OK, I know its not even a VAG group car, but looking to see if anyone knows anything about the S60 D5 Manual gearbox around 2003 vintage.
 
I went to look at one today and it has a number of issues, but apart from those it has lowish miles so the seats etc. are not particularly worn etc.
 
The car is generally untidy inside, but outside is ok'ish except for some lacquer peel on the bonnet, it does however have some issues from recent MOT advisories and these are:
 
rear exhaust bracket corroded
front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)
offside rear rear parking (secondary) brake imbalance requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. low effort wont lock (3.7.B.6b)

 

No record of cambelt change either, although does not look to difficult on the D5 engine.

 

The car is overpriced, and I could most likely get them down but is it worth buying? and I wonder how much it would be to sort the brakes. The front brake pads look quiet new, not sure if they've been replaced after or before the MOT.

 

This is the car by the way.

 http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201602271452263?sort=locasc&model=s60&make=volvo&searchcontext=default&radius=1500&page=1&postcode=DT11%2520xxx&search-target=usedcars&onesearchad=used%252Cnearlynew%252Cnew&logcode=p

Edited 12 March, 201610 yr by mannyo

The handbrakes fail on these. Common problem...and expensive fix. Can't remember the specifics but it falls apart and is a pain. Mine did it and the RAC man managed to get it off so I could drive the car.

The D5 at 2003 age isn't overly powerful, they were updated to 185bhp around 2005/6.

I had no issues with my gearbox..I had the 2.0t petrol with 180bhp. My best mate had a 06 plate d5 auto which was OK too.

Colleague has a 2litre desel v40 2003 i think, def not newer than 2005. Has had a few engine issues (turbo/fuel system) and has had 2 alloys crack.

Another colleague's girl friend had a 2004 s60. Broke her heart with the list of things tht went wrong on that dog of a thing, she bought it 2nd hand in 2007 and was fit to burn it out by 2008...

I have a 2003 but it is a petrol automatic S60. New discs are inexpensive as are pads and shoes for the handbrake, the master cylinder is an easy replacement and not expensive

What is are the keys / barrel going wrong, electrics including drivers seats

The one featured here looks a dog inside and maybe best avoided.

The early V40s, as I have found out are not actually Volvos as such, they were in effect a rebadged Mitsubishi Carisma of that era but fitted with a Renault Turbo diesel engine. My neighbour has an 02 reg V40 diesel and its been pretty reliable except for when the Turbo intake pipe came off.

 

I've found another S60 that looks more promising, not quiet so local but this one at least looks better. 1 owner, full service history and new MOT. Just waiting for the dealer to send me the reg plate so I can see the current MOT advisories.

This is the one I am waiting for details on.

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201602050753880/usedcars?logcode=visc

I love them for comfort and the build quality of the body. Check the A/C works as should, the windscreen condition, the dim dip lights, memory seat

Tyres are not expensive, ride is wonderful. The T5 does at worst 100 miles for 3 gallons and sometimes better than that. parts not expensive, if electrics go wrong you are in trouble. lots of sensors and motors. I disabled the alarm when it showed it wanted the 12 year service. Luckily the mechanic got a new barrel from Skoda and welded and removed and fitted a new one when the low milage one refused to operate. Dash never came out luckily. Volvo take over £600 to do the job, security bolts etc. This often is why older volvo get scrapped even without high miles, not because of corrosion. PS, Little space behind drivers seat with seat far back, but what a huge boot and space when seat backs are tipped forward.

Edited 13 March, 201610 yr by GoneOffskiroottoot

Thanks for the advice, still waiting for dealer. its a long drive to Bristol on whim. If I go to see that car, then its not cost effective to not buy it.

 

I am replacing the A6, I'll be keeping the A8 as it is also such a perfect car.

 

I tried to sell the A6, but failed miserably even at £200 I've had no takers. With the MOT running out in May thats now putting people off, despite having no advisories at the last one. Seems the engine light and mileage is putting people off as well, despite the engine light being on for years now. I can clear the fault, but it returns within several hundred miles. The fault is the crankshaft sensor giving dodgy readings, leading to lumpy idle and what feels like a misfire. It should pass another MOT easily, and I'll re-MOT it if I've still got it at the time.

 

The A8 is not without its expensive fixes either, day to day stuff is cheap but suspension or electrical issues are very expensive to fix.

Edited 13 March, 201610 yr by mannyo

Dealer just got back with the reg.

 

Offered £100 scrap for the Audi.

 

MOT history looks spot on, no brake issues. Only issue is last MOT has advisory for slight play on inner rack joints, before that perfect and MOT'd every year at the same time.

 

I'll remove the Stereo from the A6, and refit the factory one, I don't have the code and may go up and look. Need to maximise the incoming cash.

This year before a Mot I acted on last year's advisorires, so a new Fuel cap as the seal was perished and new drive shaft gaiter as the same.

I had a V70 and the handbrake shoes fall apart inside the disk. They need changed every 5 years at the latest. The shoes themselves aren't expensive but isn't part of the service schedule so get assurances they've been done. The parts they take out are expensive. I paid around £800 I think when mine went.

If it has adjustable comfort settings for the suspension the shocks are extortionate too. You're looking at £1,000 per corner from Volvo. However they're manufactured by a UK company called Monroe and you can buy them directly from them for a couple of hundred pounds.

A D5 S60 was on my shopping list last time I came to change (which has averaged out at every 12 months for various reasons)

a 2003 model with under 90k round here from the local indy specialist was under £3k, and that included replacing the dash, which was on the fritz.

Supremely comfortable, but at the time I couldn't quite stomach the mpg, which was a little on the heavy side for my mileage - a manual might have been marginally better, but that wasn't what I needed/wanted.

 

the D5, from my token research, was coming out as a pretty bomb-proof unit, though there were some whisperings about oils levels rising and Volvo's official fix being simply to not top them up to the usual levels..... :S

Edited 14 March, 201610 yr by Gwilo