2017+ XC90 T8 - am I mad to buy a used one?
Discussion
Been a lease deal chaser for a many years and in the last months of a V90 momentum T4 lease. This car really impressed me, but with the current climate and lease deals I'm thinking buy newish and run for 4/5 years.
This is our 'family car' in which we do low milage and mostly little trips with most of the time but with several long family jaunts from Wiltshire to Yorkshire, Scotland, France etc. with two 6 foot boys/bikes/wetsuits in tow.
EV fan and have a charge point from a previous BMW i£
Many journeys would be under 20 miles so within the s
t range of todays PHEV's!
Want lots of rear passenger and gear space
Don't want a diesel - DPF/EGR short + journeys!
Good motorway muncher (love the V90's auto drive)
XC90 T8 sounds ideal... however I've been hearing worrying stuff about the 'ERAD ' Electric rear axle/clutchpack giving trouble (last gens bevel gear springs to mind!)? Any insight from owners, Volvo techs would be great.
Also am I mad buying 3 year old tech beast?
This is our 'family car' in which we do low milage and mostly little trips with most of the time but with several long family jaunts from Wiltshire to Yorkshire, Scotland, France etc. with two 6 foot boys/bikes/wetsuits in tow.
EV fan and have a charge point from a previous BMW i£
Many journeys would be under 20 miles so within the s
t range of todays PHEV's!Want lots of rear passenger and gear space
Don't want a diesel - DPF/EGR short + journeys!
Good motorway muncher (love the V90's auto drive)
XC90 T8 sounds ideal... however I've been hearing worrying stuff about the 'ERAD ' Electric rear axle/clutchpack giving trouble (last gens bevel gear springs to mind!)? Any insight from owners, Volvo techs would be great.
Also am I mad buying 3 year old tech beast?
Edited by hoganscrogan on Wednesday 20th May 13:22
Can't help with the T8 specifically, but I've owned an XC90 D5 for coming up to 5 years.
I had quite a few problems with it in the first 24 months of ownership. Nothing mechanically serious, just niggles with an inability for the dealer to fix quickly. For example, the Air Con wasn't working properly and only after 4 visits to the dealer did they eventually find the problem was a small leak in a hose behind the bulkhead and fixed it for good. Re-gassing several times beforehand was, to me, just laziness.
Mine is a very early new shape model so I kinda expected some problems. And I'm ok with that if fixed correctly and promptly. Unfortunately, my experience of the dealer is very poor. If you can find yourself a good dealer that will make all the difference, whilst the XC90 might be considered a premium car the dealership don't reflect that.
Having said that, the car's been faultless for the past 3 years and does everything required to haul the family around comfortably and safely, including a trip to the South of France and back last year. It really does the mile munching very well.
I had quite a few problems with it in the first 24 months of ownership. Nothing mechanically serious, just niggles with an inability for the dealer to fix quickly. For example, the Air Con wasn't working properly and only after 4 visits to the dealer did they eventually find the problem was a small leak in a hose behind the bulkhead and fixed it for good. Re-gassing several times beforehand was, to me, just laziness.
Mine is a very early new shape model so I kinda expected some problems. And I'm ok with that if fixed correctly and promptly. Unfortunately, my experience of the dealer is very poor. If you can find yourself a good dealer that will make all the difference, whilst the XC90 might be considered a premium car the dealership don't reflect that.
Having said that, the car's been faultless for the past 3 years and does everything required to haul the family around comfortably and safely, including a trip to the South of France and back last year. It really does the mile munching very well.
I'm on my 2nd XC90.
1st one was a 2018 D5 which we ran for two years and 26k miles. No issues on it, although we were getting an occasional message around adaptive headlight failure.
It averaged 29mpg over that time, around town you were looking at about 23-25mpg (short runs of 1-4 miles).
2nd one was delivered on the day of lockdown, it's a 2020 T8 Polestar, 758 miles on the clock and we're averaging 44.1mpg (although it's not done any real long runs yet so has mostly gone around town on electric + a few speed runs up to Milton Keynes and back.
Personally, like with all expensive cars, i'm not sure i'd want to run one without a warranty.
Spec wise you'll want the Xenium pack (it's the panoramic roof but also gives you the 360 camera which is essential IMO). From memory the T8 will give you the comfort pack as standard (it does on the latest ones) but if not make sure you have it - it gives you air vents to the third row seats (the D5 didn't have it and on hot days the kids will moan).
Standard stereo is pants, look for the HK stereo as a minimum.
Previous D5 was an Inscription Pro (gives you massage seats). R Design is sportier so you lose some of the 'luxury' options. I wouldn't have another black one (it's a big car to keep clean).
My new one (again Inscription Pro):
1st one was a 2018 D5 which we ran for two years and 26k miles. No issues on it, although we were getting an occasional message around adaptive headlight failure.
It averaged 29mpg over that time, around town you were looking at about 23-25mpg (short runs of 1-4 miles).
2nd one was delivered on the day of lockdown, it's a 2020 T8 Polestar, 758 miles on the clock and we're averaging 44.1mpg (although it's not done any real long runs yet so has mostly gone around town on electric + a few speed runs up to Milton Keynes and back.
Personally, like with all expensive cars, i'm not sure i'd want to run one without a warranty.
Spec wise you'll want the Xenium pack (it's the panoramic roof but also gives you the 360 camera which is essential IMO). From memory the T8 will give you the comfort pack as standard (it does on the latest ones) but if not make sure you have it - it gives you air vents to the third row seats (the D5 didn't have it and on hot days the kids will moan).
Standard stereo is pants, look for the HK stereo as a minimum.
Previous D5 was an Inscription Pro (gives you massage seats). R Design is sportier so you lose some of the 'luxury' options. I wouldn't have another black one (it's a big car to keep clean).
My new one (again Inscription Pro):
Not made at all. We've got a 2017 T8 R-Design and done 45000 completely incident free miles. A combination of motorways miles and local driving and returned circa 37mpg so far (and my wife has a heavy right foot). It replaced a 2015 Range Rover Vogue that was a bag of ****. There again the FFRR did average 36mpg over 2 years.
Great interior, pretty good ride on the standard alloys (don't go for the big alloys) and it's done everything we've asked of it including long trips to the Alps in both the winter and summer. It's no FFRR off road but never been off road in 30+ years of driving. Great in the snow and ice (on winter tyres) we have in the frozen northern wastelands of rural Lancashire.
We've a Tesla S as well so fully appreciate the EV angle. EV range is rubbish at 21 miles but as a complete package it's perfect. We've had the upgrade so it's got over 400ps and it's more than quick enough. Rough engine though and the gearbox isn't as good as the ubiquitous ZF 8 speed. But it'll be the first car we have run that we will probably own for 5+ years rather than the usual 3 or 4 years. Can't think of anything else I'd replace it withs we will just slap an extended warranty on it and run it.
Great interior, pretty good ride on the standard alloys (don't go for the big alloys) and it's done everything we've asked of it including long trips to the Alps in both the winter and summer. It's no FFRR off road but never been off road in 30+ years of driving. Great in the snow and ice (on winter tyres) we have in the frozen northern wastelands of rural Lancashire.
We've a Tesla S as well so fully appreciate the EV angle. EV range is rubbish at 21 miles but as a complete package it's perfect. We've had the upgrade so it's got over 400ps and it's more than quick enough. Rough engine though and the gearbox isn't as good as the ubiquitous ZF 8 speed. But it'll be the first car we have run that we will probably own for 5+ years rather than the usual 3 or 4 years. Can't think of anything else I'd replace it withs we will just slap an extended warranty on it and run it.
Snap. I’m also looking at buying one. It is the cheapest one available
It’s 2nd hand, R design in Bursting Blue.
It’s 2016 model and has done an awful lot of miles, nearly 170k!!!
Looking at online MOT and the advisories seem all to be based around track rod end, suspension arm bush, steering rack end.
Obviously it high miles but are these common problems?
What speed is on board charger? Is it 3kw or nearer 7kW?
It’s 2nd hand, R design in Bursting Blue.
It’s 2016 model and has done an awful lot of miles, nearly 170k!!!
Looking at online MOT and the advisories seem all to be based around track rod end, suspension arm bush, steering rack end.
Obviously it high miles but are these common problems?
What speed is on board charger? Is it 3kw or nearer 7kW?
pmanson said:
3.7kw.
Mine just sits on the drive attached to a standard outdoor socket
Thanks, I currently have a PHEV that charges at same rate on a home chargepoint.Mine just sits on the drive attached to a standard outdoor socket
Sometimes you just wish it would hurry up when you want to go somewhere and drive on all electric. Sounds like with this thirsty 2.0 beast I’d be wanted to do much more of that.
Is there a way to find out battery health - either from normal console, via app or even special software that needs to connected to OBD2 port?
I bought one March 2017 XC90 T8 R-design
£34,500 - 53,000 miles
3 x full Volvo service history - I discovered when you get a Volvo service 12 months breakdown recovery is included!
One previous owner
Heated rear seats, factory towbar, Apple car play - park assist (not 360 camera view)
Like it so far, see link for first trip deets -- https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
£34,500 - 53,000 miles
3 x full Volvo service history - I discovered when you get a Volvo service 12 months breakdown recovery is included!
One previous owner
Heated rear seats, factory towbar, Apple car play - park assist (not 360 camera view)
Like it so far, see link for first trip deets -- https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
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