So today I bought a new car...

[smartbrabus]

The old Celica's been good, cheap, 100% reliable fun for the last 6 months or so, and a good stopgap to get me out of "rollerskate" ownership, but it was starting to show its age, so its now time for something a little more up to date.

I'm sorry to say its STILL not a Merc, so don't give me any stick Ok I have a dream - one day, I will live somewhere with room for more than 1 car...

Without further ado, here is the new ride.

2003 Volvo S60 2.4 D5 Auto

More pics here - http://tinyurl.com/c5ar4

First impressions - plenty of toys to play with - best sounding standard stereo I have heard in a car (Dolby Pro Logic), extra comfy seats. Feels like its been machined from a solid billet of Volvo-ness. My first oil burner and my first car with a proper slushbox too, seems like a good combo - lovely burble/growl from the inline 5, difficult to describe...

The reasons for choosing this over a C-Class or E-class for example were many and varied so I won't bore you all with the entire thought process, but believe me, I think about these things long and hard and try to do my research. Lets just say I couldn't find another make/model which ticked all the boxes this one did for anywhere near the same £££. The fact I've been working for a Scandinavian company for far too long may also have had some influence

I'll go and shuffle back into the non-Merc corner now...

 

[GrahamC230K]

Very nice, I like that. Could see myself in similar if my miles keep up.

 

[pammy]

Nice looking car ( whispers - I like the colour)

 

[sym]

Very nice

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Congrats, good choice! I've still got a soft spot for Volvo's. If I can opt out of the company car (not the Merc) I could easily see myself with an S40 / 60 or 80 quite easily, really like the look of the new V50 SportWagon. Some of the used S60s & S80's around look like spectacular value.

 

[Will]

Looks smart

I've been forced into looking twice at Volvos as a good friend of mine has one (a very powerful and luxurious C70 T5 GT), and to be perfectly honest they are very impressive cars.

That one looks as though it will munch miles for years to come

Will

 

[Mambo]

Very nice, those D5s are supposed to have a lot of poke!

 

[smartbrabus]

Thanks folks, I'm pretty pleased with my choice, hopefully it will be trouble free.

I was hoping to go out for a drive this evening to put it through its paces, but my cover note hasn't turned up yet so its not taxed yet

 

[Doodle]

They're very well screwed together, my father has been abusing one as a company sled for the last 3 years now. However, while the trim is holding together nicely, the finish isn't. The gearshift has lost most of it's colouring, and various other pieces of trim are looking particularly battered and discoloured (door handles and surrounds, etc etc).

It's not terrible, but considering that his previous company car (Honda Civic VTi-S) was bought off the lease company by me at about the same sort of time in it's life (3 years, 60k) had lasted much better, to the extent that 2.5 years on, with another 70k on the clock, it still looked pretty much brand new inside.

Don't get me wrong, it's all very solid inside, it just looks a lot scrappier than I would have expected!

 

[Dieselman]

extra comfy seats. Feels like its been machined from a solid billet of Volvo-ness. My first oil burner and my first car with a proper slushbox too, seems like a good combo - lovely burble/growl from the inline 5, difficult to describe...

Ahh Sven!

Volvo are claimed to have the most comfortable seats of any car because they use real people as models, not manequins as all other manufacturers do.

D5 is a nice bit of kit. As you've found slush and diesel go well together due to all the torque.
Have you had a look at the engine when idling. They are suspended centrally and the five cylinders make it dance a right old jig around the central axis, but none of it transferres through to the cabin.

 

[smartbrabus]

Ahh Sven!

Volvo are claimed to have the most comfortable seats of any car because they use real people as models, not manequins as all other manufacturers do.

D5 is a nice bit of kit. As you've found slush and diesel go well together due to all the torque.
Have you had a look at the engine when idling. They are suspended centrally and the five cylinders make it dance a right old jig around the central axis, but none of it transferres through to the cabin.

Now you mention it, the engine was running when I was taking the pics of the engine bay - camera was struggling to keep focus!

Any good tips on automatic diesel ownership then? Should I treat her gently or do they like a bit of rough?

 

[Dieselman]

Any good tips on automatic diesel ownership then? Should I treat her gently or do they like a bit of rough?

Don't thrash it from cold but then treat it like you would a dirty woman!

 

[Robby]

You could have returned to roller skate ownership. You know it makes sense.

 

[smartbrabus]

You could have returned to roller skate ownership. You know it makes sense.

I know only too well

Hows your roadster going, any major (or minor) probs yet?

 

[prprandall51]

I organised the purchase of a Volvo S60 for my Father in Law at the same time I bought my E class.

Hmm, £24K Volvo vs. £44K MB - I was struggling to work out how they did it for the money. All the same toys, similar feel in the build quality. Same space and pace and trim. I like my MB, but by any objective standards the Volvo is just as fine a car for half the money.

Great looker, too. I love the rear lights.

Philip

 

[Steve_Perry]

Nice purchase Good looking car, I've always had a soft spot for both Volvos and Saabs.

You should be able to give Brian a good run for his money in your D5

S.

 

[Robby]

Hows your roadster going, any major (or minor) probs yet?

(Touch wood)
So far its behaved itself impeccably, 8000 miles and no problems. Getting rather attached to it.

 

[Brian WH]

Nice purchase Good looking car, I've always had a soft spot for both Volvos and Saabs.

You should be able to give Brian a good run for his money in your D5

S.

Not following me though, as I have had two cars in my family run into at the back by Bl**dy Volvo's.