Potential new Volvo owner..
 

Hi everyone.. I hope everyone is well..
Apologies if I’m in the wrong section..

I’m looking to buy a Volvo S80 ..
I’m after 07-09 years model..

I have been a jag owner since 18.. and I have had pretty every model Xj they have made.. I have now sold my last one which was the current model.. so I have put that money into a house and I now have a budget of about 4K..
I love big long comfortable cruisers so I fancy a change..
my partner has a 17 plate xc60 and I’m quite impressed with it so I’ve decided I’m going to take the Volvo plunge..

I’m due to look at a s80 this weekend.. it’s a d5 se sport..
Does that sound about right? It’s got the 4c chassis..I have Read mixed things about this so any info would be good.. also what do I need to be looking for when inspecting the car.. it has full service history and seems to be in full working order.. it has done 103k

Sorry for the long winded post..
Thanks in advance

Welcome....

Having had 3 Jags and more Volvo's than I have fingers to count I've always thought that more than any other manufacturer, Volvo shares more of Jaguars' values than any other, namely:

- Supremely comfortable seats
- Softer, more comfortable suspension than German rivals (if this is important avoid R-Design models)
- Superior cabin ergonomics designed around you rather than efficient function

An additionally they are both cars that you like because of character rather than specification.

So yes coming from an XJ - I think you will like the S80 - certainly much more than a E-Class or 5-Series.

The 4C chassis is worth having though I suspect you will probably leave it in comfort all the time which I think is the closest setting to the standard 07 onwards car...

I think at 103k you'll just about be needing a new cambelt so possibly something to use as a bargaining point. 4C is very good (I tend to leave it set on comfort setting) but new shock are mega bucks so check for signs of oil misting on them. Mine have been showing a slight leak for about 5 years according to old MOTs but they are not leaking enough to warrant replacement.

Current discussion on belt intervals: https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=278550

I looked an S80 SE Sport but was put off by the potential cost of changing the shocks.

Ended up with an S80 SE LUX with the better leather, great cars you will not be disappointed.

The D5 sounds great when floored, better than most other diesels.

Thanks guys.. is there much difference between the model with the 4c chassis and one without? As in ride comfort? I’m just asking as I will only ever want comfort.. (I’m getting old)

Are there any tell tale signs which I can look for when looking for the top sound system? I love music.. ie: extra speaker holes or something..
thanks again

Older models, with the smaller monochrome display, usually displays the audio system level each time you start the car.
Newer models (with Sensus, larger colour display above the center stack) don't. But if they have the top level Premium sound system, then there's a logo about that below the DVD slot.

4C allows the car to change the shock absorber damping level as you drive. If you always leave it in the Comfort setting, well, then maybe a standard suspension would serve you just as well. The electrically controlled shocks are significantly more expensive than the standard ones, should one fail.

I didn't get 4C. I frequently tow trailer/caravan, and 4C couldn't be combined with automatic levelling.

You've got a choice of High Performance or Premium Sound for the audio system. The latter has more speakers, and possibly better quality speakers too (I'm sure there's lots of info out there). However, High Performance is exactly that - still a really good system. Well, I'm very happy with mine and would never see any need to upgrade, and I wouldn't choose one car over another simply because of the stereo model as there are much more important things to look out for in my view. There is also a large center speaker on the top of the dash with Premium, but the same grill is there on High Performance, so you can't easily tell by looking.

The other optional extra during that range of years is built in bluetooth phone control. The main way to tell if it's present is phone answer/hang-up icons on the menu Enter and Exit buttons. Upgrading with Volvo factory parts is difficult and very expensive. Aftermarket solutions do exist but rarely look neat and probably won't do things like fade out the stereo when a call arrives etc...Personally, I would choose bluetooth compatibility as a buying point.

Other options that would be a deciding factor in choosing S80/V70 are bi-xenon lamps. Although they're another complex item that can potentially go wrong (although I've never heard of issues in general) the quality and brightness and adjustability of the beam is great. I also love the electronic tail-gate (not sure if S80s have them or not). D5 engine ? Yes, definitely. Love mine :) All things considered, I reckon it's the only engine that equals that found in a 525d around 2007, i.e. nothing better.

Things to check elsewhere, probably better that you google these topics rather than me explain here, but I'd look at the swirl throttle control arm for 1) missing link arm 2) play in the control arm 3) oil leaking from the control arm area 4) link arm motor seized.
Listen for squeeking rear suspension, which could be trailing arm front bushes (mine had failed, but didn't know for a few weeks after purhcase as they don't squeek in very wet weather).

Be aware that the built-in phone also has the same controls / buttons but has its own SIM card in the glovebox. The built-in phone is great but is a pain when you've got a mobile too. I tend to divert calls from mobile to car but makes outgoing calls tricky. Will be fitting DAB tuner with Bluetooth shortly in mine to overcome this.

Does the factory installed phone control not allow you to sync with your own mobile phone ?

No, it's just a standalone phone with its own contacts, messages etc.