Volvo S60 (2000 - 2008) 2.5 R 4d (03) (2003/53) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

Not sure really. Perhaps someone who wants performance, safety and practicality thrown into one car without having to pay the earth for it. I probably wouldn't have looked at the S60 R 10 years ago but i'm 34 now so perhaps either my taste has changed or i've mellowed!

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Usual Volvo comments (where's your flat cap, nice car grandad, does it come with a tartan rug, etc etc etc). Doesn't bother me really. People change their opinion when they've been in it!

Would you buy this car again and why?

No, I bought it for the experience as I've always wanted one. It's very rare I buy the same model of car twice anyway as I'm always interested in trying something a bit different.

What are you likely to buy next?

Not sure, probably either a 535d M Sport, an Audi A8 4.2 Tdi or a Touarag V10 perhaps??. Like the Range Rover Evoque but I'm not spending £35,000 on a car i'll probably change in 12 months!

Type of dealer you bought from?

Independent

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£4,300

When did you buy the car?

November 2012

Did you get a good deal and why?

Got a few hundred quid knocked off screen price, fair deal given the spec although spent about £1,000 having various issues fixed with it in the 3 months i've owned it (including 4wd system not working, a common problem).

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Always had my eye on one and decided to take the plunge after seeing one in the colour I wanted (storm grey) fully loaded with the comms pack (sat nav, phone, etc) and orange leather, cool!

What was the dealer like?

Usual second hand car dealers, wouldn't really trust them as far as I could throw them. To be honest, I prefer to buy from a private seller so that I can chat about the history with the owner.

What's it like to drive?

Having had various sports cars in the past (C32 AMG, CL55 AMG, Saab Viggen, etc) I was fairly impressed with the performance. Its certainly not the easiest car to drive though as it feels very big on the road and the weird shaped gearknob means shifting gears isn't as fluid as it could be. It'll shift when you want it to though.

What's it like to park?

A nightmare. The turning circle is woeful and i've had a couple of near misses turning out of tight T-junctions due to crossing onto the other side of the road, even when on full lock! 3 point turns are a thing of the past in this thing!

Have you had any problems with the car?

4wd not working (angle gear sleeve needed replacing), on board computer throws up a chassis service setting every now and again which is quite annoying. Had it on a diagnostic but warning light keeps coming back. No other major issues really.

What's most practical about your car?

4wd is useful (when its working!). Car is also a lot more practical than say an M3 due to the good sized back seats and boot space. Leg room in the rear isn't great though so beware if you're planning on transporting adults on a regular basis.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Sat nav works well despite being a few years old. Heated seats are also a godsend in the winter and I love the bright orange/tan leather interior. I also have a, i-pod connection fitted which saves me having to keep swapping CD's around, sweet!