New '03 V70R awd 'manual'

**abdul** · Thursday 4th February 2010, 23:48

Originally Posted by LeeT5

Yeah man, loving it. I am just about to post some more pictures....look out for the thread 'Welcome aboard Captain'...in about ten minutes. Just a bit of fun. I am still getting used to the awesome amount of power and how light the throttle is compared to my laser. It's worlds apart

aaarrgh i want one

**LeeT5** · Friday 5th February 2010, 00:28

Originally Posted by 850 2.5 10v

Very very nice looking new car choice - I would deffo have if it could be justified.

The only downer is sadly the price of putting it right if it does 'break' - by all accounts they are an absolute fortune to put right and you have to use OE / uprated parts given the type of car it is.

Oh i can justify it. Luckily for me the car has full dealer service history including a new Angle gear box, Front shocks, Clutch, dual-mass flywheel, clutch slave cylinder, water pump, timing belt and tensioners all in the last 10,000 miles.

**LeeT5** · Friday 5th February 2010, 00:31

Originally Posted by abdul

aaarrgh i want one

...here's that thread. No dribbling please

http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthread.php?t=27174

**MIKESC70T5** · Friday 5th February 2010, 19:51

Originally Posted by LeeT5

Oh i can justify it. Luckily for me the car has full dealer service history including a new Angle gear box, Front shocks, Clutch, dual-mass flywheel, clutch slave cylinder, water pump, timing belt and tensioners all in the last 10,000 miles.

It's a lovely looking car and i hope it proves as reliable as your old one but personally I'd be scared to drive the thing incase it went wrong again. How many miles had it done before all that needed replacing? I hope they gave you an excellent warranty just incase it all goes wrong again.

**Al115** · Friday 5th February 2010, 20:01

Headlamps... upwards of £800. No ****.

As the man said - good luck with it! I'd love a ride one day.

**MisterC1501** · Friday 5th February 2010, 20:24

Originally Posted by LeeT5

What's with the David Dickinson remarks? It's not as bad as it looks! It is really rich and has cream stitching which really goes. It's lovely and soft and ooohhhhhhhh...so comfortable. Like driving in an armchair!

The orange interior would be the only reason I would buy the phase two cars, oh, and the brembo brakes......If they both could be adapted to go into my Classic, then I would spend the money and do it!!

Good luck with your new car.........sorry, but after driving one I would not swap for mine IMHO

**LeeT5** · Friday 5th February 2010, 21:36

Originally Posted by MIKESC70T5

It's a lovely looking car and i hope it proves as reliable as your old one but personally I'd be scared to drive the thing incase it went wrong again. How many miles had it done before all that needed replacing? I hope they gave you an excellent warranty just incase it all goes wrong again.

The mileage at the time of all the listed parts being replaced was between 90,000 and 101,000. I bought the car privately, so no warranty. Anyway i have 'Breakdown repair cover' with the AA so i can claim up to £2500 per year for any breakdown or failure of electrical parts etc.

I think you have been listening to too many horror stories or ppl that have owned 'R's and not treated them with respect. It's all too easy to drive with a heavy foot in these cars and if you don't have a clue about maintenance, and lets be honest, there are a lot of people infact, probably the majority that don't even know the basics or have a partner or wife that drives the car on the school run, leaving it open to unwanton abuse, getting kerbed heavily and moan because everytime the car goes in for a service it costs a grand! Even i have noticed (doing the job i do) ppl are putting off basic serviceing or i like to call it 'preventative maintenance'.

Firstly i don't abuse cars. Secondly i know enough to recognise even the smallest of problems that could ultimately lead to a bigger more expensive problem and lastly, if something needs doing or fixing i get it done, regardless of cost. I keep on top of it then it never lets me down.

If i thought Volvo's of any model weren't reliable then i wouldn't buy them. I have had them for over 17 years of driving.

yes i know these cars can be expensive IF they go wrong, so what. i deal with it. If i wanted to own a cheap, reliable car then i would have not bought a BMW and certainly not bought anything French, Italian, Spanish or American! Fact of the matter is, i own a 155mph car and therefore i am prepared to pay for it, otherwise i would have considered buying a Ford. But then life would be dull and common.

**MIKESC70T5** · Friday 5th February 2010, 22:17

Originally Posted by MisterC1501

The orange interior would be the only reason I would buy the phase two cars, oh, and the brembo brakes......If they both could be adapted to go into my Classic, then I would spend the money and do it!!

Good luck with your new car.........sorry, but after driving one I would not swap for mine IMHO

what didn't you like about it?

**MisterC1501** · Friday 5th February 2010, 23:11

Originally Posted by MIKESC70T5

what didn't you like about it?

The whole driving experience........I think I had believed that the newer model would have been significantly better to drive, better performance and superior handling........I felt disappointed more than anything after the test drive that the car was not anything better than my standard V70R that justified in any way, a further investment of upto £5k more.

I think that if the car was offered as a straight swap, I still would have eventually turned it down. Just glad that it wasn't in my fave colour combo of Flash Green and that gorgeous orange interior, otherwise I would have bought the car for all the wrong reasons.

Just my opinion, but not in any way to dampen Lee's newest toy. I just prefare the Classic version.

**volvokid** · Friday 5th February 2010, 23:24

Originally Posted by MisterC1501

The whole driving experience........I think I had believed that the newer model would have been significantly better to drive, better performance and superior handling........I felt disappointed more than anything after the test drive that the car was not anything better than my standard V70R that justified in any way, a further investment of upto £5k more.

I think that if the car was offered as a straight swap, I still would have eventually turned it down. Just glad that it wasn't in my fave colour combo of Flash Green and that gorgeous orange interior, otherwise I would have bought the car for all the wrong reasons.

Just my opinion, but not in any way to dampen Lee's newest toy. I just prefare the Classic version.

Have you only ever driven one? I know when my dad first drove one he preffered the 850 I think he still does but he's weird he prefers his defender to the hilux.The driving experience takes a bit to get use to I feel you have to really start pushing them more than the older ones to get the smile factor but there limit is far higher than the older cars, the first time I put my foot down in his S60R I did think yeah thats fast but I felt the 850 gave you more a boot in the arse you just have to learn to drive them.

**LeeT5** · Friday 5th February 2010, 23:43

Originally Posted by MisterC1501

The whole driving experience........I think I had believed that the newer model would have been significantly better to drive, better performance and superior handling........I felt disappointed more than anything after the test drive that the car was not anything better than my standard V70R that justified in any way, a further investment of upto £5k more.

Are you sure you drove a R AWD?? (LOL) I am not about to explain the impeccable condition or the BSR tuning that my Laser Blue R has, although i'm not the current owner (Aftershock is..) and everyone that has been on VPCUK in the last year will know what car i am talking about, but without doubt i don't think you can compare these two cars against each other. They are completely different. I will argue till i am blue in the face but i know for a fact that my current R would pis s all over my old one. The acceleration alone is worlds apart! The brakes are sooo powerful compared to the classic R, even thou mine had very new oe Pads and discs and new calipers too....and don't even mention the cornering. It's incredible!! Totally flat in corners. There is one particular bend that i know very well and i could take it at max 50mph in the dry in my laser, however i hit the same corner in the wet doing 65mph and it didn't let go at all and i wasn't even in 'Advanced'!! Had i been then i could have done it even faster. Admittedly these cars are known to skip about abit at the back and mine is no exception but overall my new R is far superior in the performance department and leagues ahead in terms of cabin pleasure and comfort. The seats are a HUGE improvement! I'm sure other late R owners that have owned classic Rs will back me up!?

**volvokid** · Friday 5th February 2010, 23:59

Originally Posted by LeeT5

I'm sure other late R owners that have owned classic Rs will back me up!?

I think I did lol

**LeeT5** · Saturday 6th February 2010, 00:08

Originally Posted by volvokid

I think I did lol

I know m8, just wanted to make a point

**britten_mark** · Saturday 6th February 2010, 00:36

Having owned a '96 850 T5, a '98 V70R, and an '05 V70R in succession I'll chip in.

Trying to compare new cars to old is futile as the law of diminishing returns kicks in. All you can do is judge them on their merits.

For example I put off upgrading from the T5 to the classic R as I could never see why they were worth double the money. Took the plunge and can confirm they are not; law of diminishing returns etc. However still glad I had one.

Similarly the '05 R is not worth 4 times as much as my old '98 R, how could it be? However it is a world better; faster, smoother, quieter, amazing soft leather seats, beautiful detailing, fantastic brakes. Truly a cross continental GT. The only thing I miss is that being more sophisticated the amount of DIY jobs I can undertake on the car are much less, and that means making friends with Mr Stealer, but that's most cars these days isn't it?

Everyone who rides in it loves it, a workmate has started looking for one, and the missus says that it's the last car in the house to get sold if some financial calamity occurred.

**LeeT5** · Saturday 6th February 2010, 00:45

Exactly that.

**MisterC1501** · Saturday 6th February 2010, 09:31

Originally Posted by volvokid

Have you only ever driven one? I know when my dad first drove one he preffered the 850 I think he still does but he's weird

Yep just the one, and yep, maybe me and your old man do have something in common

**MisterC1501** · Saturday 6th February 2010, 09:43

Originally Posted by volvokid

The driving experience takes a bit to get use to I feel you have to really start pushing them more than the older ones to get the smile factor but there limit is far higher than the older cars, the first time I put my foot down in his S60R I did think yeah thats fast but I felt the 850 gave you more a boot in the arse you just have to learn to drive them.

Unfortunately, probably like most people who drive a car for the first time with a view to buying, you either love the way the car drives, or you don't. I am not one of those people who make do with a car with the view of " learning to drive them" ......if I don't like it the first time, then I'll always have the nagging doubt that maybe I bought the wrong car for me.......

Spending upwards of £8k on something that you have to learn to drive, over time, in my opinion, seems foolish.

Anyway Lee, enjoy your new toy......this is your moment to gloat and not mine to make any judgements

**LeeT5** · Saturday 6th February 2010, 17:32

Originally Posted by MisterC1501

Unfortunately, probably like most people who drive a car for the first time with a view to buying, you either love the way the car drives, or you don't. I am not one of those people who make do with a car with the view of " learning to drive them" ......if I don't like it the first time, then I'll always have the nagging doubt that maybe I bought the wrong car for me.......

Spending upwards of £8k on something that you have to learn to drive, over time, in my opinion, seems foolish.

Anyway Lee, enjoy your new toy......this is your moment to gloat and not mine to make any judgements

I loved the way the car drove when i test drove it, So i didn't need to 'learn to drive it', however every corner and every race opportunity opens up a big smile on my face!