

if i were doing high miles and wanted something like the volvos, i would go for a merc for class and long lasting or a mondeo/focus for cheapness, the volvo is only a ford underneath anyway, same with jag x type, only a ford under, so why pay for a higher class badge for the same car.

if i was going to do high miles in a work car i would buy an older high spec E class merc pre Y reg for the cheaper tax, just sold an E430 R reg and it was faultless, even with 200k on the clock.

fair point bj, i have a 'thing' for volvos and their 5 cylinder lovelyness though

I don't 'like mercs though and the focus doesn't light my fire.

I know the Focus is available with the T5 but I'm after a diesel

Ive just bought this:



Never gonna set the world on fire but anywhere between 55 and 75mpg means im saving £150 a month on fuel, and its only £35 road tax.

presumably thats a 1.6? They're a nice wagon, we test drove one with the D5

yes, 1.6, the DrivE version.
The new stop start claims over 80mpg and free road tax, but I couldnt be arsed with that!

the E class 320 cdi is a hell of a diesel, i know you said you didn't like merc but they are bloody nice,

also, something a lot of people over look is LPG, all the go of the petrol (v8 if you like ) with the economy of or better than diesel, i have had a number of LPG cars and its great, no rattly old/new diesel, i'm looking for a sharan 2.8 v6 4x4(4motion) with LPG at the moment, alot af people are scared of LPG because they don't know about it, and i believe volvo to a factory fit LPG.

LPG is about 50p a ltr at the moment.

quote:

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Originally posted by liam.mccaffrey
fair point bj, i have a 'thing' for volvos and their 5 cylinder lovelyness though

I don't 'like mercs though and the focus doesn't light my fire.

I know the Focus is available with the T5 but I'm after a diesel

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the bigger volvos arent really like a ford , the v50/s60 could be if you looked really hard .

get a dual fuel model , all the go , but can be cheap .

we use merc vitos at work , and the vito sport uses the v6 turbo diesel , so if you could find a car with that in , youd be suprised .

unfortunately most merc dealers are arses .

quote:

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Originally posted by liam.mccaffrey
fair point bj, i have a 'thing' for volvos and their 5 cylinder lovelyness though

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Might be worth having a go in a SAAB. I know there not to everybodies taste but they last forever and will shift when you want them too.

Find another 3 grand and you could be the owner of a brand new largish saloon with a straight six engine.

Personally I'd get a new car, but that's because it's an itch of mine to own one from new. If you're going to keep to the servicing and really look after it then you'll probably have it until the oil runs out!

You can get a new shape Mondeo for 10k I reckon with all the toys. Mine's been great (05 plate, 78k miles)