Volvo V50 advice

[MunchMyStump]

Now I know I need a van for work purposes but this area of Leeds would just amount to the van being broken into by the local scum just to check that there was no tools in there.
Hence me buying a very cheap Meriva that nobody in their right minds would steal or need to break into as there are no tools left in it and the scumbags can see there is nothing there worth the effort.
Right, background over. Many year ago I owned a Volvo 840 and it was a brilliant car, then the timing belt snapped. Mice had got under the bonnet and chewed away at everything they could. Timing belt broke on the motorway and that was the end of the 840
The £400 Meriva is approaching the 100k mark and is pretty much ready for landfill. It has served me well over 2 years and 20k miles only requiring minor repairs. Bargain tastic car car but too small...
So.
Volvo V50. After that very long intro I finally get to the point. Anyone here own one? Petrol or Diesel? Thoughts? Most importantly is the boot space and can I fit a 195cm long rod holdall without it encumbering my driving as the Meriva does. The holdall is hovering over the handbrake and changing gear is a bit restricted, making long journeys a pain in the bum.
I am not restricting myself to the V50 but I would like to stick with the brand whilst remaining open to alternatives.

Advice please good people.
Cheers
Munchie

 

[carphauler]

I'm currently looking for a new estate, V50 was top of my list but there are very few on the market and therefore holding their prices, Passat was next but again expensive and not cheap to maintain, seriously looking at Hyundai i30 and maybe i40 estates now, no cambelt to change, no dual mass flywheel clutch, no dpf, £30 year tax,
Edit: All diesels.

 

[The Landlord]

I had a V70 & wish I still did. Great wagon for fishing, big mad German Shepherds & camping.

 

[MrBen]

I'm currently looking for a new estate, V50 was top of my list but there are very few on the market and therefore holding their prices, Passat was next but again expensive and not cheap to maintain, seriously looking at Hyundai i30 and maybe i40 estates now, no cambelt to change, no dual mass flywheel clutch, no dpf, £30 year tax,
Edit: All diesels.

Good reliable vehicles now, the early diesels from Hyundai used to have issues with high pressure diesel pumps but those days are long gone and the i range is pretty much bomb proof to the point I recommended one to my uncle who has since bought and loves it.

 

[Barbelcatcher]

I have a V70, D3, 2014 diesel ideal for taking rubbish to the tip and holding all fishing gear. Fantastic car. However, model no longer made after 2015. I have modiofdied my driving style over the past 5-6 years, anticipating traffic lights, slowdowns etc., and am getting 52.2 mpg which I am happy with. Will have to consider XC 50 as next purchase

 

[dry nets]

I had a v50 , thinks 12/13 plate. Diesel does good mpg and for the 1.6 the road tax for free. Don’t put fishing gear in as I have a van. You say a van would get broken into but if you leave nothing in it why not leave back unlocked. Sack that, I e just remembered,, my mates van was broken into even with the back unlocked.

 

[MunchMyStump]

I managed to nip off early after filling the skip and yes with greedy the boards installed... @Dave to take a look at an i40.
Nice car, ticked many boxes but the rear seats don't fold flat. So that is out of the running.
Back to the drawing board and ideas. I did a bit of background research and the Skoda Superb is now looking like a likely candidate but also a Volvo V60 and the V50.
I wandered down the road to Brooklands Motors and meandered around looking at the stock. Salesman duly appeared and enquired about the Insignia estate 2.0 Diesel on the forecourt, do the rear seats fold flat I asked.. I dunno was the reply... Can we find out I asked? Are you wanting to buy it now? He replied.. Well no, not unless it has a 195cm boot length and the seats fold flat. With that he just turned around and went back inside. Obviously his big fat sweaty body could not cope with a customer enquiry.
So a quicky... does the insignia have fold flat seats? I have had no definitive answer as model year and spec differ.
MPV alternatives?
I really do appreciate any and all advice.
Munchy

 

[Steve57]

Mk5 Mondeo estate. Rear seats fold flat without tipping up the seat squabs. It takes my Mosella Compact Holdall which is 197cm in length. I'm not very tall so the driver's seat is reasonably forward.

 

[MunchMyStump]

I have the very same holdall. Daft as it sounds this is what I am focussing my options on. Thanks for that @Steve57

 

[Total]

I managed to nip off early after filling the skip and yes with greedy the boards installed... @Dave to take a look at an i40.
Nice car, ticked many boxes but the rear seats don't fold flat. So that is out of the running.
Back to the drawing board and ideas. I did a bit of background research and the Skoda Superb is now looking like a likely candidate but also a Volvo V60 and the V50.
I wandered down the road to Brooklands Motors and meandered around looking at the stock. Salesman duly appeared and enquired about the Insignia estate 2.0 Diesel on the forecourt, do the rear seats fold flat I asked.. I dunno was the reply... Can we find out I asked? Are you wanting to buy it now? He replied.. Well no, not unless it has a 195cm boot length and the seats fold flat. With that he just turned around and went back inside. Obviously his big fat sweaty body could not cope with a customer enquiry.
So a quicky... does the insignia have fold flat seats? I have had no definitive answer as model year and spec differ.
MPV alternatives?
I really do appreciate any and all advice.
Munchy

Re Insignia....According to this, rear seats do not fold completely flat.....do the insignia car rear seats fold flat - Google Search

I've had two Mondeo's fishing motors an old SI 2.0 Mk2 petrol and now a Mondeo Ghia Mk 3 petrol both 2.0 litre and rear seats fold completely flat as it seems the Mk5 do too.....Excellent fishing motors, plenty of room for two lots of gear and the estates will be even roomier...

But please be aware, second hand prices are absolutely mental at the moment and well over realistic prices.....Hope you get sorted....

 

[Dave]

Get a Hilux Double Cab with a canopy on the back - you know it makes sense

 

[nejohn]

I use the same Mosella holdall and it fits into my 3 series estate all be it with a bit of a squeeze (a 5 series would be better) It did fit Kathy's C class estate better before she sold it. The Skoda Superb is very nice I have had a couple as hire cars but I will add one was really nice and it had less than 10k on the clock but the other one had over 60k on the clock and was beginning to feel a bit tired, squeaks and rattles from interior trim and didn't feel as good on the road as the lower mileage one. Both Volvo's would be a good choice but check the length as the V50 might be a little tight as they are built on a Focus floor pan. The Passat estate is great and the loadspace is well thought out and very useable but I find the ride is a little on the soft side and they can be a bit wallowey in corners. A couple of curved balls could be a good late low mileage Jaguar X type Estate these are very good and can be found quite cheaply as can a Mercedes B class which once you drop the back seats are surprisingly large again relatively cheap to buy and a step up in quality, find a good independent mercedes specialist and servicing and repairs are on par with any other cars

 

[Hairflick]

I have owned my V50 1.8 petrol 57 plate for over 9 years and done over 100,000 miles in her now on 150,000+ never missed a beat in that time just regular oil and filter changes every 6 months or 5000 miles, Not the best on economy around 30 mpg local 40 on a run the V50 petrol is just a Ford focus running gear with a Mazda engine that's also in the Mondeo. I fit the wife and all my gear in for our trips to White Acres 3 times a year, around 800 mile round trip.

 

[Steve57]

If you don't mind a slightly older car then the Mk4 Mondeo estate would work as well (that was my previous car). The Mk4 is slightly shorter overall but larger on the inside (TARDIS?). For both Mks the hatchback variant will not take Mosella holdall without it poking through between the front seats. The other advantage the estate has over the hatchback is that when the rear door/hatch is open it is completely flat so loading is easier. The Mk5 2ltr diesel is only £30 a year road tax and the Mk4 is £140ish).

 

[TrickyD]

Seeing as you are in a city, I would check if the car you are after is ulez compliant. I looked at a 2016 insignia estate and it wasn't. You may not be in a ulez zone now, but the way things are going, it may not be long.

 

[carphauler]

I managed to nip off early after filling the skip and yes with greedy the boards installed... @Dave to take a look at an i40.
Nice car, ticked many boxes but the rear seats don't fold flat. So that is out of the running.
Back to the drawing board and ideas. I did a bit of background research and the Skoda Superb is now looking like a likely candidate but also a Volvo V60 and the V50.
I wandered down the road to Brooklands Motors and meandered around looking at the stock. Salesman duly appeared and enquired about the Insignia estate 2.0 Diesel on the forecourt, do the rear seats fold flat I asked.. I dunno was the reply... Can we find out I asked? Are you wanting to buy it now? He replied.. Well no, not unless it has a 195cm boot length and the seats fold flat. With that he just turned around and went back inside. Obviously his big fat sweaty body could not cope with a customer enquiry.
So a quicky... does the insignia have fold flat seats? I have had no definitive answer as model year and spec differ.
MPV alternatives?
I really do appreciate any and all advice.
Munchy

I30 seats fold flat but I think the estate might not be big enough for what you want, also neither would be the V50.
Regards the Insignia , that's poor customer service really, imagine what they would be like if you bought the car and had a problem.

 

[Peezartiste]

If you decide on a Mondeo estate, beware the inside width of the MK5 boot is narrower than the MK4. I found this out the hard way, when I changed from 4 to 5.

 

[MrBen]

I30 seats fold flat but I think the estate might not be big enough for what you want, also neither would be the V50.
Regards the Insignia , that's poor customer service really, imagine what they would be like if you bought the car and had a problem.

I had that once in a transit centre went to look at a transit connect sport, had all the doors open, sales people walking past and then going to chat with their friends, even when I had the bonnet up nothing. So I was naughty disconnected a large chunk of engine loom, and removed it, left it for them in the glovebox. The sales staff just seemed more interested in their phones and private conversations, haven’t been back.