Volvo 960 Saloon
  • Economy

    Value

    4 out of 5 4.0

    Shop around and you can get some excellent deals. The velor interior is more comfortable than the leather and knocks a big chunk off the price.

    Costs

    5 out of 5 5.0

    Euro parts in Trafford Park sell almost everything you need and at less than the cost of Ford Mondeo parts.

  • On the road

    Driving

    5 out of 5 5.0

    Great driving position. The car grips the road better than the BMW 5-Series it replaced. It is relaxaed and effortless on the motorway.

    Performance

    4 out of 5 4.0

    As I said, I was amazed at how well it handled, especially for a big car. You have to whatch out when turning out of minor roads and accelerating on to main ones as there is enough power and torque to spin the back wheels up. It cruises easily at speed.

  • Living with it

    Reliability

    4 out of 5 4.0

    The only problem that I have had is the coils. It has one on top of each spark plug and they can fail (£40 each from Euro Parts). The only other thing was a sunroof that didn't always seal when shut (time for a nice cold shower).

    Image

    4 out of 5 4.0

    Boy racers in hyped up Corsas beware. The old fogey in the Volvo is about to eat you for breakfast....

    Comfort

    3 out of 5 3.0

    Superb for front seat passengers. If you're over 5' 10" tall it lacks headroom in the back. Ventilation is not too good.

  • Security and Service

    Security

    5 out of 5 5.0

    Volvo security is a pain in the... when the key fob goes wrong. New ones are only £45 though.

    Service

    1 out of 5 1.0

    IVS in Altringham Cheshire are excellent and will charge half of what a dealer does and do a far better job.

  • Problems and Ownership

    Problems

    Engine

    Apart from the coils, which I think was because the car had been parked up for some time before I bought it, no problem at all.

    Other

    Watch out for splits in the welds of the exhaust, especially near the Catalitic converter. Some garages want £600 to replace the system, others want £25 to braise it back up and repair it that way - and this works.

    Ownership

    Did you buy the car new?

    Used

    Would you buy the same model again?

    Yes

    Did you buy from the same manufacturer again?

    Yes