Volvo XC90 - talk to me

randomshenans

randomshenans

randomshenans

Soldato
Joined
11 Sep 2009
Posts
14,061
Location
France, Alsace
I'm eyeing up a cheap hack to do a trip to the arctic circle and taking a scandinavian car back to it's roots seems fitting.

The XC90 seems like a great option...

I found a UK one which is a 2004, 4WD, manual 2.4D

Also has a tow bar and 10months MOT.

I'm not looking for a peach, I'm looking for something that will make it 6000km without imploding on me.

Anyone got any experience of them? Things to look out for?
 
Like anything that old, its got the potential to be a pain. I had a 2003 that had an issue with the haldex, which was pain to get right. Lovely car on the top but the rust underneath was not ideal. To be fair it had 180k miles so it was end of life. Love Volvo's in general, supremely comfy and the R design '60s ive had have been decent to drive.
 
I looked at them for a good while when I was debating old vs new(ish) for light farm duties. Every example I looked at had issues with Haldex, suspension or rust. So we didn’t bite.
Ended up keeping the old Toureg for those jobs and tidying it up a bit. Hasn’t ever put a foot wrong.
 
Spleen Sauce said:
Ended up keeping the old Toureg for those jobs and tidying it up a bit. Hasn’t ever put a foot wrong.
Click to expand...
I bloody love a toureg. The v10 would be mint!

But this has to be a scandy car! I'll have a check on the things you mentioned but might well have just bought myself one with 10months MOT... maybe... Well, in fact, I have. I just haven't paid the man yet.
 
geekman said:
The 4WD system doesn’t work on most of the older ones, not sure if you’d need it or not for your trip but definitely something to bear in mind.
Click to expand...
Thanks man! I'll defo have a look at it. My trip isn't until the end of the year, so this will give me time to tinker and make sure anything works that is needed. I can't imagine I'll be wheel deep in snow, but you never know :D
 
Whilst the 2.4 diesel is a peach, i'd be nervous about such an old XC90 unless it's got an extensive history of work and clearly looked after.

What's your budget? Does it have to be the XC90? Would an XC60 or even the V60 do? The V60 has AWD in T6 and D5 variants and a decent ground clearance.
 
Yaayuh! said:
What's your budget? Does it have to be the XC90? Would an XC60 or even the V60 do? The V60 has AWD in T6 and D5 variants and a decent ground clearance.
Click to expand...
To premise of the video series is a sub 1k car... so... haha and I just shook the hand of someone to part with their XC90 which has 10months MOT, new tyres all round, full history, which was up for 1560GBP... for 990GBP.

Guys name is also Ross, told him what I was doing. He's moving to Spain so needs to shift it before then. As his name was Ross, it was a given :D

Let's see how it goes...! I love a ****box
 
randomshenans said:
To premise of the video series is a sub 1k car... so... haha and I just shook the hand of someone to part with their XC90 which has 10months MOT, new tyres all round, full history, which was up for 1560GBP... for 990GBP.

Guys name is also Ross, told him what I was doing. He's moving to Spain so needs to shift it before then. As his name was Ross, it was a given :D

Let's see how it goes...! I love a ****box
Click to expand...

Ross's are the best.

I would at least drain and change ALL fluids lol.

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
randomshenans said:
To premise of the video series is a sub 1k car... so... haha and I just shook the hand of someone to part with their XC90 which has 10months MOT, new tyres all round, full history, which was up for 1560GBP... for 990GBP.

Guys name is also Ross, told him what I was doing. He's moving to Spain so needs to shift it before then. As his name was Ross, it was a given :D

Let's see how it goes...! I love a ****box
Click to expand...
Amazing! Nice job. Look forward to hearing about it, fingers crossed you got yourself a hidden gem there.
 
Don't you have a perfectly good faketaxi, broken S3, broken range rover stuck in another country or an Aygo to choose from?

Edit: missed the scandi bit! Please proceed with just one more car.
 
Last edited:
Yaayuh! said:
Ross's are the best.
Click to expand...
Yes we are fellow Ross!!

Yea, will do full service on it for sure and give it a lot of pokes.

Spleen Sauce said:
Amazing! Nice job. Look forward to hearing about it, fingers crossed you got yourself a hidden gem there.
Click to expand...
Will report back. It might be a dog, but I'll pay for it in full and fly over to get it like a total mug, and then drive it 11hrs back home to mine!

dlockers said:
Don't you have a perfectly good faketaxi, broken S3, broken range rover stuck in another country or an Aygo to choose from?
Click to expand...
I do drive the taxi a fair bit to be fair around here, but it needs some welding on the fist sized hole in the sill. :D
The S4 has a vacuum leak but is on the list to go in the garage this year to have the last repairs done (spraying some bits) and then she should be drivable for fun... but she gets 5-10mpg when I'm hooning it, so I'm not sure 6500km is a good idea. :D
The Aygo is SWEET! I have a supercharger from a VW 1.4TFSI to take it to 120hp, and in the 800kg it should be fun. I also have coilovers and widearches going on it soon. I'm going to be driving it to Holland but that's only like 600km. It also has no A/C so in the arctic circle it's not ideal :eek:
You'll be pleased to know I have a list of other cars / videos that will suit my degenerate car buying... hahaha

radderfire said:
More advice sites on this cars page.
Click to expand...
Thanks man!
 
randomshenans said:
To premise of the video series is a sub 1k car... so... haha and I just shook the hand of someone to part with their XC90 which has 10months MOT, new tyres all round, full history, which was up for 1560GBP... for 990GBP.

Guys name is also Ross, told him what I was doing. He's moving to Spain so needs to shift it before then. As his name was Ross, it was a given :D

Let's see how it goes...! I love a ****box
Click to expand...

He’ll have a shock when he comes here and the same car is €5000. I was real close to buying a 2007 before I got the Sportage.
 
Yaayuh! said:
Whilst the 2.4 diesel is a peach, i'd be nervous about such an old XC90 unless it's got an extensive history of work and clearly looked after.

What's your budget? Does it have to be the XC90? Would an XC60 or even the V60 do? The V60 has AWD in T6 and D5 variants and a decent ground clearance.
Click to expand...

I’d just be nervous in general.
 
Martynt74 said:
He’ll have a shock when he comes here and the same car is €5000. I was real close to buying a 2007 before I got the Sportage.
Click to expand...
Yea, tell me about it! I told him this is why I got it from the UK not France. It's the same here. I only really want to use it for this year, so might not even import it. Will use it a year, park it up with the other degen mobiles covered in livery :D
Dyson said:
Pray share!
Click to expand...
Hahaha I'm not sure anyone wants to know that.
They range from possible, to all out goals
  • Obviously Scandinavian car to the Arctic Circle was this one.
  • 3 BMW Minis (red, blue, white) to do my own Italian Job road trip in Italy with some mates.
  • Cheapest RX8 I can find (told you degenerate)
  • Want to do a "Cheapest German car from Germany" as well, not sure which example of a car it'll be
  • LR Defender to drive to Moroccan desert and mountains.
  • Driving an RX7 back from Japan.
  • Driving a supercar back from Dubai
Goals.
But I obviously have a list outside of that, which I generally just really want lol

B5 RS4 Black Avant, like an older brother to mine
Mk1 Golf 20VT mint one.
to name a couple!

jigger said:
I’d just be nervous in general.
Click to expand...
Mate it's a sub 1k car from 2004, 20 ******* years ago now?! Driving 6500km! Nervous?! hahahaha




******** it.
 
randomshenans said:
Hahaha I'm not sure anyone wants to know that.
They range from possible, to all out goals
  • Obviously Scandinavian car to the Arctic Circle was this one.
  • 3 BMW Minis (red, blue, white) to do my own Italian Job road trip in Italy with some mates.
  • Cheapest RX8 I can find (told you degenerate)
  • Want to do a "Cheapest German car from Germany" as well, not sure which example of a car it'll be
  • LR Defender to drive to Moroccan desert and mountains.
  • Driving an RX7 back from Japan.
  • Driving a supercar back from Dubai
Goals.
But I obviously have a list outside of that, which I generally just really want lol

B5 RS4 Black Avant, like an older brother to mine
Mk1 Golf 20VT mint one.
to name a couple!


Mate it's a sub 1k car from 2004, 20 ******* years ago now?! Driving 6500km! Nervous?! hahahaha




******** it.
Click to expand...

I'm glad to see someone who likes doing similar stupid **** to me, I hope you do some threads or videos of your adventures as I'm sure I'd really enjoy watching them.

So far I've done Mexico to Miami in an old Range Rover Sport, Texas to Monterrey in an old Rolls Royce, and various mountain / off roading trips in old Defenders and Jeeps. This year I want to buy something Bentley / Rolls like in the UK, drive it around Europe for a bit, then ship it back over to Mexico. I'm also planning an off road Rolls Royce build this year and a drive from Monterrey to Alaska in 2025, although that will be in something relatively modern.

I seem to remember you're more mechanically inclined than me which definitely gives you a better chance of success. When my Rolls broke down on the way back from Texas I called an old mechanic who opened the bonnet and adjusted a screw, fixing the issue in about 30 seconds. Bit embarrassing to say the least as I don't consider myself a complete novice, but I guess I am with older cars.

Good luck, and keep us updated!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom