2004 Volvo

2004 Volvo S80 D5 Manual

177,000 miles

MOT to November 2022 (12 months – No Advisories on last one)

18 inch BBS Nebula Split Alloys with correct Volvo caps

Ruby Red Metallic with Beige Leather Interior

This car can best be described as:

LUXURY LEATHER 3 PIECE SUITE AND TOP END DOLBY PRO LOGIC STEREO FOR SALE. FREE CAR INCLUDED.

For sale is my trustworthy, tough as old boots, comfy as slippers – Volvo S80

D5 because it’s a fantastic punchy, economical engine

Manual because you don’t want the problems that come with the Geartronics

Euro 3 engine because you don’t have to worry about the DPF getting clogged up. It doesn’t have one.

If you take some hallucinogenics and punch yourself in the face a few times, you can almost convince yourself that you own an Aston Martin Rapide.

You also won’t find the words ‘mint’ and ‘bombproof’ used in this advert past this point, as they can never be truly backed up when selling 17 year old sheds.

It does ‘Being a Car’ fantastically well. It gets you wherever you want in the comfiest seats ever installed in a motor car, with one of the best stereos of its time, and with all the creature comforts like parking sensors, cruise control, heated seats, climate control, electric folding mirrors. All while averaging 52mpg for mixed driving (optimistic computers on these – so probably more like 48mpg)

But that’s still phenomenal for a near 20 year old lump like this, and in real terms is better than most modern cars that claim outrageous figures that you can only achieve in a wind tunnel.

It’s only for sale because my partner and I are getting a Woofer in the New Year and my son wants to take his mountain bike on car ferries without paying double for roof transit. I’ve just bought a manual D5 Volvo V70 to back up my words of mild lust for a manual D5 Volvo.

The S80 rides slightly better, has more rear legroom and the stereo has more bass, but it’s no good for Woofers or Mountain Bikes.

I have had the car for about 13 months and given it all it needs courtesy of my Volvo loving mechanic who also runs a manual D5 Volvo V70 (those in the know, know). In that time:

• Handbrake strip down and readjustment, new handbrake shoes (classic P2 Volvo stuff)

• Interior fan stripped out and replaced

• Nearside rear caliper replaced along with both rear discs and rear pads

• Serviced on 19th August 2021 at 175k

• All 5 injector seals replaced

• Front drop links and new wiper blades

• New battery

• ABS Sensor and ABS reluctor ring replaced

• Front discs and pads

• Serviced on 29th October 2020 at 168k

• Machine polish in October 2020

The numbnuts I bought the car from promised service history and receipts that never materialised but there is a Service Book stamped up to 2014. My mechanic says it’s been looked after despite the lack of proof between then and my stewardship. He also suspects the clutch has been done, and the cambelt in the last 20k also, but alas I cannot prove this.

Nevertheless you get a set of 18” BBS Nebula Split alloys with new front tyres and rears with plenty of life in them. These wheels are the holy grail among P2 Volvo heads and are worth approx. £400 alone even in a kerbed state. Double that when refurbed. Some of the photos in the advert were taken with fully refurbed Nebulas but I have since swapped them onto my V70 so you get the Nebulas that were on my V70 instead. Still very good but with some kerbing marks, and only a refurb away from wheely bliss.

The stereo works fine. The aircon blows ice cold when called upon. There are no knocks or strange noises, and it doesn’t appear to leak oil. The clutch has plenty of life in it and the steering rack doesn’t pulse (check this on all P2 cars).

So in the name of full transparency, here is the list of imperfections:

• Flaky paint on the roof rails and wing mirrors

• Passenger seat heater element not working, drivers works fine

• Drivers window has a bent regulator arm (done by the numbnuts), so it’s temperamental and I don’t use it now.

• The standard issue P2 alarm battery no longer works and pings you on start up

It’s worth far more in reality than it’s worth to the market, but car people know and respect these cars. It’s not one for central London, but it’s cheap, safe, reliable, comfortable transport for anyone who hates filling up frequently and I will be sad to see it go. Car comes with one key, V5c, manuals and Service Book, and paperwork for all of the work listed above. Viewing in Hitchin, Herts.