Apologies for delayed response Sotosound! It's been a roller-coaster of a "Sherlock Holmes" detective hunt for the car I've wanted for years!
So, the Epsom car (advertised at £8,150) is a lovely, straight and amaaaaazingly well appointed car. Speaking with the sales forecourt AND one of the mechanics who'd repaired and serviced it, it is indeed, a 1 owner (who I believe was from a military background), who bought from new with just about all the bells and whistles you could imagine. The reason for this relates to MOD employees "reduced price" on certain goods - in this case a car purchase.
I think the guy had to retire from driving and his son/son-in-law who had driven it too decided to emigrate to NZ - so they had to sell it.
Bodywork was good for a car of that age. Tyres good. Interior virtually unblemished. Certainly the rear seats. Aircon OK.
The mileage was straight too at just over 115k.
I test drove this exceptionally rarer and well appointed car. Seemed fine on short run. V pokey so it FELT like a 2.4D DRIVe engine. Turns out it is a 2.4D DRIVe engine and the registration (the ONLY V5 for 1 owner) was incorrect showing 2 litre DRIVe diesel. So that would need to be changed.
Outside the BLIS and the Adaptive Cruise Control - i could certainly live without all the possible/conceivable extras (ie monitors and DVD player etc).
However I could also live without BLIS (as I have done for years - and will continue to). I could live without electric seats too.
The other thing, for me. Was budget. I found another XC70 locally (an SE not SE LUX). This one was via a private seller. I suddenly realised that I much prefer talking/dealing with and buying from private sellers who have actually OWNED and LIVE WITH the car for sale (so can reveal every nuance, details of servicing, what kind of stuff they chucked in the back), rather than sales people in garages. The one I bought was equally reasonable nick, full stamped history WITH paper receipts to back up and the guy I bought it from was genuine. It has 137K on the clock, but waded in CONSIDERABLY cheaper (which would cover a lot of servicing, fuel or BIG expense buffer if anything did go wrong). I also preferred the colour. I preferred the seller. I preferred the price. I also like the idea that the one I bought had a DTUK Performance System included...so my MPG on this '11 Volvo XC70 SE with 137K on the clock is pretty amazing!!!
Volvo in Chigwell had a very immaculate one in same colour (Oyster metallic I think) but with tan leather (not good idea with kids), £77k and on at £9,995!!
So after about 16 years of non-Volvo ownership..I'm now a proud owner of an XC70 for which I paid a fair price!!! Very happy! Thing pulls like a train! But there is stuff I need to sort: cant see brake fluid bleed and change and slave cylinders checking. Clutch stuck down close to floor this morning, but after couple of mins (and putting my toe underneath gently to see if it would "unstick" which it did). Been fine since. Was fine yesterday (but need checking before hols.
In terms of storage space, I actually think Skoda's storage was more ingenious (cubby holes etc) than Volvo..but total area of storage is obviously bigger in the Volvo.
Chuffed to be back in Volvo-land once more!