V50 SE Sport 2.0D

[maersk]

Hi guys (and guyesses) Giving serious thought to purchasing one of the above. Can owners comment on real world fuel consumption and teething problems?
Currently with Audi. Are Volvo stealers as bad in general?

Tested a C30 and was very impressed apart from practicality which is poor for a FOUR SEAT CAR. Quality appears to be first rate.

Any one got Calcite cream leather? Is it hard to keep clean?
Is thee dash brown with cream leather? I can't believe that it is but the bumf suggets that is the case.

Sorry for all the questions but the stealer is a long way away.
:animal-smiley-037:

[maersk]

Does the SE Sport have the same steering wheel as the C30 sport?
If you have a new(sh) V50 can you post a pickie?

Thanks

:animal-smiley-037:

[treidlia]

My response based upon 12 mo old 32k km v50 2.0D SE.

Real World Fuel Consumption based upon accurate fuel log since new
43mpg 6.6l/100km

Teething problems.
EGR valve, very annoying, not sure if solved for MY07 models. Do ask.
Also unsolved engine vibration at tickover and fluctuating power delivery a low rev/low load (doesn't seem to be common problem but I have it)
No problems at full 'throttle'.

Some annoying characteristics.
Whine from fuel pump audible at tickover/overrun.
Second gear hard to select.
Only internal indicator of front-fog-light on is on the switch and hence not visible behind steering wheel.
Glove box awfully bad design.
Rear legroom barely acceptable (as in C30).

Volvo dealers, in general, my opinion in my country, bad.

I avoided calcite cream on the basis of keeping clean.
Got Quartz beige, in hindsight I would go for calcite cream.
Quartz beige is just like dirty grey, and not dirt resistant.
In my country, SE spec gives choice of colour of leather, and wood/aluminium dash.
However dealers usually order wood with beige/cream, and aluminium with black.grey.
Aluminium with cream is attainable but you'll wait.
My last V40 had aluminium trim with beige (closer to tan) leather, and looked good to me.
However, do realise that there's very little 'dashboard' there.

I'm happy enough with build quality.
Have performed major dash/interior surgery with phonekit installation, and impressed by construction.

Feel free to ask any specifics.

[MarkE]

Does the SE Sport have the same steering wheel as the C30 sport?
If you have a new(sh) V50 can you post a pickie?

Thanks

:animal-smiley-037:

If you mean the chunky one with the aluminium part set into the top, no. You get to pay them some more money for that.

Worth it IMHO.

[maersk]

Hmmmmmm.
Still not decided and A4 Avant ( :sheep: )also beckons BUT you appear to get so much more for your buck from the Ovlov.

The chunky wheel is £250 fitted - gulp!

[Marmoset]

Been very happy with mine.

Getting about 43mpg on avg and close to 46mpg on the really, really long runs. Seems to be getting better as the car gets older - done 42k now and it still feels as though it's running in!

Dealers are very helpful IME, only problem there is the service costs - I'll be doing my own once the warranty expires.

Car quality is pretty high. I had an issue with a leaking tailgate washer and a creaking drivers seat, both of which were solved under warranty.

Aftre looking around when buying I thought that the Volvo offered much more for the money and there's the bonus of still driving around insomething different from the norm.

Rich

[webbie]

I've had my SE Sport since September 06 and it was brand new.

Fuel economy is crap compared to oyher cars although it is getting better as the car gets more miles on it.

It's now at 7000 mile and I can get 45mpg from it which is getting acceptable.

Build quality is excellant, car looks good in titanium.

I have the dark leather which is nice with the aluminium trim.

Only real problems I have had have been creaking seat (which I cured with WD40), annoying indicator lamp sometimes dont flash when unlocking/locking the car (hopefully gets sorted when car next at dealer), juddering wiper blade (dealer replaced at first inspoection - 3000 miles) and front fog lamp that steamed up (dealer drilled ahole in it)

I cant really comment on dealers as you get good and bad.

I'm not looking forward to the first service cost.

all in all I like the car. I was offered a good deal on it when trading in my V40 2.0T petrol. I did shop around but not with other makes (BMW,Audi).

I've since driven a BMW 320D which was faster but was bland in comparison.

The SE Sport V50 is well stacked up with all the toys and gadgets.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b250/alanwebster/Holidays/Aug-Sep%202006/DSC00248.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b250/alanwebster/Holidays/Aug-Sep%202006/DSC00257.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b250/alanwebster/Motorbikes/Trackday%20Pics/Croft%2029%20Sep%2006/DSC00315.jpg

good luck

Webbie

[shandy]

I wish i had done the same thing and asked before i bought my V50 2.0D Sport SE.
Ive had nothing but problems with my car from starting to not locking.
The dealer was useless and could'nt diagnose a cold with out the aid of a compter and a fault code.
Volvo customer relations department just leave it to the dealer to sort out.
I find its a case of, they have got the money from me and they are not interested.
I wrote to volvo and they have not replied.
Ive now written to the finance company under the supply of goods act.
The purchase of my car was the biggest mistake ive ever made and I would not wish this on my worst enemy.

[pigapumbu]

Build quality is excellant, car looks good in titanium.



webbie, is your car titanium colour? Looks close to barentz blue. Either way, it looks nice.

One point, I find on the SE Sport, the 18" wheels are hard NOT to kerb. Must be I am bad at it but virtually all four rims seem to have been scratched. The pirelli tyre doesn't have a protective rib thats large enough which doesn't help the sutiation. Wonder if any other tyre manufacturer is better?

eric

[maersk]

Well, having not made up my mind and having looked through the forum I am slowly going off the idea of buying a Volvo despite the attraction of a lot of kit for not much money.
There appeaar to be a lot of faults on members car and the dealers appear incompetent in dealing with them, especially the poor guy with the blown head gasket.
Now, in the past I have needed a new engine in a BMW - no problem sir, please take this upgraded car and call back next week - and a gearbox in an Audi -take this upgraded car sir and call back next week. I accept that there will be problems like this with mass produced items. There will be some duff ones. However, the way you are treated when the duffer appears makes alll the difference. 'We have fixed your car and filled the tank, oh and the next service is on us'. I don't seem to be hearing this here. It is a worry.
Looks like i'm back into the arms of the teutonic hordes.

[pigapumbu]

Well, having not made up my mind and having looked through the forum I am slowly going off the idea of buying a Volvo despite the attraction of a lot of kit for not much money.
There appeaar to be a lot of faults on members car and the dealers appear incompetent in dealing with them, especially the poor guy with the blown head gasket.
Now, in the past I have needed a new engine in a BMW - no problem sir, please take this upgraded car and call back next week - and a gearbox in an Audi -take this upgraded car sir and call back next week. I accept that there will be problems like this with mass produced items. There will be some duff ones. However, the way you are treated when the duffer appears makes alll the difference. 'We have fixed your car and filled the tank, oh and the next service is on us'. I don't seem to be hearing this here. It is a worry.
Looks like i'm back into the arms of the teutonic hordes.

Good on you. I think you are doing a wise thing. I was about to buy a German car but a dealer put me off so the following week I bought a V50 T5. On paper (performance) it would be close after having my volvo chipped. But having done it, I realised that its still not there in terms of performance. My volvo is over priced but it just can't cut it. Its 'there' but not there yet if you know what I mean. Thats my opinion so please anyone, don't bash me for it.

looking back, I should have checked out a different dealer before rushing for the volvo.

[cm2k]

I owned the 2.0D (It was one of the first in the country!) and now have the T5, the 2.0D only problem was a radio that crashed occasionally (early S40 bug) and Cruise Control didn't work at delivery. Car was great!

The T5 most problems have been with the telephone and dealer errors. The car is great lots of gadgets and well worth it.

Best best would be to drive it and see if you like it, every manufacturer has problems.

I had Quartz Grey in the 2.0D and now have Off-Black, the light interior never got dirty, only the carpet mats ;)

I have only nicked one of my wheels while parking the 18" wheels, You will be very happy with the car especially the newer versions as the bugs have been worked out now.

[C Davey]

Maersk

Thanks for the concern over my blown head gasket.

On the whole I do like the V50. I know mine is only a SE but it does (did) go very well and was a pleasure to drive.

Over the last 5 weeks of trying to resolve the issue with my vehicle, I have found that the warrenty repair seems to be down to the dealership who then claim back from Volvo. This has led to my history of least cost fixes that to date have not been satisfactory. I assume that Volvo are not alone in this approach.

Looks like your careful on where you spend cash, best of luck on whatever you buy.

C Davey

[webbie]

webbie, is your car titanium colour? Looks close to barentz blue. Either way, it looks nice.

One point, I find on the SE Sport, the 18" wheels are hard NOT to kerb. Must be I am bad at it but virtually all four rims seem to have been scratched. The pirelli tyre doesn't have a protective rib thats large enough which doesn't help the sutiation. Wonder if any other tyre manufacturer is better?

eric

mine is Titanium Grey but all photo's were taken on my camera phone.

I've kerbed one wheel but luckily for me that wheel was due to be replaced by the insurance the following week following a small accident with a big lorry (his fault, not mine). I probably could have avoided kerbing but it was christmas rush for parking space kind of thing.

Anyway I now have 4 perfect wheels again (and the kerbed one I got from the insurance).

As for whether to buy Volvo or not I sometimes wonder when reading this forum if I did the right thing.

I'm sure there are good cars and bad cars, good dealers and bad dealers and we have to remember most posts in here are people looking for help for their problems (like every other type of forum). The forum would be totally different if 90% of it's members filled the pages with " my car is great and nothing is wrong with it posts" but alas most posts are about problems so this is what we base our opinions on.

I think nowadays most dealers do just want to look for a fault code, look at a PC then swap a part over, there is not enough diagnosis or fault finding done these days but then again cars have come along way since my first one.

anyway cant complain about my Volvo, it got bashed a month after I got it which took the shine out of owning it (all fixed now) and it goes and stops well, plus I think I've finally got used to Diesel and 6 gears. Sometimes think I should have gone for the red one I was offered just to stand out more but all in all it does everything I ask it to on the 23 mile trip to work or the 300 mile trips down south. more than quick enough when you want it to be and ncie and quiet and comfy for when you take it easy.

cant really comment on my dealer yet as it's only been in for the 3000 mile check but rest assurred once it's been in for the 12500 mile service I will post up what I thought (good or bad). I hope it's good or I'll start to think I made the wrong choice too ?

laters

Webbie

[maersk]

Sti think that the dealer c davey is dealing with needs a push up the bottom. All cars go wrong at some time (it not a given, as only two things in this life are certain 1. You are going to die. 2. Your flat roof is going to leak) but the reaction of the dealer is a make or break aspet of your continued trust in the brand. As stated previously BMW and Audi both came good with no pushing. C Davey is being very restrained i believe. I shiuld have demanded a representative from Volvo GB to visit the dealership and witness the bothed repair. If the rad and matrix plus hoses can't be cleaned then they should be replaed. Get the name and address of Volvo UK head man and e-mail and hard copy full details to him stating how isappointed you are with Volvo as a prestige brand and that you expect much better treatment.

I am rumbling back towards Poland in a veritable panzerwagen i reckon. The Audi forums have a significantly lower grimble rate and detail fewer problems with new/nearly new vehicles.

Ho Hum.................

[pigapumbu]

Sti think that the dealer c davey is dealing with needs a push up the bottom. All cars go wrong at some time (it not a given, as only two things in this life are certain 1. You are going to die. 2. Your flat roof is going to leak) but the reaction of the dealer is a make or break aspet of your continued trust in the brand. As stated previously BMW and Audi both came good with no pushing. C Davey is being very restrained i believe. I shiuld have demanded a representative from Volvo GB to visit the dealership and witness the bothed repair. If the rad and matrix plus hoses can't be cleaned then they should be replaed. Get the name and address of Volvo UK head man and e-mail and hard copy full details to him stating how isappointed you are with Volvo as a prestige brand and that you expect much better treatment.

I am rumbling back towards Poland in a veritable panzerwagen i reckon. The Audi forums have a significantly lower grimble rate and detail fewer problems with new/nearly new vehicles.

Ho Hum.................

good for you.

A point for C davey, I once had a gripe with a BMW dealer because the car I bought had swirl marks all over due to them polishing the car before I took it. I grumbled and wrote letters to BMW UK who I must say at the time, kept telling me to go back to the dealer.

Finally 8 months on, I got the contact details of the CEO of BMW in Germany and sent him a 3 page letter about all the problems I was facing with the BMW dealer and BMW GB UK and put it as Private & Confidential on the envelope.

A day after he got the mail, I had his secretary calling me and imediately followed by a call from the area manager for BMW UK and the owner of the dealer. Exactly a year after purchasing the car, BMW UK agreed to take the car back at NO COST to me (inc road tax) and all I had to do was reorder a new car and sign for it. Eseentially, I got a free use of a car for one whole year.

My point, it never hurts to write to everyone including the Top Management. Something is bound to happen. Finally got a call from Germany again to check if the case was closed to my satisfaction.

eric

[maersk]

A man after my own heart! We pay alot for our pleasures and they should be 'right'. Davey boy, make waves - tsunamis!

[pigapumbu]

A man after my own heart! We pay alot for our pleasures and they should be 'right'. Davey boy, make waves - tsunamis!

too damn right. Cheers

eric

[James_N]

mine is Titanium Grey but all photo's were taken on my camera phone.

More Huge Paragraphs.....

laters

Webbie

I think this post hits the nail on the head. There are good cars, there are bad cars. I had 2 CTR's. both were crap. But the CTR is widely regarded as one of the best hot hatches you can buy. I sold it in the end. Best decision of my life.

I also agree with what webbie says about the forum. This is a Volvo Owners forum. People come on here looking for help with their problems. You never often hear about the good things that happen, but always hear about the bad things :)

Even after reading some bad things about the V50, id still very much like one, or a V70 D5, but i cant part with my older "proper ;)" volvo. I could sing its praises all day, and i have to be honest, If i now had to chose between the £15k Civic Type R i had a year ago, or my 17 year old £100 volvo, i know which would win :)

[pigapumbu]

I think this post hits the nail on the head. There are good cars, there are bad cars. I had 2 CTR's. both were crap. But the CTR is widely regarded as one of the best hot hatches you can buy. I sold it in the end. Best decision of my life.

I also agree with what webbie says about the forum. This is a Volvo Owners forum. People come on here looking for help with their problems. You never often hear about the good things that happen, but always hear about the bad things :)

Even after reading some bad things about the V50, id still very much like one, or a V70 D5, but i cant part with my older "proper ;)" volvo. I could sing its praises all day, and i have to be honest, If i now had to chose between the £15k Civic Type R i had a year ago, or my 17 year old £100 volvo, i know which would win :)

In a way I agree with Weebie. But there is also an observation about this forum. There seems to be a lot of general complaints about the 'newer' more electronic filled cars and about the way the dealers seem to handle it and handle customers.

I tend to visit many forums and yes, many just complain about the cars and dealers but there are quite a number that don't. Its a sense when one runs through this forum, when you visit all the older cars you get people asking about how to.. on technical issues for their cars and nice replies.

Then run a bit lower down to the newer cars, S60, V50, S40 and so on and you get more like, the car is giving a problem that shouldn't be there for a new car. And then the replies are, yes, mine is the same. I have that problem too and read further and all start complaining about the dealer who looks for fault codes and can't settle the problem. One guy left this car for 4 days at the dealer to sort out a hesitation problem and at the end the dealer never bothered to look at it.

So I begin to ask myself, is this the trend Volvo cars are heading too? Are the electronics too much? Do they not have the ability to build a nice lasting car like they used to? Simple and safe? Are the dealers getting complacent? Are they putting profits ahead of customer service and is this what the forum is pointing to for the future?

To generalise, 10 years back I was in another make car and they had accurate fuel consumption figures on the onboard computer. Today I am driving a 2006 model Volvo V50 and the average MPG and Miles to go figures are hopeless. How hard can it me to design this? The technology has been out for years. is it volvo or the Ford guys to blame? :hissyfit:

cheers and happy motoring.

eric

[Track_Rod]

I had a new black, 6 speed manual V50 2.0 diesel loaned to me for a couple of weeks by Volvo HQ.

It was a lovely car to look at and drive. The handling was very sharp and the engine just kept giving power all the way through the very precise 6 speed box.

I was quite amazed at the power available vs. my 2.4 D5 S60.

The only niggles were a rather fiddly audio/phone system and I didn't get on too well with the built in sat nav. I found the engine (4 cylinder vs 5 in my D5) quite unrefined, a little harsh on the noise front and I wasn't that impressed with the boot space. Mind you having owned a 900 estate before perhaps I was expecting a bit much !

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed driving it.