[Closed] Volvo xc90 Owners

Great cars for families, but fairly slow and thirsty (the Cayenne I swapped to does better MPG!).  Build quality was pretty good.

Watch out for blocked drain holes from the sunroof (if fitted).  Drop links wear out fairly quickly on averagely rough roads but it's a big heavy car and they're easy to fix yourself.

Had ours for 12 years..... that's got to say something about them!

Mrs Gti bought one a few months ago, she spent ages searching for the spec and colour she wanted and ended up getting one a year old with 12,000 miles on it almost half price through the Volvo dealer network. I have only been allowed to drive it a couple of times but compared to my Passat estate it feels heavier, deceptively fast and luxurious. It's heavy on fuel. There's one thing I don't like, which is drivetrain vibration when pulling away. Naturally she allows me to wash it and to reach the roof I have to use a step ladder. Ill try to get you some better info shortly.

We have a 2008 d5 se lux. Bought at 92000 4yrs ago, now on 167000miles. My wife hated the size of it at first, but now admits it is a great family car.

Rather agricultural in noise and refinement when going locally and parking, but equally will cruise long distances to the south of France with ease and probably the most relaxing car I've had to do this. Mpg is less than 30 overall for us.

Watch out for VED, I pay 450 quid when earlier ones are less and newer ones too...

Massive interior with family friendly seating, booster seat built in is very convenient. 7seats used occasionally for us.

Bought mainly for safety reasons by me as it appeared the first proper 7 seater designed for 7 from the start, rather than added on as an afterthought..

Mechanically they don't have a great rep, with swirl flaps and 4wd issues. I paid 800 quid to get the swirl flaps sorted. Other than most spending has been consumables, discs, pads, a couple of suspension bushings and 3 engine mounts.

Big debate about auto gearboxes and whether to change the oil. Volvo say no, most independents say yes. I'm not  aware mine has been done, lots say they only last 135k if this is so, but obviously mine is on a lot more miles. If not done before 100k, changing the oil can make any problems worse I'm led to believe so I'm not going to bother and keep my fingers crossed.

Electrical issues with over 20 electrical modules can be an issue and they tend to be relatively expensive to replace. However there are companies that fix them now.

I got a copy of vida on a tablet, the volvo software which finds faults if present and it has been useful. The cable costs about 70-80 quid but it can be fiddly to set up on anything newer than Windows xp.

I use a rear mounted cycle carrier and it doesn't appear to impact on Mpg due to the relative brick shaped nature of the vehicle.

I'm considering replacing it with another.

Volvo forums.org.uk is a great source of info and help. I'm not an expert by any means, but have read lots about them.

Mechanically they don’t have a great rep, with swirl flaps and 4wd issues

The fly wheel also got chewed by the starter so had to be replaced.... that wasn't good.

The last straw was when one of the core plugs decided to fall out 2 days before we were due to use it for a 3 hour drive to the airport for a family holiday.  If that had happened on the way there we'd have missed the holiday.  Sold it a few months later.

(oh and it cost £900 to fix a £5 part because the gearbox had to come out... again... to get to the core plug 🙁 )

...and the stiching on the base of the drivers seat all came undone - stitched it back myself.

Update: Mrs Gti bought a 2016 XC60, not a 90. D4 AWD Auto, SE Lux Nav trim, bendy lights and winter pack, with 12,000 miles, for £27,000. Looks like a good price.

Had a 2016 R Design Nav. Hateful. Wallowed, thirsty, vibrating drivetrain. Comfortable seats though and inverse tardis - big outside but weirdly not quite as much inside.

Two great posts thanks, although they are putting me of a bit. If only there was an alternative..... Trouble is I need the 7 seats, and I need to pull a 6 birth caravan so choices are limited.

7 seats and towing? Smax or Galaxy FTW.

Mrs Gti bought a 2016 XC60, not a 90. D4 AWD Auto, SE Lux Nav trim, bendy lights and winter pack, with 12,000 miles, for £27,000. Looks like a good price.

2013 V70 D3 SE and winter pack here, 60k miles for £8.6k. 😎

I had one before I owned and XC60 (and since gotten rid of)

Appart from being massive and a total PITA to park and gauge where the corners of the car were, it was a nice if rather outdated place to sit. I had the SELux with fat tyres and it was comfortable, bit wallowing in corners almost felt like it was constantly pitching and yawing even on flat straight roads. Could get massive amounts of kit in it despite it being “thin” but the distance from the floor to the boot lid was huge so a hefty lift of anything bigger than a small shopping bag meant dead lifting 🤣

Drank diesel, 25-33 average but at least the tank held more than Texas ☄️💥

<span style="display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">7 seats and towing? Smax or Galaxy FTW.</span>

Yeah I now... I really don't like them though and looking for a bit more of a luxury feel.

Q7 is nice but even thirstier than the Volvo. Outlander is another option but the two rear seats are not really seats.

We used to have a 2006.  All the things above I wd agree with in terms of agricultural etc.  But v comfy and loads of space.  Always difficult to park.  Reasonably economical considering size and age.  Would I buy another?  Prob not but a new style one yes.  It’s just a solid safe car... it’s a Volvo!!