Gen 1 XC90 too long in the tooth?

Saturday 31st May

Hi,

Looking for a new family motor. We are looking for space and a bit of comfort. Wife says it must be a SUV and will become the main family transport for the fam of 4 (two teens) and the dog.

Budget is 12k absolute max although id prefer not to spend that. Wife really likes the look of a Gen1 XC90 but yet to find one locally we can nosey around . Late ones have 200bhp 2.4D5 Engines. Are they reliable? Im worried the car will be a bit old (doesnt need to be dripping in tech - just from reliability/agricultural standpoint) as its based on the P2/not P3 platform and still has swirl flaps? however heard that these cars don't seem to suffer DPF issues which is good!

Anything else to consider? Anything top bracket RFL is a no no!

Furbo

1,227 posts

47 months

Saturday 31st May

Doc_Love said:

Hi,

Looking for a new family motor. We are looking for space and a bit of comfort. Wife says it must be a SUV and will become the main family transport for the fam of 4 (two teens) and the dog.

Budget is 12k absolute max although id prefer not to spend that. Wife really likes the look of a Gen1 XC90 but yet to find one locally we can nosey around . Late ones have 200bhp 2.4D5 Engines. Are they reliable? Im worried the car will be a bit old (doesnt need to be dripping in tech - just from reliability/agricultural standpoint) as its based on the P2/not P3 platform and still has swirl flaps? however heard that these cars don't seem to suffer DPF issues which is good!

Anything else to consider? Anything top bracket RFL is a no no!

I had one as a hire car and it was actually scary because the gearbox was so laggy. I am not sure if they are all like that but, if they are, I wouldn't have one.

valiant

12,247 posts

175 months

Saturday 31st May

The engine is the good bit! The rest? Not so much

D5 engine is pretty bulletproof provided it s been serviced and should outlive you if previous owners have kept up to date with maintenance of it. Belts are a must but are easy and straightforward to change and don t forget the aux belt. This is the b

d that will let go and cause you mucho pain. Never had a problem with the DPF and I only did about 7k a year.

This has the geartronic, doesn t it? Can be a weak point. Look for evidence of flushes every 60k or so otherwise can be troublesome (as in £3k to fix kind of troublesome). If it clunks in any way when moving from P to any other position then run and run fast.

Electrics can be iffy but it s an old complicated car.

No idea on the four wheel drive bits but it s a heavy car and suspension and brakes bits should be viewed as consumables that need replacing regularly (ish) - most years you ll be replacing something!

Super comfy but a wallowly old beast and the inside is not as large as the outside suggests.

Furbo

1,227 posts

47 months

Saturday 31st May

Doc_Love said:

Hi,

Looking for a new family motor. We are looking for space and a bit of comfort. Wife says it must be a SUV and will become the main family transport for the fam of 4 (two teens) and the dog.

Budget is 12k absolute max although id prefer not to spend that. Wife really likes the look of a Gen1 XC90 but yet to find one locally we can nosey around . Late ones have 200bhp 2.4D5 Engines. Are they reliable? Im worried the car will be a bit old (doesnt need to be dripping in tech - just from reliability/agricultural standpoint) as its based on the P2/not P3 platform and still has swirl flaps? however heard that these cars don't seem to suffer DPF issues which is good!

Anything else to consider? Anything top bracket RFL is a no no!

What you need is a Range Rover Vogue. evil

chip*

1,341 posts

243 months

Saturday 31st May

Maybe have a look at both the Honda CRV or Lexus RX450?

CRV
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505162...

RX450
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505202...

Both above cars have solid dealer SH showing a decent level of maintenance which is a positive sign.

Doc_Love

Original Poster

10 posts

38 months

Saturday 31st May

Thanks. Old man has a 14 plate iVTEC EX. Far too asthmatic for my liking im afraid.

Looked at a RX450H today. Rare around these parts for sale. Very nice machine. Space in the cabin was great, airy with the full length sunroof and quality Levinson sound. Also looked at a XC60 and Audi Q5 V6. She didn't like the Q5, surprised and impressed by the Lexus and loved the Volvo.

Reckon the XC60 has swayed her away from the 90 as its a bit more modern inside. Also will continue to keep.my eye on the Lexus!

ClaphamGT3

11,731 posts

258 months

Saturday 31st May

We had a 2006 d5 SE that we took to just under 150k miles.

Good bits;
Drive train was totally reliable, incl the 4 wheel drive system. Regular, good quality servicing was key here

Incredibly well screwed together. Even at the end at 11 years old and with approaching 150k miles of being our family bus and a similar family before us, it all worked, no niggling little things broke and it scrubbed up well and looked respectable

Unbelievably comfortable - the front seats are the most comfortable of any of the 50+ cars I've had including S Class Mercedes' a Bentley and numerous Saabs & other Volvos

Pretty good equipment levels for the time

With the right tyre choice (we used Pirelli Scorpion all weathers) surprisingly capable off road and in the snow and ice

Bad bits;
Surprisingly uneconomical - 35mpg was a stretch even on a run and in the 20s around town. Also the tank isn't that big which is a pain on a long journey

Ancillary electrics became a bit continental towards the end with rhe orange triangle of doom making an increasingly regular appearance

They handle like a boat

At some point you *will* find yourself becalmed by the gearbox inhibitor fault. A simple and cheap fix but bloody irritating when it happens

Front suspension becomes quite clunky and will need a rebuild at some point - they're heavy at the front end

Very few of them come with Satnav and, even if it has goy it, its a fairly crude system

Overall, if I had your budget and wanted a 7 seat SUV, it's what I'd look at 1st but with my eyes wide open. Buy carefully and on condition and you should have a very good - if of its time - car. Buy a neglected/rough one - and most will be - and you'll have a large money pit on the drive

edc

9,432 posts

266 months

Saturday 31st May

For a bit family SUV as the main reliable family car at 12k I'd probably look at something like the Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorrento.

Turtle Shed

2,047 posts

41 months

Sunday 1st June

RAV 4 always my choice. Available at all price points and being a Toyota it won't go wrong.

Not as cavernous as the XC 90 but can't see you not fitting four people and two dogs in

29,157 posts

140 months

Sunday 1st June

the-norseman

14,231 posts

186 months

Sunday 1st June

We have a MY12 D5 200 XC90 (with Polestar tune on engine and gearbox so about 215) its still quite slow. They suffer with swirl flap arm disconnecting, DPF issues not so much.

I've brought ours up to date by fitting a big Android headunit.

Matt_T

828 posts

89 months

Sunday 1st June

ZX10R - you do love your Infinitis!

Does that 2.0 Ford diesel have a wet belt? I thought it was only the 1.5?

Matt_T

828 posts

89 months

Sunday 1st June

I often suggest SsangYongs for the simple reason the value for money is great and they seem to be pretty reliable. However I have a feeling your wife will say no!
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/18235045

ClaphamGT3

11,731 posts

258 months

Sunday 1st June

ZX10R NIN said:

I can't personally speak for the others but my step fatger-in-law has one of those Kia Sorrentos. To suggest that it is in any way comparable to even a Gen 1 XC90 is absurd - it is inferior in every regard

paul_c123

765 posts

8 months

Sunday 1st June

Matt_T said:

ZX10R - you do love your Infinitis!

Does that 2.0 Ford diesel have a wet belt? I thought it was only the 1.5?

I passed on an Infiniti Q30 for £1600 on a 66 plate with only about 60k on it. Its just a weird niche, there's a reason they withdrew from the UK market.

29,157 posts

140 months

Sunday 1st June

paul_c123 said:

Matt_T said:

ZX10R - you do love your Infinitis!

Does that 2.0 Ford diesel have a wet belt? I thought it was only the 1.5?

I passed on an Infiniti Q30 for £1600 on a 66 plate with only about 60k on it. Its just a weird niche, there's a reason they withdrew from the UK market.

Q30? So you find a Mercedes A Class wierd? That's what a Q30 is.

29,157 posts

140 months

Sunday 1st June

Matt_T said:

ZX10R - you do love your Infinitis!

Does that 2.0 Ford diesel have a wet belt? I thought it was only the 1.5?

I like a good buy & have supplied friends & family with pretty much the whole range smile

The Infiniti's work Nissan made the same mistake that Genesis are making in that you can only get them serviced at Genesis rather than your local Hyundai dealer.

The Infiniti's weren't cheap new as they loaded them with kit even in basic (this did change later on as they skimped on spec) spec but they just didn't have the badge to pull off the price plus having to send the car away for 2 days to get a service made them a hard sell.

A great used buy mind & now Nissan will service them or any decent garage.

I'd say if you're happy to get the wet belt done then the Edge is the better buy right now.

Forgotto say OP you should budget for a gearbox fluid change on everything you're looking at as they'll all be due one.

paul_c123

765 posts

8 months

Sunday 1st June

ZX10R NIN said:

Q30? So you find a Mercedes A Class wierd? That's what a Q30 is.

A Merc A-class isn't weird at all, but the Q30 is.....because its not a Merc, its an Infiniti.

29,157 posts

140 months

Sunday 1st June

paul_c123 said:

A Merc A-class isn't weird at all, but the Q30 is.....because its not a Merc, its an Infiniti.

Q30 is an GLA/A Class in every way apart from the bodywork, interior/drivetrain etc is all Mercedes.

So in what way is the Q30 weird?

paul_c123

765 posts

8 months