newbie seeking some advice

[Pimpymi16]

First off let me say hello to one and all i have just come over from www.psooc.com I currently own a 405 mi-16 which i love to bits but the time has come to start doing the family thing so i need something a bit bigger and a bit more practical.I have been thinking about an 850 t5 estate now then here comes the questions that have been asked a thousend times.
Now insurance isn't a problem i have got some really good quotes of about £400 fully comp which i don't have a problem paying for such a high insurance group car.

Is this the best model to go for?

if not which is?

I have seen alot of ex police cars for sale are they worth looking into?

I know they are well mantained by the police and high mile don't scare me at all as long as the service book has lots of nice stamps in it.

what are the best options to look out for? As a quick search through parkers and the like show a mind boggling array of options that could be fitted at time of purchase and i go blind when i try to trawl through them.

Finally i am budgeting for between 2.5k and 3k looking around this should get me a good clean example with a fair bit of life left in it
Right thanks for reading guys and girls and i look forward to your responses

[bobcat]

Hello,

For 2.5k to 3k you should be able to get a reasonable spec estate. I think you may have to go to 3.5k to get a top spec model which would be me preffered choice.

Dont touch the poilice models, they often have holes, high miles and very basic spec. the money you save you will end up spending to put right.

try to get a GLE or CD model then you will get all the toys and options.

Most often you will have to spend another £500 when you get it as things like brakes and tyre, servicing etc allways needs doing when spending ~3k.

search the forum and you will find out what problems to look out for.

good luck.

[rawmusic]

If you are spending the money to get a T5 then for the little extra it is worth getting all the gadgets...including roof bars, which are surprisingly expensive to fit afterwards. I have the CD spec, which has skin and wind (although the leather seats can be cold initially on a winter morning and hot on a summers), leccy seats and everything else (except funny enough TRACS and headlight adjusters - maybe it is automatic).
Check that all the toys are working before parting with cash. Drive several before even thinking about buying, as I was quite surprised at the difference in feel and drive quality between examples of high milers - none of them bad, but some definitely better than others.

Everyone will tell you, make sure the cam belt has been changed at 80k miles. If you don't mind the extra premium, do like I did and buy from a volvo specialist (not a dealer) as they will be able to fix whatever is wrong with the car either before you buy it, or once you have had it for a short time and found the bits that were wrong that the garage didn't fix before you bought the car. If you want a pretty good selection of cars to try in one place and you are in the berks/bucks area, try www.pwcars.co.uk Their prices aren't bad as garages go, and you have the peace of mind of back up and proper advice.

It seems that nobody wants the T5s much any more so it is a buyers market. I guess with the other viable options (such as the V70 2.4/5 LPT and 20v variants) for not much more purchase price, and less running costs are more attractive and practical. You might try (just for comparison) a V70 2.5 20v (I have had one as a courtesy car for a couple of days).. They are superb to drive and have plenty of pulling power (engine not opposite-sex-head-turning-torque).

Richard Whennell
855 T5 1995
VOC member

[cootuk]

Maybe also find an independant specialist in your area...they will know the cars inside out (if they are good). Most indys can put feelers out to source cars and, if they know they'll be sorting out problems, they try to get a good one.

[Pimpymi16]

Thanks for the replies guys i am in the north east but i am willing to travel for a good car (i bought my mi from nottingham) Sounds like a lot is common sense i think the t5 is the way to go i want something that is practical (for the bairn when he arrives)and my two big pooches and also something i can have a hoot in when i am on my own. i have heard that they go through tyres like nothing else i am guessing this happens if you have a heavy right foot? but if driven sensibly then not so bad?

[rawmusic]

If you go automatic then there is less chance of wheel spinning than in a manual. Or at least that would be the case with me!

Tyres have not posed as much of a problem as some people had led me to believe. Just don't skimp and put cheap tyres on a very powerful 2 tonne car and expect to get good service from them.

Richard Whennell
855 T5 1995
VOC member

[Al115]

Having said that, I've just got 7k miles out of my front tyres - it's been said before, "your mileage may vary"!

Best of luck.


Alastair
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http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/photopost/data/500/357v70-sig.jpg

[Philip Fisher]

Just a few thoughts:

Tyres - I have never seen more than 14K out of a set of fronts, and my P6000's only managed 9K. I have now bought some Michelins, so will see how they do.

Fuel - I see no more than 27mpg, ever, and it is more usually around the 24mpg mark. That is with Optimax. My worst figures on the road are 18mpg with (Tesco fuel) and my worst ever was 9mpg on the track.

Brakes - Front pads seem to last about 15K and my disks made it through 45K.

Back tyres and brakes are pretty much par for the course as with any FWD car.

I will have to take issue with the comments made about ex-police. I bought mine at 131,000miles and it is now at 196,000. That is 65,000 miles over 4 years. Judging by the posts on this forum I have had far fewer problems that others with civilian cars seem to have done.

I had one biggy (cracked engine block) which was due to some botched maintenance at some point (which, lets be honest could happen to any car), just about everything else has been wear items (brakes, tyres etc..), servicing and odds and ends. Spec is a little basic, but the absence of aircon is definate plus. I would definately go down the ex-police route again. At the end of the day I got a far younger car than I could have afforded otherwise.

Oh, and one final point, if you post in the V70 section you will more likely get lots more responses, with more specific model info.

Welcome to the club!

[imac]

I own an 850 T5 Estate Auto. I get about 32mpg (actual calculated) on a run at ~70mph, about 20mpg in town and on an average tank I'll get between 23 and 24mpg. My current average is 26.6mpg over the last 2,500 miles. I find the computer 'lies' by about 1mpg over the tank.

This is about the same as my my mothers T5 estate (manual) and my fathers T5 saloon (also manual).

I've not yet gone through a set of tyres, but can report that the Michellin Pilot Sports that were on the front of my mothers T5 estate lasted 16,000 miles before they needed replacing due to wearing at the edges, an 850 problem. She's fitted budget tyres on there now (against my advice!) so we'll see how they last, they only cost £45 each :) Mind you, she doesn't exactly drive on the limits ;)

They aren't hugely cheap to run, but considering the size, practicality, weight and power of them I think they are very cost effective :D

[Richieb]

Hello,

just bought a T5 CD estate, My last two cars were a Calibra and Supra 3litre turbo. Has to be said that the T5 is the best by far.
Definitly go for the higher spec as it will have everthing you might ever need.

Tyres: Mine came with P6000's but i have been told that Michelin Pilots and continentals are the best ones for a T5. Prices vary but there are some fantastic deals to be had by purchasing online then taking the tyres down to your local garage who will charge at most a tenner to fit them.

Insurance: Elephant.co.uk quoted me only £300.30 for full cover for the year!!! Pretty good if you ask me. (30yrs old full NCB)

MPG: As above really, but better than the Supra lol

On a final point, check the rear main oil seal on any T5 you might buy, it is a common thing for them to go, and when they do it can be quite costly to get repaired, mine has just gone and will cost £275 to repair.
It is where the gear box joins the block, most of the time it is only noticable from under the car so it could be difficult to see.

Richie.