Need a recommendation on buying an XC90
 

Hi there
We are planning a trip over to the UK & the continent around Sept/Oct 2019 for about a year or so, visiting family and old friends. I am looking at getting a similar year model 2009 XC 90 as my current R- V8 one over here. Looking at fuel prices in the UK a diesel wagon seems a better option fuel wise and I have been looking on Ebay at the various models and the 2.4 D5 SE R-DESIGN which has the 182 bhp engine looks promising. I am hoping to find something that has no more than 100,000 miles on the clock, 1 lady owner etc for around a max of 4000.00 quid ! However, I am not familiar with these different speck diesels re economy or durability so am looking for some pointers/sugestions please
Cheers
Phil (in Brisbane)

Bump
 

Thanks anyone

Are you planning on using it for local driving or long journeys?

You are looking at roughly 27- 29mpg arounfd town

Approx 30-32 on motorways

You have to remember it is a HEAVY car!!!!!

Thanks Jora
We plan on going down to Southern Europe early next year then back up to Scotland for the Summer. Although these XC 90’s are big they are a perfect size for camping for just the two of us, we recently threw a blow up mattress into the back of ours and did a big trip around Tasmania which worked out fine. I have also been looking at Toyota vans but they just don’t come near the XC 90 for comfort and secure driving, a pleasure on long trips.
I guess for familiarity, I am just looking at getting the similar year model as mine, say around 2008 to 2010, but with a Diesel engine and wondered if there is a particular engine & gear box combo to avoid.
Thanks

The D5 Diesel from 2008 onwards is strong and reliable. Loads of them on the roads here, many more than the V8s.

Be aware you needs to pay emissions fees to enter a lot of European cities with a diesel these days. Even with the EURO4 D5 in the Volvo. Luckily where I live it is not an issue yet.

Good chance an R-Design will have nav as well. I have an R-Design 2009 D5 with loads of options, great car.

Consider where you will buy and sell the car. Europe is LHD. UK RHD

I will be spending most of my time in the UK so a RHD car will be fine. I like the idea of having the sat nav system, although I have the 2009 R-design in Aus that was something that was left out of the Aus imports, not sure why?
On another thought, where do most find the best place to buy one of these, EBay UK seem to have heaps of them but nearly all seem to be from used car vendors with some giving great detail on service history etc and others not so forthcoming and you have to wonder why they don’t sell them through their own yards if they are any good, there doesn’t seem to be much private stuff on here either.
In Aus we have regular car auctions and you can get lucky but you have to be prepared to do your home work and go over them with a fine tooth comb. Are there wholesale car auctions in the UK that are worth looking at ?