530d touring or V70 d5

[Steve_Farrimond]

Got a Westie for a drivers car

Just want a quality car.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Be boring if everyone wanted the same, Steve, but I'd probably get fed up of a non-AMG Merc on a day to day basis.

 

I know people who love them though... and isn't to say I'd rule one out though, as I'm really struggling to find something to replace the BMW with (their attitude to the stolen without keys thing has put me off buying another, or it would have been an easy choice).

[JeffC]

I used my pals V70 D5 to tow to Anglesey last month and is the most economical tow car Ive ever used. managed 37mpg with trailer and car on,  was very lardy to drive big comfy chairs in the front but loads of spec inside,  was quick enough and made a nice noise , music system was good, Previously had a 530d and I liked that at the time in fact I kept it 18 month , but was quite new back then, spending that type of money for reliabilty I would go for a Volvo over the bmw and would go for the  163bhp and avoid the later 185bhp which suffers badly from dpf failure and other issues . 

 

 

If you open to suggestion a Skoda Octavia Vrs estate car isnt a bad place to be , or as a cheap alternative for £5,995  Ive just sold a 2010 Seat Exeo 2.0 cr  tdi estate car with the latest Audi common rail engine and that was a cracking car, its basically a B7 A4 Avant with B8 running gear which is a good combination    

 

 

edited to add, just re read your requirement of Auto gearbox being a must, Ive known problems on both Volvo and Bmw and scrap any of the VAG range as the Autos are worse than ****e in multitronic ,  unless you buying a Quattro Auto  then they ok.  

[dombanks]

Have had lots of M Sport fives, and while the steel sprung E39 was firm, it was nicely damped, I certainly wouldn't call it harsh. Was from the days when BMW used regular tyres though.

 

Had a whole run of F10/11 M Sports with the variable (forget what they call it) suspension and 18" run flats, again wouldn't call any of them harsh, though the different settings would tweak how firm it felt. Apart from poor snow grip, the eighteen inch run flats didn't actually feel as bad as I had dreaded from listening to others. They certainly didn't feel as good as the conventional tyres I'd had before though.

 

BUT, my brother in law, on his first Z4 went for the optional sports suspension, (over and above what ever was standard on those),and  that certainly was bone shakingly hard.

dropping the runflats on a z4 for normal tyres makes a huge difference. better grip, handling, and ride quality.

[CRAIGR]

Thanks guys some good feedback there. Should have said the 185 bhp v70 was not an option due to the issues  Jeff speaks of plus the 5 speed auto seems far more suited to the car than the six speed is.

 

I much prefer the look of the 530 but really liked my previous v70 . Seems there almost on an equal footing albeit maybe for different reasons.

 

So my decision is .........................

 

 

Still not a bloomin clue.  

[Arm]

I've got the 185 V70 and its now on 125K. No DPF issues so far ! Pulls very well including when the big trailer is on the back.

 

This is the 6 speed manual. Early Geartronics (before 2004/5) generally worth avoiding.

 

Otherwise its big and comfy. 

 

I tested the 163 and 185 and found the 185 was the one to go for. Thats the problem with the internet - everyone has a view. 

[Norman Verona]

As if they don't if not on the net?

We all have views of life, only some don't like to hear others views.

Wouldn't it be boring if we all thought the same and agreed with everyone.

[JeffC]

my comment on the 185 volvo was from experience, my pal sells used Volvos and after a few headaches he now tends to avoid the 185 where possible, seems quite common knowledge about the issues as he has had customers looking for cars telling him they wont have the later models

 

same story with Audis  the pre 2005 b6 models with the 1900 tdi are leaping in value as the first 2.0tdi b7"s are known as very unreliable and known as  timebombs and are pretty much unsaleable as with all the bad press on the net  no one will buy them !. you would think things would get better with newer technology !! pleased to say Audi appear to have it bang on with the latest Cr engines, im yet to see an issue * reaches out and touches wood *     

[WINGNUT]

BMW all day long!

[Arm]

Hear what you are saying JC. But same story with Audi and Vw 2.0 Tdi's from me

 

Have had at least 7 VW/Audi 2.0 Tdi's from 2006 to present and a similar number of 1.9's before that. Only problem was a vacuum pipe blowing off the Cupra FR 150 otherwise no issues with any. The Passat 2.0 Tdi pool car at work has a brutal life with so many different drivers and at silly mileage but is still going strong.

 

But if I read the internet I'd never have one.

 

Seems anyone mentions diesel and people get worried about DPF, DMF, injectors, pumps etc,

 

Volvo did a DPF software update around 2009 and that seems to have cured for those with a problem the DPF issues.

 

Our V70 ran 5 miles a day twice a day for 12 months and was good.

 

About the only diesel that attracts no bad attention is the Hyundai !!

[Norman Verona]

Jeff, are you telling me my A6 1.9 tdi is going up in value. I'd better get another grand on the price.

[JeffC]

norm the early VAG stuff with the 1.9 tdi s are selling at a premium, Ive just sold a 2003 audi A4 saloon for just under £5,000 and had a queue of people after it !! yet I was selling them for that 3 years ago !! 

 

Ash there are quite a lot of VAG 2.0 tdis that run fine without any issues,Ive owned close to 1,000 of them over the last 10 years and can count on one hand how many failures Ive personally seen but I also know which ones to avoid,  the ones to watch are the BKD BLB engine codes, these are fitted to early cars 2004 to late 2005 and suffer from the oil drive chain/cog failing its very common . I can hear one at a 100 paces now and the noise makes my wallet cringe    , A3 and Golf with that engine code suffers from porous  heads . 2006- TDV cars are fine, then they changed from Bosch to Seimens injectors and that brought along another seam of issues       most of my customers have had no issues at all as I avoid the cars with the dodgy engine codes so will be like yourself and will be scratching their heads when they read the problems online       

[Norman Verona]

I've not had a serious enquiry yet. Another scammer yesterday," I'll buy it at your price, pay by paypal and send a agent to collect". Told him cash only on collection and haven't heard anymore.