[Tannaton]

Am struggling with a few comments here.

Background - I've recently parted with a MY17 XC60 that I had for two years, I've got a 2003 XC90 which I've had for four years, I also have a MY08 XC70 and the Mrs has V50. Actually the V50 hasn't moved for 3 weeks as the Mrs has nicked the XC70. Apart from the XC60 which was a company lease I do all servicing and repairs myself, I know the cars intimately. In total me and Mrs T do at least 70k p/a in these cars.

I've previously had P2 V70, 2x C70 T5, 440 Turbo, P2 XC70, 850, C30, 340, etc.

The XC90 is a scaled up P2 XC70 with the same engine, transmission and drive train. Much of the electronics is the same, the suspension is similar. I find many of the maintenance jobs on the XC90 actually easier due to the size and scale (e.g. cam belt). On standard (non sport or R-Design) wheels the tyres are cheaper than on the low profile '70 cars (i.e. 18" Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season is approx £145 each for my XC70, £120 for the XC90 size)

Having contributed to this forum for 4 years I think the bigger problem the XC90 has is problem garages and owners who try to run them on the very very cheap and end up having things repaired three times when a dealer would have probably charged twice as much but fixed it the first time. That said though I do acknowledge that some dealers are not pragmatic about maintaining older cars.

If you want something clinically predictable, characterless but compliant then your choice is probably VAG or BMW (most definitely not JLR)

Personally I love the feeling of wafting around in my own sub-post office. I'm usually the only person in the car, the only time in 4 years I've used all 7 seats was when my dad borrowed it to taxi his golf mates around. And first and foremost Volvo's are all about how they make you feel....

Given my privately funded personal mileage of 35k+ a year I did oscillate on getting a 1.6 TDi Golf or a V40 D2. But factor in the annual depreciation of a 15 year old 170k mile XC90 is probably £500-£750 a year now the extra cost of 33 MPG is probably the same as the depreciation incurred by changing it.

Put it like this - if at school you were more likely to go out with the year 5 prefect who was very bright, didn't drink, would only let you kiss her on the cheek and wore glasses but your mum approved then don't get the Volvo but if you preferred the curvy netball brunette who drank and swore and had wicked sense of humor and would snog all night long - get the Volvo (or the Jaaaag....)