D5 (2005 on) Fuel Consumption

[casperd]

I cant believe the difference that the extra 22 bhp makes to to the fuel consumption as with my 54 plate d5{163 bhp} we are always getting around about 50 mpg as our average and we are not shy of having fun with it either .That extra bhp must be really worth having to lose so much in economy !

[huey48]

Interesting! My XC90 D5 SE Sport (2007 model) is averaging about 20mpg in constant stop start traffic (school run!) but I have yet to find out what it will do on a motorway run.

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by foggyjames

I'm in two minds. With the higher cost of the fuel, and the (potentially) less-than-huge improvement in MPG, the saving may not be that great. It depends on what one would do with the sort of driving I do. If I'm getting 30mpg at the moment, it would have to manage at least 45, preferably 50+ to make it worth it in my mind.

The other factors I have to balance it against are that a) I can do almost anything to my petrol S70, but I'd have to rely on the dealer far more for a D5. That wouldn't be an issue if all it needed engine-wise was basic service items, as many diesels seem to manage, and b) with the cost of the car, I'm going to have to keep it for a veeeery long time to make it worth the extra over an older petrol V70 (~£1k?). My 1997 car doesn't really show its age, so age alone is no incentive to me.

LPG on a V70 T5 would probably be a wiser investment for me....IF the price of LPG stays low. Hummm....

cheers

James

There are plenty of V70 diesels with the Audi engine around that age James. The high milage regiser has a 1996 850 TDi with that engine in having done 490,600 miles on it. Fuel consumption seems to be about 47 mpg from various posts.

Does any reasonbly looked after Swedish built Volvo show it's age? They all just seem to last forever. Even the pre zinc plated ones.

All the best.

Roy

[bob1949]

2006 V70 SE D5 Ocean Race Blue. The rattling cover was due to a broken hinge at the rear.

[foggyjames]

240s rust, but other than that...no...everything seems to last well.

I've counted out the Audi 5-pot, as the S80 2.5D I tested was horribly unrefined at idle. I accept a diesel is likely to be a bit more vocal than a petrol, but this thing sounded like a London cab! If someone can prove to me that that S80 was a lemon, I'd be interested in looking at those cars.

cheers

James

[Philthy]

A diesel is always going to be slightly noisier than a refined petrol engine. Having said that I can hardly hear my S80 D5 from inside the cab. On a motorway run I can hold a conversation without shouting above the engine noise it's that quiet. The diesel gets noisy when it's nearing a service so if you were looking at a used one that may be why. They're also noisier from cold but not to the extent of the old Merc mini cabs. With 400nm of torque the pick up is pretty good although there is a slight flat spot in 1st. The geartronic box sorts that out though.

[dodgyken]

As per Philthy - the latest S80 and V70 are whisper quiet at 70mph - amazingly serene progress.

Open the window and get the engine revving and it doesn't exactly sound rough - just that odd 5-cylinder warble which is far from unpleasant.

When cold though, she doesn't sound at her best!!

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by foggyjames

240s rust, but other than that...no...everything seems to last well.

cheers

James

240's don't rust if you follow Volvo's instructions to renew the Dinitrol rust proofing as a service item. Only problem is if you ask a main dealer about it they look at you like your're mad. It's in the handbook though.

I used to do my 1981 245 myself, as I couldn't get the main dealer to do it, and my friend has still has it and drives it every day and it lives outside all the time and it dosn't have any rust.

EDIT: I really like the sound of my D5, it sounds rather like a V8, the best sounding engines ever. I have an American friend who commented that it sounded like an American car.

All the best.

Roy

[foggyjames]

My experience with D5s has been that they're much more refined than the 2.5D...although my experience with the latter is very much limited.

Of course, Roy....but the newer stuff lasts without that treatment. When you occasionally find a 300 which has been dinitroled regularly, they're usually in excellent condition, but most 'normal' ones are pretty rusty by now, and most 240s I see are the same, whereas 'normal' 740s don't rust anything like as badly. It's no real surprise, given the design age of the car - manufacturers hadn't got around to doing things like designing out water traps. Visible panel wise, 240s are better than 300s (300s have fairly thin panels), but the undersides (where it's a much closer match) are more or less as bad as each other.

cheers

James

[dodgyken]

Quick update - to keep everyone appraised.

6 weeks since the last fill up I brimmed the car on Saturday evening - 745km from 65 litres. Sounds rubbish? It is 32.4mpg!!!!

Why so bad??

Despite the car doing 500km on the motorway - that left 245km of town driving. But still 32.4??

It has been very cold over here - and I have to do a 3 or 4 cold starts - IE engine on and outside scraping the snow and ice off the car - or worse still snow that has turned into ice!! For the conditions I am not surprised.