Volvo V50 T5?

Anan1

I'm trying to find a replacement for my dead Forester, something that we can keep for a long time. The car will be mainly driven by my g/f, which means that it has to be automatic. It also has to be an estate, although it doesn't need to be huge. It'll be crossing a field occasionally too. Most of all, it has to be safe. I can bring in an 05 (facelift) Forester 2.5XTen auto with 12,000 miles from a UK Subaru dealer for €26,000. Alternatively, Bolands in Wexford have a 2005 Volvo V50 T5 auto, also with 12k miles, asking €19,975. It's bog-standard, but looks to be well-minded. Any thoughts?

MSporty

Boring car im afraid to say, id stick with the forester, much better motor overall

daRobot

Wouldn't exactly call it a boring car, it's got a great 220bhp 5 pot engine and does 0-60 in 7 seconds...

Remapped to around 270 bhp very easily, if you're so inclined.

unkel

How did the Forester die?

Anyway my first thought is if she likes it, get another one. Or an Audi A4 avant quattro?

Anan1

The Forester was written off last Saturday morning, a kid in a Colt came through a stop sign and into the side of it. She was ok, but understandably pretty shaken. I have to say that, fuel economy aside, it was an incredibly practical, likeable and fun car. It held up very well in the accident too. The 2.5XTen promises to be the same, only stronger and faster. I'm tilting towards another, but it is another €6,000 to buy and probably even harder on fuel than the T5. It does have a better spec though, it has xenons, leather & nav, which the Volvo doesn't. I'm distrustful of Audi reliability, there is an 03 A4 2.5TDI quattro with 48k for €25k but it's older, leggier and less safe than either of the others.

unkel

Anan1 wrote: »

The Forester was written off last Saturday morning, a kid in a Colt came through a stop sign and into the side of it

At least no one was hurt

Anan1 wrote: »

I'm distrustful of Audi reliability

How come? Anyway, does your girlfriend know that the executive looking Volvo V50 is in fact only really a Ford Focus estate built in Belgium?

Anan1

unkel wrote: »

How come?

The A8 was a wonderful car, but reliability wasn't exactly its strong suit!

unkel wrote: »

Anyway, does your girlfriend know that the executive looking Volvo V50 is in fact only really a Ford Focus estate built in Belgium?

She's pretty anti-fashion when it comes to cars, it's the 5-star crash rating that she likes. She really loved the Forester, and that was gold, on Limerick plates, and it had a towbar!

unkel

Anan1 wrote: »

The A8 was a wonderful car, but reliability wasn't exactly its strong suit!

Please elaborate. I (and I'm sure many other people here) would like to hear details

Anan1 wrote: »

She's pretty anti-fashion when it comes to cars, it's the 5-star crash rating that she likes. She really loved the Forester, and that was gold, on Limerick plates, and it had a towbar!

LOL

I suppose she should make a shortlist based on NCAP published tests

markos79

v50s are relieable,and a nice car to be in.

T5s are quick too!

but you could always go for 1 of these http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Audi/A4/1.8-T/1022191/

but this is a lot of car for the money http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Volvo/V50/T5-REDUCED/1017141/

alpina

Wow, would find it hard to pull away from a Forester to a Volvo..
For the extra $ you may regret it in time, especially when it's bog standard inside, cracker of an engine all the same but would lean Subaru.
Neither are a bad choice so not a bad predicament to find yourself in..:)

bazz26

How about a Subaru Legacy Outback?
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Subaru/Outback/2.5-AT/1070599/

Anan1

unkel wrote: »

Please elaborate. I (and I'm sure many other people here) would like to hear details

Audi are very well finished cars. When you get beyond the expensive materials though, German cars are nowhere near as durable as Japanese ones.

bazz26 wrote: »

How about a Subaru Legacy Outback?

I did think of that, but a bit big for her i'm afraid.

We're going to drive the Volvo and a 2.5XT Forester on Wednesday, I reckon i'll be a lot wiser afther that. Thanks for all the answers, it's all been good food for thought.:)

Marcus.Aurelius

An older forrester might be a better compromise on price and likeability than the T5 or the facelift model.

biko

How about a XC70?

Carzone

Anan1

Funny you should say that, I was thinking along the lines of maybe the Volvo for her and sell my car and get an 03 or so Forester 2.0XT for me. The real reason for the newer Forester is the safety angle.

I'm not overly excited about the idea of the Volvo myself, particularly not in police spec, but if I could get it with 19k kms for say, €19,500 then it shouldn't be too expensive a proposition over a couple of years?

Anan1

biko wrote: »

How about a XC70?

I like them, but a bit too big for her. Also, the V50 would be safer. Although the XC would be better at the field thing..

RobAMerc

I'm fairly sure you know Anan1 the v50 uses the focus floorpan meaning it should get a fairly decent thumbs up in the handling dept.

I have driven the v50 and the xc70 - the latter impressed me less, surely even in poverty spec the volvo can match the utilitarian sea of plastic the inside of foresters tends to be no ?

And given the price of petrol its alos got to be better than the scoob too ? From what I recall not their strong point.

ninty9er

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Lexus/IS200/Sport-Auto/934183/

still trying to find an NCAP result but the new one is 5 star

Anan1

I'm driving a new V40 rental at the moment, went from Dublin to Limerick and back in it today. It's only a 1.6, but still quite an impressive car. I really like the interior, I can imagine a basic one as still being quite elegant. Another 100+ bhp and an autobox might even make it something special...

All that said, there's just something about Foresters. I dunno, maybe it's because my mother was born on a farm.

I don't think the gf would go for an IS200, she'd tell me it looked too 'angry'. Don't ask me to explain, that's just the way it is.;)