Deserter Identified !

[Sagalout]

Well I have decided to move to Volvo. 

After 2 Superb 3, one estate and one hatch, it was difficult to resist the temptation once a Volvo was driven. I originally ordered an S90 in early June but was given a build week of 30th November with delivery in mid Jan 2020!!  The S90 are made in China so I didn't fancy the risks of post brexit delivery, trans siberian railway in mid winter and at least an eight month wait with the Superb depreciating every month so I tried the new S60.

I was sold within 100 meters. Smaller overall but it doesn't feel cramped or lacking space anywhere inc the boot. As a saloon the boot space is not as flexible but not a problem  for me.

Interior is very very smart, infotech and safety tech is good. Some disappointing hard plastic close to hand but the seats! Wow. Comfort doesn't come close to describing them.

T5 petrol engine has 250 horses at max and about 350 torque thingys from around 1800 rpm. All nicely matched to a proper 8 speed torque converter auto box; very smooth if a little lazy if you hurry it. But use paddles or semi manula and it wizzes just fine. 0-60 in 6.5 secs. The ride is on the firmer side but not uncomfortable at all, feels more composed than the S3.

Retail prices are about £3K more for standard model but with a bit of wheeling and dealing, juggling extras and better interest rates, residuals etc the cost was very competitve for me. 

  

I will be around until mid October but time to say thanks for the all the advice, humour, support, information and general good buddies feel on this forum over the past 4 years. It is one of the rare car forums that has stayed friendly and down to earth.

Oh and by the way, ( advert warning). The L&K is available for sale NOW if you are interested. Pop over to here to see. 

 

 

[Redboy]

9 minutes ago, Sagalout said:

Well I have decided to move to Volvo. 

After 2 Superb 3, one estate and one hatch, it was difficult to resist the temptation once a Volvo was driven. I originally ordered an S90 in early June but was given a build week of 30th November with delivery in mid Jan 2020!!  The S90 are made in China so I didn't fancy the risks of post brexit delivery, trans siberian railway in mid winter and at least an eight month wait with the Superb depreciating every month so I tried the new S60.

I was sold within 100 meters. Smaller overall but it doesn't feel cramped or lacking space anywhere inc the boot. As a saloon the boot space is not as flexible but not a problem  for me.

Interior is very very smart, infotech and safety tech is good. Some disappointing hard plastic close to hand but the seats! Wow. Comfort doesn't come close to describing them.

T5 petrol engine has 250 horses at max and about 350 torque thingys from around 1800 rpm. All nicely matched to a proper 8 speed torque converter auto box; very smooth if a little lazy if you hurry it. But use paddles or semi manula and it wizzes just fine. 0-60 in 6.5 secs. The ride is on the firmer side but not uncomfortable at all, feels more composed than the S3.

Retail prices are about £3K more for standard model but with a bit of wheeling and dealing, juggling extras and better interest rates, residuals etc the cost was very competitve for me. 

  

I will be around until mid October but time to say thanks for the all the advice, humour, support, information and general good buddies feel on this forum over the past 4 years. It is one of the rare car forums that has stayed friendly and down to earth.

Oh and by the way, ( advert warning). The L&K is available for sale NOW if you are interested. Pop over to here to see. 

 

 

Very good car, nice quality interior, good styling and lots of toys, my son has the metallic red T5 launch edition. 

[shyVRS245]

Traitorgood luck with the new S60 when it arrives. Friend of ours jumped ship from Audi to Mercedes and now drives an XC60 and it is very nice even for a six footer like me in the back. She has a bad back and the Volvo was the only car she tried which didn't make her uncomfortable.

[mandp]

You'll be back...

I jumped ship in 2013.

Went to Jaguar (XJ), Mazda (6), Audi (A4) and Peugeot (3008)...but I'm back now and lovin` it.

[penguin17]

Nice choice @Sagalout  I really think Volvo are on top of their game right now. I really wanted the V60 Polestar (previous gen) but the dealer wouldn’t budge on an almost insulting px price for my 150 TDI.  

 

I can see myself going to Volvo or Kia/Hyundai next. 

 

Hope the collection/handover process goes well. Don’t forget to post an update and some pics, please.  

[BriskodaJeff]

Let's be honest - there aren't many of us who haven't cast an envious eye over the current Volvo range. I'm glad I don't have to make a decision for at least another year (and more likely two) as I could all too easily see an S90 sitting on my drive, bankrupting me while I smile smugly. To quote  the Bard "Hypoxia, thy name is Volvo".

 

Congratulations @Sagalout I too would be interested in a review once it arrives .

[daveo138]

I’m guessing that’s a typo in your ad - last service April 17?

[Sagalout]

Thanks daveo138. Now corrected.

[jstallan]

I also looked at Volvo (V90 & V60) but with the list price being well over £40k I was put off by the annual road tax so I stayed with Skoda. Next time I'll be downsizing and will look again at the V60 but perhaps leasing. Volvo certainly do have 2 very appealing cars in the 90 and 60 ranges. 

[TheRobinK]

I've had a look at the V90 and really liked it. 

 

Problem here in Ireland is price. The base model V90 is €12,000 more than an S3 L&K..... that goes up to over €20,000 at the high end.  They are not that much nicer...

[shyVRS245]

Hopefully they have redesigned the intake manifold on the 2.0litre diesel engine because nearly 70,000 Volvo's sold in the UK were recalled due to them melting and catching fire which would be inconvenient.

[pilkers]

Hi Sagalout et al,

 

If it makes you feel any better you are not alone.  I have sold my October 16 S3 L&K 2.0TSI estate and have ordered a Volvo V60 T4 inscription Plus to replace it.  Nothing wrong with my S3, in fact I loved it, but I wanted to keep an up to date (less than 3 years old) car.  I looked at a new S3 and I looked at the new Passat, but I felt that the quality of the Volvo was a class above (my opinion).   It also has all the safety systems I wanted and the seats are so comfortable and the interior is so relaxing.  The deal I was able to negotiate means that I was able to get a huge discount, deals that were not available on the other cars.

 

I was going to part exchange my S3, and was offered what I considered a good PX deal.  However my son-in-law suggested I contact we buy any car.com.  I initially dismissed this idea, but thought it was worth a try.  I tried and was offered £1500 more than in PX!  I don't know how they did that.  I have seen cars on auto trader at Skoda agents for about the same price.  So if anyone sees FY66XMX for sale, it was a brilliant car that never missed a beat and is in excellent condition.

 

Regards

 

Pilkers

[pabenny]

I'm also eyeing up a V60 to replace my Superb 2.  There seem to be huge discounts around (nearly 20%) and even more on nearly-new cars

[finnster01]

I placed an order for a new V60 R Design Plus a couple of weeks ago, the offers were crazy (in my opinion) I got £8K off the list price plus a few extras thrown it. I compared it to the offers on a new Superb to replace my Octavia and the more expensive car (Volvo) worked out to be cheaper than the Skoda. Plus Skoda were unwilling to pay off my finance and asked me for the £500 shortfall (puzzling as the Glass's value is comparable to my outstanding finance) whereas Volvo were more than happy to do so.

 

I guess that Skoda is getting enough orders to be picky in what deals they offer?

 

They are both brilliant cars but for what its worth the Volvo just felt a bit more luxurious (plus it was cheaper) so for me it was an easy decision to make!

[finnster01]

Plus Skoda wouldnt guarantee the price post Brexit whilst Volvo would!

 

[Sagalout]

Bumping this old topic of mine to report that the Volvo has finally arrived. It turned into an S60 T5 Inscription Plus in the end as the S90 wasnt going to be here until mid Feb 2020! This one took from early August to get here as now manufactured in the USA.

Only picked it up today  but it is a very nice car. 😎😎  Pirelli Tyres though 😞😞😞

Stayed with my love of hearing aid beige or do I mean moonbeam gold saharanpur haze. 

Volvo call it Pebble Grey ????

If it is allowed I will post a report in a few weeks. I intend to stick around and look in for a while.

[penguin17]

Very nice @Sagalout will be nice to hear your thoughts after you’ve had more time in the S60. 

 

Enjoy the new car 👍🏻

[newbie69]

I detest estates on ~ 95% of the models, but the new 60 is one of the few exceptions where I think the design started from the estate, then adapted to the hatch, which reminds me of a shrinked S90. As opposed to the V60 which is much sportier than the ridiculously large and boring looking S90.

But it's a good looking car nonetheless the S60 so I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

One thing I'm curious and would love to hear your report in due time: I feel I'll have a hard time moving to any other car after the Superb in terms of space. I don't "need" all of it on a daily basis but it's a re-assuring feeling to know it's there when we need it. I'd be surprised if you don't notice the difference, might mean there's hope for me too in that case so let us know!

[2wheelsgood]

Nice! We've got 16 mnths left on lease ,had a look at a V90 estate the other week ,front seats very comfy but rear more cramped than superb, seemed lower down as well though not sure it actually is .Boot size in superb is hard to beat as we have 50kg dog and load up with camping gear, V90 will defo be on the test drive list as they have some very good lease deals out there. 

[Sagalout]

@newbie69

 

I can tell you now that front end is as good as the Skoda but back and boot are deffo not! I dont need the room anymore so not of concern to me. The rear seats are better comfort wise but legroom is more 'normal' for size of car.  I am 5'10" and will have to move the seat forward  a bit to give rear seat legroom. ( I do drive at straight arm to wrist on wheel distance normally )

It is a saloon so boot space is not as flexible. Fold down rear seats are extra in UK spec and which I added. I can squeeze  8 or 9 medium feed buckets in with the backs down, the Skoda took 12 with careful loading. The estate would of course have more space. 

I did look at the V60 but the ride seemed far more fidgety than the saloon. Also the addional retail cost put it above the stupid £40K band for VED. That amounts to over £300 extra a year tax for each of the first 5 years after registration.

Driven 150 miles this morning and it gets better. Smooth, always composed and unlike the Skoda it doesn't feel as though you are ripping rubber if you push the loud pedal. 250 max horses with 350nm from 1750 revs. 70 mph on the Mway at 1800 rpm. What's not to like😊 

Edited 3 December, 2019 by Sagalout
typo

[silver1011]

I'd be interested to get a feel for fuel economy at motorway speeds, once you get a chance to.

 

I'd love to move from diesel to petrol one day, but at 20,000+ miles a year it is hard to justify.

[Sagalout]

OK, time for a bit of an update, as requested earlier, on the Volvo S60 T5 whilst I have time on my hands.

1. Not done many miles in the first 4 months. Approx 3K
2. Fuel consumption on run around/traffic is between 30-35 mpg. On the motorway or smooth cruising at 50-70 is around 40mpg after a decent run of say 50 miles. Obviously if you hit the loud pedal that drops dramatically but then fun always costs money doesn't it? 
3. Comfort is amazing. Smooth, quiet and like sitting in your favourite armchair and yet very supportive. Can be a bit jittery at slower speeds on some surfaces but what modern car isn't? I would describe the cabin as a refined place. It just feels luxury apart from one error. The leather covering for the central tunnel/armrest doesnt cover the hard plastic fully especially on the passenger side. I am hoping I have found a solution which involves fitting parts from the T8 or the S/V 90.
4. Car went for its 3 month post delivery check just before the lockdown and had a software update for the gearbox/transmission. It has improved the set up so that now the car doesn't hesitate or hunt for gears so much. Now it feels like the touring saloon with a sports edge that it is supposed to be. The difference in the brutality of the 220 Superb set up and the smooth application and availability of power in the Volvo is very noticeable.
5. The suspension set up is brilliant and I can change the 'weight' of the steering wheel which overcomes the slightly out of touch feel on the standard setting. Wallowing around corners just doesn't happen. If pushing on a bit then the adjustable side bolsters on the seats provide great support for those lateral forces 'cos it does stick to the road !
6. The Sensus screen/infotainment is easy to use, voice control is much better than any other car I have had. You can speak normally and once you have the 'command' words to memory it is second nature. I can do most things I need without having to use the touch screen at all. However when I do use it then I find it nicely responsive to touch and quick enough with no noticeable lag. Sat Nav is much better than the VAG one. I don't get all the journos down playing of the system, I guess it is just that they can't be bothered to spend time sussing it out.
7. Space inside. The front feels as roomy to me as the S3 but the rear is nowhere near it. There is enough room but I can't call it spacious. As a saloon the boot space is adequate for me, I can get a foldable walker in with no trouble plus other bits of luggage. I paid for the foldable back seats which means I can still carry larger objects if the need arises.

So all in all, I am very very pleased with the car and also that I got in early. I see now that the retail price puts the car above the £40K range just for the standard no options car. Doh Volvo!