Kat wrote:

On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 14:29:41 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:


In article ,
Kat wrote:

Before you go ahead, check up on the insurance situation.

It might be cheaper to get a big old Volvo estate.

It might, indeed. Thanks. Especially one with a tow bar... But why a
Volvo, in particular?

They tend to be pretty well engineered vehicles - although maybe not the
most exciting to drive. So older ones can still be found in serviceable
condition.


What is the usual thing that eventually consigns them to the scrap
yard?

On all the cars I've had, (British and Japanese) , it's been body rust
- especially the sills - (even though the engines still had about 200K
miles of life left in them)! How are the 10-15 year old Volvos with
regards rust problems? I once drove a 740 when they first came out in
the 80s, and was quite impressed.

Most cars these days will not rot much before the engines are knackered.

15 years or 150k miles is what most '2 liter' cars of decent manufactire
(no Fiat) should do, with the clas cars like beemers, mercs, veedubs,
volvos and even jags *(these days) being capable of.

I happen to have a landrover defender, and that - 110 size and tdi or if
possible td5, is a good workhorse IF you can accept the high fuel
consumption and the offroad capability is worth trading it for.

Its a second best at everything for us - except when the weather turns
sour, and then there is nothing I would rather be in, frankly. I've
towed with it,. gone across fields looking for the dog in it, filled it
with a ton of bricks, taken it to denmark and germany and back, driven
through 2 foot of floodwater, through 8" of snow, cleared houses with it.

Lots of crappy qulaity problems, but the big bits - Engine, tramsission
and brakes and tyres - have never let me down, and its just coming to
the end of its first set of tyres after 450000 miles from new.


Low service costs too.

Only expense is the 26mpg dropping to about 20mpg at 85mph :-)

And the weird handling. Each end of teh vehicle has a mind of its own,
and making sure they agree is a little tricky if youi are 'pressing on'
hard..



K