Is a Volvo S60 T4 2018 a good buy?

[JVacation]

Been having a look about for a car today and saw a Volvo S60 T4 2018 with 13,700 miles for £13k from a Approved Volvo Selekt Dealer. Is this a good buy? Are the S60s reliable? Noticed that they are pretty shifty too? Just struggling to understand why it is so cheap?

[ovlov04v]

Maybe because that series of S60 is no longer in production. The current S60 dates from 2019 build year.

Nothing wrong with the cars. Just the previous model with tech etc from some years ago. They were also not that popular as most people went for the V60 which is the estate version.

[Welton]

Mmm, I think that model could be on the cusp of a price plummet.

Large Volvo saloons seem to depreciate hard and the 'new' S60 is so strikingly different (or cool perhaps) it could leave its older brother out in the cold.

If the car is good then maybe see it as a long-termer and accept the fall in value?

I bought my S40 in the 2009 recession, it was cheap (£7k), under 4 years old and I still drive it daily - to me that's cheap motoring over the years.

[S60RDesign]

I expect values will continue to fall heavily and plateau in a few years.

I was considering replacing my 2012 T4 R Design with a newer one as the engine is much better. Most seem to be in Business Edition or SE spec though, and there won't be that much choice as most S60s are diesels.

Just for information mine was listed at £10995 as a four year old with 35,000 miles. After owning for four years it's now worth around £4500 trade in. They're a lot of car for the money, but I'd wait a bit longer.

[T5R92011]

Nobody wants them and they are just sitting around.

Hence you are getting what I consider to be a brand new premium turbocharged saloon car, for peanuts.

Nobody wants these cars because A) they are not an SUV/Crossover and B) They are bland to look at, despite being premium quality. Interiors are nice though... it's just one of those cars that was overlooked from day 1 because it wasn't showy enough for the masses.

E.g this S60 T5 powershift has been on sale for what seems like more than 1 year and he just cannot shift it. Looks brand new inside. Pretty sure he wanted £14k for it when it first went on sale and now he's down to £10k.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-det...=gl40lu&page=1

I have no doubt they are reliable vehicles, especially being a last of the line model you are looking at, however they just seem a bit too dull for me.

[S60RDesign]

Originally Posted by T5R92011

They are bland to look at, despite being premium quality. Interiors are nice though... it's just one of those cars that was overlooked from day 1 because it wasn't showy enough for the masses.

You've pretty much hit the nail on the head but reviewers loved the looks of the R Design models at the time, even Clarkson said it was one of the best looking cars on the road. They do still look good in that spec, but lacking the BMW/Mercedes/Audi badge they were never going to sell in high numbers especially when saloon sales crashed.

Volvo made a big deal of the S60's 'sporty' handling at the time but in reality they might have been better going down the comfort route.

[Welton]

Originally Posted by T5R92011

E.g this S60 T5 powershift has been on sale for what seems like more than 1 year and he just cannot shift it. Looks brand new inside. Pretty sure he wanted £14k for it when it first went on sale and now he's down to £10k.

I'm not surprised that's not shifting, photo's could be better, pics taken in Spain by the looks and then imported to UK so everyone will worry (unnecessarily) about warranties, insurance and getting parts.

And CREAM seats with the black carpeting! I can understand the cream colour being good in Spain though with the strong Sun though.

That would be well worth buying, upping the power and keeping for years.

[GMcL]

Having had two Volvo Selekt cars I would not pay any extra for the title, it's a used car and the dealer sees it as a used car nothing more, nothing less.

You do not buy a car, any car, for its resale value, they (mostly) all depreciate.

Volvo S60 is a good car if your luggage needs are for a boot rather than any hatchback or estate. I've had two back to back since 2006. If what you carry can go through the boot opening or through the doors then no problem. The folding rear seats and collapsing passenger seat help carry most things.
You can buy roof bars and a roof box with the money saved if you occasionally need to carry more.

I think they represent great value for money, I've had this one 7 years, I plan to keep it as my commuter car for as long as they allow me to drive diesel or something major takes it off the road.

One word killing that T5 further up the page: Powershift

[Sotosound]

Originally Posted by GMcL

Having had two Volvo Selekt cars I would not pay any extra for the title, it's a used car and the dealer sees it as a used car nothing more, nothing less.

You do not buy a car, any car, for its resale value, they (mostly) all depreciate.

Volvo S60 is a good car if your luggage needs are for a boot rather than any hatchback or estate. I've had two back to back since 2006. If what you carry can go through the boot opening or through the doors then no problem. The folding rear seats and collapsing passenger seat help carry most things.
You can buy roof bars and a roof box with the money saved if you occasionally need to carry more.

I think they represent great value for money, I've had this one 7 years, I plan to keep it as my commuter car for as long as they allow me to drive diesel or something major takes it off the road.

One word killing that T5 further up the page: Powershift

If that’s Powershift as in Ford Powershift then it has Ford’s Powershift twin clutch automatic, which has been problematic for many owners since day 1.

I note that Ford themselves have dropped it from Mondeos and replaced it with an 8-speed conventional automatic, possibly the same as the one that Volvo uses in its own cars.

The Powershift transmission has even earned its own Wikipedia entry, which is worth a read.

[GMcL]

I think the Ford system is dry clutch, the Volvo system wet. It's a case of death by association with the name.