Imminent purchase of S60, S80 or C70

[Flanaia1]

Hi All

I'm just about to purchase another Volvo as my daily driver and seeking advice and opinions, but firstly let me set the scene :natur008:

Current fleet is

Me: Volvo V70 D5 61 plate
SWMBO: Volvo C30 61 plate
Weekend Car: Mercedes Brabus CLK (wont be changing)

New fleet

Me: S60 or S80 or C70
SWMBO: Ford Kuga Titanium with RS pack (collecting 12th Feb)



So going forward we will have a 4x4 and a high powered sports car, so the question is what do I get? An S60 bullet proof saloon? a bit of an exec S80? or folding hardtop cabriolet C70 which I fancy?

I am looking at between 2006 - 2009 as I want to realise some cash to fund my new toy Audi R8

What do the panel think what is the most reliable out of these 3? my current mileage is 20k per year and I dont want a diesel, had enough of those now

[dme123]

They are all pretty reliable. I have a C70 D5, a P2 V70 T5 and a recently acquired brand new P3 V70 D5. I also helped a colleague buy a 2007MY S80 D5 SE Lux this month.

My take on it is that aside from the folding roof the C70 is markedly inferior to the S80 and indeed P2 V70 in almost every way. The S80 has a really beautiful interior and feels much more pleasant to drive, I really and truly wish the C70 had been based on the larger car platform rather than on the (good, but decidedly lower rent) small car platform. I have to remind myself that it was intended as a competitor to the A4/3 series/Saab 9-3 cabriolet and not as a competitor for the 6 series.

The roof is quite a trick though, and the C70 Dynaudio system is spectacular, with an extra two subwoofers over the very similar system in a decent spec S80. I'm currently quite torn between sticking with my C70 and trading it in for an S80. You are also limited (I assume you're looking at late model cars) to the D3 and D4 engines in the C70 and don't get the option of the twin turbo D5 as you do with the newer S80 and V70. The C70 also does make a lot of compromises for that roof, it's extremely heavy (150KG+ more than an S80!) and wears it's suspension components and tyres accordingly. The ride quality is good, but not as good as the larger cars, it's quiet at speed, but not as quiet as the larger cars, and it's comfortable but predictably not so much as the larger cars. It's always a pleasure to get into one of my V70s after a while with the C70 (particularly the petrol powered one!). The P2 S60/V70 is quite a dated car in styling and interior, but is still a nice drive. You mention up to 2009 so I guess you'll be looking at the new model?

That said I do not see why you'd bother replacing a 2011 V70 for an S80 as the V70 is effectively an S80 estate. Also any S60 is a step down from an S80/V70 although if it's the current version it is a more "modern" car. Also the C70 has been out of production 2 years now so you won't get a new one. You'll find any P2 car to be pretty old school after a 2011 V70.

You will also have a harder time finding any of these cars as Petrol versions. You can get pre facelift T5 C70s but most are autos and get the **** old 5 speed AW box and get stung with £400 PA road tax for decidedly modest performance. The 2.4i C70 isn't worth looking at, it's gutless as an auto and only passable as a 5 speed manual. The odd manual T5 turns up and these are great cars. I don't think I've *ever* seen a petrol powered facelift C70 for sale although they were available! You do see the odd petrol S60 and S80 and depending on how old you want to go the S80 is available with a 4.4 litre V8. I like the sound of a T6 AWD S80 but they don't come up often. The 3.2 is smooth but gives poor performance returns for it's economy. I've not had the pleasure of any of the petrol S60s but a T5 with the 240bhp 4 pot turbo might be fun.

Additionally if you DO get a new or nearly new S80 prepare yourself for savage depreciation and a hard time selling it privately, particularly a petrol model!

[andylinney]

I've a 2008 C70 T5...

I really do like it, but as DME says it has a few shortcomings. It's phenomenally heavy, so much so that the T5 lump feels only just about capable of moving it with any purpose (mind you I did come out of a 300+ bhp car into it). Its weight means that its handling is better suited to longer runs, not b-road blasting but then, if you do get an R8 it'd be criminal to use anything else to make rapid progress through the twisties.

It does shimmy when the roof is down, noticeably so. But then most convertibles do and you soon get used to it.

It is, at the end of the day, a Ford Focus chassis with a nicer body bolted on, so much so that my friend insists on calling it my ST Convertible.

But, it's very pleasant to drive. It sounds exceptional (as do all 5 pots), and gets the right amount of attention (very little). It's smart, scrubs up well and doesn't leave you looking like the prat in a car park. It passes the Waitrose test, especially with the roof down on a nice day and holds its own parked next to much more expensive cars.

I bought mine on an absolute whim, I actually went out to buy a Passat CC and came home with the C70.

[GMcL]

I've had both P2 and current S60.
I'm currently toying with idea of swapping my 2011 S60 for a 2009 C70.
The current S60 is in a different league in terms of handling to the P2 car BUT the P2 car feels much better built. The boot on the new S60 is a joke, fit the underfloor spacesaver spare wheel and you are down to MINI boot dimensions.
The S80 c.2007 will get you the newer chassis though the aluminium underpinnings of the P2 cars helps keep the weight down.

After reading the comments here about the C70 I'm having second thoughts about a swap.

[dme123]

I've had both P2 and current S60.
I'm currently toying with idea of swapping my 2011 S60 for a 2009 C70.
The current S60 is in a different league in terms of handling to the P2 car BUT the P2 car feels much better built. The boot on the new S60 is a joke, fit the underfloor spacesaver spare wheel and you are down to MINI boot dimensions.
The S80 c.2007 will get you the newer chassis though the aluminium underpinnings of the P2 cars helps keep the weight down.

After reading the comments here about the C70 I'm having second thoughts about a swap.

Don't get me wrong, these compromises are the same that you have in any 4 seater convertible and as these sorts of cars go it's a great one. It seems very well built, it looks great without making you look like a **** and it is as powerful as you'd want it to be. I really do like it but for the times when the roof is up an S80 or S60 is going to be a better car.

Hard to beat the roof down on a dry day, in winter or summer and during the day or at night though.

[GMcL]

My car is more of a wet days and winter umbrella.
I've got my bike for fresh air blasts.

Still like the idea of a convertible as we have the milkfloat estate (hybrid) for a back up family car.

The P2 S60 was always associated with heavy drop link consumption. My own car had one in the seven years I owned it. My concern for the C70 is based around the suspension comments admittedly relating to the S40 which I believe is similar from what I've read.

[andylinney]

Totally agree, there are few better things than on a warm night having the top down and going for a bimble around listening to the t5 singing.

It's a very different experience to driving anything else I've ever had and it seldom fails to make me smile.

It looks, in my opinion, fantastic with the roof and all of the windows down and the audio is good enough not to embarrass you sat in traffic with people walking past. In all honesty, when the weather is dry I need an excuse not to put the roof down. Even recently when the temps were in single figures, coat, hat, heated seats and away you go...

[dme123]

Even recently when the temps were in single figures, coat, hat, heated seats and away you go...

A kindred spirit! Unless it's actually raining my roof goes down. Gloves are good and a decent hat, but it's great. Surprisingly civilized at "motorway speeds" too with the windows up and particularly with the wind deflector in place.

I think you hear about heavy suspension wear on all modern cars - old cars used to have dissolved to dust by the time the suspension was shagged, and modern cars have a lot more bushes and links in the suspension than the old nails from the 80s. I've not had to replace anything on my P2 V70 and it's at 150K, and to be honest replacing bushes and links ever 80-100K is hardly a massive expense.