Advice on buying a Volvo C30.

[ricowaldman]

Hi,

I was looking for advice about buying a C30.

I work in community for as a Physio for NHS and need a reliable car for my new job. Ive always fancied a C30 but until now have been unable to afford one.

I have found a Volvo C30 DRIVe [115] SE Lux 3dr for sale which has done 60k and is a 2012 reg. I have seen similar ones at same price and do prefer a diesel (for cost/low tax)

I don't have a great deal of technical car knowledge but just wanted to ask for advice about anything i should watch out for when buying a C30.
Is there anything i should check for? Eg. Timing belt replaced? Common faults etc.

I saw a c30 listed recently that had done 220k (which i found reassuring).

And just in general is it a good car to drive, reliable?

I dont need huge amount of back seat passenger space and as long as the boot is big enough (with the back seat folded forward if need be) to fit a zimmer frame from time to time.

Thanks in advance for any advice and i hope to be an official Volvo owner in the very near future.

Rico

[lockstock]

Hi,

I was looking for advice about buying a C30.

I work in community for as a Physio for NHS and need a reliable car for my new job. Ive always fancied a C30 but until now have been unable to afford one.

I have found a Volvo C30 DRIVe [115] SE Lux 3dr for sale which has done 60k and is a 2012 reg. I have seen similar ones at same price and do prefer a diesel (for cost/low tax)

I don't have a great deal of technical car knowledge but just wanted to ask for advice about anything i should watch out for when buying a C30.
Is there anything i should check for? Eg. Timing belt replaced? Common faults etc.

I saw a c30 listed recently that had done 220k (which i found reassuring).

And just in general is it a good car to drive, reliable?

I dont need huge amount of back seat passenger space and as long as the boot is big enough (with the back seat folded forward if need be) to fit a zimmer frame from time to time.

Thanks in advance for any advice and i hope to be an official Volvo owner in the very near future.

Rico bigger price items that you should look out for

DPF at 60k and 9 years may be getting old. expensive replacement

clutch

timing belt

air con condensor and compressor, both expensive, both prone to failure. lots on this forum about it.

front lower control arm bushes, at 60k and age if not done, will need doing soon

All usual stuff for any car and im sure others will give some specific tips about that Diesel

[Bellini]

What kind of mileage do you do? Work commute, that kind of thing.
Do you do many short trips?

You may find that buying a petrol model a better financial proposition. Diesel's do not like short journeys and you'll avoid DPF issues completely if buying a petrol engine.

You may also want establish that fitting a zimmer frame through the rear of a C30 is possible before buying. Better to ask the seller's permission to find out first.

There are other considerations, too.

Water ingress can affect many examples either through blocked sunroof drains, poor windscreen sealing at the top and failed boot / rear bumper seals. Check the carpets thoroughly and especially the front footwell, rear footwell and boot.

Some folk place a high priority on the stereo system. They're all good on a C30, but many find the Premium system on Lux (an option elsewhere, I believe) models preferable. There is no 'plug-and-play' upgrade.

[TheFiend]

You may also want establish that fitting a zimmer frame through the rear of a C30 is possible before buying. Better to ask the seller's permission to find out first.


A zimmer frame does fit in the back of a C30, as long as the hard load cover is removed.... I've transported one in the back after my mother had a hip replacement done.

[ricowaldman]

A zimmer frame does fit in the back of a C30, as long as the hard load cover is removed.... I've transported one in the back after my mother had a hip replacement done.

Brilliant. Thank you

[ricowaldman]

What kind of mileage do you do? Work commute, that kind of thing.
Do you do many short trips?

You may find that buying a petrol model a better financial proposition. Diesel's do not like short journeys and you'll avoid DPF issues completely if buying a petrol engine.

You may also want establish that fitting a zimmer frame through the rear of a C30 is possible before buying. Better to ask the seller's permission to find out first.

There are other considerations, too.

Water ingress can affect many examples either through blocked sunroof drains, poor windscreen sealing at the top and failed boot / rear bumper seals. Check the carpets thoroughly and especially the front footwell, rear footwell and boot.

Some folk place a high priority on the stereo system. They're all good on a C30, but many find the Premium system on Lux (an option elsewhere, I believe) models preferable. There is no 'plug-and-play' upgrade.
Hi Bellini,

I mainly do lots of short trips throughout the day for work maybe about 5 x 6miles on average. I just assumed diesel was the most economical option but im guessing that's not the case here?

I see you own a C30 2.0l, what mileage do you get from a full tank?
Ive got an old Focus 1.6 at moment and i am lucky to get 300 from a full tank which i guess is terrible.

Thanks for your reply.

Cheers

Rico

[Dastardly Diesel]

Your question is a good one, but too vague. An 8 year old car of any make is already liable to be knocking on in terms of age and mileage, and likely to have fallen out of the dealer servicing regime to the independents. Even worse, it may have for to Fred in a Shed or skipped services altogether.

Therefore, any car at that age is liable to be problematic, be it a Bentley or a Kia. They're not a rare car, over 2 million were produced worldwide, so take your time and find one with as few owners as possible and either a full dealer or reputable independent history.

The C30, broadly speaking, is no worse than any mass market car in the age related reliability regard. Minimise the risk by buying carefully. If money is tight I'd also minimise the risk further buy buying a petrol engined version - yep, they drink more fuel, but you don't run the risk of having to replace a tired DMF (related to the clutch) or a DPF (diesel particulate filter) and all the associated plumbing and gubbins. Either of things alone would make your eyes water, and both together would start to approach the point where it may not be economical to do the work. Then there are other bits like turbo and injectors, which can be expensive and troublesome on the 1.6 diesel in particular. Trade a bit of short term discomfort against the possibility of a lot of long term pain, particular with the mileage and type of driving you do which is particularly problematic for a modern diesel with all the antipollution gubbins.

[Bellini]

Hi Rico. I get just over 400 miles to a tank, bearing in mind that I'm not a fuel light junkie and will fill-up when my remaining range is around 150 miles or so.

It works out to around 47mpg, which I don't think is fantastic for a little diesel but seems commensurate with many owners. Winter driving, I know, isn't terribly kind to diesel economy, so that has to be factored in. I would hope to see 50+mpg in warmer weather on my daily mainly-motorway commute.

Prodigious mid-range torque of the Ford/Peugeot lump aside (very handy for effortless motorway overtaking), hindsight would have me seeking out a rare 2.0 petrol and saving any potential DPF hassle. With diesel prices set to potentially increase sharply this year due to marine fuel regulations, petrol seems an increasingly attractive option. Six of my 9 (!!) vehicles are petrol.

Considering your usage, I would strongly consider a manual petrol C30. Or find an auto to avoid the DMF (dual-mass flywheel) costs.
Reports suggest the 1.6 is underpowered. I have no experience and cannot comment, but experience does tell me that larger engines with greater torque are generally no less economical and always much nicer to drive.

[Welton]

My wife runs a 1.6HDi diesel engine in a Citroen C4 and does this exact same journeys - we get 43mpg average and I get the pleasure* of changing the oil every 6 months which normally falls out of the sump like water due to the many regens of the DPF and the contamination of the oil with diesel fuel.

We've done 50K miles like this (30 to 80K now) and to be fair it hasn't given any trouble, mainly I think due to the many oil changes. Having said this it will need the eolys fluid changing any minute now so not looking forward to that and the DPF must be chocker block inside. We were given the car so it was more a case of keeping it running well as long as poss.

For running about locally I'd always suggest a petrol engine and a light foot! - on the plus side a used petrol C30 will have much lower mileage and should be in a nice clean condition with good history.

[lockstock]

Hi Rico. I get just over 400 miles to a tank, bearing in mind that I'm not a fuel light junkie and will fill-up when my remaining range is around 150 miles or so.

It works out to around 47mpg, which I don't think is fantastic for a little diesel but seems commensurate with many owners. Winter driving, I know, isn't terribly kind to diesel economy, so that has to be factored in. I would hope to see 50+mpg in warmer weather on my daily mainly-motorway commute.

Prodigious mid-range torque of the Ford/Peugeot lump aside (very handy for effortless motorway overtaking), hindsight would have me seeking out a rare 2.0 petrol and saving any potential DPF hassle. With diesel prices set to potentially increase sharply this year due to marine fuel regulations, petrol seems an increasingly attractive option. Six of my 9 (!!) vehicles are petrol.

Considering your usage, I would strongly consider a manual petrol C30. Or find an auto to avoid the DMF (dual-mass flywheel) costs.
Reports suggest the 1.6 is underpowered. I have no experience and cannot comment, but experience does tell me that larger engines with greater torque are generally no less economical and always much nicer to drive.

all good advice. I have the 2.0l petrol. it's a nice drive, it isn't super fast but you can overtake comfortably and it pulls pretty nice over 4k revs and can be sedate at low speed. I average 37.5 mpg and that is a mixture of driving and I don't shy away from the accelerator. On long trips, if I cruise at 65, and try for eco, I can get 45mpg, but it's work. Round town, ignoring efficiency, would be 30-32mpg.

engine mounts do go on these engines, and the rear torque mount got a redesign, as the old one tends to fail and have too much movement.

I avoided the deisel as the dpf costs and other issues were too much hassle given age and mileage.

[T5R92011]

You should buy a good condition 2.0-litre petrol...

Reasons:
- Reliable Mazda engine
- No expensive timing belt to change (engine is driven with a chain)
- Incredibly easy to service
- MPG is ok

If you buy the diesel, you will find yourself dealing with constant bouts of reduced power i.e "limp home mode" with various sensors related to DPF throwing errors and EGR valves getting blocked.

As an NHS professional I doubt you need that kind of annoyance and hassle in your life. Sometimes it's worth paying slightly more in fuel to have less worry about your car. For reference my friend is on a relatively low wage and is able to run a 2.0-litre petrol C30 no problem at all.

[T5R92011]

I would also suggest where possible to go for 2012 onwards model for these reasons:

Bluetooth audio streaming
2012 onwards allows you to stream music to your car via bluetooth. Previous models only allowed phone calls to be streamed, but not music.

Automatic headlights with LED DRLs
These cars have dedicated LED daytime running lights, whereas the older cars used the actual headlights as "always on" DRLs, causing the headlight output quality to deteriorate much faster than most cars, due to heat affecting the silvering on the headlamp reflectors.

Ignition switch/steering lock issues resolved.
Volvo removed a troublesome part of the steering lock/ignition switch function on these models as it was causing problems on previous models, despite numerous revisions.

[ricowaldman]

Thanks everyone for helping out with detailed advice. Very helpful indeed.
I am now on the hunt for a petrol C30.

Cheers

Rico

[Dastardly Diesel]

I think that's wise. Find a good one, keep it well serviced, and it should be your faithful friend.

[ricowaldman]

I would also suggest where possible to go for 2012 onwards model for these reasons:

Bluetooth audio streaming
2012 onwards allows you to stream music to your car via bluetooth. Previous models only allowed phone calls to be streamed, but not music.

Automatic headlights with LED DRLs
These cars have dedicated LED daytime running lights, whereas the older cars used the actual headlights as "always on" DRLs, causing the headlight output quality to deteriorate much faster than most cars, due to heat affecting the silvering on the headlamp reflectors.

Ignition switch/steering lock issues resolved.
Volvo removed a troublesome part of the steering lock/ignition switch function on these models as it was causing problems on previous models, despite numerous revisions.

Thank you so much your comments are exceptionaly helpful. Can i ask, are all the 2.0l ones mazda/timing chain versions? Based on your advice ill be looking for a 2.0l post 2012.

Im gonna keep looking but would you say that this car is a good example.....

https://www.bridgendgroup.co.uk/used-car-details/used-volvo-c30-20-r-design-3dr-sport-hatch-white-manual-petrol/id-2022151200333/?Make=VOLVO

Many thanks again

[lockstock]

Thank you so much your comments are exceptionaly helpful. Can i ask, are all the 2.0l ones mazda/timing chain versions? Based on your advice ill be looking for a 2.0l post 2012.

Im gonna keep looking but would you say that this car is a good example.....

https://www.bridgendgroup.co.uk/used-car-details/used-volvo-c30-20-r-design-3dr-sport-hatch-white-manual-petrol/id-2022151200333/?Make=VOLVO

Many thanks again
good colour combo, low mileage. But, looks like it doesn't have heated seats, and has the useless telephone set up which means you miss out on bluetooth for stereo (i think). Otherwise it is identical spec to mine.

I think the price is high as well, even with that mileage, should be more like 5k at most.

In terms of spec, I'd say you want heated seats, xenons are a bonus, and the upgraded stereo is good but the basic one is pretty good too.

the 2l and 1.8l are a mazda design, both chain drive cams, but they are actually the ford duratec units so not quite as good as the actual mazda units. The 1.8 suffers from drinking oil if you are unlucky, something to do with the piston rings. the 2l doesn't suffer from this. Both can get oil leaks round the rocker cover gasket so have a good look, it's not a big deal to change. They are prone to cracking coolant expansion tank. watch out for vibrations through steering wheel and chassis from engine. Could be bad engine mounts (common, not a big deal) or the dual mass flywheel on clutch so take a close look during a test drive. The t tec seat leather neopreen stuff is prone to splitting at stitches so inspect seats. If you find a LuX model with full leather, u wont havr this issue.

check all around the carpets, foot well and boot, there can be water ingress issues, or water issues from air con condensor (lots of threads on this).

[ricowaldman]

good colour combo, low mileage. But, looks like it doesn't have heated seats, and has the useless telephone set up which means you miss out on bluetooth for stereo (i think). Otherwise it is identical spec to mine.

I think the price is high as well, even with that mileage, should be more like 5k at most.

In terms of spec, I'd say you want heated seats, xenons are a bonus, and the upgraded stereo is good but the basic one is pretty good too.

the 2l and 1.8l are a mazda design, both chain drive cams, but they are actually the ford duratec units so not quite as good as the actual mazda units. The 1.8 suffers from drinking oil if you are unlucky, something to do with the piston rings. the 2l doesn't suffer from this. Both can get oil leaks round the rocker cover gasket so have a good look, it's not a big deal to change. They are prone to cracking coolant expansion tank. watch out for vibrations through steering wheel and chassis from engine. Could be bad engine mounts (common, not a big deal) or the dual mass flywheel on clutch so take a close look during a test drive. The t tec seat leather neopreen stuff is prone to splitting at stitches so inspect seats. If you find a LuX model with full leather, u wont havr this issue.

check all around the carpets, foot well and boot, there can be water ingress issues, or water issues from air con condensor (lots of threads on this).

Brilliant. Thank you

[ritesh]

Hi,

I was looking for advice about buying a C30.

I work in community for as a Physio for NHS and need a reliable car for my new job. Ive always fancied a C30 but until now have been unable to afford one.

I have found a Volvo C30 DRIVe [115] SE Lux 3dr for sale which has done 60k and is a 2012 reg. I have seen similar ones at same price and do prefer a diesel (for cost/low tax)

I don't have a great deal of technical car knowledge but just wanted to ask for advice about anything i should watch out for when buying a C30.
Is there anything i should check for? Eg. Timing belt replaced? Common faults etc.

I saw a c30 listed recently that had done 220k (which i found reassuring).

And just in general is it a good car to drive, reliable?

I dont need huge amount of back seat passenger space and as long as the boot is big enough (with the back seat folded forward if need be) to fit a zimmer frame from time to time.

Thanks in advance for any advice and i hope to be an official Volvo owner in the very near future.

Rico

Hi Ricowaldman,

I am now selling my Volvo C30 2.0 Petrol R-Design as I have just bought a Volvo V40 Cross Country T5 from a forum member (needed 4 doors). It is 2012 model with 47200 miles (I would say >80% of the mileage is motorway mileage ) with sat nav, heated seats, blue tooth and much more. It is has been fully service by Volvo and the last two services (one last week) by Volvo Specialist in Letchworth.

If interested let me know as it will be going on Auto trader this evening