Any comments on V 50 with diesel engine?

[chris m]

Hi,

I passed our local Volvo dealership today and the V 50 caught my eye. After a quick look I left with the sales brochure and the honest thought of getting one.

Has somebody any experience with the V 50 so far? Good or bad would be of interest! Especially any comments about the diesel engine would be very much appreciated! Is that engine known from the older 40 series and is it good?

Thanks for any comments, Chris

(still with RWD but tempted!)

quick search found

Hot oil treatment for new Volvos
24 February 2004

Volvo is likely to offer a high-powered diesel engine in its new S40 saloon and V50 estate.

Currently the only diesel model available in the S40 and V50 line-up is the 136bhp 2.0-litre, but Volvo says it is considering offering its 2.5-litre D5 diesel already used in other models.

Developing 163bhp, the D5 engine should enable the cars to reach 60mph in under nine seconds, achieve a top speed of 140mph and return around 45mpg on the combined cycle.

Volvo has already confirmed that it will offer a cheaper entry-level 1.6-litre diesel engine in the S40, which will go on sale late this year. The previous-generation S40, still on sale branded as the S40 Classic, will then be discontinued.

You may as well get a Focus,it'd be a lot cheaper.

it'd loose its value quicker though, so in the long run the volvo may actually be cehaper

[Rooster]

The new S/V40 diesel engine is a cracking engine until it cleans its Exhaust gas recirculation filter, usually around ever 300 miles and the engines throws a wobbly and looses all its power.
Not all the diesels do this just some of them, volvo have not yet found a cure but are working on it, its just abit hit and miss at minute trying to cure teething problems out.

The 1.6 diesel along with the 1.6 petrol will be released later in the year, 1.6 diesel will only be avalible in the S40 and the T5 awd will only be avalible in the V50.

[4 forty]

Originally Posted by Rooster

The new S/V40 diesel engine is a cracking engine until it cleans its Exhaust gas recirculation filter, usually around ever 300 miles and the engines throws a wobbly and looses all its power.
Not all the diesels do this just some of them, volvo have not yet found a cure but are working on it, its just abit hit and miss at minute trying to cure teething problems out.

The 1.6 diesel along with the 1.6 petrol will be released later in the year, 1.6 diesel will only be avalible in the S40 and the T5 awd will only be avalible in the V50.

what is the difference between euro 3 and euro 4?[2 litre engine] the top speed and 0 to 60 time are the same.

[7050man]

Originally Posted by 4 forty

what is the difference between euro 3 and euro 4?[2 litre engine] the top speed and 0 to 60 time are the same.

E4 has exhaust filter fitted to meet E4 spec,(reduced particulate output), I suppose due to the fact that this engine cannot burn cleanly enough to meet the spec without one. Periodically though, the filter has to go through a "recirculation" process which basically means that all the crud is burned off.

I don't know exactly how this happens, but I've been told by my dealer that some fluid is in some way sprayed onto the filter or maybe burned in the combustion process (he didn't enlarge ), to clean the soot off.

In driving terms I've only noticed this happening a couple of times in 5000 miles of driving and both times I was on the motorway. Car did not feel too different in terms of performance, but I noticed that economy went to about half on the instantaneous readout. this lasted for about 4 miles and then it all cleared. Performance was noticably better afterwards.

According to Volvo, economy is less than E3 engine. I suppose again due to the fact that you are inhibiting exhaust flow. I have not found my car to be uneconomical really. On a trip to Wales last week driving fairly carefully, I managed to get the av mpg to read 69.3. Not totally accurate, but not far off. Typically I'll get about 56 sticking to no more than 70mph.

Only downside for E4 engine is extra service expense due to fluid needing replacement at service. Personally, I think the benefits of less harm to the environment and not smoking out the driver behind under hard acceleration outway the costs.
These engines are clean. Compare the exhaust pipe of an E3 and E4. E4 is almost clear metal, whilst the E3 will be what you expect a diesel to be like, black and horrible.
By the way, Volvo/Ford are not the only people to use particulate filters, Saab use the same process in their GM engines and I think Peugeot do too.

[4 forty]

thank you 7050 for your detailed answer, i have puzzled over the difference for a while now.
i am contemplating replacing my old s40 with the new 2 litre diesel model, so am researching things before i make a final chioce.

paul

[Alec Dawe]

O.K. so mine is as S40 not a V50, but same 20.0 diesel, and fittings.
Yes, I too cold have gone for a Focus, or even a C-Max, with the same engine, and same chassis, but I went for the Volvo because I have had two major back operations, and the seats are of overriding importance!
My wife has a C-max, and although the seats are OK, they are not in the same league as the Volvo's, so I am very happy there.
Mine is and ex-demonstrator, bought xmas 2005 with 6000 on the clock, now has 17000miles on it.
Average fuel consumption 46mpg, thats town driving, main roads, Norfolk rural roads (cart-tracks!) and motorway. Last weeks trip to Derby and back averaged 52mpg, average speed 61mph, never below 85mph on the M1, so not exactly gently. These are 'real' fuel consumptions, not the over optomistic computer figures!
I have no problems with the gearbox in forward, but I do find that its sometimes a little too easy to select reverse instead of 1st at traffic lights etc. Stronger detent spring needed (WHATS wrong with the nice, simple, positive lifting collar as fitted to my 240!!). Will pull happily from about 45mph in 6th, but you need to check the 'instantaneous mgp' cos sometimes its actually more economical to drop a gear. 2000rpm = approx 77mph in 6th!!
I love the surge of torque feeling!
I know some people dislike the Dnamic stability thing, butI suspect that it might have saved my life over christmas, when our local authority stopped gritting the roads at midnight cos it was raining, then the rain stopped, and it froze hard. I was driving past Norwich Airport at about 5.00am and lights started flashing on the dash. Dynamic Stability skid warning... road was like oiled glass! Even with ABS took me quarter of a mile to slow from 40 to stop at a roundabout. If the Dynamic Stability warning hadn't alerted me, I'd hav been perched on the top of the roundabout. Talking to another driver that day, he had passed 17 cars in ditches etc various on the way to Weybourne that morning!
AC controls are a bit small, but with climate control I just set it and forget it, the temp control knob is big enough to find without taking your eyes off the road, and the system does the rest.
Tyre wear is looking good, I think I'll get about 24000 out of the fronts, and perhaps 30000 from the rears. Radio excellent, cd autochanger in radio is good too. Winter pack is a real boon.
Car is much quieter than the C-max, and more economical. At 70+mph the main source of noise is tyre noise, engine in inaudible
Gripes:- Space saver spare.. I hate them.No rear wiper on saloon, and it needs one,(I use rainEx on all the windows except the screen now, and that is a big help).
Rear seat space a little tight, but I'm 6'2", my son is 6'3", and my daughter is 6'0", as they sit in the back, perhaps the seat space would prove more than adequate for not so tall people! Boot access a little hard on the saloon, boot very deep. but opening small, however, as seats split/fold even on the saloon, its not really a problem.
I like it!! Very much!

The 2.0 td engine is fantastic, the torque seems to be never ending it also helps that half the body work isnt steel.
The only thing that may let it down is the 6 speed box, when shifting the gears are extremely close together and its easy to grab 6th instead of 4th, but apart from that FANTASTIC ENGINE