Where to find a 850 / V70 buyer's guide

[J.P.W.]

Morning all. I'm looking to upgrade the wife's 306 and an 850/V70 estate seems to tick most of the right boxes. She assures me she wants a T5 manual but I'd imagine the lesser - particularly NA - engines are a bit less costly to run.

Any useful buyer's guides out there that will help me a) decide which version suits best and b) tell me what to look for on these cars?

PS I'm in Ireland so generous offers to flog me your motor at a bargain price are of limited help (unless you live near Shrewsbury and can wait till Christmas ).

[madleee]

A good source of info on these forums.

www.volvoclub.org.uk/forum/index.php

www.vpcuk.org/forums/

Go for the T5, you'll never wipe the grin off your face.
225 bhp standard and only group 15 insurance.
Easily modded to achieve 300bhp.
If modding is not your thing then you can still have a hoot with
a standard car

They can be front tyre eaters, though mytyres and black circles do 205/50/R16's from £50 ea delivered.

Estate cars have stronger residuals than saloons however if you are conerned that a wagon will have less rigidity then a rear strut brace is available, though it screws up your load carrying flexibility.


Good luck

Lee

[J.P.W.]

Thanks. I'll have a look around there. Drove a V70 2.0 Auto and a V70R yesterday. First was much better than I expected if a bit sedate. Latter was tremendous fun but a lousy example from which I have run a mile!

[J.P.W.]

That www.vpcuk.org forum is great. If you're looking, here's a useful T5 guide:

www.vpcuk.org/forums/t7657-t5-buyers-guide-upto-2002.html