Pragmatic, Ultra Reliable Workhorse Vehicle

[DRD]

My 1999 volvo v70 estate that I first drove in 2000 might be about to die with an honorable 200k miles.

I am looking to buy an ultra reliable, 5 to 15 yr old replacement to do the dirty stuff- trips to the tip, wet dog, pulling a trailer once a year. Bags of cement in it. 3rd party insurance. When friends visit from overseas we put them on the insurance. Leave it on the street for a couple of weeks. Wet lawnmowers in the back. Must have good parts availability.

Fuel economy/ ulez/ eco stuff all irrelevant. I usually move pinvalls in my campervan so that is not a factor.

Wondering about Honda/ Toyota type brand. Basic engineering. Nowt high tech. Landcruiser 4x4, or unfashionable Japanese estate car maybe. That sort of thing.

Any suggestions very gratefully received.

thanks

 

[Pick Holder]

Any car made in the last 5-15 years is going to be computer controlled so as for reliability - goodness knows.

I personally favour Fords, but I do not think you can pick stuff up dead cheap unless someone else has ran into the ground.

Why do you not 'stick with what you know' see if you can get another box on wheels aka volvo estate.

My pals has one that he has had for years to take him and his band around in. If they need to go into a ULEZ place he pays a few quid now and again.

Another pal swears by his 20 something year old Jeep. I am not sure if it takes a pinball machine.

I had PT cruisesr for years - had three. Swallow a pinball. Good on so many levels - but I reliability wise - keep away from all but one of the engines. I can not remember which one. The back seats can be removed in the back in a 2+1 format. I used to remove the double seat - and then it would take a pin. Pin2Ks need both back seats taken out.

During covid lockdown - I bought a ford transit connect van. But I would not imagine you would want to throw that much at a vehicle like that. I got it due the amount of places I go to that are ULEZ now or are going that way.

 

[Spandangler]

I just bought this last month Get another one. It’s a future classic

 

[new forest pinball]

Toyota rav4 mk3 would be my choice…….. (not ulez friendly so residuals have plummeted recently, making it great value )……extremely reliable and tough as ole boots…and if necessary plenty of room for a pinball machine … (if you want something a bit older then the mk2 is still a great choice)



For example………

 

[Asiapinball]

Suzuki grand vitara. Bought my wife's sz5 2.4 when it was 1 year old in 2013. 65k miles now and never had anything done than regular service and tyres. My sons share a 2010 sz3 1.6 as their first car and taken it from 25k miles to 65k since owning it and again nothing needed other than regular service and tyres. Also had a 2001 xl7 and a 1992 vitara soft top prior to these and same story there.

 

[Pooman2084]

I’m biased by having worked for Volvo in Gothenburg for many years, but I wouldn’t drive anything else having seen what I’ve seen doing post accident analysis.

Setting that aside, those V70s run and run, you really can’t go wrong. Just watch out for the transfer boxes on the R line models, you need to keep the tyre treads within about 2mm of each other otherwise you’ll be replacing it regularly.

Bloody amazing cars though. What’s the 0-60? Under 4.5 secs? I used to love leaving boy racers for dead in my old one!

 

[DRD]

My V70 is a 2.4 5 cyl 20v 170 ? has a 5 spd auto gearbox issue. When cold it is fine. When hot it can jump when at rest - going in and out of first. It's very annoying. So you put it into neutral at traffic lights but re-selecting first can be a bump.

Bits like the abs pump have to be coded to the car. I got mine remanufactured a couple of years ago.

I have bought loads of bits from that scrapyard on the a1. Replaced lots of brake, suspension type stuff. Was very hard to find a replacement exhaust. Aircon compressor needs replacing as clutch is worn and does not like heat. Now and again it blows mist out of the passenger side.

Immobilizer is a nuisance so I lock on the key now, but have to unlock on the fob. The key barrel in the ignition can be tricky. The lock on the autobox is iffy so you can turn it off in drive and remove the key. Then a pain tp get the key in again and into neutral.

It's just tired and bits are getting hard to find. It is giving me all the hassle of a classic, but in a stodge fest car

 

[Spandangler]

I’m biased by having worked for Volvo in Gothenburg for many years, but I wouldn’t drive anything else having seen what I’ve seen doing post accident analysis.

Setting that aside, those V70s run and run, you really can’t go wrong. Just watch out for the transfer boxes on the R line models, you need to keep the tyre treads within about 2mm of each other otherwise you’ll be replacing it regularly.

Bloody amazing cars though. What’s the 0-60? Under 4.5 secs? I used to love leaving boy racers for dead in my old one!

My V70R has a remapped ECU judging by the paper work that was included. It hauls ass. Drinks fuel more than I expected but I love it. Ever since I clapped eyes on Clive and Diane’s @Diane B I started to seek one out.

It’s a very clean tidy example with 155k on the clock.
I paid £7k for it off a dealer which is expensive but I think they’re appreciating.

There’s a couple of jobs I want to do including a PCV service and under sealing for rust prevention .

 

[AlanJ]

V70’s are just great cars. i loved my 2005 model.

 

[SteadyP]

most Volvo’s these days have about 50 electric control units doing various things- main reason why my Dad has sold his XC90. Pricey if one or more go wrong (which they have). Probably like a Spike 2 node board going wrong- god knows how some of todays cars are going to run long term if parts become obsolete

 

[Pooman2084]

My V70 is a 2.4 5 cyl 20v 170 ? has a 5 spd auto gearbox issue. When cold it is fine. When hot it can jump when at rest - going in and out of first. It's very annoying. So you put it into neutral at traffic lights but re-selecting first can be a bump.

Bits like the abs pump have to be coded to the car. I got mine remanufactured a couple of years ago.

I have bought loads of bits from that scrapyard on the a1. Replaced lots of brake, suspension type stuff. Was very hard to find a replacement exhaust. Aircon compressor needs replacing as clutch is worn and does not like heat. Now and again it blows mist out of the passenger side.

Immobilizer is a nuisance so I lock on the key now, but have to unlock on the fob. The key barrel in the ignition can be tricky. The lock on the autobox is iffy so you can turn it off in drive and remove the key. Then a pain tp get the key in again and into neutral.

It's just tired and bits are getting hard to find. It is giving me all the hassle of a classic, but in a stodge fest car

The jumping in neutral is the valve body. They were right at the tolerance of the power / torque the engine delivers and can give over time if worked hard / tow etc.

It’s an expensive repair if installing new, probably not economical at this stage of the car’s life.